Using PHP scripts to authenticate - "unique_name_from_itunes" ???

Question

We are attempting to use the PHP scripts (version 1.1) designed by Aaron Axelsen of University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (http://omega1.uww.edu/itunesu) to help facilitate authentication to iTunes U. We're bouncing credentials off our AD via PHP and LDAP, and once the user is authenticated, we're attempting to authorize them with the appropriate level of permission to iTunes U. To start off we're keeping it really simple. We have three levels: admin, instructor, and student. The administrative login works, but when we attempt to authorize a student or instructor, it appears to work but then brings the student to a blank iTune Store page. It does not recognize the identity string. Here's the debug output:
Analysis
+The destination string is valid and the corresponding destination item was found.+
+The identity string is valid and provides the following information:+
+Display Name Training Test01+
+Email Address [email protected]+
+Username testt+
+User Identifier userid+
+The credential string is valid but contains no known credentials.+
+The credential string contains the following credential which is not used within iTunes U:+
+1. Student@urn:mace:itunesu.com:sites:centenarycollege.edu:uniquename_fromitunes+
At the end of the Student credential string there it says "uniquename_fromitunes" - what is suppose to be there and where/how do I obtain that data string?
I have emailed the developer of these scripts and am awaiting his reply, but was hoping someone here might be able to help. Any help would be extremely appreciated. I'm befuddled at the moment and suspect the answer is a simple one.
Regards,
John

Answer 1

It's been a while since I mucked around with credentials, and I'm doing this via Perl rather than PHP, but the principle is the same. To give students site-level browse capability within iTunes U, I've created a credential called "Student@urn:mace:lafayette.edu" and given it download rights within iTunes. When I connect a student to iTunes U, they're given that credential by default. I have similar credentials for Faculty and College (college being everyone who isn't a student or faculty member).
If memory serves, iTunes U should automatically assign someone the "authenticated" role when they connect via your connection script, so if you setup content to be downloadable by "authenticated", then that should allow your students (and anyone else who properly authenticates) into the site. That allows for a quick and dirty separation of public vs. college content without mucking around with specific faculty/student/staff roles. If you want to go further, and restrict access to specific sections our courses, then you'll definitely want those sorts of focused roles, and make use of the ${IDENTIFIER} technique described in the access control documentation.
Ken Newquist
Lafayette College