[Tutor] Pouring a list into a dictionary

[Alexandre Ratti]

Hello Allen,


Allen Schmidt wrote:
> I have a file that I parse out to lists.
> The first line contains the column headers.
> The rest of the lines contain the rows of data elements.

How are the column separated? Tabs, commas?

> I need to loop through the each row, grab each column name from the first
> line and would like to use each one as the key in a dictionary.

You can use a variable (say lineCount) in your input loop to keep track 
of the current line number. If lineCount == 1, split the 1st line into 
chunks. If lineCount > 1, use the chunks as dictionary keys.

Or use the "csv" module, as suggested. This class could be useful:

class DictReader: Create an object which operates like a regular reader 
but maps the information read into a dict whose keys are given by the 
fieldnames parameter.

http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/node545.html

> Make sense?? Kinda hard to explain.

If the answers you got do not solve the problem, can you post a sample 
of your input file?


Cheers.

Alexandre