openclaw - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Feature Request] Auto-remove spaces between Chinese and English characters in file paths [1 comments, 2 participants]

Problem Description

When AI models (such as Qwen, PAI, MiniMax, etc.) output file paths, they automatically add spaces between Chinese and English characters.

Example

Expected path (actual directory name): Z:\G营销\AI临时文件\report.xlsx

Model output (incorrect): Z:\G 营销\AI 临时文件\report.xlsx

Impact

1. File operations fail - open(), os.path.exists() etc. cannot find files
2. Path validation fails - paths look correct but don't exist
3. Cross-platform issues - Windows Chinese paths with spaces cause problems
4. Poor user experience - paths shown to users cannot be used directly

Affected scenarios

• Reports generated by agents saved to incorrect paths
• File open requests from users with path resolution errors
• Any file path containing mixed Chinese and English characters

Current workarounds

We use the following to mitigate:

1. Python global patch (sitecustomize.py) - intercepts open(), os.path.* etc.
2. Node.js middleware - intercepts tool call path parameters
3. Symbolic link mapping - maps paths with spaces to correct paths without spaces

But these are all temporary solutions and don't cover all scenarios (PowerShell commands, network share access, etc.).

Suggested Solution

Recommended: Path Auto-Fix Middleware

Add path auto-fix mechanism at the OpenClaw layer:

ypescript // Example pseudocode function fixPath(path: string): string { // Remove spaces between Chinese and English characters return path .replace(/([A-Za-z0-9_])\s+([\u4e00-\u9fff])/g, '\\') .replace(/([\u4e00-\u9fff])\s+([A-Za-z0-9_])/g, '\\'); }

Advantages:

• Single fix point, covers all tool calls
• Configurable and can be disabled
• Independent of specific models

Alternative: Model Prompt Optimization

Add path format guidelines in system prompts:

` Note: Do not add spaces between Chinese and English characters in paths. For example:

• ✅ Z:\G营销\AI临时File
• ❌ Z:\G 营销\AI 临时File `

Disadvantage: Depends on model following instructions, not reliable enough

Environment

• OpenClaw version: Latest
• Operating system: Windows
• Models: PAI Qwen / MiniMax etc.

Additional Context

This is a common issue when AI models generate file paths. The same problem exists in many AI coding assistants. A built-in path normalization feature in OpenClaw would solve this comprehensively.