dict_as_class.py

class dict_as_class(dict):

    """Proper replacement for UserDict

    Allows a dictionary to be used like a class. Really messy, thrown
    together in a few minutes as a quick replacement, will probably
    tidy this up later"""
    
    def __setattr__(self, k, v):
        if k in self.keys():
            self[k] = v
        elif not hasattr(self, k):
            self[k] = v
        else:
            raise AttributeError, "Cannot set '%s', cls attribute already exists" % ( k, )

        
        print k, v

    def __getattr__(self, k):
        if k in self.keys():
            return self[k]
        raise AttributeError

c = dict_as_class()
c['lol'] = 'hello'
c.lol2 = 'hello2'
c.lol2 = 'hello3'
print c
print c.lol2

c2 = dict_as_class(hello='world')
c2.wtf = 'yeah'
c.sub = c2

from pprint import pprint as p

p(c, width=5)