Thanks for your quick response Facundo.

I'm working on Ubuntu 7.04, python 2.5.1
Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, May 2 2007, 16:56:35)
[GCC 4.1.2 (Ubuntu 4.1.2-0ubuntu4)] on linux2

This error occurs when the default encoding is 'ascii'.  When I change the
default encoding to 'utf-8' it works for me too.  Is, by any chance, your
default encoding 'utf-8'?

On 10/18/07, Facundo Batista <report@bugs.python.org> wrote:
>
>
> Facundo Batista added the comment:
>
> Downloaded the testdata.txt file, and yes, it's UTF-8:
>
> facundo@pomcat:~/devel$ file testdata.txt
> testdata.txt: UTF-8 Unicode text
>
> But I opened it perfectly!
>
> Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, May  2 2007, 16:56:35)
> [GCC 4.1.2 (Ubuntu 4.1.2-0ubuntu4)] on linux2
> Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
> >>> import xml.dom.minidom as dom
> >>> data = open('testdata.txt','r').read()
> >>> mydom = dom.parseString(data)
> >>> mydom
> <xml.dom.minidom.Document instance at 0xb7c03b0c>
> >>>
>
> In which platform you're working?
>
> And yes, you have absolute permission to fix it, patchs are always
> welcomed!
>
> ----------
> nosy: +facundobatista
> resolution:  -> works for me
> status: open -> closed
>
> __________________________________
> Tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
> <http://bugs.python.org/issue1290>
> __________________________________
>