The gzip module

This module allows you to read and write gzip-compressed files as if they were ordinary files.

Example: Using the gzip module to read a compressed file

# File: gzip-example-1.py

import gzip

file = gzip.GzipFile("samples/sample.gz")

print file.read()

Well it certainly looks as though we're in for
a splendid afternoon's sport in this the 127th
Upperclass Twit of the Year Show.

The standard implementation doesn’t support the seek and tell methods. The following example shows how to add forward seeking:

Example: Extending the gzip module to support seek/tell

# File: gzip-example-2.py

import gzip

class gzipFile(gzip.GzipFile):
    # adds seek/tell support to GzipFile

    offset = 0

    def read(self, size=None):
        data = gzip.GzipFile.read(self, size)
        self.offset = self.offset + len(data)
        return data

    def seek(self, offset, whence=0):
        # figure out new position (we can only seek forwards)
        if whence == 0:
            position = offset
        elif whence == 1:
            position = self.offset + offset
        else:
            raise IOError, "Illegal argument"
        if position < self.offset:
            raise IOError, "Cannot seek backwards"

        # skip forward, in 16k blocks
        while position > self.offset:
            if not self.read(min(position - self.offset, 16384)):
                break

    def tell(self):
        return self.offset

#
# try it

file = gzipFile("samples/sample.gz")
file.seek(80)

print file.read()

this the 127th
Upperclass Twit of the Year Show.