[OJS] Users import/export plugin doesn't include notification functionality

[jmacgreg]

It appears that the user notification functionality in the users import/export plugin hasn't been ported over. This is problematic, as users can be imported, but won't be notified of their username/password.

[asmecher]

This is implemented in OJS 2.x in...

https://github.com/pkp/ojs/blob/ojs-stable-2_4_8/plugins/importexport/users/UserXMLParser.inc.php#L287..L297

It's not implemented in OJS 3.x here: https://github.com/pkp/pkp-lib/blob/ojs-stable-3_0_1/plugins/importexport/users/filter/UserXmlPKPUserFilter.inc.php#L132

The "notify" flag would need to be added to the UI somewhere, but otherwise it would be a relatively quick addition.

[rcgillis]

Is it possible to get this assigned to a future release, especially if it is an easy fix? Have been talking to some folks who have been asking about it.

[asmecher]

Already implemented as part of #3462.

[brueyd]

Hello @asmecher,

I seem to be running into this issue (or one like it) on a new installation of OJS 3.1.2-1 from the OJS downloads page.

When I import a user using the XML below (but with a real email address), I get a message that says a notification was sent to the email address. However, no email is received. I am using Gmail SMTP to send emails, and no email is present in the email account's Sent box. The user is imported into OJS, and when I send a test email from the Users page, it is successfully delivered.

Any ideas about why the import notification is not being sent?

        <user>
            <givenname locale="en_US">Test</givenname>
            <familyname locale="en_US">User</familyname>
            <country>US</country>
            <email>[email protected]</email>
            <username>test-user-gmail</username>
            <password encryption="plaintext" is_disabled="false" must_change="true">
                <value>TestPassword987</value>
            </password>
            <date_registered>2018-01-05 07:23:37</date_registered>
            <date_last_login>2019-08-04 18:46:17</date_last_login>
            <inline_help>true</inline_help>
            <user_group_ref>Reader</user_group_ref>
        </user>

• Import/Export errors:
  The imported user "test-user-gmail" password could not be imported as is. A new password is been send to the user email. The user has been imported.

[asmecher]

@brueyd, the two most likely situations are

1. OJS not even trying to send the message, or
2. Gmail SMTP not delivering the message.

To determine which, I'd suggest adding error_log statements to the code that should be sending the message. That's lib/pkp/plugins/importexport/users/filter/UserXmlPKPUserFilter.inc.php in the parseUser function:

// send USER_REGISTER e-mail only if it is a new inserted/registered user
// else, if the user already exists, its metadata will not be change (just groups will be re-assigned below)
if ($password) {
    import('lib.pkp.classes.mail.MailTemplate');
    $mail = new MailTemplate('USER_REGISTER');
    $mail->setReplyTo($context->getSetting('contactEmail'), $context->getSetting('contactName'));
    $mail->assignParams(array('username' => $user->getUsername(), 'password' => $password, 'userFullName' => $user->getFullName()));
    $mail->addRecipient($user->getEmail(), $user->getFullName());
    $mail->send();
}

If you can confirm that $mail->send() is being called (by adding an error_log call around here and watching for the message to show up in your PHP log), it suggests that OJS is delivering the message, but Gmail's SMTP service is choosing not to.

Next time, it's probably better to post questions like this in the support forum -- https://forum.pkp.sfu.ca -- rather than on old/closed issues like this.