# Named tuples
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061
**Category:** New to Julia
**Created:** [June 9, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061 "2020-06-09T11:31:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@erlebach](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/erlebach)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/1 "2020-06-09T11:31:18Z")
I am experimenting with named tuples to store my parameters for code readability. I have noticed that although one can create a tuple with one element, it cannot be accessed via the dot notation:
```julia
a = (b=3)
```
returns
```julia
julia> a.b
ERROR: type Int64 has no field b
Stacktrace:
[1] getproperty(::Int64, ::Symbol) at ./Base.jl:33
```
On the other hand, a tuple with two elements:
```julia
a = (b=3, c=4)
```
handles perfectly fine:
```julia
a.b
```
returns `3` as expected.
Is this expected behavior? What is the rationale? In general, I might wish to store parameters in a named tuple (perhaps a named array in the future), and at times, there might only be a single parameter.
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@robsmith11](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/robsmith11)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 11:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/2 "2020-06-09T11:35:00Z")
The syntax for tuple creation requires at least one comma, otherwise the parantheses are just used for precedence:
`(b=3,)`
---
### Author:  [@fbanning](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fbanning)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/3 "2020-06-09T13:59:25Z")
To expand on this answer:
```julia
julia> a = (b=3)
3
julia> typeof(a)
Int64
julia> a = (b=3,)
(b = 3,)
julia> typeof(a)
NamedTuple{(:b,),Tuple{Int64}}
julia> a.b
3
```
---
### Author:  [@rdeits](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rdeits)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/4 "2020-06-09T14:01:50Z")
I was taught (in Python, but it applies here too) to think of the comma as the tuple operator, not the parentheses. I’ve found that lesson helpful in cases like this.
---
### Author:  [@erlebach](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/erlebach)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/5 "2020-06-09T15:31:08Z")
Thank you all! Regarding use of the comma:
```julia
a = 3,
```
does not work as intended. One has to use
```julia
a = (3,)
```
But that is hardly an issue.
---
### Author:  [@DNF](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/DNF)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/6 "2020-06-09T15:38:33Z")
You need both, otherwise how would you distinguish between
```julia
a = (3,)
```
and
```julia
(a = 3,)
```
?
---
### Author:  [@mcabbott](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mcabbott)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/named-tuples/41061/7 "2020-06-09T18:46:42Z")
For tuples you can write `tuple(3)` if you think the comma is too subtle, it’s a pity that `tuple(a = 3)` doesn’t make a named tuple.