Can not edit display name of list column

Question

I have a list where I am trying to edit the display name of some internal SharePoint fields, i.e. the "Title"-field.

I am using this code which runs, and gives no error, but it doesn't edit the display name of the column in the list.

$web = Get-SPWeb -Identity "url"
$list = $web.Lists["listname"]
$column = $list.Fields["Title"]
$column.Title = "Edited name"
$column.Update()

If I use the GUI it works, but not by script - I need to make it work with the script. Any ideas what I am doing wrong here?

Answer 1

I found a way to fix this. My code, and others provided here, do not work. The schema xml has to be edited, i.e. like this:

$w = get-spweb "http://pub.pdogs.local"
$l = $w.Lists["Simple List"]
$f = $l.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName("MyCustomColumn")
if ($f -ne $null) {
    "$($f.SchemaXml)`n"
    $f.Title = "Changed via code 2"
    $xml = $f.SchemaXml
    $f.Title
    $f.TitleResource.Value
    "`n$xml`n"
    if ($xml -match "\s+DisplayName\s?=\s?`"([^`"]+)`"") {
        if ($matches[1] -ne $f.Title) {
            $xml = $xml -replace $matches[0], " DisplayName=`"$($f.Title)`""
            $f.SchemaXml = $xml
            $xml
        }
    }
}
$f.Update()
$w.Dispose()

Here is a full explenation for those interested:

https://platinumdogs.me/2014/01/13/setting-sharepoint-2013-columnfield-title-not-working-correctly/

Answer 2

$column = $list.Fields["Internal Name"]

You should create the column object using internal name and not using title.

Answer 3

Try this code:

$web = Get-SPWeb -Identity SiteURL 
$list = $web.Lists["List Title"] 
$fld = $list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName("Title") 
$fld.Title = "Edited Title" 
$fld.Update()

Answer 4

There is problem with your script:

$web = Get-SPWeb -Identity "http://devssite:1000/testSite/"
$list = $web.Lists["testList"]
$column = $list.Fields["Title"]
$column.Title = "Edited name"
$column.Update()

When you do $column = $list.Fields["Title"] its returning nothing. Its not even throwing error. You can test by printing $column.Title right after that.

Working and test solution:

$web = Get-SPWeb -Identity "http://devssite:1000/testSite/"
$list = $web.Lists["testList"]
$column = $list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName("Title")
$column.Title = "Edited name"
$column.Update()

You can see after $column = $list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName("Title") this statement, if you evaluate $column.Title It will give you the title of the column.

This is also affecting the GUI. I just refreshed the screen after running powershell.