Failed to rename selected object(s). [Invalid characters in the object name.]

Error Message

When renaming an object in ArcCatalog, the following error message appears:

"Failed to rename selected object(s)
[Invalid characters in the object name]"

Depending on what is being renamed, the message may also contain one of the following phrases:

"The table name is invalid
The dataset name is invalid
The topology name is invalid"

Cause

The new name of the object contains characters that the underlying database considers invalid. The list of invalid characters differs depending on the database.

Solution or Workaround

Code:
Public Sub GetInvalidCharacters()
  Dim pApp As IGxApplication
  Dim pGxObj As IGxObject
  Dim pGxDB2 As IGxDatabase2
  Dim pSDEWS As IWorkspace
  Dim pSQLSyntax As ISQLSyntax
  Dim strInvalidChr As String, strStartingInvalidChr As String
  
  Set pApp = Application
  Set pGxObj = pApp.SelectedObject
  If TypeOf pGxObj Is IGxDataset Then Set pGxObj = pGxObj.Parent
  
  'If for some reason we're not connected to a GDB, Exit
  If Not TypeOf pGxObj Is IGxDatabase2 Then Exit Sub
  Set pGxDB2 = pGxObj
  
  Set pSDEWS = pGxDB2.workspace
  Set pSQLSyntax = pSDEWS                             'QI
  
  strStartingInvalidChr = pSQLSyntax.GetInvalidStartingCharacters
  strInvalidChr = pSQLSyntax.GetInvalidCharacters
  
  MsgBox "Invalid Starting Characters: " & strStartingInvalidChr & vbCrLf & "Invalid Characters: " & strInvalidChr

End Sub