i2b2 User Registration Guide

A guide on how to do the following:

• enable/disable user self-registration in i2b2 webclient

• self-register new user

Whenever a new user is added (registered) into the system, no project is assigned to the user. Therefore, the new user cannot sign into the i2b2 application immediately after self registering. The administrator has to do the following first before the new user can sign in:

1. add the new user to a project

2. add the project roles to the new user

Enabling or Disabling User Self-Registration

The i2b2 webclient has two ways to self-register, local self-registration and federated self-registration.

Enabling Local User Self-Registration

Modify the file config.php that is located in the directory /var/www/html/webclient/registration/user to enable user self-registration. Set the value of the PHP attribute config_pm_uri to 'http://127.0.0.1:9090/i2b2/services/PMService/getServices'.

Replace 127.0.0.1:9090 with the address of your PM cell if it is not on the same machine as the webserver!

For an example:

<?php

$config_service_account_id = 'i2b2';
$config_service_account_pw = 'demouser';

$config_pm_uri = '<http://127.0.0.1:9090/i2b2/services/PMService/getServices';>
$config_domain = 'i2b2demo';
$config_project_id = 'Demo';

Modify the file i2b2_config_data.json that is located in the directory /var/www/html/webclient/ to enable option for user self-registration. Set the value of the attribute showRegistration to true and set the value of the attribute registrationMethod empty. More detailed instructions are here.

Again, replace 127.0.0.1:9090 with the address of your PM cell if it is not on the same machine as the webserver!

For an example:

{
    "domain": "i2b2demo",
    "name": "HarvardDemo",
    "allowAnalysis": true,
    "urlCellPM": "http:\/\/127.0.0.1:9090\/i2b2\/services\/PMService\/",
    "registrationMethod": "local",
    "loginType": "local",
    "showRegistration": true,
    "debug": true
}

Refresh the webpage and you should see the option to register user (circled in red):

Enabling Federation User Self-Registration

Modify the file i2b2_config_data.json located in the directory /var/www/html/webclient/. Set the value of the attribute showRegistration to true and set the value of the attribute registrationMethod to saml.

(Here 127.0.0.1 is necessary because the AJP proxy for the PM cell will always run on the same webserver as the client.)

For an example:

{
    "domain": "i2b2demo",
    "name": "HarvardDemo",
    "allowAnalysis": true,
    "urlCellPM": "http:\/\/127.0.0.1:9090\/i2b2\/services\/PMService\/",
    "registrationMethod": "saml",
    "loginType": "federated",
    "showRegistration": true,
    "debug": true
}

Refresh the webpage and you should see the option to register user (circled in red):

Disabling User Self-Registration

To disable user self-registration for either local registration or federation registration, set the value of the attribute showRegistration to false in the file file i2b2_config_data.json located in the directory /var/www/html/webclient/.

Self-Registering New User

Local Self-Registering New User

Click on the "Sign Up!" link on the bottom of the i2b2 Login dialog. A "Sign Up" modal will pop up containing a form for self-registering. Fill out the user information on the left of the form. Carefully read the terms-and-conditions, click on the checkbox "I accept the Terms & Conditions", and click on the button "Sign Up" to register on the right side of the form.

For an example:

Once registered, the sign-up modal will disappeared and a confirmation alert will pop up at the main (login) page:

Federation Self-Registering New User

Click on the "Sign Up!" link on the bottom of the i2b2 Login dialog. A "Sign Up" modal will pop up containing a button to redirect you to your Identity Provider (IdP) for logging in:

Click the button to redirect to your IdP and sign in to your IdP:

For an example:

Once you are logged in, you will be redirected back to the i2b2 user registration page containing the terms-and-conditions. Carefully read the terms-and-conditions, click on the checkbox "I accept the Terms & Conditions", and click on the button "Sign Up" to register.

Once registered, the page will redirected back to the main (login) page with a confirmation alert:

Note that the new user cannot sign in immediately after self-registering. An administrator has to add the new user to a project and add the project roles to the new user. Below is the error shown if the new user attempts to log in immediately after registering:

Changing the Terms and Conditions

The content of the "Terms & Conditions" box in the registration tool can be changed by modifying the file /var/www/html/webclient/i2b2-js/i2b2_ui_config.js

Edit the termsCondition parameter:

i2b2.UI.cfg = {
    ...
    termsCondition: "Terms & Conditions\n\nDo not talk about i2b2. It is a secret."
};
...

Adding New User to a Project

In the admin tool, you will see the new self-registered user. Follow the admin tool instructions to add that user to a project.

(The author's original version of this document is at: https://github.com/kvb2univpitt/i2b2-saml-demo/tree/main/doc/user_registration)