# Using extra digits in resp.status

In Varnish the `.status` variables can hold more than three digits, which is useful to send information to `vcl_synth{}` about which error message to produce:

    sub vcl_recv {
       if ([...]) {
           return(synth(12404));
       }
    }

    sub vcl_synth {
        if (resp.status == 12404) {
            [...]       // this specific 404
        } else if (resp.status % 1000 == 404) {
            [...]       // all other 404's
        }
    }