int bHeader            /* is this a 'x' type tar header? */
){
  int split;

  /* if this is a Pax Interchange header prepend "PaxHeader/"
  ** so we can tell files apart from metadata */
  if( bHeader ){

    blob_reset(&tball.pax);
    blob_appendf(&tball.pax, "PaxHeader/%*.*s", nName, nName, zName);
    zName = blob_buffer(&tball.pax);
    nName = blob_size(&tball.pax);
  }

  /* find the split position */

  char cType             /* Type of object.  '0'==file.  '5'==directory */
){
  /* set mode and modification time */
  sqlite3_snprintf(8, (char*)&tball.aHdr[100], "%07o", iMode);
  sqlite3_snprintf(12, (char*)&tball.aHdr[136], "%011o", mTime);

  /* see if we need to output a Pax Interchange Header */
  if( !is_iso646_name(zName, nName)
   || !tar_split_path(zName, nName, (char*)tball.aHdr, (char*)&tball.aHdr[345])
  ){
    int lastPage;
    /* add a file name for interoperability with older programs */
    approximate_split_path(zName, nName, (char*)tball.aHdr,
                           (char*)&tball.aHdr[345], 1);

    /* generate the Pax Interchange path header */
    blob_reset(&tball.pax);
    add_pax_header("path", zName, nName);

    /* set the header length, and write the header */
    sqlite3_snprintf(12, (char*)&tball.aHdr[124], "%011o",
                     blob_size(&tball.pax));
    cksum_and_write_header('x');

    /* write the Pax Interchange data */
    gzip_step(blob_buffer(&tball.pax), blob_size(&tball.pax));
    lastPage = blob_size(&tball.pax) % 512;
    if( lastPage!=0 ){
      gzip_step(tball.zSpaces, 512 - lastPage);
    }

    /* generate an approximate path for the regular header */
    approximate_split_path(zName, nName, (char*)tball.aHdr,
                           (char*)&tball.aHdr[345], 0);
  }
  /* set the size */
  sqlite3_snprintf(12, (char*)&tball.aHdr[124], "%011o", iSize);

  /* write the regular header */
  cksum_and_write_header(cType);
}