Authentication method not showing properly

[Kevin Dibble]

Version: Mahara 19.04
Browser: chrome

Steps to Replicate: (You will need two or more institutes in Mahara)
1. Create a user on Moodle to access the site via the xml/rpc method.
2. Login as that user - the account is created as expected.
3. Add that user to a different institute in Mahara. (The user will be using the same auth, but will be added to a new institute)

As the admin of Mahara.
3. Find the user [maharawebsite]/admin/users/search.php
4. Enter the user's name and it will list as expected -with correct authentication details

5. Edit the user (Issue 1 - The form is not showing the correct details)
Authentication method on the form is displayed as "internal" and a password is requested
Change the authentication method to be the institute listed.

6 DONT click save - the users details will have changed and the institute will have a new internal auth method.

7. Go back and edit the user - and change the authentication back
7: click save

7: Search for the user again [maharawebsite]/admin/users/search.php - that user is still listed as "internal" with incorrect auth details.

[Mahara Bot (dev-mahara)]

Patch for "master" branch: https://reviews.mahara.org/10160

[Kristina Hoeppner (kris-hoeppner)]

Hi Kevin. I can't replicate this issue on my 19.04 that is connected to Moodle.

My steps:

1. Person with MNet (XML-RPC) is added to another institution. She retains her MNet authentication method both on "User search" scren as well as "Account settings" screen when viewed as site admin.
2. I can change the auth method to any of the auth methods used in the institutions in which she is a member of and to "No institution", but don't see auth methods of any other institutions. This is expected.

Is your site on the latest 19.04.1 code? Do you have any customisations on your site that might interfere?

[ma (mafen1)]

Hi Kristina,

Im having the same issue. Im on Mahara version 19.04.1 (2019031910)

Im creating a user via API in the "No institution" with authentication method "No institution: saml".

admin/users/search.php shows correctly "No institution" and "saml".

As soon as I add this user to another institution (for example "inst123"), the authentication method in /admin/users/edit.php changes to "inst123: internal".

/admin/users/search.php then shows "inst123: internal" too.

If i then try to change the authentication method back to "No institution: saml" via /admin/users/edit.php, it doesnt work. It just saves as "inst123: internal" again.

The only thing to make this work is to first remove the user from institution "inst123" and then set the authentication method to "No institution: saml". Then it saves correctly.

I dont think this behaviour is correct! I'd like the authentication method to stay at "No institution: saml". This worked on older versions.

[ma (mafen1)]

Another thing I noticed:

Im having a user in the institutions "No institution" and "inst123". The user is set to authentication method "No institution: saml".

admin/users/search.php shows correctly "No institution" and "saml".

As soon as I just click the user's username via /admin/users/search.php, the authentication method gets changed to an "inst123: internal". Just by clicking the username and entering /admin/users/edit.php...Without even saving anything.

[Kristina Hoeppner (kris-hoeppner)]

It is correct that a person can only receive the authentication method that is allowed in the institution to which they belong. We made a change a while back where it was not possible anymore for a site admin to choose any authentication method. Like institution admins, they can only choose one of the methods that are available in an institution.

It is also correct that a person gets the primary authentication method set for an institution when moved from "No institution" to an institution as an auth method used in one institution can't continued to be used in an institution. The only exception is when the site allows membership in multiple institutions. Then an auth method from all institutions in which the person is a member of can be selected.

This does not apply to "No institution" though. A person is either in "No institution", i.e. the site or a "proper" institution.

That means that comment #3 is not an issue in Mahara core but expected behavior.

As for comment #4 more investigation is needed as I haven't been able to replicate that.

[Mahara Bot (dev-mahara)]

Patch for "master" branch: https://reviews.mahara.org/11266

[Cecilia Vela Gurovic (ceciliavg)]

https://reviews.mahara.org/#/c/11266/