Convert String to clean file-name

Question

When I extract PlotLabel from my List of plots using

PlotLabel /. AbsoluteOptions[plotList[[1]], PlotLabel]

I get strings like

"M vs. \!\(\*SubscriptBox[\(n\), \(sync\)]\) - Dutycycle: 20%"
  (* or *)
"M vs. Subscript[n, sync] - Dutycycle: 20%"

Now I want to export this list of plots in such a way, that the file-name is related to the PlotLabel that I extracted before.

How can I make this string suitable for a filename, including:

?

A result could look like

"M_vs_nsync_-_Dutycycle_20"

StringReplace may be useful reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/StringReplace.html — ktm, Nov 9, 2016 at 15:25

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-13 12:55:44Z

4

EDIT:

With the more messy form of the string:

str = "M vs. \!\(\*SubscriptBox[\(n\), \(sync\)]\) - Dutycycle: 20%"

one can use the function deSubscript by glS (thanks to Mr.Wizard):

deSubscript[string_] := StringReplace[string,
  "\!\(\*SubscriptBox[\(" ~~ Shortest[x__] ~~ "\), \(" ~~ 
    Shortest[y__] ~~ "\)]\)" :> x <> y
  ]

to get

str1 = deSubscript[str]

"M vs. nsync - Dutycycle: 20%"

and then proceed with

StringReplace[str1, {" " -> "_", "%" -> "", "." -> "", ":" -> ""}]

"M_vs_nsync_-_Dutycycle_20"

CommunityBot

1

answered Nov 9, 2016 at 15:29

corey979

23.7k7 gold badges57 silver badges98 bronze badges

$\begingroup$ looks good, but see my edited question: I seem to actually get another string than I pasted here before: "M vs. \!$\*SubscriptBox[\(n$, $sync$]\) - Dutycycle: 20%". I'm a little lost in InputForm, FullForm, ... $\endgroup$
– DPF
Nov 9, 2016 at 15:34
$\begingroup$ And that's another reason why you'll hear here a mantra "don't use subscripts" - when you want to work with them further, they mess things up. $\endgroup$
– corey979
Nov 9, 2016 at 15:41
$\begingroup$ Well at least now, i start hearing it. Ok, I'll get rid of the subscripts. Would you mind adding , ":" -> "", "." -> "" to your StringReplace? $\endgroup$
– DPF
Nov 9, 2016 at 15:45
$\begingroup$ Now the answer is complete and works with the messy strings as well. $\endgroup$
– corey979
Nov 9, 2016 at 15:57

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