python string, best way to concat

[Dan Stromberg]

On Wed, Aug 27, 2014 at 1:31 PM,  <dennisearlevans at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   Hi,
>
>   Sorry about the simple question but I am very new to Python.
>
>   Anyway, I have a function that will be used to call a stored procedure and I need to format the string with the correct number of parameter markers for the ODBC driver, fairly standard stuff.
>
>   What I have works but looks ugly, is there a better way to build or concatenate a string or is a list or a tuple a better option?
>
> the function looks like this
>
>   def callSp(self, schema, spName) :
>    sqlCode = "{call " + schema + "." + spName + "("
>    par_Markers = ""
>    y = len(self.param)
>    x = 0
>    while x < y :
>      par_Markers = par_Markers.join("?")
>      if (x < y - 1) :
>        par_Markers = par_Markers.join(", ")
>      x += 1
>    self.cmdText = sqlCode + par_Markers + ")}"
>    self.ExecuteCursor()
>
>    return
>
> self.param is a list of parameters.  sself.cmdText is the text that will be used to call the stored procedure.
>
> the function would be called like this
>
>   class.AddParameter(some value 1)
>   class.AddParameter(some value 2)
>   callSp("schemaName", "storedProcedureName")
>
>   the self.cmdText will look like this just before the ExecuteCursor call
>
>   "{call schemaName.StoredProcedureName(?, ?)}"
>
>   the code works, but as I said is a bit ugly, is there better methods?
>
>   thanks
>
>   Dennis

If you have a constant number of things to put in a string, often 'abc
{} ghi {}'.format('def', 'jkl') is good - this will produce 'abc def
ghi jkl'.

If you have a variable number of things to put in a string, toss them
all in a list, and join them:
list_ = ['abc, 'def', 'ghi']
for number in range(4):
   list_.append(str(number))
list_.extend(['jkl', 'mno')

# elements of the list will be separated by one space:
string = ' '.join(list_)