BibTeX, biblatex and biber ⇒ reference style using biblatex

[buster]

Hi,
Been looking through google and the document but can't find the answers, it's about control of the way references are shown in the bibliography.

Firstly i want to reverse the names in the reference.
The default is:
A. Smith, and B Jones
but i want it to show:
Smith, A. and Jones, B.

Secondly, my bibliography file contains many full names, but when it appears in the bibliography I want it to change the first name to just the initial(s). Is this possible, or will I have to manually amend my file?

this is the package i am currently using

Code: Select all

\usepackage[backend=biber, sorting=nyt, citestyle=authoryear]{biblatex} 

[buster]

couldn't work a few things out. gave up and switched to natbib which works fine for me, though I had to create my own stylee.

the only thing i can't see how to do is to change what the maximum number of names used for et. al in the text when referencing, just want to change it from the default 2 max to 3

edit: did it when creating my own style. missed the question on it which goes through all the details of how to display it.
hopefully the powers won't change their mind about how to reference cos i won't know how to do it.