Authentication API

The Authentication API describes Moodle's interface functions to authentication plugins. (This page is incomplete , I'll update it after I have phpdoc commented auth/ldap/lib.php)

Most of the functions are from the ldap-authentication module and are not implemented (yet?) on other modules. Please feel free to extend other modules to support same features or roll your own module.

Some of new function are still tested and are not documented here yet.

Authentication functions

Basic functions to authenticate users with external db

Mandatory:

auth_user_login ($username, $password)

Authenticate username, password with userdatabase.

Returns

true if the username and password work and false if they don't

Optional:

The following functions are optional , but if present they extend module usability with Moodle.

auth_get_userinfo($username)

Query other userinformation from database.

Returns

User information in array (name => value, ...) or false in case of error. Function honors update-flags so if

$CFG->auth_user_(atribute)_updatelocal

is present, it will return value only if flag is true.

COURSE CREATING

auth_iscreator($username)

should user have rights to create courses

Returns

true

if user has rights to create cources otherwise false

USER CREATION

Functions that enable user creation, activation and deactivation from moodle to external database

auth_user_exists ($username)

Checks if given username exists on external db

Returns

true

if given usernname exist or false

auth_user_create ($userobject,$plainpass)

Creates new user to external db. User should be created in inactive stage until confirmed by email.

Returns

true

on success otherwise

false

auth_user_activate ($username)

activate new user after email-address is confirmed

Returns

true

on success otherwise

false

auth_user_disable ($username)

deactivate user in external db.

Returns

true

on success otherwise

false

USER INFORMATION AND SYNCRONIZATION

auth_get_userlist ()

Get list of usernames in external db.

Returns

All usernames in array or

false

on error.

auth_get_users($filter='*')

Get ALL USEROBJECTS FROM EXTERNAL DB.

Returns

Array of all users as objects from external db

See also

• Authentication plugins
• Using Moodle Overview of entire authentication code flow forum discussion
• Using Moodle User authentication forum
• Moodle Docs Manage authentication
• Authentication FAQ