How to create a Notes ID from Scratch

To do this you need access to the Notes Administrator Client software and your organizational Cert files.

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If a client starts the Lotus Notes software with out an ID created for them the client software will create self certified ID for them, without a password that expires in 2 years.

To make one, here is what I did...

Setup - The easy way

I started with a multi-user install of Notes 8.5 and delete the Lotus dir in %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data.

Setup - The slightly harder way

Or, if using the single client install of Notes 8.5, Delete the following from the %ProgramFiles%\IBM\Lotus\Notes\Data directory...

• User.id
• Desktop8.ndk
• Names.nsf
• Bookmark.nsf
• Notes.ini

Work

 

Start Notes

Fill in the Client Configuration dialog

• User Name: Use a fictitious name. I used 'A User'.
• Domino server: Leave blank
• I want to connect to a Domino server: unchecked
• Click Finish

This creates a default set of Notes files in the data dir. (Multi-client: %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Lotus\Notes\Data. Single client %ProgramFiles%\IBM\Lotus\Notes\Data)

• User.id (A User/A User)
• a blank Desktop8.ndk
• a blank Names.nsf
• a blank Bookmark.nsf
• a minimal Notes.ini

All of which can be used to baseline a client in many broken states. I keep an off-line copy of these files to fix fix this and other client problems.

If you don't open the bookmark file, the profile doc will not be created. If you do open it with the A User id, then the profile doc will list A User as the owner. This manifest itself when the client opens the address book and sees 'A User - Contacts' as the title of the address book tab in the Notes client and at the top of the address book navigator.

You have finished creating a scratch ID file!  (read on though to finish making a usable ID)

The User.id file that is created is useful for creating  a client id file after the Person Registration process. The Person Registration process add a Person doc to the public address book, creates a mail file (typically), and creates an ID file. Typically the ID file has a minimum password configuration and as a result organizations set a default password. When the creator fat fingers the password the initial ID can be useless. At this point the scratch ID has a place.

Take a copy of the scratch ID and rename it to match the Common Name of the client as listed in their person doc in the public address book.

1. Start the Notes Administrator Client...
2. Select Server: local
3. Go to Configuration Tab > Tools > ID Properties... > Your Identity > Your Names >  Names Changes...
4. In the notes Name Changes click on Advanced Options...
5. Click the Obsolescent Name Change... button.

6. In the Change User Name dialog type in the new name to match the Common Name of the client as listed in their person doc in the public address book. For example 'Lesley Phillips'.
7. Click OK.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Close. The name should now only be 'Lesley Phillips/', changed from 'A User/A User'.
10. Click Close.

Now re-certify the ID to match the certifier listed in the client's person doc in the public address book.

1. Start the Notes Administrator Client...
2. Select Server: local
3. Go to Configuration Tab > Tools > Certify...
4. Change the server to your certifier server
5. Change the certifier ID to the needed certifier (I'm using MyCompany.id which is the cretifier for O=MyCompany)
6. If you cretifier is password protected, you will need to type it in here and click OK.
7. In the Choose ID File to Certify pick user.id and click Open.
8. In Error Accessing Directory Entry dialog, this is ok., click Yes
9. In the Certify ID dialog, change the options to fit your organization, and click the Certify button.
10. In the Domino Administrator dialog, click No to finish, or Yes to do another one.

You're done!