Re: Name Parsing w/RPGLE

        * Jerry C. Adams
*iSeries Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale Distributors, Inc.* *
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Buck wrote:

I have a field that is passed to an RPGLE

> Service program of Name now it could be
> First Last Name or Last Name First Name
> and so on and trying to figure out how
> to pull the correct names out of the
> full name...

You have a stupendous problem ahead of you. The first thing you need to answer is this: just how bad a job will be acceptable? For instance, you and I (humans) can probably figure out John Smith's surname. We may have a bit more trouble with Shannon Elisabeth. Mao Tse Tung (old spelling) will be more problematic for us: how will an algorithm do it? A dictionary will probably miss Thurston Howell III and Shjon Podein. Accented characters are always fun -- is Hélène the same as Helene? Chris Date often spelt his name C.J. Date or even CJ Date, and there's always C Michael Reginald Smythe-Jones Jr to add fun to the mix.

The point is that you will need to give something a try (I'd go with a dictionary of first names) and what falls out will have to be judged as either acceptable or 'needs more work (time & money).' Take your first cut back to management and let them decide what it's worth.

  --buck