Shorten names in a data set

name-shortener.py

import re
import time

suffixes = ["jr.", "sr.", "i", "ii", "iii"]

# get the filename from the user

user_input = input("What file would you like to shorten? ")

# open file for reading

name_file = open(user_input, 'r')
names = name_file.readlines()

name_file.close()

output = []

for name in names:
	# handle blank (or nearly blank) lines

	if name.strip('\r\n '):
		words = name.split()
		suffix = ""

		# remove the suffix if it is present

		if words[-1].lower() in suffixes:
			suffix = words.pop(-1)

		# if there are three names, shorten the middle one

		if len(words) == 3:
			words[1] = words[1][0].upper() + "."

		# add our suffix back, and string everything together

		words.append(suffix)

		output.append(" ".join(words) + "\r\n")

# create our output file

out_file = open("NS-OUTPUT.txt", 'w')
out_file.writelines(output)

out_file.close()

# let the user know we are done

print("Done!")
time.sleep(1)