Why does Python's string.printable contains unprintable characters?

Question

I have two String.printable mysteries in the one question.

First, in Python 2.6:

>>> string.printable
\'0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCD         


        

Answer 1

From within cmd.exe:

>>> print '\x0b'
♂
>>> print '\x0c'
♀
>>> print '\f' # form feed
♀
>>> print '\v' # vertical tab
♂
>>>

Inside Emacs:

>>> print '\f\v'
^L^K

Here's an excerpt from formats(5)' man page:

| Sequence | Character    | Terminal Action                             |
|----------+--------------+---------------------------------------------|
| \f       | form-feed    | Moves the printing position to the initial  |
|          |              | printing position of the next logical page. |
| \v       | vertical-tab | Moves the printing position to the start of |
|          |              | the next vertical tab position. If there    |
|          |              | are no more vertical tab positions left on  |
|          |              | the page, the behavior is undefined.        |