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* Removing initials from name.

* posted to SPSSX-L by Ray on 2002/08/22.

DATA LIST FIXED /str1 1-20(A).
BEGIN DATA
Jack
Jeff V.
Mark S
John Luke
W. Edmund
T Edward
Ed
Ed L.
END DATA.
LIST.

COMPUTE pos1=LENGTH(RTRIM(str1)).
DO IF pos1 > 2.
DO IF ANY(" ",SUBSTR(str1,pos1 -1,1),SUBSTR(str1,pos1 -2,1)).
COMPUTE str1=SUBSTR(str1,1,pos1-2).
END IF.
END IF.

COMPUTE pos2=INDEX(str1," ").
DO IF pos2=2 OR (pos2=3 AND SUBSTR(str1,2,1)=".").
COMPUTE str1=LTRIM(SUBSTR(str1,pos2 + 1)).
END IF.

EXECUTE.