import os, string, arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

def validateName(inputTablePath):
    workspacePath = string.join(inputTablePath.split(os.sep)[0:-1], os.sep)
    if inputTablePath[-4:] in (".shp",".dbf",".txt"):
        tableNameToValidate = inputTablePath.split(os.sep)[-1][0:-4]
        return workspacePath + os.sep + gp.validatetablename(tableNameToValidate, workspacePath) + inputTablePath[-4:]
    else:
        tableNameToValidate = inputTablePath.split(os.sep)[-1]
        return workspacePath + os.sep + gp.validatetablename(tableNameToValidate, workspacePath)

print validateName(r"C:\temp\testthis\why-not-this.shp")
print validateName(r"C:\temp\testthis\_*howboutwhy-not-this.shp")
print validateName(r"C:\temp\testthis\why-not-this.dbf")
print validateName(r"C:\temp\testthis.gdb\why-not-this")


#OUTPUT >>>
#C:\temp\testthis\why_not_this.shp
#C:\temp\testthis\__howboutwhy_not_this.shp
#C:\temp\testthis\why_not_this.dbf
#C:\temp\testthis.gdb\why_not_this

http://forums.esri.com/Thread.asp?c=93&f=1729&t=274508#848200

Thank you Chris Snyder

sanitize pathname

Python