How to recursively turn a list of lists (base case list of strings) into a list of strings in python

Question

I have objects like this:

values=[['MLH'], ['MLH', 'PC1_cov']]

That I'd like to turn into objects like this:

values=['MLH','MLH','PC1_cov']

I want to be able to accommodate lists of lists of lists, etc., etc., so I'm looking for a recursive function. Any suggestions?

score -1 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 06 '13 at 19:40

-1

You can achieve that with a simple for loop:

values=[['MLH'], ['MLH', 'PC1_cov']]
flat = []
for val in values:
    flat += val

The list flat contains the flattened version of your original list.

answered Feb 06 '13 at 19:40

Bálint Aradi

This doesn't work for arbitrarily deeply nested lists, as the OP has specified. – Tim Pietzcker Feb 06 '13 at 20:03
That's right. I was concentrating on the examle he was given. – Bálint Aradi Feb 07 '13 at 07:33

1 Answers1