# Update Subscriber Attributes using the Update Method
Updating subscriber attributes via the SOAP API allows you to better maintain your subscriber information while maintaining a tight integration with your system or development environment.
Use these code examples to construct your own API update calls. You must include the unique identifier (either an email address or subscriber key) and the name-value pairs for the attributes to be updated. You must create a new record if you want to create a new value for the subscriber's primary key.
## .NET Code Example
```csharp
//Create Subscriber object [Subscribers > My Subscribers > All Subscribers]
Subscriber sub = new Subscriber();
sub.SubscriberKey = "12345";//required //may not be active in all accounts //use EmailAddress instead
sub.EmailAddress = "tester@example.com";//required
sub.EmailTypePreference = EmailType.Text;//EmailType.HTML is the default this only needs to be set to override to Text
sub.EmailTypePreferenceSpecified = true;
//Create an Array of Lists
sub.Lists = new SubscriberList[2];//If a list is not specified the Subscriber is added to the "All Subscribers" List
sub.Lists[0] = new SubscriberList();
sub.Lists[0].ID = 123;//Available in the UI via List Properties
sub.Lists[0].IDSpecified = true;
sub.Lists[1] = new SubscriberList();
sub.Lists[1].ID = 1234;//Available in the UI via List Properties
sub.Lists[1].IDSpecified = true;
//Subscriber Attributes differ per account. Some may be required to create a Subscriber
sub.Attributes = new etAPI.Attribute[2];
sub.Attributes[0] = new etAPI.Attribute();
sub.Attributes[0].Name = "First Name";
sub.Attributes[0].Value = "Updated";
sub.Attributes[1] = new etAPI.Attribute();
sub.Attributes[1].Name = "Last Name";
sub.Attributes[1].Value = "ViaAPI";
try
{
string uRequestID = String.Empty;
string uStatus = String.Empty;
//Call the Update method on the Subscriber object
UpdateResult[] uResults = client.Update(new UpdateOptions(), new APIObject[] { sub }, out uRequestID, out uStatus);
//Display Results
lblMessage.Text += "Overall Status: " + uStatus;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
lblMessage.Text += "Number of Results: " + uResults.Length;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
//Loop through each object returned and display the StatusMessage
foreach (UpdateResult ur in uResults)
{
lblMessage.Text += "Status Message: " + ur.StatusMessage;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
//Set Message
lblMessage.Text += "
UPDATE ERROR:
" + ex.Message;
}
}
catch (Exception exc)
{
//Set Message
lblMessage.Text += "
###ERROR
" + exc.Message;
}
}
}
```
```csharp
using System;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Data;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Security;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;
using System.Xml.Linq;
using etAPI;
public partial class SubscriberUpdate : System.Web.UI.Page
{
//Global Variables
private SoapClient client = new SoapClient();
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//Authenticate
client.ClientCredentials.UserName.UserName = System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["wsUserName"];
client.ClientCredentials.UserName.Password = System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["wsPassword"];
if (!IsPostBack)
{
}
}
protected void btnSubmit_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
try
{
//Create Subscriber object [Subscribers > My Subscribers > All Subscribers]
Subscriber sub = new Subscriber();
sub.SubscriberKey = "0613d278-888e-4825-b796-74a21a071391";//required //may not be active in all accounts //use EmailAddress instead
sub.EmailTypePreference = EmailType.Text;//EmailType.HTML is the default this only needs to be set to override to Text
sub.EmailTypePreferenceSpecified = true;
//Create an Array of Lists
sub.Lists = new SubscriberList[2];//If a list is not specified the Subscriber is added to the "All Subscribers" List
sub.Lists[0] = new SubscriberList();
sub.Lists[0].ID = 182857;//Available in the UI via List Properties
sub.Lists[0].IDSpecified = true;
sub.Lists[1] = new SubscriberList();
sub.Lists[1].ID = 947244;//Available in the UI via List Properties
sub.Lists[1].IDSpecified = true;
//Subscriber Attributes differ per account. Some may be required to create a Subscriber
sub.Attributes = new etAPI.Attribute[2];
sub.Attributes[0] = new etAPI.Attribute();
sub.Attributes[0].Name = "First Name";
sub.Attributes[0].Value = "Updated";
sub.Attributes[1] = new etAPI.Attribute();
sub.Attributes[1].Name = "Last Name";
sub.Attributes[1].Value = "ViaAPI";
try
{
string uRequestID = String.Empty;
string uStatus = String.Empty;
//Call the Update method on the Subscriber object
UpdateResult[] uResults = client.Update(new UpdateOptions(), new APIObject[] { sub }, out uRequestID, out uStatus);
//Display Results
lblMessage.Text += "Overall Status: " + uStatus;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
lblMessage.Text += "Number of Results: " + uResults.Length;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
//Loop through each object returned and display the StatusMessage
foreach (UpdateResult ur in uResults)
{
lblMessage.Text += "Status Message: " + ur.StatusMessage;
lblMessage.Text += "
";
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
//Set Message
lblMessage.Text += "
UPDATE ERROR:
" + ex.Message;
}
}
catch (Exception exc)
{
//Set Message
lblMessage.Text += "
###ERROR
" + exc.Message;
}
}
}
```
The code sample below demonstrates how to unsubscribe a subscriber. Note that StatusSpecified must be set to true in order to change the status.
```csharp
Subscriber subscriber = new Subscriber()
{
EmailAddress = emailAddress,
// If your account does not have subscriber key enabled, ensure the following line is commented-out
CustomerKey = subscriberKey,
Status = SubscriberStatus.Unsubscribed,
StatusSpecified = true
};
//Specifies this as an upsert call
UpdateOptions options = new UpdateOptions
{
SaveOptions = new SaveOption[] { new SaveOption {SaveAction = SaveAction.UpdateAdd, PropertyName = '*'} }
};
string requestID, requestStatus;
//Executes the update API call
UpdateResult[] results = soapClient.Update(options, new APIObject[] { subscriber }, out requestID, out requestStatus);
```
### Sample Java Code (Axis 1.4)
This code example updates subscriber information and creates a new subscriber if the application can’t find the appropriate record:
```csharp
public void testUpdateDataExtension() throws RemoteException {
Subscriber subscriber = new Subscriber();
subscriber.setEmailAddress("aruiz@example.com"); // updating to new email address.
subscriber.setSubscriberKey("aruiz_key"); //subscriber unique, can’t update
/*subscriber.Status = SubscriberStatus.Unsubscribed;
SubscriberList list = new SubscriberList();
list.ID = 12345; //List in which subscriber is there
subscriber.Lists = new SubscriberList[] { list };*/
Attribute attribute = new Attribute();
attribute.setName("username");
attribute.setValue("Angel");
subscriber.setAttributes(new Attribute[]{attribute});
//upsert option, it adds if subscriber is not present or updates if subscriber exists in system
CreateOptions co = new CreateOptions();
SaveOption saveOption = new SaveOption();
saveOption.setSaveAction(SaveAction.UpdateAdd);
saveOption.setPropertyName("*");
co.setSaveOptions(new SaveOption[]{saveOption});
Soap stub = init();
CreateRequest createRequest = new CreateRequest(co, new APIObject[]{subscriber});
CreateResponse createResponse = stub.create(createRequest);
System.out.println("CreateResposne :::: " + createResponse.getOverallStatus());
}
```
This code example updates a subscriber status to Unsubscribed.
```csharp
public void testUpdateSubcriberByKey() throws RemoteException {
Soap stub = init();
UpdateOptions updateOptions = new UpdateOptions();
Subscriber sub = new Subscriber();
sub.setSubscriberKey("aruiz@example.com");
sub.setStatus(SubscriberStatus.Unsubscribed);
UpdateRequest updateRequest = new UpdateRequest(updateOptions, new APIObject[]{sub});
UpdateResponse updateResponse = stub.update(updateRequest);
System.out.println("updateResponse :::: " + updateResponse.getOverallStatus());
}
```
## Java (CXF) Code Example
```java
// Updates a subscriber's information (status in this example).
public void testUpdateSubcriberByKey() throws RemoteException {
try {
Soap stub = init();
UpdateOptions updateOptions = new UpdateOptions();
Subscriber sub = new Subscriber();
sub.setSubscriberKey("jdoe@example.com");
sub.setStatus(SubscriberStatus.UNSUBSCRIBED);
APIObject[] apiObjects = {sub};
UpdateRequest updateRequest = new UpdateRequest();
updateRequest.getObjects().addAll(Arrays.asList(apiObjects));
updateRequest.setOptions(updateOptions);
UpdateResponse updateResponse = stub.update(updateRequest);
System.out.println("updateResponse :::: " + updateResponse.getOverallStatus());
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace(); //To change body of catch statement use File | Settings | File Templates.
}
}
```
## SOAP Envelope Example
```xml
xxx
xxx
First Name
Updated
Last Name
ViaAPI
012345
12345
12346
```