[Bomber]

Just wondering if there is a way of changing layout of the contacts on the Idrive at present it puts surname first were I would prefer it to be forename first.

Many thanks

[Dr Dave]

Nope, that's the way the Germans like it and that's the way it has to be I'm afraid!

[m@rk]

Depends a little bit on the phone but more importantly where you are getting the contacts from in the first place.

I do know that on mine, (and this appears to be the same on iDrive and non iDrive the same), you can select in Outlook (where my contacts are synced from) the "FILE AS" format. By default this is lastname, firstname however you can set it the other way around.

I have seen this on Windows Mobile, Blackberry and iPhone.

If you are not syncing from Outlook (or similar), check if the phone itself has a setting as the format the contact is saved as. It is this info that the car displays and not the first name and last name fields as you would expect.

Indeed I have even seen people go through their entire address book and swap all the first names into the last name field and so on to try and work around this one when it's actually a simple setting in the phone or Outlook.

In this case iDrive is working 100% as it should.

[kingjon]

I'd agree with the above. I sync Windows Contacts which are saved "forename surname" with my iPhone, and both the phone and car display the forename first.. I'd reiterate the above advise and look at re-syncing your phone or changing the format... I think it's pretty simple to sync with outlook/windows contacts and re-order.

HTH,
Jon.

[BGM]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Nope, that's the way the Germans like it and that's the way it has to be I'm afraid!

fucking germans

[Bomber]

Thanks for your replies, I am using a iphone but not syncing with Outlook but will try the other suggestions.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by Bomber

Thanks for your replies, I am using a iphone but not syncing with Outlook but will try the other suggestions.

I think it depends on the idrive system in the car - the later lci models with pro nav are stuck on surname:first name - cannot be changed no matter how you sync your iphone

[Bomber]

It is the Hdd Pro Nav in a late 2008 E92 335d I will have a play tomorrow and report my findings.

[doughboy]

+1

The newer HD navs are FIXED with surname / first name in that order as it must read only the firstname and surname fields directly from the contact data. (I like it that way anyway and already use all devices like that).

The older navs could be altered by varying the sync / file as method as discussed above as it must have read read the 'file as' field within the contact data instead.

You have to speak the names in that order too for voice dial, which can be a pain.