i don't understand this exception

[Skaperen]

it also fails when iterated like:

f = zopen(fname,'r')
a = []
for x in f:
    a.append(x.strip())
f.close()

and this happens even with non-compressed files where zopen just calls open and returns the file object. i can't perceive how doing that can make it be a different kind of object. but i am digging into zopen to be sure it isn't doing something to the object, especially something that could make the iterator think it is a binary file. there is logic in zopen to open in binary if it is going to stack a compression object on top (does decompression for read). but this appears to be working right as the read file object is returning str as it should.

if i exhaust this search my next task will be to build a minimal class that replicates the problem.