in reply to Help comparing data in byte by shifting (>>) bits

I think you want if (($a >> $b) & 1) { ... }. That checks to see if the $b'th bit (from the right) is on.

Jeff japhy Pinyan, P.L., P.M., P.O.D, X.S.: Perl, regex, and perl hacker
How can we ever be the sold short or the cheated, we who for every service have long ago been overpaid? ~~ Meister Eckhart