don't compress files in ZONE/*, they are not opened using bopen(). you may compress the INFO files, the action file, and the datafiles generated by mkdata.c/generate.c. if you refuse to use bopen, it is equivalent to: #define bopen(F) fopen(F,"r") #define bclose(F) fclose(F) on normal files, and to: #define bopen(F) popen(f,"r") #define bclose(F) pclose(F) on pipes. bopen/bclose will use stat to know if it is working on a pipe or on a file. -val