Structure.py

class Structure(dict, object):
    """ A ditionary that acts like a matlab structure.

    """
    def __getattr__(self, attr):
        # Fake a __getstate__ method that returns None
        if attr == "__getstate__":
            return lambda: None
        try:
            return self[attr][0]
        except:
            return self[attr]

    def __setattr__(self, attr, value):
        self[attr] = value

    def __dir__(self):
        """ necessary for Ipython tab-completion """
        return self.keys()

    def set_with_dict(self, D):
        """ set attributes with a dict """
        for k in D.keys():
            self.__setattr__(k, D[k])