string formatting using the % operator

[fargo]

William Gill wrote:
> I am using the % operator to create queries for a db app.  It works fine 
> when exact strings, or numbers are used, but some queries need partial 
> matching that use the '%' as a wildcards. So for example the resultant 
> string should be 'WHERE name LIKE %smith%'  (would match silversmith, 
> smithy, and smith).  Is there any way to get something like
> 
>       searchterm = 'smith'
>       sql += 'WHERE name LIKE %s'  %  searchterm
> 
> to return 'WHERE name LIKE %smith%'    I have tried using escapes, 
> character codes for the % sign, and lots of other gyrations with no 
> success.  The only thing that works is if I modify searchterm first:
> 
>       searchterm = 'smith'
>       searchterm ='%'+'smith'+'%'
>       sql += 'WHERE name LIKE %s'  %  searchterm
> 
> Any Ideas?
try this :

sql += 'WHERE name LIKE %%%s%%'  %  searchterm