vchoi_fork

[svn-r11151] Purpose: Fix bugzilla #407 and #408

Description:
    PropList::copyProp has incorrect prototype; although it works,
    it does cause users inconvenience.

Solution:
    Added another overloaded function with correct prototype.  The
    old version will be removed in a future release.  In the meantime,
    "Obsolete" will be displayed in its RM page.

    Also, changed several checks on the returned value of a C API from
    non-positive to negative because id = 0 is no longer significant,
    now that the C++ reference counting had been removed.

Platforms tested:
    Linux 2.4 (heping)
    IRIX64 with -n32 (modi4)
    Linux 2.4 w/PGI (colonelk)