Allow user accounts to be merged

[tompollard]

It would be good to have a method for merging user accounts. For example:

• the same person registers abc@test.com and abc@test2.com.
• Each of these accounts has some associated information (e.g. projects, affiliations).
• Merging the accounts should link the information to a single account and resolve any conflicts (e.g. different affiliations on each account).

[elfeto]

Right now it I merge abc@test2.com to abc@test.com, what I have is:

• Move all associated emails form abc@test2.com to abc@test.com.
  • If the email si the primary then I remove that tag.
• I move all credential applications.
  • If there is an active credential application from abc@test2.com I withdraw it.
• If there is cloud information on user abc@test.com I set to None the cloud information from user abc@test2.com.
• If there is NO cloud information on user abc@test.com, but there is for user abc@test2.com, I set that as user's abc@test.com.
• If there is NO cloud information on both, I ignore it.
• If user abc@test2.com sent a authorship invitation, I set the user sending the invitation to abc@test.com.
• If user abc@test2.com is an author in X active project, then if abc@test.com is NOT I move the authorship (with the same author information)
• If user abc@test2.com is an author in X published project, then if abc@test.com is NOT I move the authorship (with the same author information)
  • If abc@test.com is an author of X active/published project then I REMOVE the authorship object.

That is what I have done as of now. I am working right now on:

• If the authorship invitation is done TO abc@test2.com, redirect it to abc@test.com

If the cloud information for user abc@test2.com exists I set it to None The profile information is kept the same. The user profile is kept.

I have two questions:

1. How should I handle the CharField email in the user object? or should I just delete the user/profile objects?
   • I thought of prepending and appending "merged".
   • I was suggested to replace the @ for _ and append "@physionet.org"
2. Is there anything else I might be missing right now?

PS. I cannot import anything from the project model in the user model.

[bemoody]

I'm not at all convinced that adding this feature would be wise or that it is a good solution to the problem.

The way Felipe has (partially) implemented it is a web interface for an administrator to manually select two accounts and merge them.

How do you intend to use this feature? How would you verify that the two accounts actually belong to the same person?