Need help putting proper nouns in the proper case

[Rich S]

In my never-ending quest to make data consistent in our solutions here at work, people have entered proper names all kinds of ways: all lower-case; properly with initial caps; all upper case, and some people with a combination of both.

What I'd like to do is create a script or custom function to clean it up so if a user hasn't entered a name in a Name field, a custom function/calc will format names correctly to initial upper-case letters; if a user has entered a name, regardless which case the letters are in the name would be formatted correctly as well.

Since there aren't any styles assigned the TextStyleRemove command won't help.

I'm sure this has been done by somebody before, but for the life of me I can't find an answer here or elsewhere.

TIA for your help!

Rich

[LaRetta]

I would clean up the names (actually have the Users fix them). Then I would tell Users that we know which User enters which names (and track it). And if they enter the names incorrectly, they will be in trouble. I am serious. Users need to be help accountable for some things and a computer can NOT properly format a person's name (there are simply too many variations). And misspelling someone's name is the worst offense there is.

If you correct the names (either just the display through text layout using Title or through replacing the data (using Proper), you will break many of them. I could give you a list of 50 names which will break if you attempt to let a computer generate them (been there; done that). But here's the idea: LaRetta (me), DeAngelo Williams, LaRoux ...

You might use Proper() and set the data once and then require the Users to verify and then hold them accountable for doing this one thing properly from now on.

Edited January 22, 2010 by Guest
Corrected last sentence

[Rich S]

How novel: holding people accountable for their actions.

I like it--thanks!