explore dict

example.txt

Python 2.7.13 (default, Nov 24 2017, 17:33:09) 
[GCC 6.3.0 20170516] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> def foo(path, struct):
...     value = struct
...     for x in path.split('.'):
...         value = value[x]
...     return value
... 
>>> d = {'a': {'b': {'c': 42}, 'd': list()}}
>>> foo('a.b.c', d)
42
>>> foo('a.d', d)
[]
>>> foo('a', d)
{'b': {'c': 42}, 'd': []}
>>> 

prog.py

def foo(path, struct):
    value = struct
    for x in path.split('.'):
        value = value[x]
    return value