Error: New Gallery users' names show null values when using Integrated Windows Authentication

[KenL]

Error: New Gallery users' names show null values when using Integrated Windows Authentication

 

Environment Details 

When a new user signs in to Private Gallery configured with Integrated Windows Authentication, some sections of the Gallery UI are not visible. Additionally, in Gallery, nulls will appear in their names. When the new user signs in for the first time, the Gallery log would show an error message like below:

2021-10-18 05:24:04.512168,ERROR,107,ErrorHandler,HandleError,,,,,,,,,,Exception caught by ErrorHandler and marshaled to client,"Alteryx.Server.Common.Exceptions.BadRequestException: First name cannot be null or empty.->   ..."

  

Other Symptoms 

• The user's My Profile page is empty
• If the user is a Gallery Admin, the Admin interface is missing tabs on the left

 

Pre-requisites 

• Alteryx Server
  • All Versions
• Private Gallery configured with Integrated Windows Authentication

Cause

 

There are null values in some user attributes in the Windows Active Directory, specifically the following attributes:

• givenName - The given name (first name) of the user.
• sn / Surname - The user's surname (family name or last name).

Resolution

 

1. For each affected user, go into the Windows Active Directory to edit the givenName and sn / Surname attributes such that they have proper, non-null values. You may have to contact the Windows Active Directory Admin for assistance.

Additional Resources

• How to Identify and Fix Null/Incorrect values in Users collection - MongoDB
• Active Directory Domain Services - User Address Book Attributes