[AccessD] Separating First and Last Names

Welford:

I can see all kinds of mines in that field but if they're regular (ie, first
name, space, middle initial if any followed by period and space, last name),
then it's easy to parse using INSTR.

The easiest would be to INSTR a period and break there if it found one.

If no period is found then next I would INSTR the first space and break it
there.

If there are middle initials without periods then you'd have to scan
backwards from the end of the name string, character by character, looking
for the first space and break it there.

This would be just a few lines of code and would execute fast enough so that
you could run it and eyeball the results and see how accurate the first pass
was.  Then begin to add rules to refine the results - take care of the
exceptions.

Does it have to be 100% perfect?  Are there titles on the Dr.s and Prof.s?
Are there any compound last names separated by a space?  Anyone with two
middle names?  Did I ask if it had to be 100% perfect?

HTH

Rocky Smolin
Beach Access Software
http://www.e-z-mrp.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Coutts, Welford L." <COUTTSW at rjrt.com>
To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
<accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 12:48 PM
Subject: [AccessD] Separating First and Last Names


I have received a large file containing a large number of Full Names.
I need to separate the First Name and Middle Initial, if any, into one field
and the Last Name into a separate field.

What is the most efficient way to do this?

Thanks!

Welford Coutts






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