--- loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2005/11/15 22:03:05	1.294
+++ loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2005/11/17 16:57:54	1.295
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common routines
 #
-# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.294 2005/11/15 22:03:05 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.295 2005/11/17 16:57:54 www Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -1920,12 +1920,11 @@ if $first is set to 'lastname' then it r
 
 =cut
 
+
 ###############################################################
 sub plainname {
     my ($uname,$udom,$first)=@_;
-    my %names=&Apache::lonnet::get('environment',
-                    ['firstname','middlename','lastname','generation'],
-					 $udom,$uname);
+    my %names=&getnames($uname,$udom);
     my $name=&Apache::lonnet::format_name($names{'firstname'},
 					  $names{'middlename'},
 					  $names{'lastname'},
@@ -1956,19 +1955,7 @@ if the user does not
 
 sub nickname {
     my ($uname,$udom)=@_;
-    my %names;
-    if ($uname eq $env{'user.name'} &&
-	$udom eq $env{'user.domain'}) {
-	%names=('nickname'   => $env{'environment.nickname'}  ,
-		'firstname'  => $env{'environment.firstname'} ,
-		'middlename' => $env{'environment.middlename'},
-		'lastname'   => $env{'environment.lastname'}  ,
-		'generation' => $env{'environment.generation'});
-    } else {
-	%names=&Apache::lonnet::get('environment',
-				    ['nickname','firstname','middlename',
-				     'lastname','generation'],$udom,$uname);
-    }
+    my %names=&getnames($uname,$udom);
     my $name=$names{'nickname'};
     if ($name) {
        $name='"'.$name.'"'; 
@@ -1981,6 +1968,20 @@ sub nickname {
     return $name;
 }
 
+sub getnames {
+    my ($uname,$udom)=@_;
+    my $id=$uname.':'.$udom;
+    my ($names,$cached)=&Apache::lonnet::is_cached_new('namescache',$id);
+    if ($cached) {
+	return %{$names};
+    } else {
+	my %loadnames=&Apache::lonnet::get('environment',
+                    ['firstname','middlename','lastname','generation','nickname'],
+					 $udom,$uname);
+	&Apache::lonnet::do_cache_new('namescache',$id,\%loadnames);
+	return %loadnames;
+    }
+}
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------ Screenname