def update_dict(d, u=None, depth=-1, take_new=True, default_mapping_type=dict, prefer_update_type=False, copy=False):
    """
    Recursively merge (union or update) dict-like objects (Mapping) to the specified depth.

    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': 2}}, {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}) == {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict(OrderedDict([('k1', OrderedDict([('k2', 2)]))]), {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4})
    OrderedDict([('k1', OrderedDict([('k2', {'k3': 3})])), ('k4', 4)])
    >>> update_dict(OrderedDict([('k1', dict([('k2', 2)]))]), {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4})
    OrderedDict([('k1', {'k2': {'k3': 3}}), ('k4', 4)])
    >>> orig = {'orig_key': 'orig_value'}
    >>> updated = update_dict(orig, {'new_key': 'new_value'}, copy=True)
    >>> updated == orig
    False
    >>> updated2 = update_dict(orig, {'new_key2': 'new_value2'})
    >>> updated2 == orig
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': {'k2': 2}},
    ...             depth=1, take_new=False) == {'k1': {'k2': 2}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, None) == {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': ()}) == {'k1': (), 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> # FIXME: this result is unexpected the same as for `take_new=False`
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': {'k2': 2}},
    ...             depth=1, take_new=True) == {'k4': 4, 'k1': {'k2': 2}}
    True
    """
    u = u or {}
    orig_mapping_type = type(d)
    if prefer_update_type and isinstance(u, Mapping):
        dictish = type(u)
    elif isinstance(d, Mapping):
        dictish = orig_mapping_type
    else:
        dictish = default_mapping_type
    if copy:
        d = dictish(d)
    for k, v in viewitems(u):
        if isinstance(d, Mapping):
            if isinstance(v, Mapping) and not depth == 0:
                r = update_dict(d.get(k, dictish()), v, depth=max(depth - 1, -1), copy=copy)
                d[k] = r
            elif take_new:
                d[k] = u[k]
        elif take_new:
            d = dictish([(k, u[k])])
    return d
def update_dict ( d , u = None , depth = - 1 , take_new = True , default_mapping_type = dict , prefer_update_type = False , copy = False ) : u = u or { } orig_mapping_type = type ( d ) if prefer_update_type and isinstance ( u , Mapping ) : dictish = type ( u ) elif isinstance ( d , Mapping ) : dictish = orig_mapping_type else : dictish = default_mapping_type if copy : d = dictish ( d ) for k , v in viewitems ( u ) : if isinstance ( d , Mapping ) : if isinstance ( v , Mapping ) and not depth == 0 : r = update_dict ( d . get ( k , dictish ( ) ) , v , depth = max ( depth - 1 , - 1 ) , copy = copy ) d [ k ] = r elif take_new : d [ k ] = u [ k ] elif take_new : d = dictish ( [ ( k , u [ k ] ) ] ) return d
Recursively merge (union or update) dict-like objects (Mapping) to the specified depth.

    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': 2}}, {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}) == {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict(OrderedDict([('k1', OrderedDict([('k2', 2)]))]), {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4})
    OrderedDict([('k1', OrderedDict([('k2', {'k3': 3})])), ('k4', 4)])
    >>> update_dict(OrderedDict([('k1', dict([('k2', 2)]))]), {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4})
    OrderedDict([('k1', {'k2': {'k3': 3}}), ('k4', 4)])
    >>> orig = {'orig_key': 'orig_value'}
    >>> updated = update_dict(orig, {'new_key': 'new_value'}, copy=True)
    >>> updated == orig
    False
    >>> updated2 = update_dict(orig, {'new_key2': 'new_value2'})
    >>> updated2 == orig
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': {'k2': 2}},
    ...             depth=1, take_new=False) == {'k1': {'k2': 2}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, None) == {'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': ()}) == {'k1': (), 'k4': 4}
    True
    >>> # FIXME: this result is unexpected the same as for `take_new=False`
    >>> update_dict({'k1': {'k2': {'k3': 3}}, 'k4': 4}, {'k1': {'k2': 2}},
    ...             depth=1, take_new=True) == {'k4': 4, 'k1': {'k2': 2}}
    True