How to format python string with both double and single quotes

Question

I need to create a python string like:

'A' "B"

Which I think should be reliably produced using:

my_string = "'A' \"B\""

What I get here is:

'\'A\' "B"'

Which inst what we want. Help!

(Why... InfluxDB uses both single and double quotes in queries)

Answer 1

I thing you get that output in python shell, while entering only the name of the string. You'll get the output you want if you use print(string_name).

Answer 2

Your string is correct the way you wrote it. The output you see is confusing you because you are seeing the " repr " (unambiguous) form of the string, presumably because you just typed the variable name at the prompt. Note that this form also adds a pair of (single) quotes around the string, no matter what you put in your variable.

Display the string with print(my_string) to see what it really contains.

>>> my_string = "Hello, world\n"
>>> my_string
'Hello, world\n'
>>> print(my_string)
Hello, world

>>>

Answer 3

You can take advantage of Python having three types of quotes to eliminate backslashes on entry:

>>> my_string = ''''A' "B"'''
>>> my_string
'\'A\' "B"'
>>> print(my_string)
'A' "B"
>>> 

As you can see, Python is adding backslashes to properly display the string in its interpreter, it's not misunderstanding your input. Upon print() everything comes out as desired.