Abstract: A method and computer software architecture is presented for facilitating modification of execution of a software application without impacting the integrity of the original software. The present invention defines an inter-component messaging service which brokers or receives, evaluates and directs messages between components of the architecture. The architecture further integrates functionality into the individual components which re-directs a request back to the messaging service prior to completion of the functionality in the requested original component in order to determine the presence of any concerned extension components that have registered with the messaging service thereby making known their interest in having their functionality explored prior to completion of the execution of the requested component.

Abstract: A method for creating object-type specifications for virtual and partially virtual objects is presented wherein virtual objects may specify an external source for their internal state. This virtual state of an object may come from more than one external source. The method is implemented by creating object type specifications for virtual objects, registering object-type specifications for all objects that participate in virtual objects, and providing an object factory where collaborators can obtain virtual objects as needed. With regard to creating object-type specifications for virtual objects, the present invention maps the data item of one object to the data item of another object through the use of a query of run-time type-information (RTTI) to obtain the complete metadata for both objects which must be known.