__init__.py

"""
This script assumes the file config.py and optional file config_local.py are in
the same directory as this file. Of course, you wouldn't need this if you just
had config_local.py exist by default and have it `import * from config` ;)

A few tweaks could be made to remove the need to have the `import *` part in
config_local.py, basically:
    
    def __getattr__(self, name):
        return getattr(self._mod_local, name) or getattr(self._mod, name)
    
With necessary additions/changes made elsewhere.

Hope this helps!
"""

from os import path

class Config(object):
    def __init__(self):
        this_dir = path.abspath(path.split(__file__)[0])
        p = path.join(this_dir,'config_local.py')
        if path.isfile(p):
            mod_name = 'config_local'
        else:
            mod_name = 'config'
        self._mod = __import__(mod_name, {}, {}, [''])

    def __getattr__(self, name):
        return getattr(self._mod, name)

    def __setattr__(self, name, value):
        # Prevent infinite loop
        if name == '_mod':
            self.__dict__[name] = value
        else:
            return setattr(self._mod, name, value)

conf = Config()

# In another file: 
# from <this_module_name> import conf