Author Topic: How to update contact display_name field directly (Read 3244 times)

hlevinson · February 02, 2010, 12:17:19 pm

I have a need to update the contact table's display_name field directly. I.e., I don't want CiviCRM to form it from the first and last names in the contact table.

I tried using civicrm_contact_add and civicrm_contact_update with display_name as a parameter, but it didn't update the db.

I assume this behavior is all by design?

If so, can someone suggest a good way to update this field? (I know I can use SQL UPDATE, wondering if there's some other way I've missed.)

If I update this field myself, will it get overwritten anytime someone edits the first or last name?

thanks

Donald Lobo · February 02, 2010, 12:37:34 pm

both display_name and sort_name are "computed" from first/last name and will be recomputed when saved again. Your best bet might be to either:

a. add a trigger in the DB that updates display_name when a contact is updated/inserted

b. add a hook_civicrm_post on the 'civicrm_contact' object to store your display name

lobo

hlevinson · February 02, 2010, 04:02:28 pm

I'm going to use both hook_civicrm_pre and hook_civicrm_post, to save and restore data from a custom field (in case anyone else has the same issue I did).

hlevinson · February 03, 2010, 12:35:11 pm

OK, now I'm pulling my hair out...

I implemented hook_civicrm_post, for the 'create' case for an Individual. Also tried the 'edit' case.

In there I want to write to the contact display_name field. drupal_write_record fails entirely, and when I try to use db_query to UPDATE I get this error (I do supply a value but the error message omits it):

Code: [Select]

user warning: Lock wait timeout exceeded; 
try restarting transaction query: 
UPDATE civicrm_contact SET display_name_en_US = '' 
WHERE id = 166 in /path/mymodule.module on line 1202.

I looked at the triggers in MySQL, and they both run before an INSERT or UPDATE.

So how can I update this field? Or should I just give up?

My goal is to not modify the templates. I'm trying to fill in display_name programmatically, since that field is referred to all over the place.

geert.je · February 23, 2010, 12:15:50 pm

I'm not sure but this I can use to overwrite a custom field after editing. I found it on the hooks page of this wiki:
http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/CiviCRM+hook+specification#CiviCRMhookspecification-hookcivicrmcustom
I suppose it can be changed to alter a field in the contact table too.

Maybe this can help.
I've just started to experiment with using hooks so don't shoot me if I'm wrong...
Geert

hlevinson · February 23, 2010, 12:21:10 pm

Thanks Geert, but if I understand your suggestion I don't think it will work because of the MySQL triggers -- they take precedence over everything.

The only way I found so far is to remove the triggers or edit them to stop the display_name update.

Harry

jyee · September 29, 2010, 04:01:30 pm

any other solutions for the lock wait timeout problem? Is this related to using the drupal db_query vs. some sort of civicrm db interface?

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Author Topic: How to update contact display_name field directly (Read 3244 times)

hlevinson

How to update contact display_name field directly

Donald Lobo

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly

hlevinson

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly

hlevinson

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly

geert.je

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly

hlevinson

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly

jyee

Re: How to update contact display_name field directly