What is the php syntax for a REGEXP that changes "Last, First" into "Last..First"?

Question

I need to create a php search function for names and need to change LastName, FirstName into LastName..FirstName to search the database. I don't know if this helps, but the string will originally be in the form a variable ($Client).

I need the syntax for the three statements that find the string, matches, and makes the changes.

Answer 1

str_replace(', ', '..', $Client);

Answer 2

Is

$name = str_replace(", ", "..", $name);

out of the question?

Answer 3

If you'd like to use a regular expression:

$client = preg_replace('/,\s+/', '..', $client);

Regular expression explanation

,     ',' literal comma
\s+   followed by 1 or more whitespace characaters

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All that being said, str_replace can do the trick if you will always have "Doe, John" (with one space)