Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/LoginRequestServlet.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r8fe3adcab07a1cc7fbc4fbaa0e9517a224055ec7 -r8bdb10721522d226ef15e50da80916d2494a961d
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/LoginRequestServlet.java	(.../LoginRequestServlet.java)	(revision 8fe3adcab07a1cc7fbc4fbaa0e9517a224055ec7)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/LoginRequestServlet.java	(.../LoginRequestServlet.java)	(revision 8bdb10721522d226ef15e50da80916d2494a961d)
@@ -109,20 +109,15 @@
 		String countryIsoCode = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_COUNTRY);
 		String langIsoCode = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_LANGUAGE);
 
-		String firstName = "";
-		String lastName = "";
-		String email = "";
+	
 		
-		try{
-			firstName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_FIRST_NAME);
-			lastName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_LAST_NAME);
-			email = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_EMAIL);
-		} catch (NullPointerException e)
-		{
-			log.info("Not using implicit logon");
-		}
 		
+		String firstName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_FIRST_NAME);
+		String lastName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_LAST_NAME);
+		String email = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_EMAIL);
+	
 		
+		
 		if (extUsername == null || method == null || serverId == null || timestamp == null
 				|| hash == null || extCourseId == null) {
 			response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_BAD_REQUEST,
@@ -134,7 +129,7 @@
 		try {
 			ExtUserUseridMap userMap = null;
 			
-			if (firstName.equals("") && lastName.equals(""))
+			if (firstName==null && lastName==null)
 			{
 				userMap = getService().getExtUserUseridMap(serverMap, extUsername);
 			}
Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/xml/LearningDesignRepositoryServlet.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r8fe3adcab07a1cc7fbc4fbaa0e9517a224055ec7 -r8bdb10721522d226ef15e50da80916d2494a961d
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/xml/LearningDesignRepositoryServlet.java	(.../LearningDesignRepositoryServlet.java)	(revision 8fe3adcab07a1cc7fbc4fbaa0e9517a224055ec7)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/xml/LearningDesignRepositoryServlet.java	(.../LearningDesignRepositoryServlet.java)	(revision 8bdb10721522d226ef15e50da80916d2494a961d)
@@ -282,20 +282,11 @@
 			String lang 		= request.getParameter(CentralConstants.PARAM_LANG);
 			String modeStr 		= request.getParameter(CentralConstants.PARAM_MODE);
 
-			String firstName = "";
-			String lastName = "";
-			String email = "";
 			
-			try{
-				firstName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_FIRST_NAME);
-				lastName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_LAST_NAME);
-				email  = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_EMAIL);
-			} catch (NullPointerException e)
-			{
-			}
-			
-			
-			
+			String firstName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_FIRST_NAME);
+			String lastName = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_LAST_NAME);
+			String email = request.getParameter(LoginRequestDispatcher.PARAM_EMAIL);
+
 			if (serverId == null || datetime == null || hashValue == null
 					|| username == null || courseId == null || country == null
 					|| lang == null || modeStr == null) {
@@ -318,7 +309,7 @@
 			// get user map, user is created if this is their first use
 	
 			ExtUserUseridMap userMap = null;
-			if (firstName.equals("") && lastName.equals(""))
+			if (firstName==null && lastName==null)
 			{
 				userMap = integrationService.getExtUserUseridMap(serverMap, username);
 			}