--- loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2002/09/09 11:50:07	1.65
+++ loncom/interface/loncommon.pm	2002/09/13 19:32:09	1.66
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common routines
 #
-# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.65 2002/09/09 11:50:07 matthew Exp $
+# $Id: loncommon.pm,v 1.66 2002/09/13 19:32:09 www Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -974,6 +974,26 @@ sub plainname {
     return $name;
 }
 
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------- Nickname
+
+
+sub nickname {
+    my ($uname,$udom)=@_;
+    my %names=&Apache::lonnet::get('environment',
+  ['nickname','firstname','middlename','lastname','generation'],$udom,$uname);
+    my $name=$names{'nickname'};
+    if ($name) {
+       $name='"'.$name.'"'; 
+    } else {
+       $name=$names{'firstname'}.' '.$names{'middlename'}.' '.
+	     $names{'lastname'}.' '.$names{'generation'};
+       $name=~s/\s+$//;
+       $name=~s/\s+/ /g;
+    }
+    return $name;
+}
+
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------ Screenname
 
 sub screenname {