convert nested dictionary to file

Question

I have a dictionary that I have modified by pulling from a file and modifying values, and now I want to put it back in a file in a similar format.

dictionary is similar to the following:

d={'a':
    {'c':'something else',
     'd':{'e':'some item'}
    },
   'b':
    {'z':'something else',
     's':{'f':'some item'}
    }
  }

This is a very long dictionary with nested items and I am guessing I have to use some kind of recursion

I am not sure how to go about this currently so I have no existing code to get from where I am which is a dictionary to a file.

The end result I am trying to get is the following including newlines and spacing:

<a>
    c = something else
    <d>
        e = some item
    </d>
</a>
<b>
    z = something else
    <s>
        f = some item
    </s>
</b>

Are the values stored only of type `str` or `dict`? – CaptainDaVinci Jun 10 '19 at 19:15 — CaptainDaVinci, Jun 10 '19 at 19:15
values are nested dictionaries with strings. – user1601716 Jun 10 '19 at 19:17 — user1601716, Jun 10 '19 at 19:17

Andrej Kesely · Accepted Answer · 2019-06-10T19:31:54.363

7

d={'a':
    {'c':'something else',
     'd':{'e':'some item'}
    },
   'b':
    {'z':'something else',
     's':{'f':'some item'}
    }
}

def printer(d, t=0):
    for k, v in d.items():
        if isinstance(v, str):
            yield '\t' * t + '{} = {}'.format(k, v)
        else:
            yield '\t' * t + '<{}>'.format(k)
            yield from printer(v, t=t+1)
            yield '\t' * t + '</{}>'.format(k)

s = '\n'.join(printer(d))
print(s)

prints:

<a>
    c = something else
    <d>
        e = some item
    </d>
</a>
<b>
    z = something else
    <s>
        f = some item
    </s>
</b>

edited Jun 10 '19 at 19:31

answered Jun 10 '19 at 19:19

Andrej Kesely

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1

is there a way to do this in python 2.7 or older python3? the old ones don't seem to support f'strings' – user1601716 Jun 10 '19 at 19:29
1

@user1601716 updated my answer. Now it uses `format()` method. – Andrej Kesely Jun 10 '19 at 19:32
that works, how would you do ' yield from printer(v, t=t+1)' in python2.7? – user1601716 Jun 10 '19 at 19:33
@user1601716 I think this is the answer https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17581332/converting-yield-from-statement-to-python-2-7-code – Andrej Kesely Jun 10 '19 at 19:35
1

Gotta give it to you. This is a great answer. I was considering the recursion route. Awesome – Buckeye14Guy Jun 10 '19 at 20:06

convert nested dictionary to file

1 Answers1