python 嵌套字典 初始化,如何初始化Python中的嵌套字典

I'm using Python v2.7 dictionaries, nested one inside another like this:

def example(format_str, year, value):

format_to_year_to_value_dict = {}

# In the actual code there are many format_str and year values,

# not just the one inserted here.

if not format_str in format_to_year_to_value_dict:

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str] = {}

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str][year] = value

It seems a bit clumsy to initialize the first level dictionary with an empty dictionary before inserted into the second level dictionary. Is there a way to set a value while at the same time creating a dictionary at the first level if there is not one already there? I imagine something like this to avoid the conditional initializer:

def example(format_str, year, value):

format_to_year_to_value_dict = {}

add_dict_value(format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str], year, value)

Also, what if the inner dict should itself initialize to a list?

def example(format_str, year, value):

format_to_year_to_value_dict = {}

# In the actual code there are many format_str and year values,

# not just the one inserted here.

if not format_str in format_to_year_to_value_dict:

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str] = {}

if not year in format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str]:

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str][year] = []

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str][year].append(value)

解决方案

If key is in the dictionary, return its value. If not, insert key with a value of default and return default.

format_to_year_to_value_dict.setdefault(format_str, {})[year] = value

format_to_year_to_value_dict = defaultdict(dict)

...

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str][year] = value

With lists in the inner dict:

def example(format_str, year, value):

format_to_year_to_value_dict = {}

format_to_year_to_value_dict.setdefault(format_str, {}).setdefault(year, []).append(value)

or

def example(format_str, year, value):

format_to_year_to_value_dict = defaultdict(lambda: defaultdict(list))

format_to_year_to_value_dict[format_str][year].append(value)

For dicts of unknown depth, you can use this little trick:

tree = lambda: defaultdict(tree)

my_tree = tree()

my_tree['a']['b']['c']['d']['e'] = 'whatever'