--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2002/12/09 19:04:44	1.312
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2002/12/09 22:09:58	1.313
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.312 2002/12/09 19:04:44 www Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.313 2002/12/09 22:09:58 matthew Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -2350,10 +2350,15 @@ sub modifyuser {
        }
     }
 # -------------------------------------------------------------- Add names, etc
-    my %names=&get('environment',
+    my @tmp=&get('environment',
 		   ['firstname','middlename','lastname','generation'],
 		   $udom,$uname);
-    if ($names{'firstname'} =~ m/^error:.*/) { %names=(); }
+    my %names;
+    if ($tmp[0] =~ m/^error:.*/) { 
+        %names=(); 
+    } else {
+        %names = @tmp;
+    }
     if ($first)  { $names{'firstname'}  = $first; }
     if ($middle) { $names{'middlename'} = $middle; }
     if ($last)   { $names{'lastname'}   = $last; }