Answer 2

The CP/M filesystem does not record the exact length of a file in bytes. It is only possible to calculate the length of a file to the resolution of a sector from the information stored in the directory.

This means that file formats for which the exact length in bytes is important must "mark" the end of the file in some way (normally a ^Z character for text files), or record its length within the file itself.

Contributor: Dave Tweed

Published: August-2002