how to get the first character of a string

[olmos]

How do I get the first character out of a string? For example,
John Doe, J. I am looking for a way to just get the initials out of a name.

Thanks in advance,
olmos

 

[philhege]

What format does the name have? Could you have first last, first middle last, first middle last honorific, etc., in the same field/variable?

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.

 

[olmos]

It will only have the format of first and last name.

Thanks,
olmos

 

[philhege]

<cfset myfield = "Joe Coderman">
<cfset initials = "">
<Cfloop index="name" list="#myfield#" delimiters=" ">
<cfset initials = initials & left(name,1)>
</cfloop>


<cfoutput>#initials#</cfoutput>

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.

 

[olmos]

Thanks, this worked.

olmos

 

[philhege]

That's good. If the name's coming out of a database, I'd prefer to use database string functions to return the initials. YMMV depending on your database engine flavor.

Phil Hegedusich
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IIMAK

http://www.iimak.com

-----------
I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.