Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/authentication-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/authentication-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.114.2.20 -r1.114.2.21
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/authentication-procs.tcl	30 Mar 2021 15:58:01 -0000	1.114.2.20
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/authentication-procs.tcl	8 Apr 2021 15:52:08 -0000	1.114.2.21
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@
     array set result {auth_status "n/a" auth_message "" account_status "n/a" account_message ""}
 
     ad_try {
-        array set result [auth::authentication::Authenticate \
+        array set result [auth::authentication::authenticate \
                               -username $username \
                               -authority_id $authority_id \
                               -password $password]
@@ -1804,7 +1804,7 @@
 #
 #####
 
-ad_proc -private auth::authentication::Authenticate {
+ad_proc -private auth::authentication::authenticate {
     {-authority_id:required}
     {-username:required}
     {-password:required}
@@ -1850,6 +1850,23 @@
     }
 }
 
+ad_proc -deprecated auth::authentication::Authenticate args {
+    Invoke the Authenticate service contract operation for the given authority.
+
+    DEPRECATED: this used to be a private api, however, it could be
+    made public, as it calls only public api itself and provides some
+    convenience. Unfortunately, it has been named in camelcase, so we
+    have to create a new alias and deprecate this one.
+
+    @see auth::authentication::authenticate
+
+    @param authority_id The ID of the authority to ask to verify the user.
+    @param username Username of the user.
+    @param password The password as the user entered it.
+} {
+    return [auth::authentication::authenticate {*}$args]
+}
+
 #####
 #
 # auth::registration
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/test/acs-authentication-procs.tcl
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/test/acs-authentication-procs.tcl,v
diff -u -N -r1.53.2.18 -r1.53.2.19
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/test/acs-authentication-procs.tcl	2 Mar 2021 10:32:04 -0000	1.53.2.18
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-authentication/tcl/test/acs-authentication-procs.tcl	8 Apr 2021 15:52:08 -0000	1.53.2.19
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@
         acs_user::delete
         acs_user::get
         acs_user::get_by_username
-        auth::authentication::Authenticate
+        auth::authentication::authenticate
         auth::authority::local
         auth::create_user
         auth::password::reset
@@ -643,14 +643,14 @@
             aa_true "Result contains new password" [info exists reset_result(password)]
 
             if { [info exists reset_result(password)] } {
-                array set auth_result [auth::authentication::Authenticate \
+                array set auth_result [auth::authentication::authenticate \
                                            -username $test_user(username) \
                                            -authority_id $test_user(authority_id) \
                                            -password $reset_result(password)]
                 aa_equals "can authenticate with new password" $auth_result(auth_status) "ok"
 
                 array unset auth_result
-                array set auth_result [auth::authentication::Authenticate \
+                array set auth_result [auth::authentication::authenticate \
                                            -username $test_user(username) \
                                            -authority_id $test_user(authority_id) \
                                            -password $test_user(password)]
Index: openacs-4/packages/acs-core-docs/www/xml/kernel/ext-auth-design.xml
===================================================================
RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/openacs-4/packages/acs-core-docs/www/xml/kernel/ext-auth-design.xml,v
diff -u -N -r1.13.2.6 -r1.13.2.7
--- openacs-4/packages/acs-core-docs/www/xml/kernel/ext-auth-design.xml	6 Aug 2020 13:23:35 -0000	1.13.2.6
+++ openacs-4/packages/acs-core-docs/www/xml/kernel/ext-auth-design.xml	8 Apr 2021 15:52:08 -0000	1.13.2.7
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@
 </title>
         <literal>auth::authenticate
 </literal> calls
-        <literal>auth::authentication::Authenticate
+        <literal>auth::authentication::authenticate
 </literal> which invokes
         the service contract implementation for the authority. Returns:
         <itemizedlist>
@@ -1028,7 +1028,10 @@
         <title>Internal Design
 </title>
         <programlisting>
-ad_proc -private auth::authentication::Authenticate {
+# Note that this listing is just presented as an example and might not
+# reflect the current status of the source code, please refer to the
+# api-doc for the current version of this proc.
+ad_proc -private auth::authentication::authenticate {
     {-authority_id ""}
     {-username:required}
     {-password:required}