Can I create a list of permutations for a key, then call on that list in a program so that any of those variations would be accepted?

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New to programming :/

inside a software I have a value associated to a key. There are sometimes different variations of that key used (e.g., lens left, left lens, Lens_L, etc.). I use a script to evaluate that value associated with that key but have been hard coding each possible variation.

Can I create a list (or dictionary, collection, etc.) that I can call on in the script so that any variation of that key will be recognized? Instead of manually typing each variation in each script?

I also wonder if I could create a list of variations of a key and then call on that list in a dictionary assigned to the key? If so...could I call on the dictionary simply in a script to accept all variations of the desired key?

Thanks in advance.

What I have tried:

I have tried creating a hashtable but am under the impression I can only assign one value to each key in the hashtable. This is what I started creating before I realized I could only have one value in each key...

using System;
using System.Collections;

class Example
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // create a hash table for structureSetAnatomicalArea

        Hashtable structureSetBrain = new Hashtable();

        // example brain structure set template
        structureSetBrain.Add('brain', 'Brain');
        structureSetBrain.Add('BrainStem', 'brainstem', 'brain stem', 'Brain Stem', 'Brainstem');
        structureSetBrain.Add('BrainStem+3mm', 'Brainstem+3mm', 'BS_3mm', 'BS_3', 'Brainstem_3', 'BrainStem_3', 'BrainStem_PRV', 'Brainstem_PRV', 'Brainstem PRV', 'BrainStem PRV')
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cerebellum', 'cerebellum');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cerebrum', 'cerebrum');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Chiasm', 'chiasm', 'optic chiasm', 'Optic Chiasm', 'OpticChiasm');
        structureSetBrain.Add('CranialNerve', 'CN', 'Cranial Nerve', 'nerve_cranial', 'CranialNerves', 'cranial nerve');
        structureSetBrain.Add('CN_VII', 'CranialNerve7', 'Seventh Cranial Nerve', 'SeventhCN');
        structureSetBrain.Add('CN_VIII', 'CranialNerve8', 'Eighth Cranial Nerve', 'EighthCN');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cochlea', 'cochlea');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cochleas', 'cochleas');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cochlea_L', 'Left Cochlea', 'Cochlea LT', 'Cochlea_LT', 'Cochlea_Left', 'cochlea_L', 'cochlea_LT', 'left cochlea', 'cochlea lt', 'cochlea_lt', 'cochlea_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cochlea_R', 'Right Cochlea', 'Cochlea RT', 'Cochlea_RT', 'Cochlea_Right', 'cochlea_R', 'cochlea_RT', 'right cochlea', 'cochlea rt', 'cochlea_rt', 'cochlea_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cornea', 'cornea');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Corneas', 'corneas');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cornea_L', 'Left Cornea', 'Cornea LT', 'Cornea_LT', 'Cornea_Left', 'cornea_L', 'cornea_LT', 'left cornea', 'cornea lt', 'cornea_lt', 'cornea_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Cornea_R', 'Right Cornea', 'Cornea RT', 'Cornea_RT', 'Cornea_Right', 'cornea_R', 'cornea_RT', 'right cornea', 'cornea rt', 'cornea_rt', 'cornea_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Eye', 'eye', 'Globe', 'globe');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Eyes', 'eyes', 'Globes', 'globes');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Eye_L', 'Left Eye', 'Eye LT', 'Eye_LT', 'Eye_Left', 'eye_L', 'eye_LT', 'left eye', 'eye lt', 'eye_lt', 'eye_left', 'Globe_L', 'Left Globe', 'Globe LT', 'Globe_LT', 'Globe_Left', 'globe_L', 'globe_LT', 'left globe', 'globe lt', 'globe_lt', 'globe_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Eye_R', 'Right Eye', 'Eye RT', 'Eye_RT', 'Eye_Right', 'eye_R', 'eye_RT', 'right eye', 'eye rt', 'eye_rt', 'eye_right', 'Globe_R', 'Right Globe', 'Globe RT', 'Globe_RT', 'Globe_Right', 'globe_R', 'globe_RT', 'right globe', 'globe rt', 'globe_rt', 'globe_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('FrontalLobe', 'frontalLobe', 'frontallobe', 'frontal lobe', 'Frontal_Lobe', 'frontal_lobe');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Hippocampus', 'hippocampus');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Hypothalamus', 'hypothalamus');
        structureSetBrain.Add('LacrimalGland', 'lacrimalgland', 'lacrimal gland');
        structureSetBrain.Add('LacrimalGlands', 'lacrimalglands', 'lacrimal glands');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lacrimal_L', 'Left Lacrimal', 'Lacrimal LT', 'Lacrimal_LT', 'Lacrimal_Left', 'lacrimal_L', 'lacrimal_LT', 'left lacrimal', 'lacrimal lt', 'lacrimal_lt', 'lacrimal_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lacrimal_R', 'Right Lacrimal', 'Lacrimal RT', 'Lacrimal_RT', 'Lacrimal_Right', 'lacrimal_R', 'lacrimal_RT', 'right lacrimal', 'lacrimal rt', 'lacrimal_rt', 'lacrimal_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lens', 'lens');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lenses', 'lenses');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lens_L', 'Left Lens', 'Lens LT', 'Lens_LT', 'Lens_Left', 'lens_L', 'lens_LT', 'left lens', 'lens lt', 'lens_lt', 'lens_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Lens_R', 'Right Lens', 'Lens RT', 'Lens_RT', 'Lens_Right', 'lens_R', 'lens_RT', 'right lens', 'lens rt', 'lens_rt', 'lens_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('OccipitalLobe', 'Occipital Lobe', 'occ lobe', 'occ_lobe', 'occipitalLobe', 'occLobe');
        structureSetBrain.Add('OpticNerve', 'Optic Nerve', 'optic nerve', 'opticNerve', 'Optic nerve');
        structureSetBrain.Add('OpticNerves', 'Optic Nerves', 'optic nerves', 'opticNerves', 'Optic nerves');
        structureSetBrain.Add('OpticNerve_L', 'OpticNerve_LT', 'opticnerve_L', 'opticnerve_LT', 'ON_L', 'ON_LT', 'ON_lt', 'ON_Left', 'ON_left', 'on_L', 'on_LT', 'on_left', 'on_Left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('OpticNerve_R', 'OpticNerve_RT', 'opticnerve_R', 'opticnerve_RT', 'ON_R', 'ON_RT', 'ON_rt', 'ON_Right', 'ON_right', 'on_R', 'on_RT', 'on_right', 'on_Right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('ParietalLobe', 'Parietal Lobe', 'parietallobe', 'parietalLobe', 'parLobe');
        structureSetBrain.Add('ParietLobe_L', 'ParLobe_L', 'ParietLobe_LT', 'ParLobe_LT', 'ParietLobe Lt', 'ParietLobe_Lt', 'ParietLobe_l', 'ParietLobe_lt, Parietal_L', 'Parietal_LT', 'Parietal_l', 'Parietal_lt', 'parlobe_L', 'parietlobe_LT', 'parlobe_LT', 'parietlobe_l', 'parietlobe_lt, parietal_L', 'parietal_LT', 'parietal_l', 'parietal_lt');
        structureSetBrain.Add('ParietLobe_R', 'ParLobe_R', 'ParietLobe_RT', 'ParLobe_RT', 'ParietLobe Rt', 'ParietLobe_Rt', 'ParietLobe_r', 'ParietLobe_rt, Parietal_R', 'Parietal_RT', 'Parietal_r', 'Parietal_rt', 'parlobe_R', 'parietlobe_RT', 'parlobe_RT', 'parietlobe_r', 'parietlobe_rt, parietal_R', 'parietal_RT', 'parietal_r', 'parietal_rt');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Pituitary', 'pituitary');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Retina', 'retina');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Retinae', 'Retinas', 'retinae', 'retinas');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Retina_L', 'Left Retina', 'Retina LT', 'Retina_LT', 'Retina Lt', 'Retina_Lt', 'Retina_Left', 'retina_L', 'retina_LT', 'left retina', 'retina lt', 'retina_lt', 'retina_left');
        structureSetBrain.Add('Retina_R', 'Right Retina', 'Retina RT', 'Retina_RT', 'Retina Rt', 'Retina_Rt', 'Retina_Right', 'retina_R', 'retina_RT', 'right retina', 'retina rt', 'retina_rt', 'retina_right');
        structureSetBrain.Add('SpinalCord', 'Spinal Cord', 'spinalcord', 'spinal cord', 'Cord', 'cord');
        structureSetBrain.Add('SpinalCord+5mm', 'spinalcord+5mm', 'Spinal Cord+5', 'Cord+5mm', 'cord+5mm', 'Cord PRV', 'cord PRV', 'cord_PRV', 'cord_5', 'cord_5mm', 'SpinalCord_5', 'SpinalCord_5mm', 'spinalcord_5');
        structureSetBrain.Add('TemporalLobe', 'Temporal Lobe', 'temporallobe', 'temporalLobe', 'tempLobe');
        structureSetBrain.Add('TempLobe_L', 'TempLobe_L', 'TempLobe_LT', 'TempLobe Lt', 'TempLobe_Lt', 'TempLobe_l', 'TempLobe_lt, Temporal_L', 'Temporal_LT', 'Temporal_l', 'Temporal_lt', 'templobe_L', 'templobe_LT', 'templobe_LT', 'templobe_l', 'templobe_lt, temporal_L', 'temporal_LT', 'temporal_l', 'temporal_lt');
        structureSetBrain.Add('TempLobe_R', 'TempLobe_R', 'TempLobe_RT', 'TempLobe Rt', 'TempLobe_Rt', 'TempLobe_r', 'TempLobe_rt, Temporal_R', 'Temporal_RT', 'Temporal_r', 'Temporal_rt', 'templobe_R', 'templobe_RT', 'templobe_RT', 'templobe_r', 'templobe_rt, temporal_R', 'temporal_RT', 'temporal_r', 'temporal_rt');
    }
}
}

Posted 14-Jul-17 10:54am

Member 13310574

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Comments

Dave Kreskowiak 14-Jul-17 17:21pm

Where is the input coming from that must be matched to this "dictionary"? Is it a file? A textbox on a page/form? User entered in some other software?

The easy way to eliminate free-form text is to use combo boxes or other structured input to maintain consistency.

Member 13310574 18-Jul-17 11:25am

Thanks for your response!

I apologize for the lack of clarity. I think to state the problem more simply will help. So I work in a software program that assigns a numerical value to voxels in 3D datasets. Structures are created that dilenate portions of those datasets. The structures have a fundamental name e.g., spinal cord, but could be named a variety of ways e.g., SpinalCord, Cord, Spinal Cord, spinal cord, etc. [or for a more lateral structure , e.g., globe Lt, Globe_L, left globe, etc.]

We currently run a script that will search for the structure in the software that then creates a report with the values associated with each structure. I'd like to be able to create a dictionary or collection or module, etc. that will list each of the variable names for each structure that I can then call on in the script so that I won't have to hard code each of the variants each time. (and I imagine this would allow me to make edits to the lists instead of the code each time if necessary.)

Could I do this?

BillWoodruff 16-Jul-17 11:32am

Dave's question about the source of the data is important !

You need to decide if you want a "flat" list of key-value pairs, or if you want some kind of tree/graph structure that embodies hierarchy. It appears to me you are dealing with a classification system here, a taxonomy. That suggests, to me, a simple tree structure. What do you think ?

Member 13310574 18-Jul-17 11:27am

Thanks for your response! I tried to answer some of your questions above in my previous reply. I hope that helps clear up my problem.

Dave Kreskowiak 18-Jul-17 13:25pm

No it doesn't. It appears as though you're allowing free-form text entry in whatever is generating these structures. Is this the case?

If so, that's a huge problem for you because a "dictionary" of any kind isn't going to pickup spelling errors. This would require some kind of fuzzy string matching, which isn't going to match 100% of the time.

So another question comes up. How accurate does your process have to be?

Member 13310574 18-Jul-17 14:52pm

I'm also in the process of standardizing the naming convention so this won't be as big of a problem. In my mind though (since I'm new to programming) it seems possible to be able to create a separate module or collection that includes all the structures for a particular anatomical site and then call upon that list in the line of code as opposed to having to type a line of code for each individual structure...

if (searchString.IndexOf("Brachial Plexus LT", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) >= 0) { string[] output = { "BrachialPlexus", "Brachial Plexus LT", "Brachial LT", "Plexus LT" };
if (searchString.IndexOf("Brachial Plexus RT", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) >= 0) { string[] output = { "BrachialPlexus", "Brachial Plexus RT", "Brachial RT", "Plexus RT" };
...etc

Dave Kreskowiak 18-Jul-17 15:46pm

OK, you're completely missing the point and not answering the important questions.

If a human is involved by typing these names you're trying to validate, your job is incredibly difficult and NOT one for a beginner.

Member 13310574 18-Jul-17 17:39pm

sorry, I assumed my response inferred the answer to your question. yes, free form text entry is allowed as the person who adds the structure in the software is allowed to name it whatever they like. I understand the point that introducing that much room for error makes it more difficult. That's why I'm creating a standardized naming convention.

I'm simply curious if there is a tool (collections, dictionaries, lists, etc) that i could create (that would include all the structures i want the program to search for and pull data for) that could then be called on in the line of code that would allow me to ask the program to search for the entire list of names and match them with another list, collection, etc. of acceptable variations...as opposed to writing out each line of code for each structure.

or perhaps a list of definitions for each individual structure (as opposed to a list of a lot of structures) that could be called on to simplify the blocks of code being written.

And to your initial question...it's from user entry in another software. (this is the part that is being standardized)

This still seems to require a line of code for each request of my program to search for a structure name and then return the value associated with that structure in the other software program...only that it will require fewer variations to search for with a standardized naming convention in place. I would love to be able to write lines of code that would search for structures from a list (of plain english e.g., spinal cord, brain stem, left optic nerve) and match them with the corresponding list of acceptable corresponding definitions (e.g., SpinalCord, BrainStem, OpticNerve_L) rather than from the unique structure listed in that line of code.

something like (in plain english)

if any structures found in (dict(structureSetBrain)
return (dose values associated with each structure found)

as opposed to a block of code for each unique structure.

Thanks again for your time and patience with my 'beginner-ness'

Dave Kreskowiak 18-Jul-17 18:20pm

OK, unless you can modify the other application, you can "standardize" things all you want. You've got no control over the users lack of ability to type and spell correctly let alone force them to follow "the rules".

Dealing with free-form text is, in a word, hell. It's notoriously difficult because of the innumerable ways a user can screw it up. By the code you've already shown and the discussion so far, you really have no idea how difficult this task is.

First, I would agree with Bill that the best approach would be a tree structure, or graph. You're also going to need a fuzzy string matching algorithm. This will return one or more POSSIBLE matches, usually with a CONFIDENCE level that the algorithm thinks is the best match.

This tree structure can be populated with an initial set of values of what you know should be used (NO, YOU'RE NOT GETTING OUT OF TYPING A BUNCH OF IDENTIFIERS!). You're going to be "training" the algorithm as you use it because, early on, it won't know what a lot of items it can't match are. You're going to have to teach it what these non-standard names are, building up the tree.

The tree data can be serialized to disk or a database.

You won't be entering all of the possible identifiers it can see. Just the ones that you are standardizing on.

Like I said, this isn't something "new to programming" is going to be able to pull off easily. This is probably going to take you months to learn and figure out.

Member 13310574 19-Jul-17 6:42am

I apologize for not giving you all the information. I've tried to ask my questions with out explaining the software being used, etc. mainly bec I work in a random health field.

So some assumptions about the input can be made. 1) the user does have freedom of input but myself and other people in my office and/or specific field are the users as well. 2) bec of that we are able to standardize the names for input which should make it easier. 3) I'm not the only person working on problems like this in our dept and there are several people who are well beyond me in programming, machine learning, etc. (I'm simply trying to learn).

It sounds like the fuzzy string matching alg could be useful! Thanks for the suggestion!

I guess I hoped that if you had an anatomical site (e.g., brain) with a list of structures you needed a program to search for and collect specific data for, that you could ask it to search for all the structures from a list of potential structures and then pull the data for each of them. as opposed to having to ask it to search for each structure individually, ask it to pull data, and then keep repeating for each additional structure you wanted it to look for.

//sounds like i need to write a line of code for each
find brain, collect data
find left optic nerve, collect data
find chiasm, collect data
etc.

//whereas I wish I could write something like this
find structures from structureSetBrain, collect data

or is there something that would look like this?

//structureName = (idealName: 'variantName1', 'variantName2', etc)
structureLeftGlobe = (Globe_L: 'Left Globe', 'Globe_Lt', 'Globe Lt', 'Globe L', 'Eye_L', 'Left Eye', 'Eye_Lt', 'Eye L', 'Eye Lt')

that would then allow me to insert structureLeftGLobe and it would know it could accept the other names associated with it?

If so, would I have to def those variable structure names in the code itself or could I create a separate list elsewhere and then call on that list in the code?

//something like
from structureSetBrain
find structureLeftGlobe, collect data

Dave Kreskowiak 19-Jul-17 8:55am

You're thinking about this all wrong. You keep putting explicit data into the code and you have to learn to NOT do that. The code should manage data, not be a storehouse for it.

You're going to find that putting thousands of possible conditional statements into your code is a really bad way to go, making the code impossible to maintain, impossible to debug, and executes annoyingly slowly.

Like I said, you don't have to experience to write this app. It's not that you don't have the ability to write code. It's the lack of ability to properly break down problems to solve into smaller and smaller solvable pieces.

Member 13310574 19-Jul-17 9:11am

Yeah that def makes sense! I'm just trying to write a script that I can run in the software that will create a report for me. Not necessarily a separate piece of software.

How should I go about writing a less explicit line of code that would do what I want? Is there a specific direction I should be looking?

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate all the time you've put into this :)

Dave Kreskowiak 19-Jul-17 9:17am

You apparently haven't been reading what we've been posting.

This is never going to be a "script". What you describe dictates that it is it's own piece of software and quite a large project too.

Member 13310574 19-Jul-17 11:13am

Yeah I think there's def some miscommunication. It'd be a lot easier if I could show you.

We currently use a script that checks a prescription for unique structures and if it finds them it goes into the other software (these are in the same environment and can speak with eachother) and collects the desired data for the structures. Currently we're writing lines of code to specify each unique structure (disregard the fact we have to account for different variations). All I was wondering was whether or not I could create a list of the structures I wanted it to search for in the prescription when the script is run and then write a simpler line of code that would search for the structures in said list as opposed to having to write lines of code for each unique structure.

Dave Kreskowiak 19-Jul-17 11:20am

Sigh... Sure you COULD. Just type all of the possible permutations into a text file and load them from that. Loop through them and search for a match.

You STILL don't get around the problem that you have to type every permutation into the file and you still don't get around the problem that the more you put in that file, the slower the code is going to run.

Member 13310574 19-Jul-17 11:38am

gotcha...that makes sense. I'm looking into maybe using something like a phonetic algorithm but it seems that still requires having a dictionary of sorts. I'm just going to have to keep learning more about how to accomplish what you're suggesting (or at least what I think you're suggesting - writing simpler, less explicit code)

I think we can narrow down the permutations to only a few so i'm guessing that's the best solution for now.

I realize I'm annoying you with my lack of knowledge on the subject and I appreciate your time. Thanks.

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