Inventors:
Kevin Lane Brown - Issaquah WA
Ronald Andrew Fein - Seattle WA
Eric A. LeVine - Seattle WA
Thomas W. Saxton - Issaquah WA
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA
International Classification:
G06F 1730
Abstract:
A method and system for preserving document integrity between potentially partially incompatible versions of a program module by maintaining forwards compatibility and backwards compatibility. Version (n') of the program module is released after version (n). A "saved by version (n)" bit may be activated any time that version (n) saves a file. The "saved by version (n)" bit indicates to subsequently-released versions, such as version (n'), that the file has been saved by version (n) and, based upon this information, appropriate action should be taken by the subsequently-released version. A "warning from future version" bit may be activated to indicate that a feature or features of the subsequently-released version is not supported by version (n). Based upon receiving this bit, version (n) may open the file with these features disabled or may take some other appropriate action.