Python string formatting special characters

Question

How do you make the following code work?

example = "%%(test)%" % {'test':'name',}
print example

Where the desired output is "%name%"

Thanks

Answer 1

An alternative is to use the new Advanced String Formatting

>>> example = "%{test}%".format(test="name")
>>> print example
%name%

Answer 2

example = "%%%(test)s%%" % {'test':'name',}
print example

%(key)s is a placeholder for a string identified by key. %% escapes % when using the % operator.