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How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory?

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How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory?
I can't remember why we had to do this, but in order to list members in our directory by their proper first and last names, we had to add fields in our link submission form for "First Name" and "Last Name."

I would like to personalize the emails registrants/members get from our directory (e.g., listing approved, listing rejected, etc.). For example, I would like our emails to start out with: Hi [First Name]!

We don't use any of the default fields in the default email templates and therefore emails right now are just saying "Hi."

What code do I place in there so that the email pulls the first name from the First Name field we added?
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Hi therelief,
did you try <%first name%>
first name should be the name of the field where the first name is stored...

Matthias
gpaed.de
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Re: [Matthias70] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Darn, that didn't work. Here's what it comes across as in the email:

Hi Unknown Tag: 'first name'

Any other ideas?
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Is first name really the name of the field?

Then I think you have to use <%name%> or you will need additional code, to include <%firstname%>

Matthias
gpaed.de

Last edited by:

Matthias70: Nov 26, 2010, 2:29 PM
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Re: [Matthias70] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
We don't use the name field because too many people wouldn't put their first and last names. I think that's why we originally added the First Name and Last Name fields.

What do you mean by add additional code?
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
therelief wrote:
What do you mean by add additional code?

I meant that, Andy can perhaps write a global for this.

Matthias
gpaed.de
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
When you look at the properties in Database > Links > Properties, what do you see as the "field name"? The value you gave is what gets show in the forms - not what the field is actually called (you can't have spaces in field names)

Should be as simple as doing something like <%First_Name%> (or whatever your field is called)

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
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Re: [Andy] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Oh man, it's still not working. :(

The field is called "First Name" (no underline in between) in our Database > Links > Properties.

I've tried <%firstname%> <%FirstName%> <%First_Name%> and now <%First Name%> and this is what the email keeps looking like when it reaches an inbox:

Hi Unknown Tag: 'First Name'

Attached is a screenshot of the link properties for this field (see #27).

Anything else I should try?
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Its not called "First Name" ;) The underlining on the link is just hiding the _

Try:

<%First_Name%>

Should work Wink

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
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Re: [Andy] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
I already tried that (see my previous post). This is what comes over in the email when I use <%First_Name%>

Hi Unknown Tag: 'First_Name'
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Re: [therelief] How do I include a FirstName field in my emails from the directory? In reply to
Please send over GLinks admin logins, and I'll take a look

I find it very hard to believe thats not the tag ;)

Also - what email template is it that you are trying to access the tag in?

Cheers

Andy (mod)
andy@ultranerds.co.uk
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