[python] How to import a csv file using python with headers intact, where first column is a non-numerical

This is an elaboration of a previous question, but as I delve deeper into python, I just get more confused as to how python handles csv files.

I have a csv file, and it must stay that way (e.g., cannot convert it to text file). It is the equivalent of a 5 rows by 11 columns array or matrix, or vector.

I have been attempting to read in the csv using various methods I have found here and other places (e.g. python.org) so that it preserves the relationship between columns and rows, where the first row and the first column = non-numerical values. The rest are float values, and contain a mixture of positive and negative floats.

What I wish to do is import the csv and compile it in python so that if I were to reference a column header, it would return its associated values stored in the rows. For example:

>>> workers, constant, age
>>> workers
    w0
    w1
    w2
    w3
    constant
    7.334
    5.235
    3.225
    0
    age
    -1.406
    -4.936
    -1.478
    0

And so forth...

I am looking for techniques for handling this kind of data structure. I am very new to python.

You can use pandas library and reference the rows and columns like this:

import pandas as pd

input = pd.read_csv("path_to_file");

#for accessing ith row:
input.iloc[i]

#for accessing column named X
input.X

#for accessing ith row and column named X
input.iloc[i].X

For Python 3

Remove the rb argument and use either r or don't pass argument (default read mode).

with open( <path-to-file>, 'r' ) as theFile:
    reader = csv.DictReader(theFile)
    for line in reader:
        # line is { 'workers': 'w0', 'constant': 7.334, 'age': -1.406, ... }
        # e.g. print( line[ 'workers' ] ) yields 'w0'
        print(line)

For Python 2

import csv
with open( <path-to-file>, "rb" ) as theFile:
    reader = csv.DictReader( theFile )
    for line in reader:
        # line is { 'workers': 'w0', 'constant': 7.334, 'age': -1.406, ... }
        # e.g. print( line[ 'workers' ] ) yields 'w0'

Python has a powerful built-in CSV handler. In fact, most things are already built in to the standard library.