diff --git a/sources/compression.F90 b/sources/compression.F90
index 0ca8b31..0aec7a3 100644
--- a/sources/compression.F90
+++ b/sources/compression.F90
@@ -72,11 +72,10 @@ module compression
 !     cformat - the compression format string;
 !     clevel  - the compression level;
 !     suffix  - the compressed file suffix;
-!     success - returns the compression format set;
 !
 !===============================================================================
 !
-  subroutine set_compression(cformat, clevel, suffix, success)
+  subroutine set_compression(cformat, clevel, suffix)
 
     implicit none
 
@@ -85,17 +84,14 @@ module compression
     character(len=*) , intent(in)  :: cformat
     integer          , intent(in)  :: clevel
     character(len=8) , intent(out) :: suffix
-    logical          , intent(out) :: success
 
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
-    success = .false.
     select case(trim(adjustl(cformat)))
     case default
       compression_format = compression_none
-      compression_level  = 0
+      compression_level  = clevel
       suffix             = ""
-      success            = .true.
     end select
 
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -148,16 +144,12 @@ module compression
     integer(kind=1), dimension(:), target, intent(out) :: output
     integer(kind=8)                      , intent(out) :: csize
 
-! local variables
-!
-    integer(kind=8) :: bsize
-
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
-    bsize = min(size(input), size(output))
+    csize = min(size(input), size(output))
     select case(compression_format)
     case default
-      output(1:bsize) = input(1:bsize)
+      output(1:csize) = input(1:csize)
     end select
 
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/sources/io.F90 b/sources/io.F90
index d7675f1..9ca00db 100644
--- a/sources/io.F90
+++ b/sources/io.F90
@@ -172,6 +172,15 @@ module io
 !
   logical           , save :: with_xdmf   = .false.
 
+! the compression format and level of the XML+binary files
+!
+  character(len=255), save :: cformat = "none" ! compression format
+  integer           , save :: clevel  = 3      ! compression level
+
+! the suffix of binary files in the XML+binary format
+!
+  character(len=8)  , save :: binary_file_suffix = ".bin"
+
 #ifdef HDF5
 ! compression type
 !
@@ -181,10 +190,6 @@ module io
 !
   integer           , save :: compression = 0
 
-! compression level
-!
-  integer           , save :: clevel      = 0
-
 ! HDF5 property object identifier
 !
   integer(hid_t)    , save :: pid
@@ -238,6 +243,7 @@ module io
 
 ! import external procedures
 !
+    use compression    , only : set_compression, get_compression
 #ifdef HDF5
     use hdf5           , only : hsize_t
     use hdf5           , only : H5P_DATASET_CREATE_F, H5Z_FLAG_OPTIONAL_F
@@ -258,10 +264,12 @@ module io
 
 ! local variables
 !
+    logical               :: success
     character(len=255)    :: sformat = "xml"
     character(len=255)    :: precise = "off"
     character(len=255)    :: ghosts  = "on"
     character(len=255)    :: xdmf    = "off"
+    character(len=255)    :: suffix  = ""     ! compression file suffix
 #ifdef HDF5
     logical               :: cmpstatus = .false.
     integer(hsize_t)      :: cd_nelmts = 1
@@ -334,6 +342,16 @@ module io
       restart_format = snapshot_xml
     end select
 
+! get compression format and level for XML+binary files
+!
+    call get_parameter("compression_format", cformat)
+    call get_parameter("compression_level" , clevel)
+    call set_compression(cformat, clevel, suffix)
+    if (get_compression() > 0) then
+      binary_file_suffix = ".bin" // trim(adjustl(suffix))
+      print *, trim(cformat), clevel, suffix, trim(binary_file_suffix)
+    end if
+
 ! check the snapshot type
 !
     select case(ftype)
@@ -2639,12 +2657,12 @@ module io
 
 ! store metablock data
 !
-        write(fname,"(a,'.bin')") "metablock_fields"
+        write(fname,"(a,a)") "metablock_fields", trim(binary_file_suffix)
         call write_binary_xml(trim(dname), trim(fname),                        &
                           transfer(fields, [ 0_1 ]), bytes, digest)
         call write_attribute_xml(lun, "fields", trim(fname), bytes, digest)
 
-        write(fname,"(a,'.bin')") "metablock_bounds"
+        write(fname,"(a,a)") "metablock_bounds", trim(binary_file_suffix)
         call write_binary_xml(trim(dname), trim(fname),                        &
                           transfer(bounds, [ 0_1 ]), bytes, digest)
         call write_attribute_xml(lun, "bounds", trim(fname), bytes, digest)
@@ -2706,13 +2724,15 @@ module io
 
         end do ! data blocks
 
-        write(fname,"(a,'_',a,'_',i6.6,'.bin')") "datablock", "ids", nproc
+        write(fname,"(a,'_',a,'_',i6.6,a)") "datablock", "ids",                &
+                                            nproc, trim(binary_file_suffix)
         call write_binary_xml(trim(dname), trim(fname),                        &
                           transfer(ids, [ 0_1 ]), bytes, digest)
         call write_attribute_xml(lun, "ids", trim(fname), bytes, digest)
 
         do p = 1, nv
-          write(fname,"(a,'_',a,'_',i6.6,'.bin')") "datablock", trim(pvars(p)), nproc
+          write(fname,"(a,'_',a,'_',i6.6,a)") "datablock", trim(pvars(p)),     &
+                                              nproc, trim(binary_file_suffix)
           call write_binary_xml(trim(dname), trim(fname),                      &
                             transfer(arrays(p,:,:,:,:), [ 0_1 ]), bytes, digest)
           call write_attribute_xml(lun, trim(pvars(p)), trim(fname), bytes, digest)