Hi, due a key generation stuff, I experienced the following, and I'd like to know why.

I read that a byte was in the range 0-127.

If I write char mychar = 0x7C; I can compile.

If I write char mychar = 0xFC; I can't compile.

I saw that bytes first bit can't be true...

But in run time a byte can accept values like 0xFC.

as shown in

byte a = 0x7F;

a < <= 2;

System.out.println(" 0x"+Integer.toHexString(((int)a)&0x000000FF));

Appending that code I found something strange.

I used right shift and right unsigned shift and found the
same result (signed).
a >>= 2; //or a >>>= 2; gives me the same.

System.out.println(" 0x"+Integer.toHexString(((int)a)&0x000000FF));

the only way to unsign a shift of two was anding it.

a &= 0x3F;//to zero the first 2 bits (as I shifted of 2)

I could not find out a explanation to this behavior.



TIA,

Alan Honczar