path_tree_sanitize.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import os


to_replace = ":"
replace_by = " "
DRY_RUN = False
for (dirpath, dirnames, filenames) in os.walk("/root/of/path", topdown=False):
    if DRY_RUN:
        print("DRY RUN ", end="")
    print(f"Current folder: {dirpath}")
    for filename in filenames:
        new_name = filename
        if to_replace in filename:
            new_name = filename.replace(to_replace, replace_by)
        # remove leading and trailing spaces and limit to one consecutive space
        split_string = new_name.split(' ')
        new_name = ' '.join(item for item in split_string if item)
        if filename != new_name:
            print(f"    Renamed file \"{filename}\" to \"{new_name}\"")
            if not DRY_RUN:
                os.rename(os.path.join(dirpath, filename), os.path.join(dirpath, new_name))
    for dirname in dirnames:
        new_name = dirname
        if to_replace in dirname:
            new_name = dirname.replace(to_replace, replace_by)
        # remove leading and trailing spaces and limit to one consecutive space
        split_string = new_name.split(' ')
        new_name = ' '.join(item for item in split_string if item)
        if dirname != new_name:
            print(f"    Renamed dir \"{dirname}\" to \"{new_name}\"")
            if not DRY_RUN:
                os.rename(os.path.join(dirpath, dirname), os.path.join(dirpath, new_name))