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Immutable interfaces and adding methods

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DevonTaig

Programmer
May 2, 2001
73
US
I have a published interface and need to add a method to it. The litterature seems to indicate that the rules of COM dictate that I must create a new interface with a different name rather than simply add a new method. I am wondering why? I seem to be able to maintain Binary Compatability when adding a new method with the IDE...I can't imagine why any existing clients would break as a result of this new method. Why is the COM concept of "Immutable" so...well...immutable?
 
Kieren,

I suppose that a client compiled after the introduction of the new method, and expecting to find it on your interface, might come across the old version of the interface and trust it to have the new method (which of course it would not). It might all end in tears.

Cheers, Ian.
 
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