Python: How to dynamically write to multiple files

Question

I am sequentially logging data packets from multiple streams. Depending on the data in each packet, I need to write the data to a specific log file. I will have up to 8 files open at a time to cater for a maximum 8 concurrent data streams The log files are opened and closed at the start and finish of a new data stream.

I have come up with the following code to handle the write operations.

#Identify where the data needs to be stored
filePointer = unpack_from('!B',payload, 4)

#Grab the data          
capData = unpack_from('!160s', payload, 10)         

#Store the data
if filePointer[0] == 1: Logfile1.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 2: Logfile2.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 3: Logfile3.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 4: Logfile4.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 5: Logfile5.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 6: Logfile6.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 7: Logfile7.write(str(capData[0]))
elif filePointer[0] == 8: Logfile8.write(str(capData[0]))

Is there a nicer more pythony way to do this?

Can a variable be somehow used to make up the file handle or return the required file handle?

Cheers

Pob

Answer 1

You can build a dictionary of filepointers and use it to dynamically select the file:

d = {1: Logfile1, 2: Logfile2, ...}
curr_file = d[filePointer[0]]
curr_file.write(str(capData[0]))