User management from the console: FAQ
What you'll have at the end
An answer to your question, or a link to the page that has it.
Using the commands
Does a command change anything without --apply? No. Without --apply it lists what it would do and which
checks fail. --dry-run means the same; both together are a usage error.
Who may run the commands? Whoever may run ./console on the server. The commands do not check the policies of
the account they act as, so keep shell access to the people who administer the site.
Whose name does the audit record? The user of [UserSettings] UserCreatorID, or the one you name with --as.
exp:user:whoami shows it.
Do workflows and approval run? Yes. The commands use the same operations as the administration, so workflows, the approval of new accounts, mails and audit events behave as when you click.
How do I name an account? By its login, its e-mail address (when only one account has it) or its id.
Does it work on every database? The lists are read with SQL. On a MongoDB installation exp:user:list and the
commands built on it report that they cannot list.
Passwords
Why is there no --password option? A password on the command line stays in the shell history and shows in the
process list of the server. Use --password-stdin, a generated password, or a mail that lets the person choose one.
Why does the import refuse a file with a password column? Such a file would spread passwords in clear text
through mails, shared folders and backups. Import with --send-activation or --disabled and let each person
choose a password.
Is a generated password stored anywhere? Only its hash, like any password. It is printed once and never again, also not in the audit.
What about bin/php/resetuserpassword.php? It still works. exp:user:reset-password adds the reset link, the
dry run, the audit and the JSON output.
Disabling and removing
Disable or remove? Disable. A disabled account keeps the name in the history of everything the person did, and
exp:user:enable undoes it. Remove an account only when nothing refers to it.
Can I bring back a removed account? No. User accounts never go to the trash.
Why can I not disable the admin account? It is a protected account, like the anonymous user, the
UserCreatorID user, yourself and the last enabled administrator.
Protected accounts.
Does the console do "Deactivate and move"? No. It only disables. Use the administration to move an account into the group for deactivated accounts.
Deliberately not offered
Can I merge two accounts? No. Merging would move the ownership of content, versions, role assignments and the history from one account to another. The kernel has no safe way to do that, so no command offers it. Disable the account that is not needed.
Passwords in import files and a --password option are not offered, for the reasons above.