# DownValue “associative array” to list? [duplicate]

This question already has an answer here:

I have a "sparse array" like this

arr[1.5]=0.4, arr[3.5]=0.7, arr[7]=0.3


which is not really a sparse array since the keys are not all integers. This is like a hash table or associative array.

How can I convert arr into a list? I tried Normal[arr], but it won't work. I would like to be able to compute Total@arr, but first it needs to be converted to a normal list.

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## marked as duplicate by Mr.Wizard♦May 3 '13 at 3:52

In fact this is exactly a hash table. –  Oleksandr R. May 2 '13 at 20:21

This might be the general sort of operation you seek.

keyvalpairs =
DownValues[arr] /. Verbatim[HoldPattern][arr[k_]] :> k

(* Out[121]= {1.5 :> 0.4, 3.5 :> 0.7, 7 :> 0.3} *)

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I was trying to do exactly that but I couldn't figure out the pattern/replacement I needed +1. –  s0rce May 3 '13 at 0:53
@sOrce it took me a few tries. That combination of HoldPattern and Verbatim is not something I am accustomed to needing. –  Daniel Lichtblau May 3 '13 at 14:56

Here is one way to do it:

{arr[1.5] = 0.4, arr[3.5] = 0.7, arr[7] = 0.3}
Total[DownValues[arr][[All, 2]]]

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