diff --git a/Documentation/Inline-files.rst b/Documentation/Inline-files.rst index 389e6093..0416c2bf 100644 --- a/Documentation/Inline-files.rst +++ b/Documentation/Inline-files.rst @@ -25,3 +25,15 @@ An inline file can be identified by enumerating the extents, e.g. by the tool In the above example, the file is not compressed, otherwise it would have the *encoded* flag. The inline files have no limitations and behave like regular files with respect to copying, renaming, reflink, truncate etc. + +.. note:: + This is not `tail packing `__, + known e.g. from `ReiserFS `__ . The + whole inline file must fit and is stored in the metadata block. Larger files + have their extents stored in blocks and the last one can be underutilized. + With tail packing such blocks would be stored elsewhere out of order, + possibly mixed with other last blocks from other files. + + This was an early design decision not to implement it due to experience with + the complexity in ReiserFS and does not seem justified with the possible + space savings in the data blocks but increased metadata to track the packed blocks.