I have set of fixed standardized Python objects I serialize into JSON, and then deserialize later. In some cases I have an object somewhere in the structure that I want to copy for practical access purposes (multiple user workflows). When I first create this in Python, editing the copy of the object also edits the original object – this is correct. However, when I serialize and deserialize the Python object loses the link between copy and original, and those two objects become completely unrelated, and each is edited separately.

Is there a way for me to serialize in a way that the JSON maintains information on object copies/links?

Here is an example test code:

from jsonic import serialize, deserialize
import CompositeStandard as cs

#testing

obj = cs.CompositeDB()

obj.allComposite = [cs.Ply(defects = [cs.Wrinkle()])]  #creates wrinkle object under ply
obj.allDefects = [obj.allComposite[0].defects[0]] #references the same object in allDefects collection -- same object, accessible in two locations

obj.allDefects[0].area = 678 #This edits both instances.

print(obj)
print("nn")

json_str2 = serialize(obj, string_output = True)

#save as file
with open('D:\CAD_library_sampling\CompoST_examples\test_sd.json', 'w') as out_file:
    out_file.write(json_str2)

#my JSON clearly doesn't have any way to identify the two objects are linked

#open file
with open('D:\CAD_library_sampling\CompoST_examples\test_sd.json',"r") as in_file:
    json_str= in_file.read()

D = deserialize(json_str,string_input=True)

D.allDefects[0].area = 99999 #this is same as above,  but only edits the one instance

print("nnn")

print(D.allDefects[0]) 

print("nnn")

print(D.allComposite[0].defects[0]) #this still prints "area=678"