Here's the code I am using. I need to be able to change the value of test["test1"]["test2"]["test3"] from values contained in a list. This list could become longer or shorter. If the key doesn't exist I need to be able to create it.
test = {"test1": {"test2": {"test3": 1}}}
print test["test1"]["test2"]["test3"]
# prints 1
testParts = ["test1", "test2", "test3"]
test[testParts] = 2
print test["test1"]["test2"]["test3"]
# should print 2
When you try
test[testParts] = 2
you will get a TypeError, because testParts is a list, which is mutable and unhashable and therefore cannot be used as a dictionary key. You can use a tuple (immutable, hashable) as a key:
testParts = ("test1", "test2", "test3")
test[testParts] = 2
but this would give you
test == {('test1', 'test2', 'test3'): 2, 'test1': {'test2': {'test3': 1}}}
There is no built-in way to do what you are trying to do, i.e. "unpack" testParts into keys to nested dictionaries. You can either do:
test["test1"]["test2"]["test3"] = 2
or write a function to do this yourself.
