Python list keys randomly ordering them

Question

This is baffling me:

row = {'Item1':1, 'Item2':2, 'Item3':3}

fieldnames = list(row.keys())
print(list(row))

fieldnames.append('Item4')          
print(list(row))

Outputs

['Item3', 'Item1', 'Item2']
['Item3', 'Item1', 'Item2']

When run again:

['Item3', 'Item2', 'Item1']
['Item3', 'Item2', 'Item1']

What? Does keys() access the list randomly? Any better way of doing what I want? (i.e get the keys of a dict in the order they appear)

What version of Python are you using? Using 3.x I get `['Item1', 'Item2', 'Item3']` — toonarmycaptain, Oct 30 '17 at 20:19
possible duplicate of https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1867861/python-dictionary-how-to-keep-keys-values-in-same-order-as-declared — Buzz Moschetti, Oct 30 '17 at 20:20

score -1 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 30 '17 at 20:19

-1

As per the Python documentation:

The keys() method of a dictionary object returns a list of all the keys used in the dictionary, in arbitrary order (if you want it sorted, just apply the sorted() function to it).

https://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/datastructures.html

answered Oct 30 '17 at 20:19

user3757988

39
4

I feel stupid. Thanks all – willwade Oct 30 '17 at 20:24

Python list keys randomly ordering them

1 Answers1