EventGhost • Can I access an array using a variable?

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Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:43 am

by eli2k

Hi all, need some guidance. I'm trying to set up something like a 2D array but not sure how.

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arrayHeader = [...]
array1 = [...]
array2 = [...]
array3 = [...]

All the arrays are of the same length. There will be an underlying condition that determines whether array1, array2, or array3 is accessed. The input will contain some form of text, and this text exists in one of the elements of arrayHeader. My initial plan was the input will give me the index in arrayHeader, so that takes care of the column. But I do not know how to get the row. The conditions generate a string, like array2, but I can't use that string to access the array. I'm probably doing it the wrong way. Please guide. Thank you.

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userInput > find the index in arrayHeader > needleIndex
conditions return array2 > needleArray

need to access needleArray[needleIndex]

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:01 am

by kgschlosser

in python they are called lists. and since python is a dynamic language there is no need to declare them unless you are indexing a specific part.

to create a list

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some_list = []

to create a nested list (multi dimensional array)

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some_list = [[]]

there is no need to be specific on the size of the array unless you plan on doing something like the following.

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some_list = []
print some_list[3]

now this can be handled one of 3 ways, initialize the list with the required number of indices

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some_list = [None] * 4

you can check and make sure there are enough indexes

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some_list = []
if len(some_list) >= 4:
    print some_list[3]

or you can simply catch the error
It is easier to ask for forgiveness then it is to ask permission

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some_list = []
try:
	print some_list[3]
except IndexError:
	print "empty list"

strings str() in python are lists and also strings at the same time

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some_list = "Hello World"
print some_list[3]

You can story anything you want in a list. it can be an object, int, char, str, float, tuple, dict

One thing you do have to remember is that lists are mutable so if you do the following

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some_list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4]
some_list2 = some_list1
some_list2[0] = 0
print some_list1[0]
print some_list2[0]

the output for both will be a 0.

this can be overcome by making a copy of the list

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some_list1 = [1, 2, 3, 4]
some_list2 = some_list1[:]
some_list2[0] = 0
print some_list1[0]
print some_list2[0]

the output will be a 1 and a 0

at any point you can append or extend the list by using the methods extend and append

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some_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]
some_list.append(5)
some_list.extend([6, 7, 8, 9])
print some_list

the output will be 123456789

there is also the pop and remove methods, pop will return the index it has removed and remove will remove the first matching item in the list without returning anything

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some_list = [1, 2, "3", 4]
print some_list.pop(1)
some_list.remove("3")
print some_list

the output would be 1 4

and as long as the variable that you are using to access a specific item contains an int() then you are good to go.

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some_list = [1, 2, 3, 4]
some_index = 2
print some_list[some_index]

outputs 3

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:05 am

by kgschlosser

also if you post the code you are trying to use it would help me greatly to understand what is going on.

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:20 am

by topix

If i understand correct you get for example as input a string like "Array 1". That should give you the list from array1? Then i would recommend to use a dict:

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input = "Array 1"

arrays = {
	"Array 1": ["This", "is", "list", 1],
	"Array 2": ["This", "is", 2],
	"Array 3": ["And", "list", "number", 3]
}

print arrays[input]  # if input is "Array 1" you will get ["This", "is", "list", 1]
x = arrays[input]  # now x is ["This", "is", "list", 1]
arrays[input][2] == "list"  # True

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:35 pm

by eli2k

@kgschlosser Thanks for taking the time to write all that out! You could have just pointed me to a Google search!

What @topix suggested is what I was looking for, using the dictionary. In my hobby programming I have not run across this concept before. What I Macgyver'd was the following:

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arrayHeader = [...]
array1 = [...]
array2 = [...]
array3 = [...]
arrayNumbers = [array1, array2, array3] # making an array (?list) of arrays (?lists)
arrayNumberNames = ['array1', 'array2', 'array3']

indexHeader = arrayHeader.index('something') # find out which column to pick
indexArray = arrayNumberNames.index('something-else') # find out which row to pick

desiredOutput = arrayNumbers[indexArray][indexHeader]

This works, but I just reimplented it using a dictionary, with the same result and a little neater code. Thank you for the help!

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:08 am

by kgschlosser

well i had the information in my bean and i do not mind typing it out. others can use the information as well. I was going to mention a dictionary to you but the closest thing that would match an "array" would be a list. I was not sure of your use case that is why i asked to see the actual code.

Re: Can I access an array using a variable?

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:44 am

by Luca Brasi

This is why this forum is awesome!
I have this folder in my bookmarks where I put posts like kgschlosser's with all the info to get back to them whenever I need the info.