Dict (dictionary)

A dict is a dynamic associative list whose keys are texts. As in a real dictionary, you can use words as key and definitions as value, and retrieve a definition for a word.

A dict is similar to an array, but keys are always texts, while array's key are integer numbers.

Examples of a dict declaration dict d
d["program"] = "what we want to write faster"

print d["program"]
Displays: > what we want to write faster



Initializing a dict

The initializer is a set of couples "key : value" enclosed in parenthesis.
The prefix is always optional as the compiler can recognize a dict even if it is a single element.


Example of a dict initialization: dict d
d = ("a" : "premier", "b" = 2, etc... )
d = ("a": 1)


The values stored may be any kind of objects. The key can be a variable and the value an expression.

The first example associate "b" to the "a" key.

The second example stores "bxxxx20" into the dict d, with the key "a".
text k = "a"
text v = "b"
dict d = (k : v)
d.display()

dict d = (k, v + "x".dup(4) + 20.toText())
d.display()
Displays: > dict(
   a : b
   )

> dict(
   a : bxxxx20
   )


An empty dict is created with this statement:

dict d = ()

Unlike arrays, it is filled by assignments:
d[k] = "b"
d["first"] = "element 1"

The content of a dict is erased by assigning nil or ():
d = nil
d = ()


 Exercises
1) Suppress the second element of this dict, and display it:
dict d = ("a": 1, "b": 2, "c": 3)

Answer