diff --git a/Lib/re.py b/Lib/re.py
index fd7a02c..d1df766 100644
--- a/Lib/re.py
+++ b/Lib/re.py
@@ -317,10 +317,19 @@
 
 class Set(Instruction):
     name = 'set'
-    def __init__(self, set):
+    def __init__(self, set, flags=0):
 	self.set = set
-	Instruction.__init__(self, chr(3), 33)
+	if flags & IGNORECASE: self.set=map(string.lower, self.set)
+	if len(set)==1: 
+	    # If only one element, use the "exact" opcode (it'll be faster)
+	    Instruction.__init__(self, chr(4), 2)
+	else:
+	    # Use the "set" opcode
+	    Instruction.__init__(self, chr(3), 33)
     def assemble(self, position, labels):
+	if len(self.set)==1:
+	    # If only one character in set, generate an "exact" opcode
+	    return self.opcode + self.set[0]
 	result = self.opcode
 	temp = 0
 	for i, c in map(lambda x: (x, chr(x)), range(256)):
@@ -333,14 +342,16 @@
     def __repr__(self):
 	result = '%-15s' % (self.name)
 	self.set.sort()
+	# XXX this should print more intelligently
 	for char in self.set:
 	    result = result + char
 	return result
     
 class Exact(Instruction):
     name = 'exact'
-    def __init__(self, char):
+    def __init__(self, char, flags):
 	self.char = char
+	if flags & IGNORECASE: self.char=string.lower(self.char)
 	Instruction.__init__(self, chr(4), 2)
     def assemble(self, position, labels):
 	return self.opcode + self.char
@@ -881,7 +892,7 @@
 	    escape_type, value, index = expand_escape(pattern, index)
 
 	    if escape_type == CHAR:
-		stack.append([Exact(value)])
+		stack.append([Exact(value, flags)])
 		lastop = '\\' + value
 		
 	    elif escape_type == MEMORY_REFERENCE:
@@ -1306,7 +1317,7 @@
 
 	elif char == '.':
 	    if flags & DOTALL:
-		stack.append([Set(map(chr, range(256)))])
+		stack.append([Set(map(chr, range(256)), flags)])
 	    else:
 		stack.append([AnyChar()])
 	    lastop = '.'
@@ -1336,12 +1347,12 @@
 		    index = end + 1
 		# do not change lastop
 	    else:
-		stack.append([Exact(char)])
+		stack.append([Exact(char, flags)])
 		lastop = '#'
 
 	elif char in string.whitespace:
 	    if not (flags & VERBOSE):
-		stack.append([Exact(char)])
+		stack.append([Exact(char, flags)])
 		lastop = char
 
 	elif char == '[':
@@ -1449,22 +1460,25 @@
 	    index = index + 1
 
 	    if negate:
+		# If case is being ignored, then both upper- and lowercase
+		# versions of the letters must be excluded.
+		if flags & IGNORECASE: set=set+map(string.upper, set)
 		notset = []
 		for char in map(chr, range(256)):
 		    if char not in set:
 			notset.append(char)
 		if len(notset) == 0:
 		    raise error, 'empty negated set'
-		stack.append([Set(notset)])
+		stack.append([Set(notset, flags)])
 	    else:
 		if len(set) == 0:
 		    raise error, 'empty set'
-		stack.append([Set(set)])
+		stack.append([Set(set, flags)])
 
 	    lastop = '[]'
 
 	else:
-	    stack.append([Exact(char)])
+	    stack.append([Exact(char, flags)])
 	    lastop = char
 
     code = []
@@ -1485,6 +1499,7 @@
 	code.append(Label(label))
 	label = label + 1
     code.append(End())
+#    print code
     return RegexObject(pattern, flags, code, register, groupindex)
 
 # Replace expand_escape and _expand functions with their C equivalents.
diff --git a/Lib/test/re_tests.py b/Lib/test/re_tests.py
index eb50558..9143938 100755
--- a/Lib/test/re_tests.py
+++ b/Lib/test/re_tests.py
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@
 #    ('((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', 'aa', FAIL),
 #    ('((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', 'a!', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a!'),
     ('((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),
+    ('(?i)((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     ('(((((((((a)))))))))', 'a', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a'),
     ('multiple words of text', 'uh-uh', FAIL),
     ('multiple words', 'multiple words, yeah', SUCCEED, 'found', 'multiple words'),
@@ -448,7 +449,6 @@
     ('(?i)((((((((((a))))))))))\\10', 'AA', SUCCEED, 'found', 'AA'),
     #('(?i)((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', 'AA', FAIL),
     #('(?i)((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', 'A!', SUCCEED, 'found', 'A!'),
-    ('(?i)((((((((((a))))))))))\\41', '', SYNTAX_ERROR),
     ('(?i)(((((((((a)))))))))', 'A', SUCCEED, 'found', 'A'),
     ('(?i)(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(a))))))))))', 'A', SUCCEED, 'g1', 'A'),
     ('(?i)(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(?:(a|b|c))))))))))', 'C', SUCCEED, 'g1', 'C'),
@@ -506,10 +506,21 @@
     ('a.b', 'a\nb', FAIL),
     ('(?s)a.b', 'a\nb', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a\nb'),
 
-    # test \w, etc.
+    # test \w, etc. both inside and outside character classes
 
     ('\\w+', '--ab_cd0123--', SUCCEED, 'found', 'ab_cd0123'),
+    ('[\\w]+', '--ab_cd0123--', SUCCEED, 'found', 'ab_cd0123'),
     ('\\D+', '1234abc5678', SUCCEED, 'found', 'abc'),
+    ('[\\D]+', '1234abc5678', SUCCEED, 'found', 'abc'),
     ('[\\da-fA-F]+', '123abc', SUCCEED, 'found', '123abc'),
     ('[\\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)),
+    (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][\a][\A][\b][\B][\Z][\g]', '\t\n\v\r\f\aA\bBZg', SUCCEED, 'found', '\t\n\v\r\f\aA\bBZg'),
 ]
diff --git a/Lib/test/regex_tests.py b/Lib/test/regex_tests.py
index 70ecdab..dcb980a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/regex_tests.py
+++ b/Lib/test/regex_tests.py
@@ -278,6 +278,12 @@
 ('\\([xyz]*\\)x', 'abcx', SUCCEED,
  'found+"-"+g1', 'x-'),
 ('\\(a\\)+b\\|aac', 'aac', SUCCEED,
- 'found+"-"+g1', 'aac-None')
+ 'found+"-"+g1', 'aac-None'),
+('\<a', 'a', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a'),
+('\<a', '!', FAIL),
+('a\<b', 'ab', FAIL),
+('a\>', 'ab', FAIL),
+('a\>', 'a!', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a'),
+('a\>', 'a', SUCCEED, 'found', 'a'),
 ]
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_re.py b/Lib/test/test_re.py
index 1581856..c4b21cf 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_re.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_re.py
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 
     assert re.sub('(?P<a>x)', '\g<a>\g<a>', 'xx') == 'xxxx'
 
+    assert re.sub('a', r'\t\n\v\r\f\a\b\B\Z\a\A\w\W\s\S\d\D', 'a') == '\t\n\v\r\f\a\bBZ\aAwWsSdD'
+    assert re.sub('a', '\t\n\v\r\f\a', 'a') == '\t\n\v\r\f\a'
+    assert re.sub('a', '\t\n\v\r\f\a', 'a') == (chr(9)+chr(10)+chr(11)+chr(13)+chr(12)+chr(7))
+
 except AssertionError:
     raise TestFailed, "re.sub"
 
@@ -120,7 +124,6 @@
     print 'Running re_tests test suite'
 
 for t in tests:
-    print t
     sys.stdout.flush()
     pattern=s=outcome=repl=expected=None
     if len(t)==5:
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@
 	if outcome==SYNTAX_ERROR: pass	# Expected a syntax error
 	else: 
 	    print '=== Syntax error:', t
+    except KeyboardInterrupt: raise KeyboardInterrupt
     except:
 	print '*** Unexpected error ***'
 	if verbose:
@@ -182,3 +186,10 @@
 		    print repr(repl)+' should be '+repr(expected)
 	    else:
 		print '=== Failed incorrectly', t
+
+            # Try the match with IGNORECASE enabled, and check that it
+	    # still succeeds.
+            obj=re.compile(pattern, re.IGNORECASE)
+            result=obj.search(s)
+            if result==None:
+                print '=== Fails on case-insensitive match', t
diff --git a/Modules/regexmodule.c b/Modules/regexmodule.c
index ad86068..32360f2 100644
--- a/Modules/regexmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/regexmodule.c
@@ -132,8 +132,10 @@
 	re->re_lastok = NULL;
 	result = re_match(&re->re_patbuf, buffer, size, offset, &re->re_regs);
 	if (result < -1) {
-		/* Failure like stack overflow */
-		PyErr_SetString(RegexError, "match failure");
+		/* Serious failure of some sort; if re_match didn't 
+		   set an exception, raise a generic error */
+	        if (!PyErr_Occurred())
+		        PyErr_SetString(RegexError, "match failure");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	if (result >= 0) {
@@ -174,8 +176,10 @@
 	result = re_search(&re->re_patbuf, buffer, size, offset, range,
 			   &re->re_regs);
 	if (result < -1) {
-		/* Failure like stack overflow */
-		PyErr_SetString(RegexError, "match failure");
+		/* Serious failure of some sort; if re_match didn't 
+		   set an exception, raise a generic error */
+	        if (!PyErr_Occurred())
+	  	        PyErr_SetString(RegexError, "match failure");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	if (result >= 0) {
diff --git a/Modules/regexpr.c b/Modules/regexpr.c
index 4ea6a3e..08fcc3a 100644
--- a/Modules/regexpr.c
+++ b/Modules/regexpr.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include "myproto.h" /* For PROTO macro --Guido */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include "Python.h"
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 #define NDEBUG 1
@@ -85,16 +86,16 @@
 	{
 		int num;
 		int level;
-		char *start;
-		char *end;
+		unsigned char *start;
+		unsigned char *end;
 	} reg;
 	struct
 	{
 		int count;
 		int level;
 		int phantom;
-		char *code;
-		char *text;
+		unsigned char *code;
+		unsigned char *text;
 	} fail;
 	struct
 	{
@@ -139,8 +140,8 @@
 	 * offsets from the beginning of the string before returning the
 	 * registers to the calling program. */
 	
-	char *start[NUM_REGISTERS];
-	char *end[NUM_REGISTERS];
+	unsigned char *start[NUM_REGISTERS];
+	unsigned char *end[NUM_REGISTERS];
 	
 	/* Keeps track of whether a register has changed recently. */
 	
@@ -422,7 +423,7 @@
 	Cwordbound,	      /* match if at word boundary */
 	Cnotwordbound,        /* match if not at word boundary */
 	Csyntaxspec,	      /* matches syntax code (1 byte follows) */
-	Cnotsyntaxspec,       /* matches if syntax code does not match (1 byte foll)*/
+	Cnotsyntaxspec,       /* matches if syntax code does not match (1 byte follows) */
 	Crepeat1
 };
 
@@ -469,7 +470,7 @@
 
 #define SYNTAX(ch) re_syntax_table[(unsigned char)(ch)]
 
-char re_syntax_table[256];
+unsigned char re_syntax_table[256];
 
 void re_compile_initialize(void)
 {
@@ -593,11 +594,11 @@
 	return 16;
 }
 
-static void re_compile_fastmap_aux(char *code,
+static void re_compile_fastmap_aux(unsigned char *code,
 				   int pos,
-				   char *visited,
-				   char *can_be_null,
-				   char *fastmap)
+				   unsigned char *visited,
+				   unsigned char *can_be_null,
+				   unsigned char *fastmap)
 {
 	int a;
 	int b;
@@ -717,19 +718,20 @@
 		}
 		default:
 		{
-			abort();  /* probably some opcode is missing from this switch */
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Unknown regex opcode: memory corrupted?");
+		        return;
 			/*NOTREACHED*/
 		}
 		}
 }
 
-static int re_do_compile_fastmap(char *buffer,
+static int re_do_compile_fastmap(unsigned char *buffer,
 				 int used,
 				 int pos,
-				 char *can_be_null,
-				 char *fastmap)
+				 unsigned char *can_be_null,
+				 unsigned char *fastmap)
 {
-	char small_visited[512], *visited;
+	unsigned char small_visited[512], *visited;
    
 	if (used <= sizeof(small_visited))
 		visited = small_visited;
@@ -759,6 +761,7 @@
 				   &bufp->can_be_null,
 				   bufp->fastmap))
 		return;
+	if (PyErr_Occurred()) return;
 	if (bufp->buffer[0] == Cbol)
 		bufp->anchor = 1;   /* begline */
 	else
@@ -792,22 +795,29 @@
  *
  */
 
-static int re_optimize_star_jump(regexp_t bufp, char *code)
+static int re_optimize_star_jump(regexp_t bufp, unsigned char *code)
 {
-	char map[256];
-	char can_be_null;
-	char *p1;
-	char *p2;
-	char ch;
+	unsigned char map[256];
+	unsigned char can_be_null;
+	unsigned char *p1;
+	unsigned char *p2;
+	unsigned char ch;
 	int a;
 	int b;
 	int num_instructions = 0;
-	
+
 	a = (unsigned char)*code++;
 	a |= (unsigned char)*code++ << 8;
 	a = (int)SHORT(a);
 	
 	p1 = code + a + 3; /* skip the failure_jump */
+	/* Check that the jump is within the pattern */
+	if (p1<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used<p1)
+	  {
+	    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (failure_jump opt)");
+	    return 0;
+	  }
+	
 	assert(p1[-3] == Cfailure_jump);
 	p2 = code;
 	/* p1 points inside loop, p2 points to after loop */
@@ -923,7 +933,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 	
-  make_update_jump:
+	/* make_update_jump: */
 	code -= 3;
 	a += 3;  /* jump to after the Cfailure_jump */
 	code[0] = Cupdate_failure_jump;
@@ -948,7 +958,7 @@
 
 static int re_optimize(regexp_t bufp)
 {
-	char *code;
+	unsigned char *code;
 	
 	code = bufp->buffer;
 	
@@ -1073,7 +1083,7 @@
     
 #define GETHEX(var) \
 { \
-	char gethex_ch, gethex_value; \
+	unsigned char gethex_ch, gethex_value; \
 	NEXTCHAR(gethex_ch); \
 	gethex_value = hex_char_to_decimal(gethex_ch); \
 	if (gethex_value == 16) \
@@ -1147,7 +1157,7 @@
 	} \
 }
 
-char *re_compile_pattern(char *regex, int size, regexp_t bufp)
+unsigned char *re_compile_pattern(unsigned char *regex, int size, regexp_t bufp)
 {
 	int a;
 	int pos;
@@ -1161,8 +1171,8 @@
 	int future_jumps[MAX_NESTING];
 	int num_jumps;
 	unsigned char ch = '\0';
-	char *pattern;
-	char *translate;
+	unsigned char *pattern;
+	unsigned char *translate;
 	int next_register;
 	int paren_depth;
 	int num_open_registers;
@@ -1580,23 +1590,23 @@
 	var = translate[var]
 
 int re_match(regexp_t bufp,
-	     char *string,
+	     unsigned char *string,
 	     int size,
 	     int pos,
 	     regexp_registers_t old_regs)
 {
-	char *code;
-	char *translate;
-	char *text;
-	char *textstart;
-	char *textend;
+	unsigned char *code;
+	unsigned char *translate;
+	unsigned char *text;
+	unsigned char *textstart;
+	unsigned char *textend;
 	int a;
 	int b;
 	int ch;
 	int reg;
 	int match_end;
-	char *regstart;
-	char *regend;
+	unsigned char *regstart;
+	unsigned char *regend;
 	int regsize;
 	match_state state;
   
@@ -1738,18 +1748,36 @@
 		a = (unsigned char)*code++;
 		a |= (unsigned char)*code++ << 8;
 		code += (int)SHORT(a);
+		if (code<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used<code) {
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (Cjump)");
+			FREE_STATE(state);
+            	        return -2;
+         	}
 		goto continue_matching;
 	}
 	case Cdummy_failure_jump:
 	{
+                unsigned char *failuredest;
+	  
 		a = (unsigned char)*code++;
 		a |= (unsigned char)*code++ << 8;
 		a = (int)SHORT(a);
 		assert(*code == Cfailure_jump);
 		b = (unsigned char)code[1];
 		b |= (unsigned char)code[2] << 8;
-		PUSH_FAILURE(state, code + (int)SHORT(b) + 3, NULL, goto error);
+                failuredest = code + (int)SHORT(b) + 3;
+		if (failuredest<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used < failuredest) {
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (Cdummy_failure_jump failuredest)");
+			FREE_STATE(state);
+            	        return -2;
+		}
+		PUSH_FAILURE(state, failuredest, NULL, goto error);
 		code += a;
+		if (code<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used < code) {
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (Cdummy_failure_jump code)");
+			FREE_STATE(state);
+            	        return -2;
+         	}
 		goto continue_matching;
 	}
 	case Cfailure_jump:
@@ -1757,16 +1785,26 @@
 		a = (unsigned char)*code++;
 		a |= (unsigned char)*code++ << 8;
 		a = (int)SHORT(a);
+		if (code+a<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used < code+a) {
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (Cfailure_jump)");
+			FREE_STATE(state);
+            	        return -2;
+         	}
 		PUSH_FAILURE(state, code + a, text, goto error);
 		goto continue_matching;
 	}
 	case Crepeat1:
 	{
-		char *pinst;
+		unsigned char *pinst;
 		a = (unsigned char)*code++;
 		a |= (unsigned char)*code++ << 8;
 		a = (int)SHORT(a);
 		pinst = code + a;
+		if (pinst<bufp->buffer || bufp->buffer+bufp->used<pinst) {
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Regex VM jump out of bounds (Crepeat1)");
+			FREE_STATE(state);
+            	        return -2;
+         	}
 		/* pinst is sole instruction in loop, and it matches a
 		 * single character.  Since Crepeat1 was originally a
 		 * Cupdate_failure_jump, we also know that backtracking
@@ -1777,8 +1815,8 @@
 		switch (*pinst++)
 		{
 		case Cset:
-		{
-			if (translate)
+		  {
+		        if (translate)
 			{
 				while (text < textend)
 				{
@@ -1801,7 +1839,7 @@
 				}
 			}
 			break;
-		}
+                }
 		case Cexact:
 		{
 			ch = (unsigned char)*pinst;
@@ -1858,7 +1896,9 @@
 		}
 		default:
 		{
-			abort();
+		        FREE_STATE(state);
+		        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Unknown regex opcode: memory corrupted?");
+		        return -2;
 			/*NOTREACHED*/
 		}
 		}
@@ -1884,7 +1924,7 @@
 	{
 		if (text == textend)
 			goto fail;
-		if (!(SYNTAX(*text) & Sword))
+		if (!(SYNTAX(*text) & Sword)) 
 			goto fail;
 		if (text == textstart)
 			goto continue_matching;
@@ -1900,9 +1940,9 @@
 			goto fail;
 		if (text == textend)
 			goto continue_matching;
-		if (SYNTAX(*text) & Sword)
-			goto fail;
-		goto continue_matching;
+		if (!(SYNTAX(*text) & Sword))
+		        goto continue_matching;
+                goto fail;
 	}
 	case Cwordbound:
 	{
@@ -1936,15 +1976,19 @@
 	{
 		NEXTCHAR(ch);
 		if (SYNTAX(ch) & (unsigned char)*code++)
-			break;
+			goto fail;
 		goto continue_matching;
 	}
 	default:
 	{
-		abort();
+	        FREE_STATE(state);
+	        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "Unknown regex opcode: memory corrupted?");
+		return -2;
 		/*NOTREACHED*/
 	}
 	}
+	
+	
 
 #if 0 /* This line is never reached --Guido */
 	abort();
@@ -1952,7 +1996,8 @@
 	/*
 	 *NOTREACHED
 	 */
-  
+
+	/* Using "break;" in the above switch statement is equivalent to "goto fail;" */
   fail:
 	POP_FAILURE(state, code, text, goto done_matching, goto error);
 	goto continue_matching;
@@ -1969,33 +2014,37 @@
 	FREE_STATE(state);
 	return -2;
 }
+	
 
 #undef PREFETCH
 #undef NEXTCHAR
 
 int re_search(regexp_t bufp,
-	      char *string,
+	      unsigned char *string,
 	      int size,
 	      int pos,
 	      int range,
 	      regexp_registers_t regs)
 {
-	char *fastmap;
-	char *translate;
-	char *text;
-	char *partstart;
-	char *partend;
+	unsigned char *fastmap;
+	unsigned char *translate;
+	unsigned char *text;
+	unsigned char *partstart;
+	unsigned char *partend;
 	int dir;
 	int ret;
-	char anchor;
+	unsigned char anchor;
   
 	assert(size >= 0 && pos >= 0);
 	assert(pos + range >= 0 && pos + range <= size); /* Bugfix by ylo */
   
 	fastmap = bufp->fastmap;
 	translate = bufp->translate;
-	if (fastmap && !bufp->fastmap_accurate)
-		re_compile_fastmap(bufp);
+	if (fastmap && !bufp->fastmap_accurate) {
+                re_compile_fastmap(bufp);
+	        if (PyErr_Occurred()) return -2;
+	}
+	
 	anchor = bufp->anchor;
 	if (bufp->can_be_null == 1) /* can_be_null == 2: can match null at eob */
 		fastmap = NULL;
diff --git a/Modules/regexpr.h b/Modules/regexpr.h
index 9ac2ab9..729088e 100644
--- a/Modules/regexpr.h
+++ b/Modules/regexpr.h
@@ -33,16 +33,16 @@
 
 typedef struct re_pattern_buffer
 {
-	char *buffer;          /* compiled pattern */
+	unsigned char *buffer;          /* compiled pattern */
 	int allocated;         /* allocated size of compiled pattern */
 	int used;              /* actual length of compiled pattern */
-	char *fastmap;         /* fastmap[ch] is true if ch can start pattern */
-	char *translate;       /* translation to apply during compilation/matching */
-	char fastmap_accurate; /* true if fastmap is valid */
-	char can_be_null;      /* true if can match empty string */
-	char uses_registers;   /* registers are used and need to be initialized */
+	unsigned char *fastmap;         /* fastmap[ch] is true if ch can start pattern */
+	unsigned char *translate;       /* translation to apply during compilation/matching */
+	unsigned char fastmap_accurate; /* true if fastmap is valid */
+	unsigned char can_be_null;      /* true if can match empty string */
+	unsigned char uses_registers;   /* registers are used and need to be initialized */
 	int num_registers;     /* number of registers used */
-	char anchor;           /* anchor: 0=none 1=begline 2=begbuf */
+	unsigned char anchor;           /* anchor: 0=none 1=begline 2=begbuf */
 } *regexp_t;
 
 typedef struct re_registers
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 /* This is the actual syntax mask.  It was added so that Python could do
  * syntax-dependent munging of patterns before compilation. */
 
-extern char re_syntax_table[256];
+extern unsigned char re_syntax_table[256];
 
 void re_compile_initialize(void);
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
 /* This sets the syntax to use and returns the previous syntax.  The
  * syntax is specified by a bit mask of the above defined bits. */
 
-char *re_compile_pattern(char *regex, int regex_size, regexp_t compiled);
+unsigned char *re_compile_pattern(unsigned char *regex, int regex_size, regexp_t compiled);
 /* This compiles the regexp (given in regex and length in regex_size).
  * This returns NULL if the regexp compiled successfully, and an error
  * message if an error was encountered.  The buffer field must be
@@ -110,14 +110,14 @@
  * buffer is NULL).  Also, the translate field must be set to point to a
  * valid translation table, or NULL if it is not used. */
 
-int re_match(regexp_t compiled, char *string, int size, int pos,
+int re_match(regexp_t compiled, unsigned char *string, int size, int pos,
 	     regexp_registers_t old_regs);
 /* This tries to match the regexp against the string.  This returns the
  * length of the matched portion, or -1 if the pattern could not be
  * matched and -2 if an error (such as failure stack overflow) is
  * encountered. */
 
-int re_search(regexp_t compiled, char *string, int size, int startpos,
+int re_search(regexp_t compiled, unsigned char *string, int size, int startpos,
 	      int range, regexp_registers_t regs);
 /* This rearches for a substring matching the regexp.  This returns the
  * first index at which a match is found.  range specifies at how many
@@ -132,28 +132,16 @@
  * the calling program must have initialized the fastmap field to point
  * to an array of 256 characters. */
 
-char *re_comp(char *s);
-/* BSD 4.2 regex library routine re_comp.  This compiles the regexp into
- * an internal buffer.  This returns NULL if the regexp was compiled
- * successfully, and an error message if there was an error. */
-
-int re_exec(char *s);
-/* BSD 4.2 regexp library routine re_exec.  This returns true if the
- * string matches the regular expression (that is, a matching part is
- * found anywhere in the string). */
-
 #else /* HAVE_PROTOTYPES */
 
 extern int re_syntax;
-extern char re_syntax_table[256];
+extern unsigned char re_syntax_table[256];
 void re_compile_initialize();
 int re_set_syntax();
-char *re_compile_pattern();
+unsigned char *re_compile_pattern();
 int re_match();
 int re_search();
 void re_compile_fastmap();
-char *re_comp();
-int re_exec();
 
 #endif /* HAVE_PROTOTYPES */
 
diff --git a/Modules/reopmodule.c b/Modules/reopmodule.c
index 3578ac7..39e6ece 100644
--- a/Modules/reopmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/reopmodule.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 #define BEGINNING_OF_BUFFER	7
 #define END_OF_BUFFER		8
 
-static char *reop_casefold;
+static unsigned char *reop_casefold;
 
 static PyObject *
 makeresult(regs, num_regs)
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 	PyObject *self;
 	PyObject *args;
 {
-	char *string;
+	unsigned char *string;
 	int fastmaplen, stringlen;
 	int can_be_null, anchor, i;
 	int flags, pos, result;
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@
 
 	if (result < -1) {
 		/* Failure like stack overflow */
-		PyErr_SetString(ReopError, "match failure");
-		
+	        if (!PyErr_Occurred())
+	  	        PyErr_SetString(ReopError, "match failure");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	if (result == -1) {
@@ -174,12 +174,38 @@
 	return makeresult(&re_regs, bufp.num_registers);
 }
 
+#if 0
+static PyObject *
+reop_optimize(self, args)
+	PyObject *self;
+	PyObject *args;
+{
+  unsigned char *buffer;
+  int buflen;
+  struct re_pattern_buffer bufp;
+
+  PyObject *opt_code;
+  
+  if (!PyArg_Parse(args, "(s#)", &buffer, &buflen)) return NULL;
+  /* Create a new string for the optimized code */
+  opt_code=PyString_FromStringAndSize(buffer, buflen);
+  if (opt_code!=NULL)
+    {
+      bufp.buffer = PyString_AsString(opt_code);
+      bufp.used=bufp.allocated=buflen;
+      
+    }
+  return opt_code;
+  
+}
+#endif
+
 static PyObject *
 reop_search(self, args)
 	PyObject *self;
 	PyObject *args;
 {
-	char *string;
+	unsigned char *string;
 	int fastmaplen, stringlen;
 	int can_be_null, anchor, i;
 	int flags, pos, result;
@@ -237,7 +263,8 @@
 
 	if (result < -1) {
 		/* Failure like stack overflow */
-		PyErr_SetString(ReopError, "match failure");
+	        if (!PyErr_Occurred())
+	  	        PyErr_SetString(ReopError, "match failure");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -626,7 +653,7 @@
 {
   PyObject *results, *match_obj;
   PyObject *repl_obj, *newstring;
-  char *repl;
+  unsigned char *repl;
   int size, total_len, i, start, pos;
 
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OS", &match_obj, &repl_obj)) 
@@ -810,7 +837,7 @@
   reopobject *pattern;
   int maxsplit=0, count=0, length, next=0, result;
   int match_end=0; /* match_start is defined below */
-  char *start;
+  unsigned char *start;
 
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s#Oi", &start, &length, &pattern,
 			&maxsplit))
@@ -911,6 +938,7 @@
 	{"expand_escape", reop_expand_escape, 1},
 	{"_expand", reop__expand, 1},
 #if 0
+	{"_optimize",	reop_optimize, 0},
 	{"split",  reop_split, 0},
 	{"splitx",  reop_splitx, 0},
 #endif
@@ -922,8 +950,8 @@
 {
 	PyObject *m, *d, *k, *v, *o;
 	int i;
-	char *s;
-	char j[2];
+	unsigned char *s;
+	unsigned char j[2];
 
 	re_compile_initialize();
 
@@ -936,7 +964,7 @@
 		goto finally;
 	
 	/* Initialize reop.casefold constant */
-	if (!(v = PyString_FromStringAndSize((char *)NULL, 256)))
+	if (!(v = PyString_FromStringAndSize((unsigned char *)NULL, 256)))
 		goto finally;
 	
 	if (!(s = PyString_AsString(v)))