define function in function

[Thomas Thiele]

I have a problem witing a sort function within a memberfunction.

class X:
    .......
    def function(self, dictionary):

        list = []
        ...set list entries...

        def sortf(lx, ly):
            return cmp( dictionary[lx],  dictionary[ly] )

        list.sort(sortf)

The dict includes some integer numbers as values. The list shall be
sortet by using this numbers.
How can I realize that dictionary is know in sortf ?
delaring dictionary as global in the function or saying d = dictionary,
and declaring d as global and using d, all don't work.

Can you help me? How is the trick?