title: Python Dictionary key and structure question
body: <p>New to Python looking to the pros for help.  I am building a python program that compares two text databases. I have broken the individual tables into dictionaries and now I am trying to decide what items in the table to be part of the highest level of the key so I can filter easily, minimize run time, loops etc.  Here is my starting structure but I am not sold on it. </p>
  
  <pre><code>pfcompare.Buses1
  
  {'10000"Bus Name 1"46.0000': {'name': 'Bus Name 1', 'kv': 46.0, 'index': 2671, 'type': 1, 'vsched': 1.0, 'area': 10, 'zone': 105, 'vmax': 1.05, 'vmin': 0.95, 'owner': 129, 'subnumber': -1, 'subname': '" "', 'BA': 27}} 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So would it bet better to change this to say this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>{'10000"Bus Name 1"46.0000', 10, 105: {'name': 'Bus Name 1', 'kv': 46.0, 'index': 2671, 'type': 1, 'vsched': 1.0, 'area': 10, 'zone': 105, 'vmax': 1.05, 'vmin': 0.95, 'owner': 129, 'subnumber': -1, 'subname': '" "', 'BA': 27}}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Where if I plan to filter on Area and Zone (in this example area = 10 and zone = 105) in the highest level of keys would this speed sorting or filtering of entries?  I ask because It appears to me that the way I have it now I would have to have a loop through '10000"Bus Name 1"46.0000' keys to see if it is area 10 zone 105?  Correct or am I missing something.  All help will be appreciated. I just feel structure could make my life easy in this program or miserable!  Thank you all.  </p>