String module should have a string like printable but without whitespace about cpython

[serhiy-storchaka]

You can use string.printable.replace(' ', '') or set(string.printable) - {' '}. This can be easily modified to exclude other undesirable characters (for example I, l and 1 can be confused with each other, '' can be confused with " or ``).

string.printable is a historical artifact. Today it is superseded by the str.isprintable() methods combined with additional conditions. Every applications has its own conditions. Adding yet one string constant in the string module which differs only by a character from other string constant will likely confuse people.

[encukou]

If we add something for convenience, it should be both convenient and correct for many users.

While I haven't done the research, use cases I can think of are better served with a slightly different set -- for example, exclude quotes or the backslash, exclude O/0 and l/I/1 for readability, or not limit the set to ASCII. For toy examples, digits + ascii_letters are fine.

[RustoMCSpit]

this is a good first issue i suppose for people looking to make a PR

[RustoMCSpit]

Adding yet one string constant in the string module which differs only by a character from other string constant will likely confuse people.

i doubt anyone will be confused by a string constant. even if there are workarounds, it's just prettier and quicker to have another constant, helps the read-ability yk.

[pochmann3]

differs only by a character

By six. Also ASCII 9 to 13.

[serhiy-storchaka]

How would you name the new constant? string.printable_without_space? Or more accurately string.ascii_printable_without_whitespace?

[RustoMCSpit]

How would you name the new constant? string.printable_without_space? Or more accurately string.ascii_printable_without_whitespace?

string.visible

[nineteendo]

Is there a problem with this?

from string import ascii_letters, digits, punctuation

visible = digits + ascii_letters + punctuation

[RustoMCSpit]

Is there a problem with this?

from string import ascii_letters, digits, punctuation

visible = digits + ascii_letters + punctuation

no, but it's less efficient than just having a visible constant which would be useful for a lot of use cases. it's sorta like asking 'why have ascii when you can just add lower and upper ascii?'

[nineteendo]

For reference here are the constants of the original version:

cpython/Lib/string.py

Lines 6 to 12 in c636014

	whitespace = ' \t\n'
	lowercase = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
	uppercase = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'
	letters = lowercase + uppercase
	digits = '0123456789'
	hexdigits = digits + 'abcdef' + 'ABCDEF'
	octdigits = '01234567'

Only punctuation & printable have been added since with the latter being the concatenation of all other strings.

[RustoMCSpit]

i still think visible is such a logical addition when someone needs all visible symbols fast. id hardly see it as bloat? i fully axknowledge what im suggestinf is just an efficiency / readability optimisation and there are work arounds but i see little reason why not to add it as a constant

[encukou]

i see little reason why not to add it as a constant

The opposite question is relevant: what is the reason to add it? Where would it be useful?
It's easy to add, but that's not a very good reason to add it.

[RustoMCSpit]

i see little reason why not to add it as a constant

The opposite question is relevant: what is the reason to add it? Where would it be useful? It's easy to add, but that's not a very good reason to add it.

already answered. tl;dr: convenience.