Manage Users

Some of the features below may be disabled, depending on your TWiki configuration.

• TWikiUserAuthentication describes your options for user authentication
• TWikiAccessControl describes how to define groups and how to restrict access to content

• TWikiRegistration is used when you want new users to individually register with TWiki by filling out a form
• You can create a custom versions of NewUserTemplate and UserForm
• BulkRegistration is used by administrators to register multiple users at the same time

• ChangePassword is for users who can remember their password and want to change it
• ResetPassword is for users who cannot remember their password; a system generated password is e-mailed to them
• BulkResetPassword if for administrators who want to reset many passwords at once
• ChangeEmailAddress changes the hidden email address stored in the password file

• Rename the user's TWiki homepage in the Main web, such as from JaneSmith to JaneMiller.

• Edit the Main.TWikiUsers topic and move the user's entry so that the list is in proper alphabetical order.
• Recreate the old topic with a pointer to the new topic, so that links in other webs work properly. Example content:
  

• The login name needs to be changed in the authentication server (e.g. Active Directory)
• In TWiki's Main.TWikiUsers topic, fix the mapping from login name to WikiName:
     * JaneSmith - jsmith - 13 Sep 2006
  

1. If you are using a .htpasswd file, edit the .htpasswd file to delete the line starting fred:
   • Warning: Do not use the Apache htpasswd program with .htpasswd files generated by TWiki! htpasswd wipes out email addresses that TWiki plants in the info fields of this file.
2. Remove the FredQuimby - fred line from the Main.TWikiUsers topic
3. Remove FredQuimby from all groups and from all the ALLOWWEB/ALLOWTOPIC... declarations, if any.
   Note: If you fail to do this you risk creating a security hole, as the next user to register with the wikiname FredQuimby will inherit the old FredQuimby's permissions.
4. [optional] Delete their user topic Main.FredQuimby (including attachments, if any.)

Changing User Account Names

To change the user's WikiName:

• Rename the user's TWiki homepage in the Main web, such as from JaneSmith to JaneMiller.
  • Fix backlinks in the Main web only
  • Make sure the group topics are updated (if any.)
• Edit the Main.TWikiUsers topic and move the user's entry so that the list is in proper alphabetical order.
• Recreate the old topic with a pointer to the new topic, so that links in other webs work properly. Example content:
  %M% Jane Smith is now known as JaneMiller

If external authentication is used and you want to change the login name:

• The login name needs to be changed in the directory server, such as AD or LDAP
• In TWiki's Main.TWikiUsers topic, fix the mapping from login name to WikiName such as from:
     * JohnSmith - john - 13 Sep 2006
  to:
     * JohnSmith - jsmith - 13 Sep 2006

1. [optional] Delete their user topic Main.FredQuimby (including attachments, if any.)

• • Warning: Do not use the Apache htpasswd program with .htpasswd files generated by TWiki! htpasswd wipes out email addresses that TWiki plants in the info fields of this file.

• NewUserTemplate can be changed to customize user home pages, it can optionally use the UserForm to define user fields as meta data
• BulkRegistration is for administrators to use to set up one or more accounts: either from a table or from an external file

• ChangePassword is for users who can remember their password and want to change it
• ResetPassword is for users who cannot remember their password; a system generated password is e-mailed to them
• BulkResetPassword if for administrators who want to reset many passwords at once

1. If you are using a .htpasswd file, edit the .htpasswd file to delete the line starting fred:
2. Remove the FredQuimby - fred line from the Main.TWikiUsers topic
3. Remove FredQuimby from all groups and from all the ALLOWWEB/ALLOWTOPIC... declarations, if any.
   Note: If you fail to do this you risk creating a security hole, as the next user to register with the wikiname FredQuimby will inherit the old FredQuimby's permissions.
4. [optional] Delete their user topic Main.FredQuimby.

Manage Users

Authentication and Access Control

• TWikiUserAuthentication describes options of user authentication
• TWikiAccessControl describes how to define groups and how to restrict access to content

Register User

• TWikiRegistration is for users to fill out a form
• NewUserTemplate can be changed to customize user home pages

Change, Reset and Install Passwords

• ChangePassword is for users who remember their password
• ResetPassword is for users who do not remember their password; they are asked to send a request to the site administrator to install a new password
• InstallPassword? is for the site administrator to install a password

Removing User Accounts

To remove a user account:

1. Edit the data/.htpasswd file to delete their entry (only applies if you are using a .htpasswd file)
2. Remove the FredQuimby line from the Main.TWikiUsers topic
3. Remove user from all groups and from all the ALLOWWEB/ALLOWTOPIC... declarations, if any.
   Note: Otherwise this is a security hole as the first one to re-register with this name will be granted the permissions of the previous user.
4. [optional] Remove their topic files: data/Main/FredQuimby.txt and data/Main/FredQuimby.txt,v

Note: Consider leaving the user topic file in place so their past signatures and revision author entries don't end up looking like AnUncreatedTopic? . If you want to make it clear the user is inactive on your site (e.g. PeterThoeny) or has been banished add a note to that effect and write protect the page (TWikiAccessControl). The existance of the UserName topic prevent that user name from being re-used.

-- TWiki:Main.MattWilkie - 21 Jul 2003
-- TWiki:Main.PeterThoeny - 15 Aug 2004