Python string interpolation using dictionary and strings

You can try this:

data = {"path": "/var/blah",
        "curr": "1.1",
        "prev": "1.0"}

s = "path: %(path)s curr: %(curr)s prev: %(prev)s" % data

And of course you could use the newer (from 2.6) .format string method:

>>> mydict = {"path": "/var/blah"}
>>> curr = "1.1"
>>> prev = "1.0"
>>>
>>> s = "path: {0} curr: {1} prev: {2}".format(mydict['path'], curr, prev)
>>> s
'path: /var/blah curr: 1.1 prev: 1.0'   

Or, if all elements were in the dictionary, you could do this:

>>> mydict = {"path": "/var/blah", "curr": 1.1, "prev": 1.0}
>>> "path: {path} curr: {curr} prev: {prev}".format(**mydict)
'path: /var/blah curr: 1.1 prev: 1.0'
>>>

From the str.format() documentation:

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.

Maybe:

path = dict['path']
str = "path: %(path)s curr: %(curr)s prev: %(prev)s" % locals()

I mean it works:

>>> dict = {"path": "/var/blah"}
>>> curr = "1.1"
>>> prev = "1.0"
>>> path = dict['path']
>>> str = "path: %(path)s curr: %(curr)s prev: %(prev)s" % locals()
>>> str
'path: /var/blah curr: 1.1 prev: 1.0'

I just don't know if you consider that shorter.

Why not:

mystr = "path: %s curr: %s prev: %s" % (mydict[path], curr, prev)

BTW, I've changed a couple names you were using that trample upon builtin names -- don't do that, it's never needed and once in a while will waste a lot of your time tracking down a misbehavior it causes (where something's using the builtin name assuming it means the builtin but you have hidden it with the name of our own variable).