search

class search(obj, key='sc.search() placeholder', value='sc.search() placeholder', aslist=True, _trace=None)

Find a key/attribute or value within a list, dictionary or object.

This function facilitates finding nested key(s) or attributes within an object, by searching recursively through keys or attributes.

Parameters:

• obj (any) – A dict, list, or object

• key (any) – The key to search for (or a function)

• value (any) – The value to search for

• aslist (bool) – return entries as a list (else, return as a string)

• _trace – Not for user input - internal variable used for recursion

Returns:

A list of matching attributes. The items in the list are the Python strings (or lists) used to access the attribute (via attribute, dict, or listindexing).

Examples:

# Create a nested dictionary
nested = {'a':{'foo':1, 'bar':2}, 'b':{'car':3, 'cat':[1,2,4,8]}}

# Find keys
keymatches = sc.search(nested, 'bar', aslist=False) # Returns ['["a"]["bar"]', '["b"]["bar"]']

# Find values
val = 4
valmatches = sc.search(nested, value=val, aslist=True) # Returns  [['b', 'cat', 2]]
assert sc.getnested(nested, valmatches[0]) == val # Get from the original nested object

# Find values with a function
def find(v):
    return True if isinstance(v, int) and v >= 3 else False

found = sc.search(nested, value=find) # Returns  [['b', 'cat', 2]]

New in version 3.0.0: ability to search for values as well as keys/attributes; “aslist” argument