There are several options, most of them make the protocol significantly more complex. The goal would be to verify the client and/or the response.

You could start each conversation with some kind...

If you were given the assignment to do it by hand, how would YOU do it?

(The manual process makes a good basis for the pseudo code for the computer.)

I've never worked with Scheme, or Haskell so I can't readily debate their merits.

From what you posted that you know (VB and Assembly) I would recommend that you learn an object oriented...

I think it would depend a on how you search the subtables.

From your description, I'm presuming that the data in the subtables are ordered and that the subtables are in order as well.

You...

I think I understand your data structure from your description.

I think I understand how you search it.

I think I can agree with your premise for the worst case search. I think the math for...

We generally don't do 'instant' solutions or links to them here.

We like to help those who help themselves. If you've put some effort into a solution, but don't understand why you get the results...