What does HRESULT 0x000401E4 (MK_S_ME) mean?

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MK_S_ME reports that moniker common-prefix calculation succeeded and found the current moniker itself is the shared prefix.

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MK_S_REDUCED_TO_SELF	MK_S_HIM

MK_S_ME

Common moniker prefix is the current moniker

MK_S_ME is HRESULT 262628 (0x000401E4) from winerror.h. The documented description is “Common prefix is this moniker.” The high-order severity bit is clear, so this is a success result, but it carries more information than plain S_OK.

The common-prefix calculation succeeded and found that this moniker is the shared prefix, usually because it is equal to or an ancestor prefix of the input moniker.

Evidence to preserve

Preserve both display names.
Preserve moniker classes and component counts.
Preserve returned prefix pointer.
Preserve IsEqual result for full monikers.
Preserve relative-path calculation that follows.

Where the result is encountered

This result can appear in IMoniker::CommonPrefixWith; record the producing interface and method.
This result can appear in link-path comparison; record the producing interface and method.
It can appear in composite moniker navigation; record the producing interface and method.

State to verify

The central question is whether the caller interprets the returned prefix relationship without assuming the two complete monikers are identical.

Diagnostic sequence

Capture the raw HRESULT 0x000401E4 immediately after the returning method and record whether the caller used SUCCEEDED, FAILED, equality testing, or exception translation.
Verify the method-specific state: the caller interprets the returned prefix relationship without assuming the two complete monikers are identical.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

MK_S_HIM chooses the input moniker, while MK_S_US indicates both complete monikers are the common prefix.

Correct handling, retry, and recovery

Reuse this moniker as the common prefix and compute any relative remainder from the other moniker. Keep equality and prefix containment as separate cases.

Practical validation scenario

A container compares a document moniker with a moniker for an embedded item beneath that document. It identifies the document moniker as the shared prefix used to build a relative item link.

Developer and administrator guidance

References

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