New User Attributes

[baden100]

I've setup a custom user datastore that makes use of the .Net 2.0 Login controls. Sure it's quick for user signups, but what about if you want to record more user attributes, such as address, phone number, and maybe some unconventional fields?

In my case, I've setup a separate user database, and a different application-specific db for each website (much like how Passport works).

Really, all we care about for each site is if the user has been authenticated and which role they fall under.

Now if we want to record additional attributes, would it be recommended NOT to use the membership tables created in the user db store, that is, to insert additional fields to the existing user tables? If we want the same profile info available through all our applications I could add an additional user attributes table instead of adding fields to the existing ones. Is this recommended?

Is there a "pattern" or best practice for this?


Thanks.

 

[jbenson001]

I personally would not mess with the membership tables only because you don't know what effect that might have. There could be triggers, etc that may depend on the current table structure. I would just create a table and store the extra info needed. You can still use the login controls, you can add your own controls to it in an item template of the create user control. Then once they log in and are authenticated, you can trap the additional info and save it into your table(s).

Jim