Is this a "pythonic" method of executing functions based on the values of a tuple? [closed]

Question

I have a situation where I have six possible situations which can relate to four different results. Instead of using an extended if/else statement, I was wondering if it would be more pythonic to use a dictionary to call the functions that I would call inside the if/else as a replacement for a "switch" statement, like one might use in C# or php.

My switch statement depends on two values which I'm using to build a tuple, which I'll in turn use as the key to the dictionary that will function as my "switch". I will be getting the values for the tuple from two other functions (database calls), which is why I have the example one() and zero() functions.

This is the code pattern I'm thinking of using which I stumbled on with playing around in the python shell:

def one():
    #Simulated database value
    return 1

def zero():
    return 0

def run():
    #Shows the correct function ran
    print "RUN"
    return 1

def walk():
    print "WALK"
    return 1

def main():
    switch_dictionary = {}

    #These are the values that I will want to use to decide
    #which functions to use
    switch_dictionary[(0,0)] = run
    switch_dictionary[(1,1)] = walk

    #These are the tuples that I will build from the database
    zero_tuple = (zero(), zero())
    one_tuple = (one(), one())

    #These actually run the functions. In practice I will simply 
    #have the one tuple which is dependent on the database information
    #to run the function that I defined before
    switch_dictionary[zero_tuple]()
    switch_dictionary[one_tuple]()

I don't have the actual code written or I would post it here, as I would like to know if this method is considered a python best practice. I'm still a python learner in university, and if this is a method that's a bad habit, then I would like to kick it now before I get out into the real world.

Note, the result of executing the code above is as expected, simply "RUN" and "WALK".

Answer 1

In short, a dictionary of functions IS the Python equivalent of the switch statement.

However, your implementation is awful. Start by dropping the "switch" in your variable names. It is not a switch, it is a dictionary. And there is no point in using "dictionary" in the name either. Make a real name like "act_on_msg" but even that is weak in my opinion.

And don't even explain that you are using a dictionary as a switch in your comments. At most, mention that actOnMsg[combomsg]() runs the action method just to help those who are not used to seeing parentheses in that context.