CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

Is it possible to use the API to update first and last names of contacts? It appears that, since they are using in matching to to a contact, they cannot be overwritten- is that correct?

If I try this :

<code>
$data = array(
            'contact_id'    => $civiid,
            'contact_type'  => 'Individual',
            'contact_sub_type' => 'Student',
            'first_name'    => $node->field_fname[0]['value'],
            'last_name'     => $node->field_lname[0]['value'],
            'middle_name' => $node->field_mname[0]['value'],
            'sortname' => $sortname,
            'nick_name' => $node->field_nick_name[0]['value'],
            'display_name' => $displayname,
            'gender_id' => $gender,
            'birth_date' => $birthdate,           
            );
           // var_dump($data);
          $ret_val = civicrm_contact_update($data);
</code>

... I can change many fields, but not first_name and last_name.



jim

You are correct. It appears to be working fine for me now; but before, no matter how I tried to trigger a change in those values, they didn't 'take.' But currently, I am seeing exactly as you describe, though I am not sure what I changed for it to begin working ...

I'm using 'contact_id'- should I be using  just 'id'?