The PNTK is an attempt at a standard to handle personal names across different formats, inspired by a need for a method for correctly processing names not in the the First Name-Last Name format, alongside names that are, in the most frictionless way possible.
An object-oriented Python reference implementation is currently available, with implementations in more languages to be added in due course.
All example implementations of the PNTK in this repository are Free Software, licensed under the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser General Public License, Version 3 or later.
The full terms and conditions are in COPYING and COPYING.LESSER, or at https://www.gnu.org/licenses.
PNTK deals with names in two parts: a name string, and a configuration string. The name string contains a main name and an optional list of alternate names, all in a single Unicode string.
The configuration string contains markup information that classifies the different components (herein called 'elements') of the name. Keeping the configuration string separate from the name string allows normalisation and sharing of config strings across multiple names.
Names are preserved in their original issued format.
This name contains a first name followed by a patronym and a surname, with a social network nickname
Name String: Muhammad ibn Abu_Bakr al-Khwarizmi (0effort)
- Config String:
N1=1;FD=2;F1=3;NS=4;NN:example.com=1 - First Name (N1): Muhammad
- Father's name delimiter (PD): ibn
- Father's first name (F1): Abu Bakr
- Surname (NS): al-Khwarizmi
- Alternate Name: 0effort (nickname on example.com)
This name begins with a surname, followed by the first name
Name String: Katsushika Hokusai
- Config String:
NS=1;N1=2 - First Name (N1): Hokusai
- Surname (NS): Katsushika
- No alternate names provided
The config strings may be normalised and reused, as naming formats are consistent across many names.
This is a list of core functions (methods on object-oriented platforms) that defines the PNTK. The first main name element and the first alternate name have an index of one (1).
For more details, please refer to the Python reference module, personalname.py.
PROTIP: This list was derived from the Python reference implementation by running:
for x in sorted(dir(PersonalName)): print (f"{x}")
Non-OO alternative: count_alt_names(name_str)
Returns the number of alternate names
Non-OO alternative: count_main_name_elements(name_str)
Returns the number of elements in the main name
Non-OO alternative: get_alt_name(name_str, config_str, i)
Returns an alternate name by numeric index or network name
Non-OO alternative: get_config_str(config)
Returns the shortest string required to reproduce a personal name object or environment's configuration.
Non-OO alternative: get_formatted_name(name_str, config_str, fstr)
Returns a variation of the main name conforming to a specific format defined by fstr
get_main_name() ------------------Non-OO alternative: get_main_name(name_str)
Returns the main name
Non-OO alternative: get_main_name_element(name_str, config_str, i)
Returns the main name by element type or by numeric index
Non-OO alternative: get_main_name_element(name_str, config_str, el)
Returns the type of an element in the main name
Non-OO alternative: get_main_name_elements_as_str(name_str, s, e)
Returns consecutive elements in the main name between s and e, in a single string
Non-OO alternative: get_main_name_nosp(name_str)
Returns the main name, but without spaces
Parses a configuration string. On object-oriented platforms this configures a personal name object, on non-OO platforms this returns a key-value store or string-addressable array.
Some detailed technical information may be found in the Python reference module. For specifications, usage guidelines and detailed examples please check the Technical Documentation in the /docs directory.