diff --git a/liboctave/array/idx-vector.cc b/liboctave/array/idx-vector.cc
--- a/liboctave/array/idx-vector.cc
+++ b/liboctave/array/idx-vector.cc
@@ -1011,8 +1011,10 @@ idx_vector::increment (void) const
 const octave_idx_type *
 idx_vector::raw (void)
 {
+fprintf(stderr, "Before object creation and copy:  rep = %ld\n", rep);
   if (rep->idx_class () != class_vector)
     *this = idx_vector (as_array (), extent (0));
+fprintf(stderr, "After object creation and copy:  rep = %ld\n", rep);
 
   idx_vector_rep * r = dynamic_cast<idx_vector_rep *> (rep);