However, if you have any future plans to re-use this code on a different system, you’re asking for trouble. Here’s why: The C standard doesn’t define how bit fields should be ordered.

Bit Twiddling Hacks is exactly as described; a page full of snippets and suggestions for how to perform all manner of bit math in convenient or efficient ways.

MAKING IT EASIER TO DEBUG Debugging on an 8-bit microcontroller without ICE (in-circuit emulation) hardware can be an exercise in patience. Developers using 32-bit processors are used to much more.