Can you extend HttpContext.Current.User.Identity properties

Question

Is there a way to override HttpContext.Current.User.Identity to add another property (screen name)?

My application uses Identity and I've left the unique identity as email. I store user data such as first / last name in a separate "Profile" table. Is there a way to store this information somewhere within HttpContext.Current?

It doesn't necessarily need to be within User. I have had a search and noticed there's a HttpContext.Current.ProfileBase. Not sure how to use it though - and I really don't want all the excess stuff that base comes with.

Implicative

As I understand you have different table with additional user data. And you want fetch current user's data. Am I right? Are you using Entity Framework? And way you prefer to store those data to another table? – Ecumenicist

User is really just an IPrincipal and Identity is just IIdentity. You can easily create your own implementation of User with it's own implementation of Identity. They just need to adhere to the interfaces. – Hoarse

Since you're using Asp.Net Identity, the way to do with is with Claims. See my answer posted below. – Recrudescence

Thanks, I am testing the answers tonight and will accept one then – Implicative

Answer 1

If you are using Asp.Net Identity, then this is very easy to do with claims.

In your SignInAsync method (or, wherever you are creating the claims identity), add the GivenName and Surname claim types:

private async Task SignInAsync(ApplicationUser user, bool isPersistent)
{
    AuthenticationManager.SignOut(DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ExternalCookie);

    var identity = await UserManager.CreateIdentityAsync(user, DefaultAuthenticationTypes.ApplicationCookie);

    // Add the users primary identity details to the set of claims.
    var your_profile = GetFromYourProfileTable();

    identity.AddClaim(new Claim(ClaimTypes.GivenName, your_profile == null ? string.Empty : your_profile.FirstName));
    identity.AddClaim(new Claim(ClaimTypes.Surname, your_profile == null ? string.Empty : your_profile.LastName));

    AuthenticationManager.SignIn(new AuthenticationProperties() { IsPersistent = isPersistent }, identity);
}

You then use an extension method to IIdentity to pull the information out of the claims identity:

public static ProfileName GetIdentityName(this IIdentity identity)
{
    if (identity == null)
        return null;

    var first = (identity as ClaimsIdentity).FirstOrNull(ClaimTypes.GivenName),
    var last = (identity as ClaimsIdentity).FirstOrNull(ClaimTypes.Surname)

    return string.Format("{0} {1}", first, last).Trim();
}

internal static string FirstOrNull(this ClaimsIdentity identity, string claimType)
{
    var val = identity.FindFirst(claimType);

    return val == null ? null : val.Value;
}

Then, in your application (in your controller or view), you can just do:

var name = User.Identity.GetIdentityName();

Recrudescence

Is it possible to override the Name property? – Holms

@ErwinRooijakkers the Name property of what? Can you give some more detail? – Recrudescence

The HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name. Also see this question I asked. – Holms

Answer 2

You can put value in HttpContext.Current.Items. It is dictionary which lifetime is single request.

You can use it like this:

public static string CurrentScreenName
{
    get
    {
        string screenName = (string)HttpContext.Current.Items["CurrentScreenName"];

        if (string.NullOrEmpty(screenName))
        {
             screenName = ResolveScreenName();
             HttpContext.Current.Items["CurrentScreenName"] = screenName;
        }
        return screenName;
    }
}

It will execute ResolveScreenName() only once for single request.

Also you can make extension method to access screen name from IIdentity

public static class Extensions
{
    public static string GetScreenName(this IIdentity identity)
    {
        return CurrentScreenName;
    }
}

And then use it like this:

string screenName = HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.GetScreenName();

Oilcloth

Answer 3

Absolutely! You need to create your own type that implements from IPrincipal, and take over security yourself. You can authenticate the user in an OWIN step, manually setting context.Request.User.

Flitter

Answer 4

I found one implementation:

var profile = db.UserProfile.Where(u => u.UserId == user.Id).FirstOrDefault();
ProfileBase httpProfile = ProfileBase.Create(user.UserName);
httpProfile.SetPropertyValue("FullName", profile.FullName);
httpProfile.SetPropertyValue("FirstName", profile.FirstName);
httpProfile.SetPropertyValue("LastName", profile.LastName);

Then to get later...

ProfileBase userProfile = ProfileBase.Create(HttpContext.User.Identity.Name);
var fullName = userProfile.GetPropertyValue("FullName"));

Implicative