[Solved] user names crossing
12 years 7 months ago
12 years 7 months ago by Chris.
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #1
We have an active Joomla 1.5.23 site linked to Moodle (1.9 I think) using Joomdle 0.52.
All user accounts are generated in Joomla. Payments are handled using the paypal module in Moodle. We've had two incidents where a user accidentally paid for someone else's class. They'd logged in as themselves but the payment processed to someone else. In both cases, the usernames were similar:
"sandy"
"sandy a"
"Katie"
"Katie B"
My guess is that the space is throwing it off. The short term solution is for me to go in and inform users to not use spaces. (grin) But I thought I'd mention it here.
However, it may not be Joomdle...it may be Moodle. I'm at the limits of my trouble shooting at this point!
Thoughts?
All user accounts are generated in Joomla. Payments are handled using the paypal module in Moodle. We've had two incidents where a user accidentally paid for someone else's class. They'd logged in as themselves but the payment processed to someone else. In both cases, the usernames were similar:
"sandy"
"sandy a"
"Katie"
"Katie B"
My guess is that the space is throwing it off. The short term solution is for me to go in and inform users to not use spaces. (grin) But I thought I'd mention it here.
However, it may not be Joomdle...it may be Moodle. I'm at the limits of my trouble shooting at this point!
Thoughts?
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12 years 7 months ago
[Solved] user names crossing #2
As most companies / groups would recommend is to use the latest versions of software - Joomdle would be no exception.
For your paypal in moodle are you using the Joomdle option to pay using Moodle's paypal? Or are the students purchasing it through Moodle directly.
When you say username, do you mean the joomla login name, username, or the name. Joomla allows the user "name" to be duplicated by not the username.
For your paypal in moodle are you using the Joomdle option to pay using Moodle's paypal? Or are the students purchasing it through Moodle directly.
When you say username, do you mean the joomla login name, username, or the name. Joomla allows the user "name" to be duplicated by not the username.
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12 years 7 months ago
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #3
I agree - using the newest is best. Hopefully you can imagine why I held off upgrading this house of cards until 1.6 was stable -- and now they're on 1.7. I definitely need to upgrade the entire mess. I'm hoping that the bridge will be stable in the new one. It is stable currently, but we had some initial problems. As the site is now active with lots of classes and users...
We are using the Moodle Paypal enrollment method. By username, I mean the Joomla "must be unique" username. However, something seems to be truncating when it sees the space in those usernames, so they are passed as the shorter one (i.e. "sandy a" pays for "sandy").
We've placed a note on our user registration to specify not to include spaces in their username and we can handle these individually as they occur...but I thought it was an interesting "glitch."
Again, this may not be Joomdle at all, but may be Moodle. I don't understand the inner workings of either well enough to know -- so I thought I'd mention it to you and see if you (knowing those details cold, I'm sure) could tell me where I should report it.
Or if it IS resolved in the newer versions. I was pretty shocked the userid (number) field was not being used. Shrug. (That, I'm sure, is a Moodle issue.)
We are using the Moodle Paypal enrollment method. By username, I mean the Joomla "must be unique" username. However, something seems to be truncating when it sees the space in those usernames, so they are passed as the shorter one (i.e. "sandy a" pays for "sandy").
We've placed a note on our user registration to specify not to include spaces in their username and we can handle these individually as they occur...but I thought it was an interesting "glitch."
Again, this may not be Joomdle at all, but may be Moodle. I don't understand the inner workings of either well enough to know -- so I thought I'd mention it to you and see if you (knowing those details cold, I'm sure) could tell me where I should report it.
Or if it IS resolved in the newer versions. I was pretty shocked the userid (number) field was not being used. Shrug. (That, I'm sure, is a Moodle issue.)
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12 years 7 months ago
[Solved] user names crossing #4
I tried creating a user with a space in the username field in Joomla. Once it was created, I check the database in Moodle and the username was created the same. What component are you using for your user registration? Note: I was using J 1.5.23 too.
When the user is created in Moodle, what name to they have?
Eg. "sandy a" in Joomla is "sandy a" or "sandy" in Moodle. Note: Not the payment part just the registration.
As for the userid. It is difficult to use this as it may not necessarily be possibly to synchronise this between Joomla and Moodle. For example, some people wish their site to be set up such that not all users in Joomla appear in Moodle so, the ids would not match considering the id fields are auto-created at the database level. Similarly, the other way. Imagine that you had ids 1 - 100 in both J and M nicely syncronised. Then you created another 10 teachers in M, using ids 101 to 110. Then you created some users in J. Now we have a problem that the 101 user in J tries to sync with the user (Teacher) in Moodle.
Now as I am typing this, it makes me wonder what happens when a user in J is created, say 'sandy a' when 'sandy a' already exists in Moodle ... mmmm.... something to test. Is it possible that this scenario exists in your site?
When the user is created in Moodle, what name to they have?
Eg. "sandy a" in Joomla is "sandy a" or "sandy" in Moodle. Note: Not the payment part just the registration.
As for the userid. It is difficult to use this as it may not necessarily be possibly to synchronise this between Joomla and Moodle. For example, some people wish their site to be set up such that not all users in Joomla appear in Moodle so, the ids would not match considering the id fields are auto-created at the database level. Similarly, the other way. Imagine that you had ids 1 - 100 in both J and M nicely syncronised. Then you created another 10 teachers in M, using ids 101 to 110. Then you created some users in J. Now we have a problem that the 101 user in J tries to sync with the user (Teacher) in Moodle.
Now as I am typing this, it makes me wonder what happens when a user in J is created, say 'sandy a' when 'sandy a' already exists in Moodle ... mmmm.... something to test. Is it possible that this scenario exists in your site?
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12 years 7 months ago
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #5
We use the regular Joomla com_user to create the users. When I look in Moodle, the usernames seem to be carried through correctly -- or the same as they were created in Joomla. So that when they have the spaces in Joomla, they have spaces in Moodle. That part seems to work fine.
Both incidents have been with people paying for classes, going through paypal. Their receipt from paypal (apparently) had the other person's name on it. So, "Sandy A" paid and got a receipt saying "Sandy" had been paid for. Then when "Sandy A" goes to get into class, they can't get in. Meanwhile, Sandy never tries.
Since we are using the Moodle Paypal module, I'm wondering if that is where the issue is. Moodle's username limitations are much more strict than Joomla's. So, maybe it doesn't come up for them.
If somehow the payment module - Moodle's - is transmitting based on username, but somehow it is truncating at the space...then those would be the same. I'm rusty, but I know there is a data filter/check that is run in a form and I can imagine how it could happen if they didn't think to check to make sure the space was carried through - you know what I mean, I hope. (grin) Sorry.
Both incidents have been with people paying for classes, going through paypal. Their receipt from paypal (apparently) had the other person's name on it. So, "Sandy A" paid and got a receipt saying "Sandy" had been paid for. Then when "Sandy A" goes to get into class, they can't get in. Meanwhile, Sandy never tries.
Since we are using the Moodle Paypal module, I'm wondering if that is where the issue is. Moodle's username limitations are much more strict than Joomla's. So, maybe it doesn't come up for them.
If somehow the payment module - Moodle's - is transmitting based on username, but somehow it is truncating at the space...then those would be the same. I'm rusty, but I know there is a data filter/check that is run in a form and I can imagine how it could happen if they didn't think to check to make sure the space was carried through - you know what I mean, I hope. (grin) Sorry.
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12 years 7 months ago
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #6
you asked about the scenario - I do not THINK so.
I think all of our new Joomla users are automatically created in Moodle by the lovely Joomdle bridge you have created. The user lists seem synchronized and working well.
I do suspect this is a Moodle issue and not specifically Joomdle. I'm guessing the only way that Joomdle is involved is helping port these offensively formatted usernames into Moodle's data set. My GUESS is that they're assuming a level of data integrity that doesn't include spaces in usernames. (grin)
I think all of our new Joomla users are automatically created in Moodle by the lovely Joomdle bridge you have created. The user lists seem synchronized and working well.
I do suspect this is a Moodle issue and not specifically Joomdle. I'm guessing the only way that Joomdle is involved is helping port these offensively formatted usernames into Moodle's data set. My GUESS is that they're assuming a level of data integrity that doesn't include spaces in usernames. (grin)
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12 years 7 months ago
[Solved] user names crossing #7
Thanks. At least we are getting closer - I think 
Just to check, for the Paypal module in Moodle. Are you Paypal through Moodle directly or have you used the Joomdle function that allows Joomla users to use Moodle's Paypal?
Also, I did some quick tests with Moodle (not through Joomla / Joomdle). If I create a username with a space, say "john doe", it failed. Confirming that there would be a "problem" if we created john doe in joomla. Next, I went to Moodle's "site policies" to enable allow extended characters in the username. After this I was able to create a user with username "john doe".
So ... do you have allow extended characters turned on or off? Default is off.
Just to check, for the Paypal module in Moodle. Are you Paypal through Moodle directly or have you used the Joomdle function that allows Joomla users to use Moodle's Paypal?
Also, I did some quick tests with Moodle (not through Joomla / Joomdle). If I create a username with a space, say "john doe", it failed. Confirming that there would be a "problem" if we created john doe in joomla. Next, I went to Moodle's "site policies" to enable allow extended characters in the username. After this I was able to create a user with username "john doe".
So ... do you have allow extended characters turned on or off? Default is off.
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12 years 7 months ago
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #8
We use paypal through moodle directly. I can't remember why we did it that way. I think possibly in the older version before we upgraded we had an issue, but I may be remembering wrong. I just know that the paypal through moodle works well - except in this instance.
It was turned off.
I just turned it on, because I can see how that might add an extra layer of testing wherever the username field is.
(I was a programmer back in the days of Fortran...I guess I can see why having that extra testing step off by default might be a "saving" -- especially if they never imagined another program adding usernames that didn't meet requirements. Still seems like a weak point to me. But them I'm old. Grin. Again, just to be clear, I think it is a weakness in MOODLE, not in your bridge!)
So -- understanding the program as you do, do you think that might fix it? That'd be...awesome!
It was turned off.
I just turned it on, because I can see how that might add an extra layer of testing wherever the username field is.
(I was a programmer back in the days of Fortran...I guess I can see why having that extra testing step off by default might be a "saving" -- especially if they never imagined another program adding usernames that didn't meet requirements. Still seems like a weak point to me. But them I'm old. Grin. Again, just to be clear, I think it is a weakness in MOODLE, not in your bridge!)
So -- understanding the program as you do, do you think that might fix it? That'd be...awesome!
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12 years 7 months ago
[Solved] user names crossing #9
Actually I do not have Moodle setup with Paypal at this moment. Is this something you can test. Ie make two users "abcdef" and "abdef hello" and make a payment. Then change the Moodle extended characters setting and compare the results.
Thanks
Thanks
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12 years 7 months ago
Topic Author
[Solved] user names crossing #10
Actually this expanded as the customer gave me more direct contact with the users. Abcdef hello's payment is credited to abcdef. But also abcdef hello logs in via joomla fine but moodle treats her as abcdef...so her name changes. We had a class with abcdef and abcdef hello. abcdef hello logged in and coursework was listed as abcdef. This occurred before and after I turned on the extended characters. The only solution I have is to remove the space in the username...moodle first.
And yes this is expanded from what I originally thought.
And yes this is expanded from what I originally thought.
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