Add single quotes to a variable in Python

Question

I have a variable that looks like this:

data = {"add_content": {"errata_ids": [advisory]},"content_view_version_environments": [{"content_view_version_id": version_id}]}

I need to add single quotes to this variable , i.e. if I will assign the variables:

advisory and version_id and add the single quotes to data variable like this:

data = '{"add_content": {"errata_ids": ["RHSA-2017:1390"]},"content_view_version_environments": [{"content_view_version_id": 160}]}'

I am able to post to the API

I have tried to add the single quotes in variety of ways:

new_data = "'" + str(data) + "'"
>>> new_data
'\'{\'add_content\': {\'errata_ids\': [\'"RHSA-2017:1390"\']}, \'content_view_version_environments\': [{\'content_view_version_id\': \'160\'}]}\''

or using:

'"%s"'%(data)

and a few more ways.

How can I add the single quotes to the outer to the data variable before and after the opening { and closing }?

What you're trying to create is JSON, so use the `json` module. — Barmar, Jul 12 '17 at 17:12
Python's string representation of a `dict` instance isn't necessarily valid JSON. — chepner, Jul 12 '17 at 17:14
Possible duplicate of [Python dump dict to json file](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17043860/python-dump-dict-to-json-file) — zwer, Jul 12 '17 at 17:16

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 12 '17 at 17:12

3

This is exactly what JSON does:

import json
new_data = json.dumps(data)

answered Jul 12 '17 at 17:12

Lgiro

762
5
13

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 12 '17 at 18:06

If in contrary of previous answers and comments you are not trying to convert to a json string then use string.format around the variables:

data = {"add_content": {"errata_ids": '[{}]'.format(advisory)},"content_view_version_environments": [{"content_view_version_id": '{}'.format(version_id)}]}

Add single quotes to a variable in Python

2 Answers2