Splitting fields into two for first and last name

[ChuckW]

Hi,

I have about 1000 names in a field called full name.
Most have first and last name but some have a middle
initial with a period as well. What I would like to do
is to split these into either two or three fields. Is
there are way to split out a field every time there is a
space? What I eventually want to end up with is a field
for first and last name and to simply delete the middle
initial.

Thanks,

Chuck

 

[Eric Butts [MSFT]]

Hi Chuck,

Take a look at the following:

ACC2000: How to Parse Comma-Separated Text into Multiple Fields (210588)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;210588

I hope this helps! If you have additional questions on this topic, please
respond back to this posting.


Regards,

Eric Butts
Microsoft Access Support
(e-mail address removed)
"Microsoft Security Announcement: Have you installed the patch for
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-026? If not Microsoft strongly advises
you to review the information at the following link regarding Microsoft
Security Bulletin MS03-026
<http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-026.asp> and/or
to visit Windows Update at <http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/> to install
the patch. Running the SCAN program from the Windows Update site will help
to insure you are current with all security patches, not just MS03-026."

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights



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| From: "ChuckW" <[email protected]>
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| Subject: Splitting fields into two for first and last name
| Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 14:06:18 -0700
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|
| Hi,
|
| I have about 1000 names in a field called full name.
| Most have first and last name but some have a middle
| initial with a period as well. What I would like to do
| is to split these into either two or three fields. Is
| there are way to split out a field every time there is a
| space? What I eventually want to end up with is a field
| for first and last name and to simply delete the middle
| initial.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Chuck
|

 

[John Spencer (MVP)]

If this is a one time thing, the easiest way to do this is in stages.

Add two new fields - FirstName and LastName

First Pass

UPDATE YourTable
Set FirstName = Trim(Left(FullName,Instr(1,FullName," "))),
LastName = Trim(Mid(FullName,Instr(1,FullName," ")))
WHERE FullName Like "* *"

That should give you the first part fo FullName in FirstName and the remainder
in LastName.

Second Pass:

UPDATE YourTable
Set LastName = Trim(Mid(LastName,Instr(1,LastName," ")))
WHERE LastName Like "* *"

Strip out any extra parts (initials).

NOW, you are very likely to have errors with this method. Such as

Mary Anne Brubecker --> Mary | Brubecker
Richard Van Allen --> Richard | Allen
James Mac Kenzie --> James | Kenzie

Hope this helps