python list of dictionaries sort multiple keys

Question

I have a list of dictionaries that have keys of path and type (type 0 => file and type 1 => directory) initial looks like this

everything = [{u'path': u'/1/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/2/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/3/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/b.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/c.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/foobar/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/2/baz/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz/snap/pop/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz', u'type': 1}]

I want to first sort on path then off of type so I get something like this

everything = [{u'path': u'/1/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/foobar/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz', u'type': 1}, # < --- I want this here
     {u'path': u'/1/something/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/b.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz/snap/pop/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/c.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/2/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/2/baz/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/3/', u'type': 1}]

where the "something" section starts with type 1.

I thought when I do

everything.sort(key=lambda x: (x['path'], x['type']))

I would get what I want, but I get

everything = [{u'path': u'/1/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/foobar/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/b.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz', u'type': 1}, # < --- I don't want this here
     {u'path': u'/1/something/baz/snap/pop/a.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/1/something/c.py', u'type': 0},
     {u'path': u'/2/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/2/baz/', u'type': 1},
     {u'path': u'/3/', u'type': 1}]

Is there an easy way to sort everything in this fashion or do I have to write my own sort?

EDIT:

Perhaps this will help explain what I want.

In linux when you do a ls -lR you get a nice list of dirs and files in the dirs listed under it.

Thanks

possible duplicate of Python sorting list of dictionaries by multiple keys — miku
– miku, Commented Dec 29, 2012 at 1:23
@miku I saw that but that doesn't do what I want it to do. That's the sort with the key that I have in the post. — Jeff
– Jeff, Commented Dec 29, 2012 at 1:25
@Jeff - how exactly are you wanting to sort? /1/something/b comes after /1/something/a, but you somehow want things to be the other way only part of the time? You need to define your sort order better. — Amber
– Amber, Commented Dec 29, 2012 at 1:35

Amber · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-29 01:38:48Z

2

You need to only include in the key what you actually want to be sorted. Since you appear to want to reduce the priority of everything after the last slash-delimited segment in the path, you should remove that or move it later in the sort order:

everything.sort(key=lambda x: (
    '/'.join(x['path'].split('/')[:-1]),
    x['type'],
    ''.join(x['path'].split('/')[-1:]),
  )
)

answered Dec 29, 2012 at 1:38

Amber

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khagler · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-29 01:40:53Z

0

Your sorting criteria are so esoteric that I think you can only do this by writing a comparison function.

answered Dec 29, 2012 at 1:40

khagler

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