closes bug #112468 (and all the other bugs that surfaced when
I fixed the a bug in the regression test harness...)
diff --git a/Lib/sre_parse.py b/Lib/sre_parse.py
index 16e49b6..a50191e 100644
--- a/Lib/sre_parse.py
+++ b/Lib/sre_parse.py
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@
 
 MAXREPEAT = 65535
 
-# FIXME: the following might change in 2.0 final.  but for now, this
-# seems to be the best way to be compatible with 1.5.2
-CHARMASK = 0xff
-
 SPECIAL_CHARS = ".\\[{()*+?^$|"
 REPEAT_CHARS  = "*+?{"
 
@@ -181,9 +177,10 @@
             char = char + c
         self.index = self.index + len(char)
         self.next = char
-    def match(self, char):
+    def match(self, char, skip=1):
         if char == self.next:
-            self.__next()
+            if skip:
+                self.__next()
             return 1
         return 0
     def get(self):
@@ -230,16 +227,19 @@
         return code
     try:
         if escape[1:2] == "x":
-            # FIXME: in 2.0, \xNN must have exactly two digits
-            while source.next in HEXDIGITS:
+            # hexadecimal escape (exactly two digits)
+            while source.next in HEXDIGITS and len(escape) < 4:
                 escape = escape + source.get()
             escape = escape[2:]
-            return LITERAL, int(escape[-4:], 16) & CHARMASK
+            if len(escape) != 2:
+                raise error, "bogus escape: %s" % repr("\\" + escape)
+            return LITERAL, int(escape, 16) & 0xff
         elif str(escape[1:2]) in OCTDIGITS:
-            while source.next in OCTDIGITS:
+            # octal escape (up to three digits)
+            while source.next in OCTDIGITS and len(escape) < 5:
                 escape = escape + source.get()
             escape = escape[1:]
-            return LITERAL, int(escape[-6:], 8) & CHARMASK
+            return LITERAL, int(escape, 8) & 0xff
         if len(escape) == 2:
             return LITERAL, ord(escape[1])
     except ValueError:
@@ -256,24 +256,32 @@
         return code
     try:
         if escape[1:2] == "x":
-            while source.next in HEXDIGITS:
+            # hexadecimal escape
+            while source.next in HEXDIGITS and len(escape) < 4:
                 escape = escape + source.get()
             escape = escape[2:]
-            return LITERAL, int(escape[-4:], 16) & CHARMASK
+            if len(escape) != 2:
+                raise error, "bogus escape: %s" % repr("\\" + escape)
+            return LITERAL, int(escape, 16) & 0xff
+        elif escape[1:2] == "0":
+            # octal escape
+            while source.next in OCTDIGITS and len(escape) < 5:
+                escape = escape + source.get()
+            return LITERAL, int(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
         elif escape[1:2] in DIGITS:
-            while 1:
-                group = _group(escape, state.groups)
-                if group:
-                    if (not source.next or
-                        not _group(escape + source.next, state.groups)):
-                        return GROUPREF, group
+            # octal escape *or* decimal group reference (sigh)
+            here = source.tell()
+            if source.next in DIGITS:
+                escape = escape + source.get()
+                if escape[2] in OCTDIGITS and source.next in OCTDIGITS:
+                    # got three octal digits; this is an octal escape
                     escape = escape + source.get()
-                elif source.next in OCTDIGITS:
-                    escape = escape + source.get()
-                else:
-                    break
-            escape = escape[1:]
-            return LITERAL, int(escape[-6:], 8) & CHARMASK
+                    return LITERAL, int(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
+            # got at least one decimal digit; this is a group reference
+            group = _group(escape, state.groups)
+            if group:
+                return GROUPREF, group
+            raise error, "bogus escape: %s" % repr(escape)
         if len(escape) == 2:
             return LITERAL, ord(escape[1])
     except ValueError:
@@ -290,7 +298,7 @@
             continue
         if not nested:
             break
-        if not source.next or source.match(")"):
+        if not source.next or source.match(")", 0):
             break
         else:
             raise error, "pattern not properly closed"
@@ -395,7 +403,11 @@
                             code2 = LITERAL, ord(this)
                         if code1[0] != LITERAL or code2[0] != LITERAL:
                             raise error, "illegal range"
-                        set.append((RANGE, (code1[1], code2[1])))
+                        lo = code1[1]
+                        hi = code2[1]
+                        if hi < lo:
+                            raise error, "illegal range"
+                        set.append((RANGE, (lo, hi)))
                 else:
                     if code1[0] is IN:
                         code1 = code1[1][0]
@@ -505,6 +517,9 @@
                         if source.next is None or source.next == ")":
                             break
                         source.get()
+                    if not source.match(")"):
+                        raise error, "unbalanced parenthesis"
+                    continue
                 elif source.next in ("=", "!", "<"):
                     # lookahead assertions
                     char = source.get()
@@ -515,6 +530,8 @@
                         dir = -1 # lookbehind
                         char = source.get()
                     p = _parse_sub(source, state)
+                    if not source.match(")"):
+                        raise error, "unbalanced parenthesis"
                     if char == "=":
                         subpattern.append((ASSERT, (dir, p)))
                     else:
@@ -532,6 +549,8 @@
                 else:
                     group = state.getgroup(name)
                 p = _parse_sub(source, state)
+                if not source.match(")"):
+                    raise error, "unbalanced parenthesis"
                 subpattern.append((SUBPATTERN, (group, p)))
             else:
                 while 1:
@@ -625,7 +644,7 @@
                         break
                 if not code:
                     this = this[1:]
-                    code = LITERAL, int(this[-6:], 8) & CHARMASK
+                    code = LITERAL, int(this[-6:], 8) & 0xff
                 a(code)
             else:
                 try:
diff --git a/Lib/test/re_tests.py b/Lib/test/re_tests.py
index 14a2cee..7eac04c 100755
--- a/Lib/test/re_tests.py
+++ b/Lib/test/re_tests.py
@@ -16,16 +16,23 @@
 # matching performs on large strings.
 
 benchmarks = [
+
+    # test common prefix
+    ('Python|Perl', 'Perl'),    # Alternation
+    ('(Python|Perl)', 'Perl'),  # Grouped alternation
+
+    ('Python|Perl|Tcl', 'Perl'),        # Alternation
+    ('(Python|Perl|Tcl)', 'Perl'),      # Grouped alternation
+
+    ('(Python)\\1', 'PythonPython'),    # Backreference
+    ('([0a-z][a-z0-9]*,)+', 'a5,b7,c9,'), # Disable the fastmap optimization
+    ('([a-z][a-z0-9]*,)+', 'a5,b7,c9,'), # A few sets
+
     ('Python', 'Python'),               # Simple text literal
     ('.*Python', 'Python'),             # Bad text literal
     ('.*Python.*', 'Python'),           # Worse text literal
     ('.*(Python)', 'Python'),           # Bad text literal with grouping
 
-    ('(Python|Perl|Tcl', 'Perl'),       # Alternation
-    ('(Python|Perl|Tcl)', 'Perl'),      # Grouped alternation
-    ('(Python)\\1', 'PythonPython'),    # Backreference
-    ('([0a-z][a-z]*,)+', 'a5,b7,c9,'),  # Disable the fastmap optimization
-    ('([a-z][a-z0-9]*,)+', 'a5,b7,c9,') # A few sets
 ]
 
 # Test suite (for verifying correctness)
@@ -79,12 +86,17 @@
     # Test various letter escapes
     (r'\a[\b]\f\n\r\t\v', '\a\b\f\n\r\t\v', SUCCEED, 'found', '\a\b\f\n\r\t\v'),
     (r'[\a][\b][\f][\n][\r][\t][\v]', '\a\b\f\n\r\t\v', SUCCEED, 'found', '\a\b\f\n\r\t\v'),
-    (r'\u', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),    # A Perl escape
+    # NOTE: not an error under PCRE/PRE:
+    # (r'\u', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),    # A Perl escape
     (r'\c\e\g\h\i\j\k\m\o\p\q\y\z', 'ceghijkmopqyz', SUCCEED, 'found', 'ceghijkmopqyz'),
     (r'\xff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
-    (r'\x00ffffffffffffff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
-    (r'\x00f', '\017', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(15)),
-    (r'\x00fe', '\376', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(254)),
+    # new \x semantics
+    (r'\x00ffffffffffffff', '\377', FAIL, 'found', chr(255)),
+    (r'\x00f', '\017', FAIL, 'found', chr(15)),
+    (r'\x00fe', '\376', FAIL, 'found', chr(254)),
+    # (r'\x00ffffffffffffff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
+    # (r'\x00f', '\017', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(15)),
+    # (r'\x00fe', '\376', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(254)),
 
     (r"^\w+=(\\[\000-\277]|[^\n\\])*", "SRC=eval.c g.c blah blah blah \\\\\n\tapes.c",
      SUCCEED, 'found', "SRC=eval.c g.c blah blah blah \\\\"),
@@ -138,7 +150,8 @@
     ('a[b-d]', 'aac', SUCCEED, 'found', 'ac'),
     ('a[-b]', 'a-', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a-'),
     ('a[\\-b]', 'a-', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a-'),
-    ('a[b-]', 'a-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
+    # NOTE: not an error under PCRE/PRE:
+    # ('a[b-]', 'a-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     ('a[]b', '-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     ('a[', '-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     ('a\\', '-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
@@ -543,7 +556,9 @@
 
     # Check odd placement of embedded pattern modifiers
 
-    ('w(?i)', 'W', SYNTAX_ERROR),
+    # not an error under PCRE/PRE:
+    ('w(?i)', 'W', SUCCEED, 'found', 'W'),
+    # ('w(?i)', 'W', SYNTAX_ERROR),
 
     # Comments using the x embedded pattern modifier
 
@@ -577,20 +592,28 @@
     ('\\D+', '1234abc5678', SUCCEED, 'found', 'abc'),
     ('[\\D]+', '1234abc5678', SUCCEED, 'found', 'abc'),
     ('[\\da-fA-F]+', '123abc', SUCCEED, 'found', '123abc'),
-    ('[\\d-x]', '-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
+    # not an error under PCRE/PRE:
+    # ('[\\d-x]', '-', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     (r'([\s]*)([\S]*)([\s]*)', ' testing!1972', SUCCEED, 'g3+g2+g1', 'testing!1972 '),
     (r'(\s*)(\S*)(\s*)', ' testing!1972', SUCCEED, 'g3+g2+g1', 'testing!1972 '),
 
     (r'\xff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
-    (r'\x00ff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
+    # new \x semantics
+    (r'\x00ff', '\377', FAIL, 'found', chr(255)),
+    # (r'\x00ff', '\377', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(255)),
     (r'\t\n\v\r\f\a\g', '\t\n\v\r\f\ag', SUCCEED, 'found', '\t\n\v\r\f\ag'),
     ('\t\n\v\r\f\a\g', '\t\n\v\r\f\ag', SUCCEED, 'found', '\t\n\v\r\f\ag'),
     (r'\t\n\v\r\f\a', '\t\n\v\r\f\a', SUCCEED, 'found', chr(9)+chr(10)+chr(11)+chr(13)+chr(12)+chr(7)),
     (r'[\t][\n][\v][\r][\f][\b]', '\t\n\v\r\f\b', SUCCEED, 'found', '\t\n\v\r\f\b'),
 
-    # additional regression tests (1.6 and later)
+    #
+    # post-1.5.2 additions
 
     # xmllib problem
     (r'(([a-z]+):)?([a-z]+)$', 'smil', SUCCEED, 'g1+"-"+g2+"-"+g3', 'None-None-smil'),
-
+    # bug 111869 (PRE/PCRE fails on this one, SRE doesn't)
+    (r'.*d', 'abc\nabd', SUCCEED, 'found', 'abd'),
+    # bug 112468
+    ('(', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),
+    ('[\\41]', '!', SUCCEED, 'found', '!'),
 ]