In Python, can you have variables within triple quotes? If so, how?

Question

This is probably a very simple question for some, but it has me stumped. Can you use variables within python's triple-quotes?

In the following example, how do use variables in the text:

wash_clothes = 'tuesdays'
clean_dishes = 'never'

mystring =""" I like to wash clothes on %wash_clothes
I like to clean dishes %clean_dishes
"""

print(mystring)

I would like it to result in:

 I like to wash clothes on tuesdays
     I like to clean dishes never

If not what is the best way to handle large chunks of text where you need a couple variables, and there is a ton of text and special characters?

Answer 1

One of the ways :

>>> mystring =""" I like to wash clothes on %s
... I like to clean dishes %s
... """
>>> wash_clothes = 'tuesdays'
>>> clean_dishes = 'never'
>>> 
>>> print mystring % (wash_clothes, clean_dishes)
 I like to wash clothes on tuesdays
I like to clean dishes never

Also look at string formatting

• http://docs.python.org/library/string.html#string-formatting

Answer 2

Yes. I believe this will work.

do_stuff = "Tuesday"

mystring = """I like to do stuff on %(tue)s""" % {'tue': do_stuff}

EDIT: forgot an 's' in the format specifier.

Answer 3

The preferred way of doing this is using str.format() rather than the method using %:

This method of string formatting is the new standard in Python 3.0, and should be preferred to the % formatting described in String Formatting Operations in new code.

Example:

wash_clothes = 'tuesdays'
clean_dishes = 'never'

mystring =""" I like to wash clothes on {0}
I like to clean dishes {1}
"""

print mystring.format(wash_clothes, clean_dishes)

Answer 4

I think the simplest way is str.format() as others have said.

However, I thought I'd mention that Python has a string.Template class starting in Python2.4.

Here's an example from the docs.

>>> from string import Template
>>> s = Template('$who likes $what')
>>> s.substitute(who='tim', what='kung pao')
'tim likes kung pao'

One of the reasons I like this is the use of a mapping instead of positional arguments.