I felt the answer was clear and disagree that you weren't helped by it.

But then I've been programming for a long time and Re: unless versus if ( ! ) inside a subroutine instantly cleared up my confusion of the situation.

I'd caution against such sarcasm, Chris. It's like the old joke, a man climbs onto his roof during a flood and asks God to save him; he rejects help from two boats and a helicopter (determined that God will save him) and eventually drowns, to which God tells him he sent two boats and a helicopter to save him.