How to implement associative array (not dictionary) in Python?

Question

I trying to print out a dictionary in Python:

Dictionary = {\"Forename\":\"Paul\",\"Surname\":\"Dinh\"}
for Key,Value in Dictionary.iteritems():
  print Key,         


        

Answer 1

I wonder if it is an ordered dict that you want:

>>> k = "one two three four five".strip().split()
>>> v = "a b c d e".strip().split()
>>> k
  ['one', 'two', 'three', 'four', 'five']
>>> v
  ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']
>>> dx = dict(zip(k, v))
>>> dx
   {'four': 'd', 'three': 'c', 'five': 'e', 'two': 'b', 'one': 'a'}
>>> for itm in dx: 
        print(itm)

   four
   three
   five
   two
   one

>>> # instantiate this data structure from OrderedDict class in the Collections module
>>> from Collections import OrderedDict
>>> dx = OrderedDict(zip(k, v))
>>> for itm in dx:
        print(itm)

   one
   two
   three
   four
   five 

A dictionary created using the OrderdDict preserves the original insertion order.

Put another way, such a dictionary iterates over the key/value pairs according to the order in which they were inserted.

So for instance, when you delete a key and then add the same key again, the iteration order is changes:

>>> del dx['two']
>>> for itm in dx:
        print(itm)

       one
       three
       four
       five

>>> dx['two'] = 'b'
>>> for itm in dx:
        print(itm)

       one
       three
       four
       five
       two