ac> void raw_to_mystruct(unsigned char *raw, MYSTRUCT * x)
ac> {
   x->thang = 0L;
   x->thang |= raw[3];
   x->thang <<= 8;
   x->thang |= raw[2];
   x->thang <<= 8;
   x->thang |= raw[1];
   x->thang <<= 8;
   x->thang |= raw[0];
ac> }

ac> Anybody know how to simplify (or more specifically optimise) the code in 
ac> the raw_to_mystruct function?  I was thinking along the lines of

 x->thang = (raw[3] << 8) | (raw[2] << 8) | (raw[1] <<
8) | raw[0];

ac> but am unsure if that's a correct translation.  Thanks. 

No, that is an incorrect translation.  What you want is

(raw[3] << 24) | (raw[2] << 16) | (raw[1] << 8) | raw[0].

I don't know whether it will be faster or not though!  BFN.  Paul. 
@EOT:

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