states_to_colors

gistfile1.py

def states_to_colors(states, cols):
    '''Generate all possible mappings of states to colors.

    Args:
        states (list) : list of state names
        cols (list) : list of color names
    Returns:
        list of dictionaries of state-color mappings
    
    Example use:
        >>> states_to_colors(['NY', 'MO'], ['r', 'g'])
        [{'NY': 'r', 'MO': 'r'}, {'NY': 'r', 'MO': 'g'}, {'NY': 'g', 'MO': 'r'}, {'NY': 'g', 'MO': 'g'}]

    '''
    
    # Start with mappings for one state
    mappings = [{states[0] : col} for col in cols]
    
    # Add mappings for states > 1:
    # For each state, add all possible colors to all
    # existing mappings.
    for state in states[1:]:
        _mappings = []
        for mapping in mappings:
            for c in cols:
                _mappings.append(dict(mapping, **{state:c}))
        mappings = _mappings
    
    # Done
    return mappings