> x = (a != NULL ? a[i]->weeble : 0) + (b != NULL ? b[i]->wombat : 0) x=0 if a != NULL: x=a[i].weeble if b != NULL: x=x+b[i].wombat Isn't this more clear? In fact isn't not much if any longer than the "C" version when you count the parens used. --Darrell