Python 3.2: How to pass a dictionary into str.format()

Question

I've been reading the Python 3.2 docs about string formatting but it hasn't really helped me with this particular problem.

Here is what I'm trying to do:

stats = { 'copied': 5, 'skipped': 14 }
print( 'Copied: {copied}, Skipped: {skipped}'.format( stats ) )

The above code will not work because the format() call is not reading the dictionary values and using those in place of my format placeholders. How can I modify my code to work with my dictionary?

Answer 1

This does the job:

stats = { 'copied': 5, 'skipped': 14 }
print( 'Copied: {copied}, Skipped: {skipped}'.format( **stats ) )  #use ** to "unpack" a dictionary

For more info please refer to:

• http://docs.python.org/py3k/library/string.html#format-examples and
• http://docs.python.org/py3k/tutorial/controlflow.html#keyword-arguments

Answer 2

you want .format(**stats) as that makes stats part of format's kwargs.