How to Call a Dictionary from Another Function in Python

There are instances when programming where you might want to access or call a dictionary from another function within Python. This is an essential technique for handling data more efficiently and enhancing the depths of functionality of your program.

This tutorial will guide you through the steps of how you can call a dictionary from another function in Python.

Step 1: Define Your Dictionary

First off, you need to define the dictionary you wish to call. In Python, you create a dictionary using curly brackets {}. The dictionary will consist of key-value pairs. Below is an example:

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def main():
    student_scores = {
        'John': 85,
        'Mark': 90,
        'Lucy': 77,
    }

Step 2: Create the Function to Call the Dictionary

Next, create another function from which you would like to call the above dictionary. This function should be defined outside and separate from the main function. For instance:

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def student_data():
    main()
    #rest of the code

Step 3: Access the Dictionary

Now we need to access the dictionary from the ‘student_data’ function. To call or access the dictionary, you simply mention the dictionary’s name in your function.

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def student_data():
    scores = main()
    print(scores)

Step 4: Call Your Function

Finally, you call the function that you wish to see the output from. In our case here, the ‘student_data’ function is called.

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student_data()

The Full Code

Here we have the full Python code using the steps above:

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def main():
    student_scores = {
        'John': 85,
        'Mark': 90,
        'Lucy': 77,
    }
    return student_scores
 
def student_data():
    scores = main()
    print(scores)
 
student_data()

Output

Then, you get an output that returns the dictionary within ‘student_scores’, successfully calling it from the ‘student_data’ function.

{'John': 85, 'Mark': 90, 'Lucy': 77}

Conclusion

It’s essential to learn how to call a dictionary from another function in Python as it widens your understanding of how Python works, especially when dealing with complex tasks that require a higher level of programming logic.

With the steps provided above, this becomes a straightforward task to accomplish. Just remember to follow through every step as outlined and you’ll find yourself proficient in calling dictionaries from another function in Python.