python: ascii read

[Robert Kern]

Sebastian Krause wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I tried to read in some large ascii files (200MB-2GB) in Python using 
> scipy.io.read_array, but it did not work as I expected. The whole idea 
> was to find a fast Python routine to read in arbitrary ascii files, to 
> replace Yorick (which I use right now and which is really fast, but not 
> as general as Python). The problem with scipy.io.read_array was, that it 
> is really slow, returns errors when trying to process large files and it 
> also changes (cuts) the files (after scipy.io.read_array processed a 2GB 
> file its size was only 64MB).
> 
> Can someone give me hint how to use Python to do this job correctly and 
> fast? (Maybe with another read-in routine.)

What kind of data is it? What operations do you want to perform on the 
data? What platform are you on?

Some of the scipy.io.read_array behavior that you see look like bugs. We 
would greatly appreciate it if you were to send a complete bug report to 
the scipy-dev mailing list. Thank you.

-- 
Robert Kern
rkern at ucsd.edu

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
  Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
   -- Richard Harter