He wanted to copy a selected component-instance [that happens to be mirrored] and was trying to get its definition and place an instance etc.
Obviously he could reuse the original's transformation...***
I was trying to show him how he might copy "anything" that is selected, by grouping it.
The code groups the selection, adds another instance of it and explodes the original.
At that point if he knows the selection was the one component-instance then he has the option to explode its group, giving the same result as placing a second instance using the original's transformation, but if the selection is of something different - e.g. groups, geometry, mixed objects etc - he can choose to do other things with them within the safety of his group - e.g. non-merging geometry is preserved...
***For the avoidance of doubt here is how to duplicate an instance with the same matching transformation [i.e. position,rotation,scaling,mirroring etc]... Assuming that 'instance' is what's been selected/found and it has been tested and found to be a ComponentInstance...
copy_of_instance = instance.parent.entities.add_instance(instance.definition, instance.transformation)