[Python-ideas] Dict with inverse form

[João Bernardo]

Many times I have the need for a dictionary and its inverse form (keys and
values swapped). For static dictionaries, it is easy, but sometimes I wish
there were a class to hold and update both dictionaries at the same time.
Also it will avoid creating 2 variables.

Sample:

# Current code
d = {'foo': 10, 'bar': 12, 'baz': 17}
d_inv = {v: k for k, v in d.items()}

# My proposal
d = InverseDict({'foo': 10, 'bar': 12, 'baz': 17})

d['foo'] == 10
d.inv[10] == 'foo'

This class could exist in the collections module.
The way the inverse dictionary is accessed could be different (another
attribute name or another form):

d.I[10]       # Like numpy's matrix.T for transpose
d.inverse[10] # More verbose

d[10:1]       # d[10:0] and d[10] would mean the direct dict
              # while d[10:1] the inverse one.
              # This would limit the usage to get/set/del only...

(-d)[10]      # negative symbol but it would require parenthesis.
              # (~d)[10] should be more correct because of
              # the operator's name

The inverse version of the dict may or may not allow repeated items
(overwrite vs error). The important part would be to remove keys from the
inverse dict when the value is changed in the direct one:

d['foo'] = 1
d.inv[1] == 'foo'
d.inv[10] -> will raise KeyError instead of returning 'foo'


Regards,
João Bernardo
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