retrieve item from nested list given index tuple

[Colin J. Williams]

Dave Angel wrote:
> Colin J. Williams wrote:
>> <div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family: -moz-fixed">Steven 
>> D'Aprano wrote:
>>> On Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:54:54 +0000, Alan G Isaac wrote:
>>>
>>>> `lst` is a nested list
>>>>
>>>> `tpl` is the indexes for an item in the list
>>>
>>>> What is the nice way to retrieve the item? (Speedy access is nice.)
>>>
>>> Assuming you want to do this frequently, write a helper function, 
>>> then use it:
>>>
>>> # Untested
>>> def extract(nested, indexes):
>>>     for index in indexes:
>>>         nested = nested[index]
>>>     return nested
>>
>> This looks OK for the first level of nesting.  We are not told much 
>> about tpl but suppose that:
>>
>> lst= [a, [b, [c, d]], [e, f]] and that we wish to retrieve d and f 
>> from lst. tpl would need to be something like [[1, 1, 1], [2, 1]].
>>
>> If that is the requirement, then Untested is only a step along the 
>> road, extract could be made recursive.
>>
>> Colin W.
>> <snip>
>
> You missed the point:   he's retrieving *an*  item from a list that's 
> nested arbitrarily.  Each item in the tpl (tuple) is a simple integer.
>
>
> DaveA
Yes, you are right.

Colin W.
>
>