import string


class FormatPlaceholder:
    def __init__(self, key):
        self.key = key
    def __format__(self, spec):
        result = self.key
        if spec:
            result += ":" + spec
        return "{" + result + "}"
    def __getitem__(self, index):
        self.key = "{}[{}]".format(self.key, index)
        return self
    def __getattr__(self, attr):
        self.key = "{}.{}".format(self.key, attr)
        return self


class FormatDict(dict):
    def __missing__(self, key):
        return FormatPlaceholder(key)


def safe_format_alt(text, source):
    formatter = string.Formatter()
    return formatter.vformat(text, (), FormatDict(source))

print(safe_format_alt("{a[0].x[2]}", {}))