Disable users from Confluence database

[DevOps]

Hello, 

I want to disable the users that haven't logged lately in Confluence from the Database. Since there are too many users that I have to disable, I was looking to disabled them from the database.  I saw that the ACTIVE column from CWD_USER table is set to "F" if the user is inactive and with "T" if the user is active.  

I set  ACTIVE  to "F" but when I've checked in Confluence, the users are not disabled. 

Can you please explain what represent ACTIVE column from CWD_USER table and how can I disabled the users from the database?

Thank you

[Chip Smith]

David,

What was the command line string that you used from the mysql prompt to do this? I am running into the same issue that you have, perhaps this is still fresh on your mind or you have documentation for it. 

Thank you for you help.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Do not make changes to an Atlassian application's database.  You need to know exactly what you are doing (depending on the version, you've started in the right place, but I suspect, missed things), and you should always have the system offline, and backed-up with a proven restoration before you attempt it.

You might want to try a restart, but I suspect you really want to undo what you've done and then de-activate the users properly, through the UI.

[DevOps]

Hi Nic, 

Thank you for your answer. 

I have created a Confuence test instance and I've attached a copy of the production database .  At the moment I'm testing this in a separate instance than production where I have the same configuration and a copy of the production database. 

I have to deactivate more than 200 users and deactivating them one by one from UI it's not an option  

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Good, I was hoping you were in test.

I've said "use the UI", but what I really mean is "use the API" - your database approach is poor and broken (there really should be a banner across every Atlassian site saying "don't touch the database"), but the UI sits on top of an API which is safe to use.  The API is also accessible via plugins and REST calls from external systems.  This is the sort of thing I'd be scripting.

[DevOps]

Thank you, but after I've restarted Confluence all the changes that I did on the database had effect. All the user with ACTIVE set on "F"  are now disabled in the Confluence UI. I'll keep in mind the option with API in order to avoid database changes.

Thank you for your help.

[Ann Kristin]

But is there any way to disable or deactivate users from REST or SOAP-API for Confluence? 
For Jira it can be done with REST, but it seems to me that Confluence don't offer this solution... (https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFSERVER-54928)