A generic priority queue for Python

Question

I need to use a priority queue in my Python code, and:

• am looking for any fast implementations for priority queues
• optimally, I\'d li

Answer 1

I can either use a (priority, object) as Charlie Martin suggests, or just implement __cmp__ for my object.

If you want inserted objects to be prioritized by a specific rule, I found it very helpful to write a simple subclass of PriorityQueue which accepts a key-function. You won't have to insert (priority, object) tuples manually and the handling feels more natural.

Demo of the desired behavior:

>>> h = KeyHeap(sum)
>>> h.put([-1,1])
>>> h.put((-1,-2,-3))
>>> h.put({100})
>>> h.put([1,2,3])
>>> h.get()
(-1, -2, -3)
>>> h.get()
[-1, 1]
>>> h.get()
[1, 2, 3]
>>> h.get()
set([100])
>>> h.empty()
True
>>>
>>> k = KeyHeap(len)
>>> k.put('hello')
>>> k.put('stackoverflow')
>>> k.put('!')
>>> k.get()
'!'
>>> k.get()
'hello'
>>> k.get()
'stackoverflow'

Python 2 code

from Queue import PriorityQueue

class KeyHeap(PriorityQueue):
    def __init__(self, key, maxsize=0):            
        PriorityQueue.__init__(self, maxsize)
        self.key = key

    def put(self, x):
        PriorityQueue.put(self, (self.key(x), x))

    def get(self):
        return PriorityQueue.get(self)[1]

Python 3 code

from queue import PriorityQueue

class KeyHeap(PriorityQueue):
    def __init__(self, key, maxsize=0):            
        super().__init__(maxsize)
        self.key = key

    def put(self, x):
        super().put((self.key(x), x))

    def get(self):
        return super().get()[1]

Obviously, calling put will (and should!) raise an error if you try to insert an object which your key-function cannot process.