Index: lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/service/ChatService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r4723715bee4472a5a41fc2cafd690b23b7ae4e2a -r7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247
--- lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/service/ChatService.java	(.../ChatService.java)	(revision 4723715bee4472a5a41fc2cafd690b23b7ae4e2a)
+++ lams_tool_chat/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/chat/service/ChatService.java	(.../ChatService.java)	(revision 7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247)
@@ -231,16 +231,18 @@
 					+ fromContentId + " toContentId=" + toContentId);
 		}
 
-		if (fromContentId == null || toContentId == null) {
-			String error = "Failed to copy tool content: "
-					+ " fromContentID or toContentID is null";
+		if (toContentId == null) {
+			String error = "Failed to copy tool content: toContentID is null";
 			throw new ToolException(error);
 		}
 
-		Chat fromContent = chatDAO.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		Chat fromContent = null;
+		if ( fromContentId != null ) {
+			fromContent = chatDAO.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		}
 		if (fromContent == null) {
 			// create the fromContent using the default tool content
-			fromContent = copyDefaultContent(fromContentId);
+			fromContent = getDefaultContent();
 		}
 		Chat toContent = Chat.newInstance(fromContent, toContentId,
 				chatToolContentHandler);
Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r27d386f3472e12afab03d53dfde3ed9b1c9a44d3 -r7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision 27d386f3472e12afab03d53dfde3ed9b1c9a44d3)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision 7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247)
@@ -547,14 +547,18 @@
     // ToolContentManager and ToolSessionManager methods
     //***************************************************************************************************************
 	public void copyToolContent(Long fromContentId, Long toContentId) throws ToolException {
-		if (fromContentId == null || toContentId == null)
+		if (toContentId == null)
 			throw new ToolException(
 					"Failed to create the ForumFiles tool seession");
 
-		Forum fromContent = forumDao.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		Forum fromContent = null;
+		if ( fromContentId == null ) {
+			fromContent = forumDao.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		}
 		if ( fromContent == null ) {
 			fromContent = getDefaultContent(fromContentId);
 		}
+		
 		Forum toContent = Forum.newInstance(fromContent,toContentId,forumToolContentHandler);
 		forumDao.saveOrUpdate(toContent);
 		
Index: lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/service/ResourceServiceImpl.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r6cb7e57626b862ec93d3f643606133a5731f6e73 -r7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247
--- lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/service/ResourceServiceImpl.java	(.../ResourceServiceImpl.java)	(revision 6cb7e57626b862ec93d3f643606133a5731f6e73)
+++ lams_tool_larsrc/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/rsrc/service/ResourceServiceImpl.java	(.../ResourceServiceImpl.java)	(revision 7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247)
@@ -805,18 +805,22 @@
 	}
 
 	public void copyToolContent(Long fromContentId, Long toContentId) throws ToolException {
-		if (fromContentId == null || toContentId == null)
+		if (toContentId == null)
 			throw new ToolException(
 					"Failed to create the SharedResourceFiles tool seession");
 
-		Resource resource = resourceDao.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		Resource resource = null;
+		if ( fromContentId != null ) {
+			resource = 	resourceDao.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		}
 		if ( resource == null ) {
 			try {
-				resource = getDefaultContent(fromContentId);
+				resource = getDefaultResource();
 			} catch (ResourceApplicationException e) {
 				throw new ToolException(e);
 			}
 		}
+
 		Resource toContent = Resource.newInstance(resource,toContentId,resourceToolContentHandler);
 		resourceDao.saveObject(toContent);
 		
Index: lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/service/NotebookService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r2dfc4f4d7ec60d18b3edf74161c7a0b08f8cf2ed -r7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247
--- lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/service/NotebookService.java	(.../NotebookService.java)	(revision 2dfc4f4d7ec60d18b3edf74161c7a0b08f8cf2ed)
+++ lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/service/NotebookService.java	(.../NotebookService.java)	(revision 7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247)
@@ -163,16 +163,18 @@
 					+ fromContentId + " toContentId=" + toContentId);
 		}
 
-		if (fromContentId == null || toContentId == null) {
-			String error = "Failed to copy tool content: "
-					+ " fromContentID or toContentID is null";
+		if (toContentId == null) {
+			String error = "Failed to copy tool content: toContentID is null";
 			throw new ToolException(error);
 		}
 
-		Notebook fromContent = notebookDAO.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		Notebook fromContent = null;
+		if ( fromContentId != null ) 		{
+			fromContent = notebookDAO.getByContentId(fromContentId);
+		}
 		if (fromContent == null) {
 			// create the fromContent using the default tool content
-			fromContent = copyDefaultContent(fromContentId);
+			fromContent = getDefaultContent();
 		}
 		Notebook toContent = Notebook.newInstance(fromContent, toContentId,
 				notebookToolContentHandler);
Index: lams_tool_sbmt/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/sbmt/service/SubmitFilesService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r17b9effc3c7ea57333aa800fff6d511689c32329 -r7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247
--- lams_tool_sbmt/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/sbmt/service/SubmitFilesService.java	(.../SubmitFilesService.java)	(revision 17b9effc3c7ea57333aa800fff6d511689c32329)
+++ lams_tool_sbmt/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/sbmt/service/SubmitFilesService.java	(.../SubmitFilesService.java)	(revision 7a1c6972ff38760192dbdaac41ed8e5e99105247)
@@ -117,13 +117,16 @@
 	 *      java.lang.Long)
 	 */
 	public void copyToolContent(Long fromContentId, Long toContentId) throws ToolException {
-		if (fromContentId == null || toContentId == null)
+		if (toContentId == null)
 			throw new ToolException(
 					"Failed to create the SubmitFiles tool seession");
 
-		SubmitFilesContent fromContent = submitFilesContentDAO.getContentByID(fromContentId);
+		SubmitFilesContent fromContent = null;
+		if ( fromContentId != null ) {
+			fromContent = submitFilesContentDAO.getContentByID(fromContentId);
+		}
 		if ( fromContent == null ) {
-			fromContent = createDefaultContent(fromContentId);
+			fromContent = getDefaultSubmit();
 		}
 		SubmitFilesContent toContent = SubmitFilesContent.newInstance(fromContent,toContentId,sbmtToolContentHandler);
 		//clear ToolSession
@@ -739,14 +742,7 @@
     	    log.error(error);
     	    throw new SubmitFilesException(error);
     	}
-    	Long defaultToolContentId = getToolDefaultContentIdBySignature(SbmtConstants.TOOL_SIGNATURE);
-    	SubmitFilesContent defaultContent = getSubmitFilesContent(defaultToolContentId);
-    	if(defaultContent == null)
-    	{
-    	    String error="Could not retrieve default content record for this tool";
-    	    log.error(error);
-    	    throw new SubmitFilesException(error);
-    	}
+    	SubmitFilesContent defaultContent = getDefaultSubmit();
     	
     	//save default content by given ID.
     	SubmitFilesContent content = new SubmitFilesContent();
@@ -755,6 +751,17 @@
     	
 		return content;
 	}
+	private SubmitFilesContent getDefaultSubmit() {
+		Long defaultToolContentId = getToolDefaultContentIdBySignature(SbmtConstants.TOOL_SIGNATURE);
+    	SubmitFilesContent defaultContent = getSubmitFilesContent(defaultToolContentId);
+    	if(defaultContent == null)
+    	{
+    	    String error="Could not retrieve default content record for this tool";
+    	    log.error(error);
+    	    throw new SubmitFilesException(error);
+    	}
+		return defaultContent;
+	}
 
     public List getSubmitFilesSessionByContentID(Long contentID) {
         List learners = submitFilesSessionDAO.getSubmitFilesSessionByContentID(contentID);