One or more adjacent variable length fields could make up a variable length record.
2.
Even with variable length records, the length of each record is given so navigation is easier.
3.
This means that a program originally expected to read a variable length record file cannot read a fixed length file.
4.
Operands referenced by the A-address and B-address were : a single memory location, a variable length field, or a variable length record.
5.
A variable length record was addressed at its high-order position, its length defined by a record-mark character in its low-order position.
6.
Metadata might also be required for structured data like the fixed record length or the largest variable length record but there usually exist standard utility software to read / write structured data since the format is a known structure.
7.
A variable length record, or block of records, to be written to magnetic tape was addressed at its high-order position, its length defined by a group-mark character with a word mark immediately following its low-order position.