Extension:Renameuser

This extension was merged into MediaWiki Core starting with version 1.40 and is no longer bundled starting with that version. It was bundled with MediaWiki from versions 1.18 to 1.39. See task T27482 for more information.

MediaWiki extensions manual

Renameuser Release status: stable
Implementation	User identity , Special page , Hook
Description	Provides a special page that allows user accounts to be renamed
Author(s)	Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmasontalk
Latest version	continuous updates
MediaWiki	<= 1.39.x
Database changes	No
License	GNU General Public License 2.0 or later
Download	Download extension Git [?]: Download Git master browse repository (Phabricator · GitHub) commit history repository contributors (GitHub) code review README
Hooks provided RenameUserComplete RenameUserSQL RenameUserPreRename RenameUserWarning RenameUserAbort
Quarterly downloads	228 (Ranked 35th)
Public wikis using	2,792 (Ranked 182nd)
Translate the Renameuser extension if it is available at translatewiki.net
Issues	Open tasks · Report a bug

The Renameuser extension provides a special page which allows authorized users to rename user accounts. This will cause page histories, etc. to be updated. If you want to rename an account "into" another, already existing one, you need the User Merge and Delete extension.

Installation

• Download and place the file(s) in a directory called Renameuser in your extensions/ folder.
• Add the following code at the bottom of your LocalSettings.php file:

  wfLoadExtension( 'Renameuser' );
  

•  Done – Navigate to Special:Version on your wiki to verify that the extension is successfully installed.

Usage

1. As a bureaucrat, access the Special:RenameUser page
2. Enter the name of the user to be renamed, and the desired new name, toggle the options to move user/talk pages and their subpages and to create redirects as desired, and click OK

The user will be renamed, and (if the appropriate option was checked) the user page, user talk page and all their subpages will be moved as well.

The ability of this extension to move user subpages does not depend on 'move-subpages' userright. The number of subpages moved is not limited by the $wgMaximumMovedPages parameter. The extension will also move all css, js and move-protected pages.

You can grant other groups the right to rename users, for example:

$wgGroupPermissions['sysop']['renameuser'] = true;

Notes

• In case CentralAuth is installed, you'll get a warning if you try to rename a local user from an account attached to a global account or to a username reserved by a global account; a check box to rename anyway will be provided (this requires caution). You should probably use CentralAuth's built-in Special:GlobalRenameUser and Special:GlobalRenameRequest/Special:GlobalRenameQueue.
• You will not be able to rename users to invalid usernames (which doesn't equal usernames which match a blacklist but includes for instance reserved usernames ).
• Due to a bug, you can't rename the same account from where you're performing the rename (task T267477). Use the command line maintenance script to do the rename, or use a different account to do the rename.

Technical note

This extension introduces and invokes the RenameUserComplete hook to notify other extensions of user renames.

Frequently asked question

There were so many userpages that it timed out partway through moving them from User:A/subpage... to User:B/subpage... What do I do now?

You can't fix the situation by immediately trying again to rename User A to User B, because it will simply say "The user 'User A' does not exist." To fix the situation, rename User B back to User A, after unchecking the box "Move user and talk pages (and their subpages) to new name". Then rename User A to User B again, this time leaving the box "Move user and talk pages (and their subpages) to new name" checked. The page moving will resume where it left off.