filename_sanitize.rb

  def sanitize_for_filename
    #strip the string
    ret = self.strip
    
    #blow away apostrophes
    ret.gsub! /['`]/,""

    # @ --> at, & --> and
    ret.gsub! /\s*@\s*/, " at "
    ret.gsub! /\s*&\s*/, " and "
    
    #replace all non alphanumeric, underscore or periods with underscore
     ret.gsub! /\s*[^A-Za-z0-9\.\-]\s*/, '_'  
     
     #convert double underscores to single
     ret.gsub! /_+/,"_"

     #strip off leading/trailing underscore
     ret.gsub! /\A[_\.]|[_\.]\z/,""
     
     ret
  end