Problems getting rid of multiple periods in a FileName

Question

I am trying to take file names that look like:
MAX_1.01.01.03.pdf look like Max_1010103.pdf.

Currently I have this code:

public void Sanitizer(List<string> paths)
{
  string regPattern = (@"[~#&!%+{}]+");
  string replacement = " ";

  Regex regExPattern = new Regex(regPattern);
  Regex regExPattern2 = new Regex(@"\s{2,}");
  Regex regExPattern3 = new Regex(@"\.(?=.*\.)");
  string replace = "";

  var filesCount = new Dictionary<string, int>();
  dataGridView1.Rows.Clear();

  try
  {
    foreach (string files2 in paths)
    {
      string filenameOnly = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(files2);
      string pathOnly = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(files2);
      string sanitizedFileName = regExPattern.Replace(filenameOnly, replacement);
      sanitizedFileName = regExPattern2.Replace(sanitizedFileName, replacement);
      string sanitized = System.IO.Path.Combine(pathOnly, sanitizedFileName);

      if (!System.IO.File.Exists(sanitized))
      {
        DataGridViewRow clean = new DataGridViewRow();
        clean.CreateCells(dataGridView1);
        clean.Cells[0].Value = pathOnly;
        clean.Cells[1].Value = filenameOnly;
        clean.Cells[2].Value = sanitizedFileName;

        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(clean);
        System.IO.File.Move(files2, sanitized);
      }
      else 
      {
        if (filesCount.ContainsKey(sanitized))
        {
          filesCount[sanitized]++;
        }
        else
        {
          filesCount.Add(sanitized, 1);
          string newFileName = String.Format("{0}{1}{2}",
              System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(sanitized),
              filesCount[sanitized].ToString(),
              System.IO.Path.GetExtension(sanitized));

          string newFilePath = System.IO.Path.Combine(
              System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(sanitized), newFileName);
          newFileName = regExPattern2.Replace(newFileName, replacement);
          System.IO.File.Move(files2, newFilePath);
          sanitized = newFileName;

          DataGridViewRow clean = new DataGridViewRow();
          clean.CreateCells(dataGridView1);
          clean.Cells[0].Value = pathOnly;
          clean.Cells[1].Value = filenameOnly;
          clean.Cells[2].Value = newFileName;

          dataGridView1.Rows.Add(clean);
        }

//HERE IS WHERE I AM TRYING TO GET RID OF DOUBLE PERIODS//
        if (regExPattern3.IsMatch(files2))
        {
          string filewithDoublePName = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(files2);
          string doublepPath = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(files2);
          string name = System.IO.Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(files2);
          string newName = name.Replace(".", "");
          string filesDir = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(files2);
          string fileExt = System.IO.Path.GetExtension(files2);
          string newPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(filesDir, newName+fileExt);

          DataGridViewRow clean = new DataGridViewRow();
          clean.CreateCells(dataGridView1);
          clean.Cells[0].Value =doublepPath;
          clean.Cells[1].Value = filewithDoublePName;
          clean.Cells[2].Value = newName;
          dataGridView1.Rows.Add(clean);
        }
      }
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
      throw;
      //errors.Write(e);
    }
  }

I ran this and instead of getting rid of ALL period (minus the period before a file extension), I get results like: MAX_1.0103.pdf

If there are multiple periods like: Test....1.txt I get these results: Test...1.txt

It seems to only get rid of ONE period. I am pretty new to Regular Expressions and it is a REQUIREMENT for this project. Can anybody help me figure out what I'm doing wrong here?

Thanks!

EDITED to show changes made in code

Answer 1

Why not use the Path class:

string name = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(yourPath);
string newName = name.Replace(".", "");
string newPath = Path.Combine(Path.GetDirectoryName(yourPath),
                              newName + Path.GetExtension(yourPath));

Each step separated for clarity.

So for the input

"C:\Users\Fred\MAX_1.01.01.03.pdf"

I get the output

"C:\Users\Fred\MAX_1010103.pdf"

which is what I'd expect.

If I supply:

"C:\Users\Fred.Flintstone\MAX_1.01.01.03.pdf"

I get:

"C:\Users\Fred.Flintstone\MAX_1010103.pdf"

again what I expect as I'm not processing the "DirectoryName" part of the path.

NOTE I missed the bit about RegEx being a REQUIREMENT. Still sticking by this answer though.

Answer 2

Say, didn't you already ask this question?

Anyway, I stick by my original answer:

string RemovePeriodsFromFilename(string fullPath)
{
    string dir = Path.GetDirectoryName(fullPath);
    string filename = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(fullPath);
    string sanitized = filename.Replace(".", string.Empty);
    string ext = Path.GetExtension(fullPath);

    return Path.Combine(dir, sanitized + ext);
}

Now, since you specified that you must use RegEx, I suppose you could always force it in there:

string RemovePeriodsFromFilename(string fullPath)
{
    string dir = Path.GetDirectoryName(fullPath);
    string filename = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(fullPath);

    // Look! Now the solution uses RegEx!
    string sanitized = Regex.Replace(filename, @"\.", string.Empty);

    string ext = Path.GetExtension(fullPath);

    return Path.Combine(dir, sanitized + ext);
}

Note: This is basically the exact same approach that ChrisF suggested.

Whoever is requiring that you use RegEx, I suggest you request an explanation why.