import sys, string, arcgisscripting gp = arcgisscripting.create(9.3) userStr = gp.GetParameterAsText(0) # userStr = sys.argv(0) strList = userStr.split(" or ") output = " or ".join(["\"APN\" = \'%s\'" % (item) for item in strList]) gp.SetParameterAsText(output) #print output