code: private Properties copyProperties(Properties source)
      {
          Properties copy = new Properties();
  
          if (source != null)
          {
              copy.putAll(source);
          }
  
          return copy;
      }
docs: Copy the given properties to a new object.
  
  @param source
  the source from which to copy
  @return a copy of the source or <code>null</code> if the source is
  <code>null</code>