Python: Format String

Convert into string format.

repr()

Convert a data into a string form that can be read back into Python or for eval()

str()

Convert into a string in a human readable form.

Note: in practice, these two returns the same thing.

# python 3

ss = [3, 4, 3.123456789012345678901234567890, (7, 8, "9")]
print (str(ss))    # [3, 4, 3.1234567890123457, (7, 8, '9')]
print (repr(ss))   # [3, 4, 3.1234567890123457, (7, 8, '9')]

C Style printf

The “print” function supports string formatting in the style of C's printf. The syntax is:

print "…" % (arg1, arg2, …)

# python 3

# integer
print("%d" % (1234))   # 「1234」

# padding by space
print("%4d" % (12))    # 「  12」

# float. 2 integer, 4 decimal
print("%2.4f" % (3.123456789))   # 「3.1235」

# string.
print("%5s" % ("cats"))     # 「 cats」
print("%2s" % ("cats"))     # 「cats」

print("%2d♥%6d♥%2.4f♥%s" % (1234, 5678, 3.123456789, 'cats!')) # 「1234♥  5678♥3.1235♥cats!」

‹string›.format(…)

A more flexible way to format string is

str.format(arg1, arg2, …).

Inside the string, use {} as placeholder. Inside {…} is specification for the format.

# python 3

print("{}".format("cat"))
# cat

print("{} cats {} dogs.".format(3,4))
# 3 cats 4 dogs.

Use {{}} to include literal {}

# python 3

# use {{}} to include literal {}
print("brace {{}}, a is {}".format(3))
# brace {}, a is 3

Format Codes

# python 3

# “:s” is for string
print("{:s}".format("cat"))
# cat

# decimal int
print("{:d}".format(3))
# 3

# binary
print("{:b}".format(3))
# 11

# hex
print("{:x}".format(10))
# a

# list
print("{:}".format([7, 8]))

Format number in human readable format:

# python 3

print("{:,}".format(78515573)) # 78,515,573

Change Print Argument Order

# python 3

print("{1:}, {0:}".format(3, 4))
# 4, 3

Print Without Newline

# python 3
print( "a", "b", sep=",", end=",")
print( "c")
# prints
# a,b,c

Python 2, Print Without Newline

To print without the newline char added at the end, add a comma.

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# python 2

# suppress printing newline
print "rabbit",
print "tiger"

# prints
# rabbit tiger

Or, use sys.stdout.write().

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
# python 2

import sys
sys.stdout.write("rabbit")
sys.stdout.write("tiger")

# prints
# rabbittiger

2012-03-25 Thanks to Yuri Khan for a suggetion on Python print.