Adding a value to a specific key in a dictionary in Python

Question

I am new to Python. I am learning dictionary . I want to insert a new value to an existing dictionary. The existing dictionary is d={5:'acb',6:'bhg',7:'cssd'}. I want to add a new value 'xsd' at key no 5, but i am not able to do so. I have tried the below from my side. Please help.

d={5:'acb',6:'bhg',7:'cssd'}
d[5].append('xsd')
d

i want output as ; d={5:['acb','xsd'],6:'bhg',7:'cssd'}

i want them as separate elements as the following : d={5:['acb','xsd'],6:'bhg',7:'cssd'} — Python Learner
– Python Learner, Commented Jun 2, 2021 at 6:00
if i m adding using + operator i m getting the following : {5: 'acbxsd', 6: 'bhg', 7: 'cssd'} — Python Learner
– Python Learner, Commented Jun 2, 2021 at 6:01

Amit Nanaware · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-02 06:02:25Z

1

You can try this:

d = {5: 'acb', 6: 'bhg', 7: 'cssd'}
if type(d[5]) is list:
    d[5].append('xsd')
else:
    tmp = []
    tmp.append(d[5])
    tmp.append('xsd')
    d[5] = tmp

answered Jun 2, 2021 at 6:02

Amit Nanaware

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1 Comment

Amit Nanaware Over a year ago

@ChayanMehrotra welcome. Please accept the answer if it is working.

Sayandip Dutta · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-02 06:18:45Z

1

You can use dict.pop

>>> d[5] = [d.pop(5), 'xsd']

From Python 3.8 onwards, you can make it more flexible using walrus operator:

>>> d[5] = ( [*value, 'xsd'] 
             if isinstance((value := d.pop(5)), list) 
             else [value, 'xsd']
           )

edited Jun 2, 2021 at 6:18

answered Jun 2, 2021 at 6:03

Sayandip Dutta

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3 Comments

Python Learner Over a year ago

If you could explain this ? pop() method removes the particular value from a key, after that how it is working ?

Sayandip Dutta Over a year ago

You pop the value of the key (eg. 'acb'), and put it in a list with xsd, so [d.pop(5), 'xsd'] is essentially ['acb', 'xsd'], and you assign it back to d[5]

Vaibhav Jain Over a year ago

@ChayanMehrotra The pop() method removed the value d[5] from the dict, and returns the value ('acb' in the given case). Then the value ['acb', 'xsd'] is stored as d[5]

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