How to Simplify Image Filename Deduplication in Python

1. Introduction

Hello everyone, I’m PiPi. While helping a follower with a simple request, I discovered a useful Python case worth sharing.

2. Requirement Clarification

The follower needed a Python script to deduplicate image file names, as shown in the screenshot below.

3. Initial Implementation

The original code used multiple conditional branches to handle different separators and extensions:

material_picture_code = []
list3 = ['J0.jpg', 'J1.png', 'J1-2.png', 'J20.png', 'J36.png', 'J5_01.jpg', 'J5_02.png']
for file in list3:
    if '-' in file:
        duplicate_material_picture = file.split('-')[0]
        material_picture_code.append(duplicate_material_picture)
    elif '_' in file:
        duplicate_material_picture = file.split('_')[0]
        material_picture_code.append(duplicate_material_picture)
    elif file.endswith('.png'):
        material_picture_code.append(file.split('.png')[0])
    else:
        material_picture_code.append(file.split('.jpg')[0])

print(material_picture_code)

Although it produced the expected result, the code felt redundant due to the three separate checks.

4. Optimized Solution

Guided by a peer, the logic was simplified by extracting the base name before any separator or extension, dramatically reducing code size and improving readability:

5. Conclusion

This short Python case demonstrates an efficient way to handle file name deduplication without multiple conditional branches, making the script more maintainable and easier to understand.