Python 3: Testing presence of each (sub)key in nested dict vs just using a try block? Poor practise or OK?

May I ask: is the try block 2nd option considered poor practice? And if so, is there a more succinct way of testing a nested dict before referencing a sub key that may or may not exist?

Coming to python from perl…

Thank you 🙂

b = None
# a['x'] = {}
# a['x']['y'] = Wibble
if 'x' in a and 'y' in a['x']:
  b = a['x']['y']
if b is not None:
  # Do stuff with b

vs

b = None
try:
  b = a['x']['y']
except:
  pass
if b is not None:
  # Do stuff with b

>Solution :

try this

> b=a.get("x",{}).get("y")
  if b:
    #Do stuff with b