A python function to convert FORTRAN formatted float strings into floats

float.py

import re
re_f_float_neg = re.compile('(-?[0-9.]*)(-\d\d\d)')
def fortran_float(input_string):
    """
    Return a float of the input string, just like `float(input_string)`,
    but allowing for Fortran's string formatting to screw it up when 
    you have very small numbers (like 0.31674-103 instead of 0.31674E-103 )
    """
    try:
        fl = float(input_string)
    except ValueError,e:
        match = re_f_float_neg.match(input_string.strip())
        if match:
            processed_string = match.group(1)+'E'+match.group(2)
            fl = float(processed_string)
        else:
            print "Trying to find number from ",input_string
            raise e
    return fl