Python lookup table multiple keys

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Python Lookup Table with Multiple Keys

A lookup table, also known as a dictionary or a hash table, is a data structure that allows you to store and retrieve values based on unique keys. In Python, you can create a lookup table with multiple keys by using a nested dictionary or by combining the keys into a tuple or a string.

Using a Nested Dictionary

You can create a lookup table with multiple keys by using a nested dictionary. Each key in the outer dictionary maps to an inner dictionary that contains the values associated with the multiple keys.


lookup_table = {
  ('key1', 'key2'): 'value1',
  ('key3', 'key4'): 'value2',
  ('key5', 'key6'): 'value3'
}

# Accessing values using multiple keys
value = lookup_table[('key1', 'key2')]
print(value)  # Output: 'value1'

In the above example, the lookup table is created using a nested dictionary. We access the value by providing the multiple keys enclosed in parentheses.

Combining Keys into a Tuple or a String

Alternatively, you can combine the multiple keys into a tuple or a string and use it as a single key in the lookup table.


lookup_table = {
  'key1_key2': 'value1',
  'key3_key4': 'value2',
  'key5_key6': 'value3'
}

# Accessing values using combined keys
value = lookup_table['key1_key2']
print(value)  # Output: 'value1'

In this approach, we combine the keys into a single string separated by an underscore. It is important that the combined key is unique for each value in the lookup table.

Conclusion

In this guide, we discussed two approaches to create a Python lookup table with multiple keys. You can either use a nested dictionary or combine the keys into a tuple or a string. Both approaches allow you to store and retrieve values efficiently based on multiple keys.

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