[Moodle] Make e-mail feild optional

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

I have a good look arround and i can't find the exact answer to my problem. We are using Moodle with LDAP, all is working well.

 

Not all of our students have e-mail addresses, is there a way we can make the e-mail feild be blank?

 

I have used false addresses now but the Moodle inbox is getting full of bounced messages.

 

Thanks

 

Z

[jeffy]

I have just set up LDAP for Moodle and am looking for a solution to the same issue. In the past, I used a CSV file and imported students using dummy emails and set as disabled.

 

The way that our AD is set up, Staff are on a domain that is separate from students. Thus we cannot use LDAP to authenticate all. We now have students authenticating via LDAP and staff using email based self-creation.

 

But to limit unwanted account creation, I configured it to restrict account creation to the teacher domain. This works nicely for them.

 

But now, when students log in for the first time, they see a screen that asks them to tell more about themselves. This screen requires an email address. I will share a solution if I find one.

 

Jeff

[nadeem]

I'm sure it's possible but as a quick workaround, you could continue to use fake email addresses and set the field "email activated" to "this email address is disabled"

[FN-GM]

I'm sure it's possible but as a quick workaround, you could continue to use fake email addresses and set the field "email activated" to "this email address is disabled"

 

Not really as i said up there ^^^^

 

I have used false addresses now but the Moodle inbox is getting full of bounced messages.

[nadeem]

the point is if the email address is disabled - then no emails get sent to those accounts - hence the quick workaround - so its irrelevant that they are fake addresses.

[jeffy]

the point is if the email address is disabled - then no emails get sent to those accounts - hence the quick workaround - so its irrelevant that they are fake addresses.

But the problem is that Moodle, when a new user first logs in using LDAP, asks the new user to enter information into their account. This includes email address. And yes, it can be set to disabled. But Moodle still tries to send a confirmation email to the fake address and states this to the user. After this, the site can be browsed. If the AD email field is filled in with the fake address, the LDAP settings for email are set to contain the word mail, and locked then the dummy email is automatically imported through LDAP when the account is created. It cannot be changed by students, however.

[FN-GM]

the point is if the email address is disabled - then no emails get sent to those accounts - hence the quick workaround - so its irrelevant that they are fake addresses.

 

Then we will have thousands of bounced messages in the Moodle inbox

[jeffy]

Not sure if this will help, but I found this setting under Security>SitePolicies. There is an Email Change Confirmation setting. By un-checking the box, email addresses can be changed without Moodle sending a confirmation email. Thus, students could enter dummy email addresses, set them as disabled, and Moodle will not send confirmation email to the dummy address, which of course would bounce.

 

Not a perfect solution as I can't find a way to make the email field blank or set Moodle to not require one. And, it does require that the student enter at least a fake email and designate it as disabled. There will most certainly be students who don't follow directions and set their email as disabled.

 

Looking now for account creation settings. I am thinking that email could be set to disabled by default and would need to be manually enabled by students who have an email account somewhere. Any thoughts?

[FN-GM]

Not sure if this will help, but I found this setting under Security>SitePolicies. There is an Email Change Confirmation setting. By un-checking the box, email addresses can be changed without Moodle sending a confirmation email. Thus, students could enter dummy email addresses, set them as disabled, and Moodle will not send confirmation email to the dummy address, which of course would bounce.

 

Not a perfect solution as I can't find a way to make the email field blank or set Moodle to not require one. And, it does require that the student enter at least a fake email and designate it as disabled. There will most certainly be students who don't follow directions and set their email as disabled.

 

Looking now for account creation settings. I am thinking that email could be set to disabled by default and would need to be manually enabled by students who have an email account somewhere. Any thoughts?

 

Wont help as an e-mail is sent out when some replies to a forum post, posts new site news, or a teacher makes changes to a course.

[jeffy]

Wont help as an e-mail is sent out when some replies to a forum post, posts new site news, or a teacher makes changes to a course.

Emails are sent to addresses that are set to disabled?

 

Also, where can I see the bounced emails?

Thanks,

Jeff

[FN-GM]

Why would they be disbaled? You are only disabling the confirmation.

 

I want the notifications to be sent to users who have e-mail

[jeffy]

Why would they be disbaled? You are only disabling the confirmation.

 

I want the notifications to be sent to users who have e-mail

 

Not a perfect solution as I can't find a way to make the email field blank or set Moodle to not require one. And, it does require that the student enter at least a fake email and designate it as disabled. There will most certainly be students who don't follow directions and set their email as disabled.

Student would designate it as disabled.

[FN-GM]

The fake address will be pulled from AD and the student cant change the settings

[jeffy]

The fake address will be pulled from AD and the student cant change the settings

Sorry.....Wasn't clear. We do not have email addresses in AD, so I am thinking that I won't set Moodle to retrieve an email address when an account is created. Rather, I think that I will leave it unlocked, have students enter dummy email address, and have them set it to be disabled. By changing the Email change confirmation setting to not send a confirmation, won't this eliminate bounced emails? And if the student sets the dummy email to disabled, notification emails won't be sent to that address, correct?

[FN-GM]

They wont know how to set it to disbaled and the teachers will neglet to tell them.

 

Plus we want it to pull the e-mail from AD because we are using exchange. For now i am using dummy e-mails in the AD accounts

[jeffy]

They wont know how to set it to disbaled and the teachers will neglet to tell them.

 

Plus we want it to pull the e-mail from AD because we are using exchange. For now i am using dummy e-mails in the AD accounts

 

I agree. Student/Teacher error is a concern.

 

Where can I go to view bounced emails?

[nadeem]

On my moodle when I set email addresses to disabled then no emails get sent to it - I certainly don't get any bounces - perhaps also set the profile to be non-editable - can it not pull all the required information from the AD?

 

Or as another alternative - give them all the same email address and just set that one up to catch the emails and delte the contents of that email box occasionally?

[FN-GM]

If they use the same e-mail it will kickup a fuss when you logon. You can view the bounced messages in the moodle site admin inbox

[penfold_99]

I have just set up LDAP for Moodle and am looking for a solution to the same issue. In the past, I used a CSV file and imported students using dummy emails and set as disabled.

 

The way that our AD is set up, Staff are on a domain that is separate from students. Thus we cannot use LDAP to authenticate all. We now have students authenticating via LDAP and staff using email based self-creation.

 

But to limit unwanted account creation, I configured it to restrict account creation to the teacher domain. This works nicely for them.

 

But now, when students log in for the first time, they see a screen that asks them to tell more about themselves. This screen requires an email address. I will share a solution if I find one.

 

Jeff

 

It is possible to duplicate the ldap plugin so you can authenticate against two domains. there is some information on the moodle forums.