[2005] Converting Directory string to a cygwin compatible format

[SlumberMachine]

cygwin is a program that allows you to use the unix bash shell on your xp machine. I need my vb program to send it some commands (rsync rsh files to and from a device connected by usb and detected as a network server) , but since it doesn't understand Windows directory syntax it doesn't work. So here is what I do to get around it:

       
        Dim OutDirectory As String = My.Settings.LogOutDirectory
        Dim CygWinDirectory As String
        CygWinDirectory = OutDirectory.Replace("\", "/")
        OutDirectory = CygWinDirectory.Replace(" ", "\ ")
        CygWinDirectory = OutDirectory.Replace(":", "")
        OutDirectory = CygWinDirectory.Insert(0, "/")
        CygWinDirectory = OutDirectory.Replace("(", "\(")
        OutDirectory = CygWinDirectory.Replace(")", "\)")
        CygWinDirectory = OutDirectory.Replace("!", "\!")

Anyone have any suggestions on a better way to do this string manipulation?

Basically, Unix doesn't understand spaces, characters like "(,!,$,^,)", and usualy starts the line with "/c/" as in "/c/Programs\ and\ settings/".

In the code above the variable Fliping from one to another looks kinda janky, but it does work, so if you need to send directories to your unix this will do it, but I'm sure there is a better way.