improve iteritems performance or a better way to loop through python dictionary -

it takes approx. 190s complete loop below on laptop intel i5, 8gb, windows 7.

count = 0 l in xrange(num_room):      k in xrange(num_slot):         m in xrange(num_activity):             count = count+1              dk, [om, ol, ok] in xdict.iteritems():                  if dk == (m,l,k):                     # 

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i did trace , found out total loop 13960 x 19040 ~ 2bils.

len(self.xdict): 13960 count: 19040 

xdict looks (an example):

xdict = {(19, 4, 118): [19, 4, 4], (4, 12, 25): [4, 12, 7], (15, 19, 121): [15, 19, 21], (23, 5, 219): [23, 5, 9], (13, 5, 19): [13, 5, 1]}                  

i trying value of key in dictionary. there anyway improve performance?

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sorry, think know happen.

count = 0 l in xrange(num_room):      k in xrange(num_slot):         m in xrange(num_activity):             count = count+1              val = xdict.get((m,l,k))             if val != none:                   [om, ol, ok] = val                   # 

now takes 1s.

don't loop on items just find 1 key. use membership test instead:

if (m, l, k) in xdict:     om, ol, ok = xdict[m, l, k] 

this removes need loop on 13960 items each of 19040 iterations.

you haven't told use trying achieve here, if using m, l , k else too, consider looping on keys instead; way you'd reduce loop on 13960 items instead of 19040 iterations.