# Custom fancy printing of non-empty Dict?
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127
**Category:** General Usage
**Created:** [February 13, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127 "2024-02-13T00:35:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@GPhMorin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/GPhMorin)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127/1 "2024-02-13T00:35:14Z")
For a project, I would like the output of a Dict (and, more specifically, an OrderedDict) _containing a type specific to my project_ to be a custom fancy print instead of an overview of the dictionary’s contents.
When I apply this function:
```julia
function Base.show(io::IO, dictionary::Dict{Int64, SpecificType}())
print(io, "A dictionary containing ", length(dictionary), " items.")
end
```
However, this function works only when using print(dictionary) or show(dictionary), or when the dictionary is empty. Otherwise, when the output is a non-empty dictionary, the print is:
`Dict{Int64, SpecificType} with x entries:`
Is there a way to change this behavior?
---
### Author:  [@jar1](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jar1)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127/2 "2024-02-13T01:02:45Z")
If you want an `AbstractDict` that prints differently it might be best to make your own `MyDict` struct, perhaps containing a `d::Dict` field and forwarding methods to it, but defining its own special `show` method.
---
### Author:  [@CameronBieganek](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/CameronBieganek)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127/3 "2024-02-13T01:08:32Z")
I agree with @jar. It’s better to create your own `AbstractDict` that wraps a regular `Dict`.
That being said, the behavior you are observing is odd, and I can’t explain it. Here’s a complete example:
Setup:
```julia
struct Foo end
function Base.show(io::IO, d::Dict{Int64, Foo})
println(io, "A dictionary containing ", length(d), " items.")
end
d = Dict(1 => Foo());
```
Printing:
```julia-repl
julia> print(d)
A dictionary containing 1 items.
julia> show(d)
A dictionary containing 1 items.
julia> Dict{Int, Foo}()
A dictionary containing 0 items.
julia> d
Dict{Int64, Foo} with 1 entry:
1 => Foo()
```
---
### Author:  [@danielwe](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/danielwe)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2024, 1:27am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/custom-fancy-printing-of-non-empty-dict/110127/4 "2024-02-13T01:27:14Z")
You need to implement the 3-arg `show`. Continuing from @CameronBieganek’s MWE:
```julia
julia> function Base.show(io::IO, ::MIME"text/plain", d::Dict{Int64, Foo})
println(io, "A dictionary containing ", length(d), " items.")
end
julia> d
A dictionary containing 1 items.
```