Changing formatting string from % to alternate character?
<p>In python 2.6, is there a way to specify an alternate character other than % for string formatting operations? Or is the % char hardcoded in the python interpreter?</p>

<p>For example, to generate a string that looks like this:</p>

<pre><code>param1%02param2%03param3...
</code></pre>

<p>I currently have to do this:</p>

<pre><code>str = "%s%%02%s%%03%s" % (param1, param2, param3)
</code></pre>

<p>What I'd like to be able to do is substitute, say, ^ for % and be able to do:</p>

<pre><code>str = "^s%02^s%03^s" ^ (param1, param2, param3)
</code></pre>

<p>which IMO is far more readable.</p>
