Add User ACP

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MichaelC
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Add User ACP

Post by MichaelC »

I think the Add User ACP MOD By Highway of Life could perhaps be turned into a patch and integrated into the phpBB Core.

It is a good MOD that adds a module to the ACP and is not too big or too small.

I believe it would need permission from the MOD Author to be turned into a patch though?

Note: This was semi-requsted to be turned into a patch here:
viewtopic.php?p=207135#p207135
Last edited by MichaelC on Wed Apr 14, 2010 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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igorw
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by igorw »

Can you provide use-cases for why a standard board would need such a feature?

code reader
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by code reader »

=== explain the use case *as i see it* ====
i do not think "add user" is a good clarification of the real need.
sometimes, we need to execute batch operations on large amounts of external data.
an example would be the case where you have a large list (say, CSV file of people. let's pretend it came from an excel spreadsheet where i keep my organization's mailing list) and i want to create a forum user for each such person, and then i am going to send them personal emails (either by using some batch program, or i may ask phpbb to do it for me) informing them of their user name and passwords.
another example would be the case where i have an existing bunch of articles, and i want to programmatically create a new topic for each such article.

==== suggest an interface ===
i recently have set up a wiki (unrelated to any phpbb forum) and used the mediawiki implementation.
i found that they have a "maintenance" subdirectory that allows you to do a lot of stuff in batch mode from the command line (by running php from the command line)
i think that some similar capability may be useful for phpbb (this is *not* "from the acp" - it's an external script running from the command line)
so you would define the exact structure of the users file, say CSV (not necessarily - it just make sense), and and use ssh to run a script from the maintenance dir, so:

Code: Select all

code_reader@hostname $ php ImportUsersFromCSV.php -file=PATH_TO_FILE_ON_SERVER -group="GroupA,GroupB" -Sendmailtonewusers=YesPlease
=== summary ===
the exact interface is not my point here. my point is that the batch operation wants to execute on data which is contained in an external file that we upload to the server using ftp. in most cases this external file or files was created programatically from a foreign data, such as excel spreadsheet or by running some query on some database.
the actual command to consume and process these external files can be run from command line (like mediawiki does it) or from the ACP - this is a minor detail.
(the question of importing large number of articles as new topics and the exact interface can also be discussed. there might be other needs for "batch operation" which i did not think of).


peace.

Nelsaidi
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by Nelsaidi »

This already exists in the STK, whilst imo it serves more purpose in a standard installation.

Uses may be with difficulties registering and the forum adminsitrator has been emailed/contacted (i believe an email link appears aswell) - So thats the only usage. Manually adding users would usually done via CSV (or equivelant) and a parser as opposed to one by one through this mod.

EDIT (due to previous post):
Having this parse CSV files (or equivelant) isnt something required by your average board in my opinion, those who have the knowledge about CSV (and getting the data to register) will know how to install a MOD. I needed it when moving my board from forumotion, what i did was write a page scrapper to scrap my whole memberlist, put it into a CSV file, wrote my own parser and sorted it out from there.

But as said the file was created programatically, people who need to use batch imports will most likely have experience, and will be from bridging with other software,carring over a userbase, etc, a small minority of people need it.

A stander user add should be there, but batch processing isnt really something that should be there.

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MichaelC
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by MichaelC »

Its quite useful as time and time again Admins need to add users of some sort or another. For e.g. it says if your having CAPTCHA ect., problems contact the admin, well, what is the admin supposed to do about it? Logout and register like a member?

Also when a board is offline and you need a co-admin to register. Yes, could put the board online but what if they are different time zones ect.,
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code reader
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by code reader »

Nelsaidi wrote:This already exists in the STK, whilst imo it serves more purpose in a standard installation.

Uses may be with difficulties registering and the forum adminsitrator has been emailed/contacted (i believe an email link appears aswell) - So thats the only usage. Manually adding users would usually done via CSV (or equivelant) and a parser as opposed to one by one through this mod.

EDIT (due to previous post):
Having this parse CSV files (or equivelant) isnt something required by your average board in my opinion, those who have the knowledge about CSV (and getting the data to register) will know how to install a MOD. I needed it when moving my board from forumotion, what i did was write a page scrapper to scrap my whole memberlist, put it into a CSV file, wrote my own parser and sorted it out from there.

But as said the file was created programatically, people who need to use batch imports will most likely have experience, and will be from bridging with other software,carring over a userbase, etc, a small minority of people need it.

A stander user add should be there, but batch processing isnt really something that should be there.
what you say is "hey, i was able to do it myself, so it's not needed".
i argue exactly the opposite: the fact that you *had* to do it underlines the fact that it's sorely needed. you were able to write a script to do it for you - great. but if you claim that the same level of expertise is required to write such script and to create csv then we are in disagreement.
this question ("how do i add users in a batch operation") comes up again and again in the support forum.
and i do not agree that "anyone who can create a csv file can install a mod". creating a csv file is a simple "save as" operation from excel.

your example pointed to the need to add a single user, due to captcha difficulty or due to the board being down.
now imagine that the same condition exist, but i need to add not one, but, say, 7 new users.
to me, it makes more sense to sit and feed all the information into excel, proofread it, maybe save it so if the user asks me after a week what exactly her username is i will be able to answer, and then import it in a single operation into the forum.
this looks to me greatly superior than having to widdle through some ACP UI screen 7 (or 12, or 22) times, once for each user.

peace.

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nickvergessen
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by nickvergessen »

eviL3 wrote:Can you provide use-cases for why a standard board would need such a feature?
Usecase:
Boards with limited people accessing. To protect your board from spam you can disable registration and add the new users yourself by hand.
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Nelsaidi
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by Nelsaidi »

code reader - my point for a CSV based file important waasnt that "i could do it therefore no point", it was in my opinion people not many people need it, and those that do will be able to install a mod. (i wasnt aware there was a mod for this). I also didnt say expertise to create it, its rather easy - i was people that need this done will most likely have a valid user, know thier way arround technology and most likely phpBB, therefore know how to install a mod.

There are so many things I need for my forums, some that only 10 other phpBB forums in the world need, you cant base it on the fact that one of millions needed it done therefore it is needed.

Whist nick's point is valid for CSV and has made me think more, and remembered this is a mod as opposed to writing new code, so it can be ideal reason.

Add user (singular) should definetley be implemented, batch would be good, not sure if its necesary - thats my argument, it covers a small part of forum admins - so do you add it? Thats the question. As you stated doing the same for 7, 12, 22 or 202 users, you still end up typing that information, chances are without a password either, and if its due to the board being down most cases you'll get just a username (not neceasrily first email) and email. IF you are going to put them in a CSV, there will be an unnecesary delay unless your unlucky enough registeration problems on your large board and you get maybe 10 requests in an hour.

To clarify - single: definetley, multi: would be good but not necesary.

Another case for add user is creating test accounts to maybe test stuff out? (i know i've done that)

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Re: Add User ACP

Post by ToonArmy »

Personally I'd like to see it, much better solution than logging out to register a user. Ability to send them the account details and a one time use password would make this really worthwhile. I also do like the idea of CSV imports, and CLI scripts is something we've talked about briefly before.
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MichaelC
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Re: Add User ACP

Post by MichaelC »

ToonArmy wrote:I also do like the idea of CSV imports, and CLI scripts is something we've talked about briefly before.
After a brief discussion with david earlier he would like to add this feature but he thinks he may not have time.
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