How to make login and email fields the same?

[Red Flare]

Hi everyone,

I would like the customers to use their email address as a login.

What part of code can I change to make "login" field equal to "email lost passwords to" field? I.e., I want the two fields to contain the same information in the database. This way customers do not have to enter the same info twice.

Thanks for any input.

[Pete McNamara]

Try this:

In ACAD and elsewhere appropriate:

1. Rename "Login" to "Email Address"
2. Rename "Email Lost Passwords To:" to "Confirm Email Address"
3. Advise customer that their Login is their email address

[ILoveHostasaurus]

You may also need to turn off Strict Validation under Domain Settings -> Site Configuration before it will allow the @ in the login name.

[jbettis]

Any idea how to force a buyer to enter their email address twice on the checkout page, for accuracy purposes? Thanks.

[Vic - WolfPaw Computers]

Any idea how to force a buyer to enter their email address twice on the checkout page, for accuracy purposes? Thanks.

You would have to code this in manually with Javascript, or create a custom customer field and have a conditional to intercept the screen and prevent the form from submitting should the two values not match.

[jbettis]

You would have to code this in manually with Javascript, or create a custom customer field and have a conditional to intercept the screen and prevent the form from submitting should the two values not match.

I sure would prefer to use something more "standard" than doing coding like that. It seems like it must be a pretty universally desireable thing to want customers to enter email more than once, for accuracy. Do you know if OpenUI Basic or any template, etc. will allow me to do this more easily? Thanks again for the help. john

[DesignExtend-MSI]

I sure would prefer to use something more "standard" than doing coding like that. It seems like it must be a pretty universally desireable thing to want customers to enter email more than once, for accuracy. Do you know if OpenUI Basic or any template, etc. will allow me to do this more easily? Thanks again for the help. john

I'm not sure what you mean by "more standard than that." If you're looking for that specific result, then you'd have to do something to check the fields, and neither the OUI or template modules is going to do that for you. There has to be a check on the database entries for it, and return an error if there's no match.

This will require custom coding or JS.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Just a thought...two internal company studies showed that requesting email twice had less than desirable results...one, it made users angry...two, a lot of them either copied and pasted what they typed the first time...or simply re-type the same error...

that being said...this could be done by comparing the values of the two email addresses on the following screen (do this in the global header) and if not a match use a meta refreash to take them back to the oinf...on the oinf screen, you'll need to watch for an error communicate the error appropriately...but it could be done (in theory).

[DesignExtend-MSI]

Just a thought...two internal company studies showed that requesting email twice had less than desirable results...one, it made users angry...two, a lot of them either copied and pasted what they typed the first time...or simply re-type the same error...

Yep. I personally find it annoying, though I do respect why it's used. Makes a lot of sense.

I can see why users get upset. However, it's worse when users call and rant and rave because they didn't get their email, only to find out they entered in wrong (then they ask why there's no method use to confirm it).

Copy and paste is common, and some sites won't even let you do that.

But, in all honesty, a simple warning explaining the importance to double check it is going to provide the same result. It's going to be right or wrong either way.

[jbettis]

I even agree with you that it's annoying, but my boss wants it implemented. "More standard" just means that I am not really familiar with how to do the coding, and make the comparison check in the database, so I was hoping that I wasn't the first person to want to do this. Just seemed like many people would be clamoring for it and that it would be more easily do-able by someone like me who really hasn't gotten into the coding before. So that's all I meant. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to do what you're suggested. Thank you very much.

[Vic - WolfPaw Computers]

I even agree with you that it's annoying, but my boss wants it implemented. "More standard" just means that I am not really familiar with how to do the coding, and make the comparison check in the database, so I was hoping that I wasn't the first person to want to do this. Just seemed like many people would be clamoring for it and that it would be more easily do-able by someone like me who really hasn't gotten into the coding before. So that's all I meant. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to do what you're suggested. Thank you very much.

Sometimes you have to convince the "boss" or the customer - their idea isnt the best solution.

There have been a number of customers who think certain things are good for business - yet market research clearly shows the opposite.

Keep that in mind when telling them it can be done. Yes it can...but is it a good idea? Probably not.

[DesignExtend-MSI]

I even agree with you that it's annoying, but my boss wants it implemented. "More standard" just means that I am not really familiar with how to do the coding, and make the comparison check in the database, so I was hoping that I wasn't the first person to want to do this. Just seemed like many people would be clamoring for it and that it would be more easily do-able by someone like me who really hasn't gotten into the coding before. So that's all I meant. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to do what you're suggested. Thank you very much.

Clamoring? No, if they were, the solution would already exist.

Although it's common with many of the big guys, doesn't change the fact that it is annoying. Your boss may want it, but the ones setting the rules should be the customers (incidentally, the topic of my latest Practical eCommerce (http://www.designextend.com/page/miva/PROD/Practical-eCommerce) article).