How to replace element in list in python

Question

I have two list variables:

a = ["a", "b"]
b = ["a (x)"]

I need to find and replace all elements in list a with elements from list b where substring of element before ( from list b is equal to element from list a. So I need to get this:

a = ["a (x)", "b"]
b = ["a (x)"]

It is a bit complicated to exlplain, but I hope you understand.

This is what I have so far, but I don't know how to continue.

for bx in b:
    for ax in a:
        if ax == bx[:bx.find(" (")]:
            #I don't know what to do next

Do you have some ideas, please?

jpp · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-07 22:14:11Z

4

This is one way. First create a dictionary mapping, then apply it in a list comprehension.

a = ["a", "b"]
b = ["a (x)"]

b_dict = {v.split(' ')[0]: v for v in b}

a = [b_dict.get(i, i) for i in a]

# ['a (x)', 'b']

answered Mar 7, 2018 at 22:14

jpp

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2 Comments

P. May Over a year ago

This seems good but I need it to keep going if there is "b (x)" in list b and so on.. What I posted what just an example

jpp Over a year ago

This will still work if you had "b (x)" in list b.

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