constucting a lookup table

[mhodkin at comcast.net]

Larry Bates wrote:
> mhodkin at comcast.net wrote:
> > I'm new to Python and want to contruct a "lookup table" which would be
> > similar to a spreadsheet in that a value is read along the first
> > column, then along the top row, and the intersection of the two gives a
> > value that is hard-coded, i.e. not mathmatically related.  An example
> > would be a table with HEIGHT in the first column, WEIGHT in the first
> > row, and estimated SUITSIZE with the body of the table.
> >
> > Which Python type would be most appropriate and/or efficient?
> >
> > thanks
> >
> I would not worry about being "efficient" at this point.  There are not
> enough combinations of height/weight to make even a linear search through
> a list be a performance problem.  One way would be to set up a dictionary
> that is keyed on height/weight and have it return suit size.  To work
> properly you would need to express height in inches and weight in pounds
> (in US measurements).  Something like:
>
> hwdict={(60, 80): <suite size for 5 ft 0 inch person weighing 80 lbs>,
>         (61, 80): <suite size for 5 ft 1 inch person weighing 80 lbs>,
>         (62, 80): <suite size for 5 ft 0 inch person weighing 80 lbs>,
>         .
>         .
>         .
>         (88, 400): <suite size for 7 ft 4 inch person weighing 400 lbs>}
>
> This would be fast because lookup would consist of only (not tested):
>
> try:  suitsize=hwdict[(heightininches, weightinpounds)]
> except IndexError:
>      print "height/weight combination not found in lookup table"
> 
> 
> -Larry Bates

thanks...much appreciated