def read_lwostring(raw_name):
    """Parse a zero-padded string."""

    i = raw_name.find(b'\0')
    name_len = i + 1
    if name_len % 2 == 1:   # Test for oddness.
        name_len += 1

    if i > 0:
        # Some plugins put non-text strings in the tags chunk.
        name = raw_name[0:i].decode("utf-8", "ignore")
    else:
        name = ""

    return name, name_len