TAP files are used by emulators of ZX Spectrum computer (released in 1982 by Sinclair Research). TAP file stores blocks of data as if they are written to magnetic tape, which was used as primary media for ZX Spectrum. Contents of this file can be viewed as a very simple linear filesystem, storing named files with some basic metainformation prepended as a header.
This page hosts a formal specification of ZX Spectrum tape file using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.
All parsing code for C# generated by Kaitai Struct depends on the C# runtime library. You have to install it before you can parse data.
The C# runtime library is available in the NuGet Gallery. Installation instructions can also be found there.
Parse a local file and get structure in memory:
var data = ZxSpectrumTap.FromFile("path/to/local/file.tap");
Or parse structure from a byte array:
byte[] someArray = new byte[] { ... };
var data = new ZxSpectrumTap(new KaitaiStream(someArray));
After that, one can get various attributes from the structure by accessing properties like:
data.Blocks // => get blocks
// This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace Kaitai
{
/// <summary>
/// TAP files are used by emulators of ZX Spectrum computer (released in
/// 1982 by Sinclair Research). TAP file stores blocks of data as if
/// they are written to magnetic tape, which was used as primary media
/// for ZX Spectrum. Contents of this file can be viewed as a very
/// simple linear filesystem, storing named files with some basic
/// metainformation prepended as a header.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// Reference: <a href="https://sinclair.wiki.zxnet.co.uk/wiki/TAP_format">Source</a>
/// </remarks>
public partial class ZxSpectrumTap : KaitaiStruct
{
public static ZxSpectrumTap FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new ZxSpectrumTap(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public enum FlagEnum
{
Header = 0,
Data = 255,
}
public enum HeaderTypeEnum
{
Program = 0,
NumArray = 1,
CharArray = 2,
Bytes = 3,
}
public ZxSpectrumTap(KaitaiStream p__io, KaitaiStruct p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root ?? this;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_blocks = new List<Block>();
{
var i = 0;
while (!m_io.IsEof) {
_blocks.Add(new Block(m_io, this, m_root));
i++;
}
}
}
public partial class Block : KaitaiStruct
{
public static Block FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new Block(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public Block(KaitaiStream p__io, ZxSpectrumTap p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_lenBlock = m_io.ReadU2le();
_flag = ((ZxSpectrumTap.FlagEnum) m_io.ReadU1());
if ( ((LenBlock == 19) && (Flag == ZxSpectrumTap.FlagEnum.Header)) ) {
_header = new Header(m_io, this, m_root);
}
if (LenBlock == 19) {
_data = m_io.ReadBytes((Header.LenData + 4));
}
if (Flag == ZxSpectrumTap.FlagEnum.Data) {
_headerlessData = m_io.ReadBytes((LenBlock - 1));
}
}
private ushort _lenBlock;
private FlagEnum _flag;
private Header _header;
private byte[] _data;
private byte[] _headerlessData;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_parent;
public ushort LenBlock { get { return _lenBlock; } }
public FlagEnum Flag { get { return _flag; } }
public Header Header { get { return _header; } }
public byte[] Data { get { return _data; } }
public byte[] HeaderlessData { get { return _headerlessData; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
public partial class ProgramParams : KaitaiStruct
{
public static ProgramParams FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new ProgramParams(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public ProgramParams(KaitaiStream p__io, ZxSpectrumTap.Header p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_autostartLine = m_io.ReadU2le();
_lenProgram = m_io.ReadU2le();
}
private ushort _autostartLine;
private ushort _lenProgram;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private ZxSpectrumTap.Header m_parent;
public ushort AutostartLine { get { return _autostartLine; } }
public ushort LenProgram { get { return _lenProgram; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap.Header M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
public partial class BytesParams : KaitaiStruct
{
public static BytesParams FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new BytesParams(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public BytesParams(KaitaiStream p__io, ZxSpectrumTap.Header p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_startAddress = m_io.ReadU2le();
_reserved = m_io.ReadBytes(2);
}
private ushort _startAddress;
private byte[] _reserved;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private ZxSpectrumTap.Header m_parent;
public ushort StartAddress { get { return _startAddress; } }
public byte[] Reserved { get { return _reserved; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap.Header M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
public partial class Header : KaitaiStruct
{
public static Header FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new Header(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public Header(KaitaiStream p__io, ZxSpectrumTap.Block p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_headerType = ((ZxSpectrumTap.HeaderTypeEnum) m_io.ReadU1());
_filename = KaitaiStream.BytesStripRight(m_io.ReadBytes(10), 32);
_lenData = m_io.ReadU2le();
switch (HeaderType) {
case ZxSpectrumTap.HeaderTypeEnum.Program: {
_params = new ProgramParams(m_io, this, m_root);
break;
}
case ZxSpectrumTap.HeaderTypeEnum.NumArray: {
_params = new ArrayParams(m_io, this, m_root);
break;
}
case ZxSpectrumTap.HeaderTypeEnum.CharArray: {
_params = new ArrayParams(m_io, this, m_root);
break;
}
case ZxSpectrumTap.HeaderTypeEnum.Bytes: {
_params = new BytesParams(m_io, this, m_root);
break;
}
}
_checksum = m_io.ReadU1();
}
private HeaderTypeEnum _headerType;
private byte[] _filename;
private ushort _lenData;
private KaitaiStruct _params;
private byte _checksum;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private ZxSpectrumTap.Block m_parent;
public HeaderTypeEnum HeaderType { get { return _headerType; } }
public byte[] Filename { get { return _filename; } }
public ushort LenData { get { return _lenData; } }
public KaitaiStruct Params { get { return _params; } }
/// <summary>
/// Bitwise XOR of all bytes including the flag byte
/// </summary>
public byte Checksum { get { return _checksum; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap.Block M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
public partial class ArrayParams : KaitaiStruct
{
public static ArrayParams FromFile(string fileName)
{
return new ArrayParams(new KaitaiStream(fileName));
}
public ArrayParams(KaitaiStream p__io, ZxSpectrumTap.Header p__parent = null, ZxSpectrumTap p__root = null) : base(p__io)
{
m_parent = p__parent;
m_root = p__root;
_read();
}
private void _read()
{
_reserved = m_io.ReadU1();
_varName = m_io.ReadU1();
_reserved1 = m_io.ReadBytes(2);
if (!((KaitaiStream.ByteArrayCompare(Reserved1, new byte[] { 0, 128 }) == 0)))
{
throw new ValidationNotEqualError(new byte[] { 0, 128 }, Reserved1, M_Io, "/types/array_params/seq/2");
}
}
private byte _reserved;
private byte _varName;
private byte[] _reserved1;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private ZxSpectrumTap.Header m_parent;
public byte Reserved { get { return _reserved; } }
/// <summary>
/// Variable name (1..26 meaning A$..Z$ +192)
/// </summary>
public byte VarName { get { return _varName; } }
public byte[] Reserved1 { get { return _reserved1; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap.Header M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
private List<Block> _blocks;
private ZxSpectrumTap m_root;
private KaitaiStruct m_parent;
public List<Block> Blocks { get { return _blocks; } }
public ZxSpectrumTap M_Root { get { return m_root; } }
public KaitaiStruct M_Parent { get { return m_parent; } }
}
}