9 track tapes and block sizes

[Chuck Guzis]

On 10/2/20 1:42 PM, Eric Smith wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 2, 2020 at 1:27 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org <mailto:cctalk at classiccmp.org>> wrote:
> 
>     Actually, they're neither.  I append the metadata after the EOI marker
>     on mine.   Doesn't seem to bother the emulators.
> 
> 
> Some programs (but probably very few) that use various so-called .tap
> files assume that they can seek to the EOF (of the container file) and
> read records backwards (supported by lengths being at both ends of
> blocks in the container). Tacking metadata on the end breaks that. I'm
> not criticizing, mind you. It's just something that people may need to
> be aware of.

Metadata records tacked on after the EOI marker are appended with the
appropriate preamble-postamble length indicators, so this doesn't break
the scheme (much).

--Chuck