gistfile1.py

import os
import gzip
import zlib
from urlparse import urlparse
from httplib import HTTPConnection

def workding_download_gzip_file(url, filename):
  """Download a gzip file and decompress it

  Save the gzip file, then read it in and re-save it
  """

  o = urlparse(url)
  conn = HTTPConnection(o.netloc)
  conn.request("GET", o.path)
  resp = conn.getresponse()

  data = resp.read()

  gz_filename = filename + ".gz"

  with open(gz_filename, "wb") as gf:
    gf.write(data)

  gf = gzip.open(gz_filename, "rb")
  data = gf.read()
  gf.close()

  os.remove(gz_filename)

  with open(filename, "w") as f:
    f.write(data)


def nonworkding_download_gzip_file(url, filename):
  """Download a gzip file and decompress it

  Try to decompress the zip from the http stream.  This is just not working
  """

  o = urlparse(url)
  conn = HTTPConnection(o.netloc)
  conn.request("GET", o.path)
  resp = conn.getresponse()

  data = resp.read()

  with open(filename, "w") as f:
    f.write(zlib.decompress(data))


if __name__ == "__main__":
  url = "http://shifteleven.com/dummy.txt.gz"
  workding_download_gzip_file(url, "working.txt")
  nonworkding_download_gzip_file(url, "nonworking.txt")