zero length segments!

[Vance Shipley]

Well didn't I speak too soon!  While this works wonderfully in the shell
it won't complile. :(


Eshell V5.1.2  (abort with ^G)
1> T = fun(Bit) -> <<_:(31 - Bit), Flag:1, _:(Bit)>> = <<1:32>>, Flag end.
#Fun<erl_eval.5.63972567>
2> T(0).
1
3> T(1).
0

-module(t).
-export([t/1]).

t(Bit) when integer(Bit) ->
   <<_:(31 - Bit), Flag:1, _:(Bit)>> = <<1:32>>,
   Flag.

1> c(t).
./t.erl:5: illegal bit size
error


The problem seems to be with the expression (31 - Bit).

Any idea how to get past this?

	-Vance

Vance Shipley
Motivity Telecom Inc.
+1 519 579 5816
vances@REDACTED


On Tue, Sep 24, 2002 at 06:33:23AM -0400, Vance Shipley wrote:
> 
> Was I ever happily suprised when I found that this was a valid expression:
> 
> 	<<0:8, 1:24, 0:0>>
> 
> It results in:
> 
> 	<<0,0,0,1>>
> 
> The reason this is so good is that it I don't have to handle a special
> case when X=0:
> 
> 	Flag = <<_:(31-X), Flag:1, _:(X)>>
> 
> Of course I'm sure that that is why it works, I'm just very happy about it. :)
> 
> 	-Vance