file read, binary or text mode

[Grant Edwards]

On 2004-09-24, Guyon Morée <gumuz at NO_looze_SPAM.net> wrote:

> ok, i have huffman encoding code.

You should open the file in binary.

> this is actually build for text,

All of the Huffman encoding implimentations I've seen output
binary, but I'll take your word for it.

> but because python can also
> read a binary file as a string, this applies equally well :)

If the file contains printiable text with cr/nl, nl, or cr line
endings, then open it in text mode.  Otherwise open it in
binary mode.

> but, i was just wondering if this gives any problems if I use
> text-mode read for the binary files and vice versa.

Yes, it will give you problems.

> If I undertand correctly now, using binary mode is _always_ save, right?

No.

If it's text, open it in text mode.  That way the line endings
are handled properly.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  I think I'll do BOTH
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