Overloading [] operator in python?

Question

Is it possible to overload the [] operator in python?

I want to access a method of a class by calling classname[elementname] (like in a dict). This might seem unneccessary but the class encapsulates a database element with children that also have children that also have children that... You get the point.

If I know which child from the 3rd inheritance step I want to get I could then instead of:

classnname.getChild(childname1).getChild(childname2).getChild(childname3)

use the shorter and cleaner:

classnname[childname1][childname2][childname3]

@kindall: Thanks that totally works! Why was I not able to find this with a google/stackoverflow search? — mrCarnivore
– mrCarnivore, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 16:56
Don't know; what were you searching for? The first Google result for Python operator overload has the information you seek. — kindall
– kindall, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 17:00
That first hit I did find and read and there was no __getitem__ in that site... Maybe I was looking for the wrong things. Thanks again for your quick help! — mrCarnivore
– mrCarnivore, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 17:04

Romain Cata · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-14 16:56:56Z

4

You have to implement the magic method __getitem__ on classname

class classname:
    def __getitem__(self, key):
        return self.getChild(key)

See Python documentation

answered Dec 14, 2017 at 16:56

Romain Cata

1411 silver badge2 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Overloading [] operator in python?

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related