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  1. Moodle
  2. MDL-31484

Repeated restores of anonymised courses does not work

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    Details

    • Type: Bug
    • Status: Closed
    • Priority: Minor
    • Resolution: Fixed
    • Affects Version/s: 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3, 2.3.4, 2.4.1
    • Fix Version/s: 2.3.5, 2.4.2
    • Component/s: Backup
    • Labels:
    • Environment:
      Centos 5.x x86_64, php 5.3.x, apache 2.2, postgresql 8.4
    • Database:
      PostgreSQL
    • Testing Instructions:
      Hide

      On a course with at least one user, run a backup with 'users', 'anonymize users' and 'user data' (for all activities) selected
      Restore this course, creating a new course and including the user data
      Restore the course a second time, again creating a new course and including the user data

      The course should restore fine, without any complaints about user conflicts. Any activities with user data should still have that data, but the users should all be anonymised versions.

      Show
      On a course with at least one user, run a backup with 'users', 'anonymize users' and 'user data' (for all activities) selected Restore this course, creating a new course and including the user data Restore the course a second time, again creating a new course and including the user data The course should restore fine, without any complaints about user conflicts. Any activities with user data should still have that data, but the users should all be anonymised versions.
    • Workaround:
      Hide

      Manually deleting the anonymous users before restoring the course a second time works around the issue, although for any subsequent course restore attempts we are back at square one. Furthermore, deleting the users is problematic since it has to be done by the Administrator (aka: me) and in our institution we try to enable a fully self-serviceable workflow for our teachers. Moreover, we are a bit reluctant to delete conflicting anon users since we do not know how the activities and resources in already existing courses react if the corresponding user is removed.

      It is a pity that these problems exist, because the ability to restore anonymous user data into courses is one of the more frequently asked features in our institution.

      Show
      Manually deleting the anonymous users before restoring the course a second time works around the issue, although for any subsequent course restore attempts we are back at square one. Furthermore, deleting the users is problematic since it has to be done by the Administrator (aka: me) and in our institution we try to enable a fully self-serviceable workflow for our teachers. Moreover, we are a bit reluctant to delete conflicting anon users since we do not know how the activities and resources in already existing courses react if the corresponding user is removed. It is a pity that these problems exist, because the ability to restore anonymous user data into courses is one of the more frequently asked features in our institution.
    • Affected Branches:
      MOODLE_21_STABLE, MOODLE_22_STABLE, MOODLE_23_STABLE, MOODLE_24_STABLE
    • Fixed Branches:
      MOODLE_23_STABLE, MOODLE_24_STABLE
    • Pull from Repository:
    • Pull Master Branch:
      MDL-31484_anonymous_user_clash
    • Pull Master Diff URL:

      Description

      Probably related to the suggestions made for (MDL-22158).

      Replication steps:

      1. Go to a course
      2. backup -> Tick Anonymise User Information -> Create Course Backup
      3. restore backup to new course -> this works
      4. restore same backup file to another new course ->

      In step "6. Process" a bunch of error messages
      "Trying to restore user 'anon1' from backup file will cause conflict" appears.

      Due to this error messages, it seems that step 6 can not be finished, as there is only a Cancel button but no Next button. The second course does not appear to be created

      What does not work
      -----------------------------------------------------------
      Restoring an anonymised course backup file for the first time into a new course creates a bunch of pseudo-users. Trying to restore the same backup file the second time yields a list of errors
      "Trying to restore user 'anon1' from backup file will cause conflict" ... (and so on) at step 6 Processing (see attached screenshot for instance).

      Expected behaviour
      -----------------------------------------------------------
      Iterated restores from the same anonymised course backup are expected to work. Further improvements to the way user data are anonymised would of course still be nice to have

        Attachments

          Issue Links

          has a non-specific relationship to

          Bug - A problem which impairs or prevents Moodle from functioning correctly. MDL-59737 Moodle backups should use a non existent domain when anonymizing users

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Closed
          will be (partly) resolved by

          Sub-task - Issues are sometimes broken into multiple sub-tasks. MDL-22158 backup: improve anonymizer

          • Minor - Minor loss of function where workaround is possible
          • Open

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                Dates

                • Created:
                  Updated:
                  Resolved:
                  Fix Release Date:
                  11/Mar/13