sub find {
    my ($self, $search_item) = @_;
    eval {
        # skip expensive search if item not stored anywhere
        throw Signal::Search::Not_Stored
           unless $search_item->stored;

        # otherwise do expensive search
        $self->first;
        while (my $item = $self->next) {
            throw Signal::Search::Found
                if $item == $search_item;
        };
        throw Signal::Search::Not_Found;
    }; if ($@) {
        my $e = $@;

        # Do NOT handle Signals here. Those propagate back
        # up to the caller who will handle them appropriately.
        throw $e if $e->isa('Signal::Search');

        ... handle exceptions here ...
    };
};
[download]

I would argue that you have three possible return codes - NOT_STORED, FOUND, NOT_FOUND, plus all the possible exceptions that can occur. Instead of trying to shoehorn your return codes into a C-like morass of constants and bit-vectors, use signalling exceptions! Heck, you can even include a reference to the found item in your Signal::Search::Found object, if you were so inclined. And, your code is self-commenting because you make a distinction between NOT_STORED and NOT_FOUND, in case the caller or reader cares. If they don't, they can explicitly treat the two cases the same, increasing the commenting.

------
We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Don't go borrowing trouble. For programmers, this means Worry only about what you need to implement.

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.

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