Disable display names + revert to usernames?

[StarredSkies]

Hello! Is there a way to display display names and then revert them to their usernames? 'Allow users to edit their displayed name' does not do this.

[Kindred]

No.
It's a bad idea anyway.
You should always have a different login from your display name

[StarredSkies]

Hello! Is there a way to display display names and then revert them to their usernames? 'Allow users to edit their displayed name' does not do this.

Oop, typo. Should be 'disable display names.' Sorry!

No.
It's a bad idea anyway.
You should always have a different login from your display name

Any reason why it's a bad idea to disable display names? I would prefer to disable them/revert to usernames so I can do some work on a test forum.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

To answer your question:  Admin > Features and Options > Allow users to edit their displayed name.

You'd have to run a database query to replace member_name with real_name.

[Kindred]

Well, first, allow users to edit display name turned off will make all future display names = the username...  but not past ones

Second, it's better to have the display name and login to be different,  for security

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Well, first, allow users to edit display name turned off will make all future display names = the username...  but not past ones

You'd have to run a database query to replace member_name with real_name.

Second, it's better to have the display name and login to be different,  for security

Not suggesting it's a good idea, just answering the question.  OP may have a valid reason for doing it, maybe for test purposes.

[StarredSkies]

To answer your question:  Admin > Features and Options > Allow users to edit their displayed name.

You'd have to run a database query to replace member_name with real_name.

Thank you! How would I phrase the query? I have a general idea, but I just want to make sure before I execute anything (even with a backup... less work lol).

Well, first, allow users to edit display name turned off will make all future display names = the username...  but not past ones

Second, it's better to have the display name and login to be different,  for security

Gotcha. Like I said, this is only for testing, so it won't be something for users.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This seems to work -

UPDATE `smf_members` SET member_name = real_name

[Diego Andrés]

Wouldn't it be real_name = member_name since username should be kept the same?

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

Any reason why it's a bad idea to disable display names? I would prefer to disable them/revert to usernames so I can do some work on a test forum.

Simple, you only need username and password to login in, this change gives everyones usernames away so now you only need passwords. It weakens login security.

[StarredSkies]

This seems to work -

UPDATE `smf_members` SET member_name = real_name

Wouldn't it be real_name = member_name since username should be kept the same?

Thank you guys! Appreciate it. (Will wait on confirmation of Diego's question though.

Simple, you only need username and password to login in, this change gives everyones usernames away so now you only need passwords. It weakens login security.

Definitely makes sense.

[Sesquipedalian]

This topic, containing both warnings and instructions, reminds me of this:

It is not UNIX's job to stop you from shooting your foot. If you so choose to do so, then it is UNIX's job to deliver Mr. Bullet to Mr. Foot in the most efficient way it knows.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Wouldn't it be real_name = member_name since username should be kept the same?

No, real_name is username, member_name is display name, so you want to replace display with username.  The query makes both values username.

[Arantor]

No, member_name is the username, real_name is the display name.

As per LogInOut.php:

Code Select Expand

// Load the data up!
$request = $smcFunc['db_query']('', '
SELECT passwd, id_member, id_group, lngfile, is_activated, email_address, additional_groups, member_name, password_salt,
openid_uri, passwd_flood
FROM {db_prefix}members
WHERE ' . ($smcFunc['db_case_sensitive'] ? 'LOWER(member_name) = LOWER({string:user_name})' : 'member_name = {string:user_name}') . '
LIMIT 1',
array(
'user_name' => $smcFunc['db_case_sensitive'] ? strtolower($_POST['user']) : $_POST['user'],
)
);


[Sir Osis of Liver]

Really?  Doesn't make sense.  Will have a another look.

[Arantor]

That's literally from the piece of code where it gets the data to be checked during login. There is no higher authority than that.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You're correct, of course, but the variables are poorly named.  real_name should be display_name, makes more sense.  So the query should be -

UPDATE `smf_members` SET real_name = member_name

[Arantor]

The choice of terminology dates back to *at least* YABB SE if not YABB itself, which would certainly have been in an era where people having a username and then using their actual real name for display purposes would have been quite common etiquette.

[StarredSkies]

Thank you everyone! Will mark as solved.