How about something like this?
@titles = qw/Dr. Col. Miss/; # list of allowable titles
$title_reg = join "|", @titles;
$title_reg =~ s/\./\\./g; # make sure the dots are literal
while (<>) {
/
($title_reg)? # optional title
\s* # skip any spaces
(\S+) \s+ # first name, skip following spaces
((?:\w\.\s*)+)? # middle initials - any number, optional
(\S+) # last name
/iox;
print "$1, $2, $3, $4\n";
}
note that the middle initial will have trailing spaces, and that this will break if the middle name is spelled out.
-- Dan (who forgot to hit submit last night)
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