New branch bug-3604074 with improved patch to correct fixempties() failure
to converge.
3604074 Fix regexp optimization to stop hanging on the expression
((((((((a)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)* .  Thanks to Bjørn Grathwohl for discovery.
revise test numbering for forward merging
3604074 Fix regexp optimization to stop hanging on the expression
((((((((a)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)* .  Thanks to Bjørn Grathwohl for discovery.