I need newbie help

[john fabiani]

Sean Berry wrote:

> "Joseph Davidson" <jhd at radix.net> wrote in message
> news:10a83t8qku40d44 at corp.supernews.com...
> 
>>I am an experienced perl programmer learning python ( no commente please
>>).
>>
>>In looking at a sample script at
>>http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/Recipe/269708
>>
>>I found the following code snippet.
>>--------------------------------------------------
>>location = 'myHome'
>>fileLocation = {'myHome'   :path1,
>>                'myOffice' :path2,
>>                'somewhere':path3}[location]
>>
>>-----------------------------------------------------
>>
> 
> 
> fileLocation takes the 'value' of the 'key' "location"
> equilvalent to:
> 
> location = 'myHome'
> files = {'myHome'   :path1, 'myOffice' :path2, 'somewhere':path3}
> fileLocation = files[location]
> 
> 
>>It seems that this is setting up fileLocation  as a dictionary, but what
>>is the "[location]" doing?
>>
>>Joe Davidson
>>
>>--
> 
> 
> 
I'm also a newbie.  Did the programmer that wrote the code not use your 
way (3 statements) because his statement was faster or because it better 
python?

John