change git root

utilities/build.gradle

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+plugins {
+    id 'java'
+}
+
+group 'edu.msudenver.tsp'
+version '1.0'
+
+sourceCompatibility = 1.8
+
+sonarqube {
+    properties {
+        property "sonar.projectName", 'Parsing and Proofs Utilities'
+    }
+}
+
+repositories {
+    mavenCentral()
+}
+
+dependencies {
+    compile fileTree(dir: 'lib', include: '**/*.jar')
+
+    testCompile group: 'junit', name: 'junit', version: '4.12'
+}

utilities/src/main/java/edu/msudenver/tsp/utilities/PersistenceUtilities.java

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+package edu.msudenver.tsp.utilities;
+
+import lombok.AccessLevel;
+import lombok.NoArgsConstructor;
+import org.springframework.beans.BeanUtils;
+import org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapper;
+import org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapperImpl;
+
+import java.beans.FeatureDescriptor;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
+
+@NoArgsConstructor(access = AccessLevel.PRIVATE)
+public abstract class PersistenceUtilities {
+
+    private static String[] getNullPropertyNames(final Object source) {
+        final BeanWrapper wrappedSource = new BeanWrapperImpl(source);
+        return Stream.of(wrappedSource.getPropertyDescriptors())
+                .map(FeatureDescriptor::getName)
+                .filter(propertyName -> wrappedSource.getPropertyValue(propertyName) == null
+                        || propertyName.equals("id"))
+                .toArray(String[]::new);
+    }
+
+    public static void copyNonNullProperties(final Object source, final Object target) {
+        BeanUtils.copyProperties(source, target, getNullPropertyNames(source));
+    }
+}