How to import user accounts?

[winklestork]

I searched this topic and the security and migration topics and didn't see an answer to my question. I took a snapshot of a database in production. Added tables, fields, layouts, etc to the snapshot. Now I want to replace the production database. I have import scripts that manage all of the data imports from production to snapshot -- including fixing some primary keys, deleting partial records, etc. -- but I can't figure out how to import the security tables. Users have been added in the interim, no changes to privilege sets, etc.

I can determine which user accounts are new using DDR, but I can't get their passwords from the production database to the replacement snapshot database without invalidating their passwords.

Any ideas?

[Wim Decorte]

Create the new accounts, setting a default pw and toggling the setting that requires the users to change their pw on the first logon.

Or start using External Authentication, which solves all these issues.

[winklestork]

Both excellent suggestions, however my users are all on IWP, and I don't control the environment in order to use external authentication.

[winklestork]

Solution. I wrote my own frontend to accounts, allowing users to change their password through a layout. I save their password and on the next upgrade, run a script that updates their password in the new release.

It sure would be easier if accounts could be exported/imported.

[rogermax]

Wim, I have been wondering about this myself. Is there a way to import the accounts? My question stems from two directions of need: A) Shrink wrap type solution that gets updated from time to time where users have the ability to add accounts along the way via scripts and A boss that does not want to use external authentication.

[Wim Decorte]

No, you can't import Accounts in an automated way.

FMrobot can batch create accounts based on the DDR but the pw info is not kept in the DDR so all pws would have to be set a certain default.

Your best bet is External Authentication. That one really solves a lot of issues. In the case of a shrink-wrap, you'd only need to give the clients a list of groups they have to create in their AD/OD or on the local FMS machine and they manage the accounts.