Hi Ed, > Ahhh... filename.bz2 is a compressed "filename". It probably isn't > a > tar file or text file. Not every file is "readable" in plain text. Noted with tks. Following was my finding; On clicking the .bz2 tarball on File-Manager "Ark" will start with the .bz2 tarball file on it. Again clicking the .bz2 tarball there will start another "Ark" window with all files/directories in decompressed state but without actually decompressed. High-light a file/directory on the second window and drag-and-drop it on File-Manager will copy the file/directory there decompressed. The above is what I need, to copy files/directories from .bz2 tarball for editing without decompressing the tarball. My goal is to transfer data between computers on CD/DVD. After burning their properties change but I need to retain their original so I have to "tar -jcpf tarball.bz2" creating a compressed tarball. Then I get it burned on CD/DVD. I'm also searching another alternative. Any suggestion? TIA Furthermore I don't know whether I can add an edited file/directory back to .bz2 tarball again replacing the old one. Some compression will allow doing this way. B.R. SL
