[Python-ideas] str.format utility function

[Dag Moxnes]

Hi list,

I'm sorry if this has been discussed before, but I did not find any references. I've been playing abit with the new str.format function. I really like the syntax and simplicity.

However, when simply printing named variables in locals() or a class, I quite common use-case, I find it a bit too complicated with the **:

"Local variable var1 is %(var1)s" % locals() 

vs

"Local variable var1 is {var1}".format(**locals())

and

"Instance variable var2 is %(var2)s" % self.__dict__

vs

"Instance variable var2 is {var2}" % **self.__dict__

Therefore I have made myself a utility funcion:

def easyformat(s, data):
    try:
        return s.format(**data)
    except TypeError:
        return s.format(**data.__dict__)

so that I can do the following:

"Local variable var1 is {var1}".format(**locals())

and

"Instance variable var2 is %(var2)s" % self

Should a function similar to this (maybe with a better name) be included included in some standard library?

-Dag

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