private int compare( idx o, int i )		// this compares keys 
	{
		int r=0;
		for(int n=0; r==0 && n<o.searchKey.length; n++ )
			{
			int a = pgC[i][n], b = o.searchKey[n];
			if(a<0) a+=0x100; if(b<0) b+=0x100;		// to unsigned
			if(a<b) r=-1; else if(a>b) r=1;
			}
		return r;
	}