///
* ABC Names
A-06,B-18,
* Data
 1.727e-01, 1.258e-01, 2.724e-01, 2.599e-01,-3.266e-01,-9.425e-02,-6.213e-02, 1.479e-01,
 1.219e-01, 1.174e-01, 2.213e-01, 2.875e-01,-2.306e-01,-3.900e-03,-5.269e-02, 7.420e-02,
 2.592e-01, 2.513e-01, 2.242e-01, 2.620e-01,-1.346e-01,-6.844e-02,-4.139e-02, 9.502e-02,
 1.981e-01, 1.937e-01, 2.336e-01, 1.617e-01,-4.240e-02, 2.285e-02, 1.878e-02, 1.064e-01,
 9.562e-02, 6.727e-02, 1.135e-01, 6.765e-02,-7.850e-02, 6.711e-02, 1.317e-02, 8.367e-02,
* Starting position
     -.5000E+01
///

f = open("mdata.txt")

data_dict = {}
section = None
data_for_section = ""
for line in f:
    line = line.strip() #remove whitespace at start and end

    if section != None and (line[0] == "*" or line == "///"):
        # if we've just finished a section, put whatever we got into the data dict
        data_dict[section] = [bit for bit in data_for_section.split(",") if bit != ""]

    if line[0] == "*":
        # "*" denotes the start of a new section, probably, so remember the name
        section = line [2:]
        data_for_section = ""
        continue
    data_for_section += line

f.close()
#got the data, now for some output
print "loaded file. Found headings: %s"%(", ".join(data_dict.keys()))

for key in data_dict.keys():
    if len(data_dict[key])>5:
        print key, ": array of %i entries"%len(data_dict[key])
    else:
        print key, ": ", data_dict[key]

startingPosition = float(data_dict["Starting position"][0])
data_list_of_floats = map(float, data_dict["Data"])

startingPosition = float(data_dict["Starting position"][0])
data_list_of_floats = map(float, data_dict["Data"])

f = open("abc.txt")
all_lines = f.readlines()

f=0
for line in open("file"):
    line=line.strip()
    if "Starting" in line:
        f=0
    if "Data" in line:
        f=1
        continue
    if f:
        print line

{'a':['line1','line2'],'b':['line1'],'c':['line1','line2','line3']}

block_names = ['b','a','c']

for line in open('file.txt'):
    block_dict = {}  #dict to populate with lists of lines
    block = []  # dummy block in case there is data or lines before first block
    ck_nm = [blk_nm for blk_nm in block_names if line.startswith(blk_nm)]  #search block names for a match
    if ck_nm: # did we find a match?
        block_dict[ck_nm[0]] = block = []  # set current block
    else:
        block.append(line)  #..or line.split(',') ..however you want to parse the data

data = [
1.727e-01, 1.258e-01, 2.724e-01, 2.599e-01,-3.266e-01,-9.425e-02,-6.213e-02, 1.479e-01,
1.219e-01, 1.174e-01, 2.213e-01, 2.875e-01,-2.306e-01,-3.900e-03,-5.269e-02, 7.420e-02,
2.592e-01, 2.513e-01, 2.242e-01, 2.620e-01,-1.346e-01,-6.844e-02,-4.139e-02, 9.502e-02,
1.981e-01, 1.937e-01, 2.336e-01, 1.617e-01,-4.240e-02, 2.285e-02, 1.878e-02, 1.064e-01,
9.562e-02, 6.727e-02, 1.135e-01, 6.765e-02,-7.850e-02, 6.711e-02, 1.317e-02, 8.367e-02,
]