# Can't import com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.authentication

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/cant-import-com-inductiveautomation-ignition-gateway-authentication/113459>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** scripting\
**Created:** [January 21, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/cant-import-com-inductiveautomation-ignition-gateway-authentication/113459 "2026-01-21T19:18:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pico\_Sankari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pico\_Sankari](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Pico_Sankari)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/cant-import-com-inductiveautomation-ignition-gateway-authentication/113459/1 "2026-01-21T19:18:48Z")

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I want to use LDAP in a script. I’m trying the line:

from com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.authentication.impl import LDAPHelper

This is mentioned in other threads, but when I run a script from the script console with it I get the error: ImportError: No module named authentication.

Do I need to run it in another scope?

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**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/cant-import-com-inductiveautomation-ignition-gateway-authentication/113459/2 "2026-01-21T19:26:04Z")

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> [@Pico\_Sankari](#):
>
> Do I need to run it in another scope?

Yes. The `com.inductiveautomation.ignition.gateway.` in the path is a clue that the class only exists in gateway scope. The script console runs on the local designer process, with a different set of dependencies.

The other question to raise is "what are you actually trying to do" - the LDAPHelper class is an internal implementation detail (subject to change between Ignition versions) and not subject to the same stability guarantees as proper `system` functions and first party features.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pico\_Sankari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pico\_Sankari](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Pico_Sankari)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/cant-import-com-inductiveautomation-ignition-gateway-authentication/113459/3 "2026-01-21T20:01:05Z")

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Thanks! I was trying use LDAPHelper to get emails based on first and last name. I found that we already had a user source based on our AD and can use that instead.