code: def format(keys, value, _type, prefix=""):
          
          data = {}
          value = "{0}|{1}".format(value, _type)
          # TODO: Allow any iterable except strings
          if not isinstance(keys, (list, tuple)):
              keys = [keys]
          for key in keys:
              data[prefix + key] = value
          return data
docs: General format function.
  
          >>> StatsdClient.format("example.format", 2, "T")
          {'example.format': '2|T'}
          >>> StatsdClient.format(("example.format31", "example.format37"), "2",
          ... "T")
          {'example.format31': '2|T', 'example.format37': '2|T'}
          >>> StatsdClient.format("example.format", 2, "T", "prefix.")
          {'prefix.example.format': '2|T'}