Constructing a Telegram Bot Inline Keyboard Using Database Categories

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1

Hello all,

I’m working with a database that stores product categories and I need to create an inline keyboard for a Telegram bot based on these entries. Currently, my data is formatted in a single line with delimiters, like this:

groupA-groupB-groupC-groupD-groupE

I would like to rearrange this into a grid format, such as:

groupA   groupB
groupC   groupD
   groupE

I am searching for a looping method or code snippet that can transform a simple list into this layout. For instance, one approach could be:

categories = ["groupA", "groupB", "groupC", "groupD", "groupE"]
layout = []
for idx in range(0, len(categories), 2):
    if idx + 1 < len(categories):
        layout.append([categories[idx], categories[idx+1]])
    else:
        layout.append([categories[idx]])
print(layout)

Any suggestions or alternative solutions to achieve this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help!

2

In my experience, the approach you provided is effective, and I’ve often used similar methods with modifications to account for edge cases when dealing with odd-count lists. One alternative I explored was to build the layout dynamically while checking if a second element exists before grouping. This technique not only keeps the code simple but also makes it adaptable for different grid dimensions. Testing with various list lengths helps ensure that the interface remains consistent and user-friendly in the final Telegram bot implementation.