Python: How do you access a dictionary element within a list without indexing?

Asked Jan 20 '19 at 21:01

Active Jan 20 '19 at 21:18

Viewed 31 times

I'm trying to create a directory of folders and files for each user, and I can't seem to access a dictionary for a folder within a list of all of a user's files but only using the folder name, not by indexing.

I could iterate over the list and check if the element is a dictionary with the folder name I'm trying to access, but I felt like there was probably an easier way.

userDir = {"User1": [{"folder1": [file1, file2]}, file3], "User2": []}

What's the best way I could access the dictionary key "folder1" here?

edited Jan 20 '19 at 21:18

asked Jan 20 '19 at 21:01

Roger Wang

You just need to drill down through the dictionary, then enumerate lists: `userDir['User1'][1]` this will give file3, `userDir['User1'][0]['folder1']` gets you to the list of file1 & file2 and this, `userDir['User1'][0]['folder1'][0],` gets you to file one in the dictionary, list, dictionary, list structure: – sconfluentus Jan 20 '19 at 21:21
Sorry, but I want a way to access the `"folder1"` dictionary if you don't know which position it is inside the list of `"User1"` – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:26
1

You cannot, you need to access the whole list, then iterate through it, lists are by nature ordered, fixed and enumerated. If you do not know the numeric position then you have not choice but to pull the list and iterate through the items on the list to view the keys/ items. It will take a well thought our function.... – sconfluentus Jan 20 '19 at 21:30
Try something, post it here and then ask for feedback once you have an attempt. – sconfluentus Jan 20 '19 at 21:31
How is this marked as duplicate?? – Mehrdad Dowlatabadi Jan 20 '19 at 21:35
`for obj in userDir["User1"]:` – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:41
` if type(obj) == dict:` – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:44
`if "folder1" in obj.keys(): – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:45
`print(obj["folder1"]) # Or do something else with "folder1"` – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:45
I'll open a new question – Roger Wang Jan 20 '19 at 21:46

Python: How do you access a dictionary element within a list without indexing?

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