> Maybe better, have it return a zero/nonzero error code; where one of the
> possibilities for failure is "you passed a bit I didn't understand".
Why not just return those bit(s) instead of an arbitrary code? How about:
-1 = error (if it ever does anything that can fail)
0 = success (all bits known)
>0 = unknown bits (remaining known bits *have* been set)
--
Andrew Chernow
eSilo, LLC
every bit counts
http://www.esilo.com/