dictionaries/pointers

[Erik Max Francis]

Rob Conner wrote:

> I dont know how to do this and can't think of a simple way to.
> 
> All I want is a dictionary where two keys point to the same object.
> (to steal the ascii art from
> http://starship.python.net/crew/mwh/hacks/objectthink.html)
> I want sometihng like this:
> 
> ,------.       +-------+
> | dict |------>|+-----+|     +---+
> `------'       || "a" |+---->| 1 |
>                |+-----+|     +---+
>                |       |       ^
>                |+-----+|       |
>                || "b" |+-------'
>                |+-----+|
>                +-------+
>                |       |
>                |+-----+|     +---+
>                || "c" |+---->| 2 |
>                |+-----+|     +---+
>                +-------+
> 
> Where if I change "a" or "b" to 3 the other one will change?
> Is this even possible? How would I do it?

Objects of type int are immutable in Python, so you'll need a helper 
class to do this.  Try something like:

 >>> class Container:
...    def __init__(self, value=None): self.value = value
...    def get(self): return self.value
...    def set(self, value): self.value = value
...
 >>> one = Container(1)
 >>> myDictionary = {}
 >>> myDictionary['a'] = one
 >>> myDictionary['b'] = one
 >>> myDictionary['b'].set(3)
 >>> print myDictionary['a'].get()
3

-- 
Erik Max Francis && max at alcyone.com && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
San Jose, CA, USA && 37 20 N 121 53 W && AIM erikmaxfrancis
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