diff --git a/events.py b/events.py
index 1179b53..d64f9e2 100755
--- a/events.py
+++ b/events.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
+from collections import defaultdict
 from xml.etree import ElementTree as ET
 import re
 import requests
@@ -45,9 +46,17 @@ eventStrings = {
     4045: 'Battery Failure',
 }
 
-#<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <VertXMessage> <hid:EventMessages action="LR" recordCount="100" historyRecordMarker="463" historyTimestamp="1525824431"/> </VertXMessage>
-
-#<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><VertXMessage xmlns:hid="http://www.hidcorp.com/VertX"><hid:EventMessages action="RL" historyRecordMarker="463" historyTimestamp="1525824431" currentRecordMarker="463" currentTimestamp="1525824431" /></VertXMessage>
+def formatMessage(event):
+    att = defaultdict(str, event.attrib)
+    eventType = int(att["eventType"])
+    return att["timestamp"], eventStrings[eventType].format(
+        'ios-' + att['ioState'],
+        'status-' + att['commandStatus'],
+        att['forename'] + " " + att['surname'],
+        att['rawCardNumber'],
+        att['oldTime'],
+        att['newTime'],
+        " IN" if att['readerAddress'] == '0' else " OUT")
 
 # get parameters for messages to get?
 # honestly not really sure why this is required, their API is confusing
@@ -66,13 +75,4 @@ eventsXMLOut = doXMLRequest(TARGET_IP, ET.tostring(eventsXMLIn))
 
 for event in eventsXMLOut[0]:
     ET.dump(event)
-    att = event.attrib
-    eventType = int(att["eventType"])
-    print(att["timestamp"], eventStrings[eventType].format(
-        'ios-' + att.get('ioState', ''),
-        'status-' + att.get('commandStatus', ''),
-        att.get('forename', '') + " " + att.get('surname', ''),
-        att.get('rawCardNumber', ''),
-        att.get('oldTime', ''),
-        att.get('newTime', ''),
-        "IN" if att.get("readerAddress", '') == '0' else "OUT"))
+    print(formatMessage(event))