Date   : Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:28:30 +0200
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: Master ethernet upgrade

Mark Haysman wrote:

> I've always loathed the idea of a separate .INF file for the metadata, even 
> if it's hidden. The .inf files can get easily lost if dragged across PC 
> windows that don't show hidden files. I know it seems like an accepted norm 
> with several other programs doing it, but there must be a better way. I'd 
> prefer to see the data stored at the end of a file, along with an identifier 
> string, for example...
> end of file-!METADATA!FFFF1900FFFF0823

Unfortunately what you have done here is replace one possibly
corruptible method with another. ANYTHING that accesses the file away
from the BBC itself is likely to either barf or ignore the appended
metadata (depending on filetype so how it copes with additional data).
If it is ignored, then saving will result in the data likely being lost.

After all, the point of sharing files in this manner is to access them
on a variety of potential hardware.

Continuing, the network driver on the ethernet board would then need to
look at each file in turn to see if there is appended metadata to then
lie about the filesize. The last bit of kit I knew that seemed to have
to LOOK at files to get their attributes is the FileStore and that was
none-too-quick.

Finally, somebody said it would be cool to write web pages on his Beeb
to upload them to the server. Yes, it would be cool, but it would be
severely impacted by the necessity to remove METADATA messages at the
end of every single file.

Sadly there is no "easy" solution for Acorn uses metadata and we seem to
be somewhat alone in that (unless you want to consider the weirdness of
the old Mac fork?). For my 2 cents worth, I think the .inf file is the
preferred way as it leaves the original file intact...

Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, irregular internet access at local library.
BBC B: DNFS, 2 x 5.25" floppies, EPROM prog, Acorn TTX
E01S FileStore, A3000/A5000/RiscPC/various PCs/blahblah...