def update(self, with_new_data):
            for key,value in with_new_data.iteritems():
                if type(value) == dict:
                    self[key].update(value)
                else:
                    self[key] = value
            # descends into sub-dicts instead of wiping them with subkeys
             

             
        # check for existing filename in directory list
        def find_in_dirs(self, dirs, file):
            for d in dirs:
                if os.path.exists(d+"/"+file):
                    return d+"/"+file


   
#-- actually fill global conf instance
conf = ConfigDict()