ParseNameToJSON ( name )

Parses english-format persons name into a possibly useful JSON object

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Richard Dyce - Show more from this author
Dyce & Sons Ltd.
http://dyce.com

Sample input:

ParseNameToJSON ( "Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "John Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Jane J Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Pleydell-Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "June Pleydell-Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Dr June Pleydell-Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Frank J Pleydell Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Frank J R R Pleydell Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Prof. Frank J. R. R. Pleydell Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "J Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Malcolm J Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Mr J Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Prof John Smith" ) & ¶ &
ParseNameToJSON ( "Miss Jane Jones" )

Sample output:

{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"","surname":"Smith"}
{"forename":"John","initials":"","salutation":"","surname":"Smith"}
{"forename":"Jane","initials":"J","salutation":"","surname":"Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"","surname":"Pleydell-Smith"}
{"forename":"June","initials":"","salutation":"","surname":"Pleydell-Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"Dr","surname":" June Pleydell-Smith"}
{"forename":"Frank","initials":"J","salutation":"","surname":"Pleydell Smith"}
{"forename":"Frank","initials":"J R R","salutation":"","surname":"Pleydell Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"Prof","surname":" Frank J R R Pleydell Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"J","salutation":"","surname":"Smith"}
{"forename":"Malcolm","initials":"J","salutation":"","surname":"Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"Mr","surname":" J Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"Prof","surname":" John Smith"}
{"forename":"","initials":"","salutation":"Miss","surname":" Jane Jones"}

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

Let(
	[
		salutations = "Miss¶Ms¶Mrs¶Mr¶Dr¶Prof¶";
		tokens = Substitute( name; 
			[ "." ; " " ]; 
			[ "   " ; " " ]; 
			[ "  " ; " " ]; 
			[ " " ; ¶ ]
		);
		salutation = Substitute( FilterValues ( tokens ; salutations ) ; ¶ ; "" );
		fullname = Substitute ( "XXX" & tokens ; [ salutation ; "" ] ; [ "XXX¶" ; "" ]; [ "XXX" ; "" ]  ) ;
		nameCount = ValueCount ( fullname );
		forename = If( nameCount > 1 and Length( GetValue ( fullname ; 1 ) ) > 1; LeftWords ( fullname ; 1 ) ; "" );
		
		fn1 = If ( forename <> "" ; MiddleValues( fullname ; 2 ; 64000 ) ; fullname );
		namePlusInitials = fn1 ;

		// handle up to 4 initials
		fn2 = If ( Length( GetValue ( fn1 ; 1 ) ) = 1 ; MiddleValues( fn1 ; 2 ; 64000 ) ; fn1);
		fn3 = If ( Length( GetValue ( fn2 ; 1 ) ) = 1 ; MiddleValues( fn2 ; 2 ; 64000 ) ; fn2);
		fn4 = If ( Length( GetValue ( fn3 ; 1 ) ) = 1 ; MiddleValues( fn3 ; 2 ; 64000 ) ; fn3);
		fn5 = If ( Length( GetValue ( fn4 ; 1 ) ) = 1 ; MiddleValues( fn4 ; 2 ; 64000 ) ; fn4);

		fn6 = LeftValues( namePlusInitials ; ValueCount( namePlusInitials ) - ValueCount( fn5 ));

		initials = Substitute( fn6 & "XXX" ; [ "¶XXX" ; "" ]; [ "XXX" ; "" ]; [ ¶ ; " " ] ; [ ¶ ; " " ] ) ;
		surname = Substitute( fn5 & "XXX" ; [ "¶XXX" ; "" ]; [ "XXX" ; "" ]; [ ¶ ; " " ] ; [ ¶ ; " " ]  )
	];
	JSONSetElement ( "{}" ;
		[ "salutation" ; salutation ; JSONString ];
		[ "forename" ; forename ; JSONString ];
		[ "initials" ; initials ; JSONString ];
		[ "surname" ; surname ; JSONString ]
	)
)

This parses a name string into a JSON object.

It is aimed at English formats (because this is what I know best, sorry!), but could probably be extended to other European situations by changing the salutations list.

Example use case: via a trigger script take a simply global entry field and populate separated customer name fields.

Please let me know about any corrections.

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Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

ParseNameToJSON ( name )

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