An example of using nested python dictionaries to store log entries

dict_example.py

from pprint import pprint

# Create an empty dictionary:
log_entry = {}

# Add a key called 'ipaddr' to the dict, and assign
# a value to it:
log_entry['ipaddr'] = '192.168.1.1'

# Add more keys and corresponding values:
log_entry['port'] = 1234
log_entry['pubkey'] = 'as;dfk3534562-a;sdkf'
log_entry['timestamp'] = '2016-09-09 15:41:37'

print('\nNow we can see what our dictionary looks like:')
pprint(log_entry)

print('\nOr just list the keys:')
print(log_entry.keys())

print('\nOr just the values:')
print(log_entry.values())

print('\nOr key, value tuples:')
print(log_entry.items())

# You can nest dictionaries within each other. Let's make
# another dictionary to hold all the log entries:
log = {}

# We need to choose a key value for each entry. It could be
# anything. Let's make it the ip address.
key = log_entry['ipaddr']

# Now we can add our previous dict, 'log_entry' as a value:
log[key] = log_entry

print('\nNow our log contains one entry:')
pprint(log)

# Let's make another entry, then add it to log:
another_entry = {
    'ipaddr': '231.342.5.6',
    'port': 4235,
    'pubkey': 'a;sdlkpoiuaek;afa;',
    'timestamp': '2016-09-09 15:55:13'
}

key = another_entry['ipaddr']
log[key] = another_entry

print('\nNow our log contains two entries:')
pprint(log)


# Finally, if we add a key and value to log,
# and the key already exists, the previous value
# will be replaced:

entry_with_updated_timestamp = {
    'ipaddr': '231.342.5.6',
    'port': 4235,
    'pubkey': 'a;sdlkpoiuaek;afa;',
    'timestamp': '2017-08-03 12:27:17'
}

key = entry_with_updated_timestamp['ipaddr']
log[key] = entry_with_updated_timestamp

print('\nOur log still contains two entries, but one of them has a different timestamp:')
pprint(log)