If you want to be completely safe, read the file in Fortran, then send it as an array to Python (use f2py). Aside from that, assuming your compiler only writes the raw bytes in Fortran order to the file:
Careful -- the last time I read a Fortran-=written binary file, I found that the various structures (is that what you call them in Fortran?) were padded with I think 4 bytes. I did it by reading through the file bit by bit and parsing it out with the struct module. Not very efficient, but easy to control. In that case, there were a bunch of tings written, where a few values described the size of the next array, then the array, etc. If you've got a single array, it'll be easier. You might start that way, and then, when you've got it figured out, translate to fromfile(). -Chris -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer Emergency Response Division NOAA/NOS/OR&R (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception Chris.Barker@noaa.gov