The .bsd file format
A .bsd (BASin data) file contains the name and contents of a BASIC array variable. To save variable data, use the SAVE . . . DATA syntax.
Note: It is only possible to save array variables with single-letter names, such as a$. This was a limitation of Spectrum BASIC and is preserved in BASin for compatibility.
The .bsd format resembles the .bsc format in that it comprises a standard Spectrum header followed by the raw binary data for the variable. For a discussion of how variables are represented in memory, see Chapter 24 of the manual.
The header takes the form:
Byte offset |
Contents |
0 |
Data type indicator: 1 for a numeric array, 2 for a string array. |
1-10 |
Filename, padded with trailing spaces. |
11-12 |
Total length of data block (little-endian). |
13 |
Variable name (a single letter A to Z). |
14-16 |
Reserved. |
Bytes 17 onwards are the raw binary data that was saved.