Name Mismatch

As we've said, the ID numbers of users on Manhattan must be unique. That is, no two people can have the same ID number. But suppose there's already a user with the following information:

ID number:   X34322
Username:    ae4322
Name:        Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein has his account because at one time in the past, you added him to a course either as a teacher or a student. Now you're about to create a new course and have prepared the following roster text file:

BSK 101 01
Intro to Basket Weaving
Fall 2003
Prof. Johnson
X34322   Michael Johnson  <--- has Albert Einstein's ID number
123432   Johnny Student
234232   Laurie Learner

The problem is that a person in the roster file, Michael Johnson, has the same ID number as Albert Einstein. (Somewhere you've got a problem with your data!) When you create a course using the above file, you'll get these results:

The "Name Mismatch" warning in the red-colored row warns you that the ID number supplied in your roster file belongs to an existing user, and that user's full name according to Manhattan's records doesn't exactly match the name found in your roster file. The course was created, but it is taught by the existing user with username ae4322, Albert Einstein, and not by Michael Johnson.

In the example we used, there clearly is a cause for concern, since your roster file says that Michael Johnson has the ID number X34322, and not Albert Einstein. However note that a "Name Mismatch" can also be more benign. Suppose for example the teacher was listed as "Al Einstein" in your roster file. In this case, the "Name Mismatch" is simply alerting you to the fact that "Al Einstein" and "Albert Einstein" appear to be different names, although in reality they are most certainly the same person.