Python dictionary - binary search for a key?

Question

I want to write a container class that acts like a dictionary (actually derives from a dict), The keys for this structure will be dates.

When a key (i.e. date) is used t

Answer 1

I'd extend a dict, and override the __getitem__ and __setitem__ method to store a sorted list of keys.

from bisect import bisect

class NearestNeighborDict(dict):
    def __init__(self):
        dict.__init__(self)
        self._keylist = []

    def __getitem__(self, x):
        if x in self:
            return dict.__getitem__(self, x)

        index = bisect(self._keylist, x)
        if index == len(self._keylist):
            raise KeyError('No next date')

        return dict.__getitem__(self, self._keylist[index])

    def __setitem__(self, x, value):
        if x not in self:
            index = bisect(self._keylist, x)
            self._keylist.insert(index, value)

        dict.__setitem__(self, x, value)

It's true you're better off inheriting from MutableMapping, but the principle is the same, and the above code can be easily adapted.