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carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 09:38 AM

Odd request, but I need to enable "Fast User Switching" but actually disable/remove the option "Login Window".

Here at the College last year we had in the image "Fast User Switching" enabled as a quick way to see the username of the student logged in but turned into a mistake as for some stupid reason, students decided to use that menu to logout to the Login Screen. We would get calls that some of the Mac's were not working or a certain application would not respond to find out that it was because there were 15+ users still logged in and their session still running because rather than logging out, they just selected go to "Login Window".

I wanted to just remove this from the image so we do not run into this issue this year but too much feedback from instructors that they want to see who is logged in. No idea why they just can't look at the person sitting at the computer but this is what they want.

Is there a way to edit the dropdown menu and remove "Login Window"? This would solve our issue.

I had a look at \System\Library\CoreServices\Menu Extras\User.menu but had no luck getting what I wanted.

Anyone else have an idea.
Thanks,

ibook_steve · Jul 13, 2009, 01:47 PM

It sounds like you should not be using Fast User Switching. If FUS is turned off, that will require each person to log out when they're done.

Steve

carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 01:49 PM

This is what I want but too many instructors insist that they need it so just trying to figure out how I can just remove the item in the menu if at all possible.

CharlesS · Jul 13, 2009, 03:19 PM

You can't. The best you can do is either turn off FUS, or leave instructions on the desktop picture instructing people to log out using the Apple menu.

carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 03:24 PM

Thanks,
Perhaps what I will do is tell them all, if users can not logout properly and too many continue to use "Login Window" over logging out, will just remove the FUS from the menu with WGM.

slugslugslug · Jul 13, 2009, 04:41 PM

Building on what CharlesS said, you can probably also make a logout App or AppleScript. Give it a bright colored icon to stand out against a dull desktop and call it "DOUBLE-CLICK ME TO LOGOUT" or something similarly strident. I think I've seen something to this effect done at Duke computer labs.

carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

Building on what CharlesS said, you can probably also make a logout App or AppleScript. Give it a bright colored icon to stand out against a dull desktop and call it "DOUBLE-CLICK ME TO LOGOUT" or something similarly strident. I think I've seen something to this effect done at Duke computer labs.

lol, they all have nice 20" iMac's, maybe I'll put a big ass icon half the size of the screen in red that says "Click Here To LogOut !!!!!!!!"

Maybe they will get the point

turtle777 · Jul 13, 2009, 04:49 PM

What about the "Log out after X minutes of inactivity" setting in the security tab ?

Couldn't that be set for each user ?

-t

carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 04:51 PM

It is but the issue is that for some reason users find their name at the top right and then figure that's the logout option to logout. Eitherway, will see how it goes, and it it's like last year and find a bunch of users logged in I will remove it with WGM.

turtle777 · Jul 13, 2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by carterx

It is but the issue is that for some reason users find their name at the top right and then figure that's the logout option to logout.

I don't understand the problem yet. I thought you wanted to prvent people from being logged in although they have long since left.

because there were 15+ users still logged in and their session still running because rather than logging out, they just selected go to "Login Window".

Why would the "Log out after X minutes of inactivity" setting not help to remedy that ?

-t

carterx · Jul 13, 2009, 05:02 PM

When users are done on a machine we want them to log off, if they forget the machine will auto logout after a set time. Ths issue is that where we have FUS turned on some users tend to use the option "Login Window" from the FUS menu. This does not log them out, it just take them to the login window and keeps them logged in. I have seen a computer with upwards of 15+users logged in after it was on for a few days. I will have then auto reboot over night but would still like to get rid of the option to use "login Window" from the FUS menu and have them logout properly.

Our labs are not so much the issue as the instructors tell the new students how it all works if not familiar with a Mac, but our commons area in the library have 72+ computers which about half are Mac. New users that are not familiar and want to try a Mac don't all know how to logout. They play around most of the time. We also do not want to get into putting notes on the Mac's on how to logout. We have enough of that.

turtle777 · Jul 13, 2009, 05:04 PM

Oh. so you're saying that accounts that are logged in but not currently active DO NOT get logged out after the preset time ?

Sounds like a bug in the OS to me.

-t

ibook_steve · Jul 13, 2009, 07:45 PM

It's not a bug. Logging out after a set number of minutes implies that you are at the desktop and you've stopped working. Then the account logs out automatically in the same way a screensaver kicks in after a certain amount of time. If people are going to the login window, they are basically exiting their account without logging out of the machine. Since they are no longer "in" their account, the auto logout timer can't do anything.

Maybe it should work that way, or maybe there should be an option to enable or disable the "Login Window" option.

Steve

turtle777 · Jul 14, 2009, 07:46 AM

Well, obviously, people who are exiting from their account by logging into a different account have de facto stopped working. I don't see how the security setting should NOT apply. It just doesn't make sense.

Basically, the setting works like this:
If you sit in front of your computer, but haven't touched the mouse or keyboard in X minutes, you have stopped working.
However, if have you logged into a different account, which makes it impossible to keep working in your previously logged in account, you for sure have NOT STOPPED working in your previously logged in account.

Doesn't make any darn sense.

-t

Big Mac · Jul 14, 2009, 08:09 AM

It does sound like the OP should just disable FUS.

msuper69 · Jul 14, 2009, 09:46 AM

This is an inappropriate use of FUS.

One user at a time is the way to prevent this problem.

If a college student can't handle logging in/out of a lab computer this doesn't bode well for their future endeavors in college and later in life.

turtle777 · Jul 14, 2009, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by carterx

I wanted to just remove this from the image so we do not run into this issue this year but too much feedback from instructors that they want to see who is logged in. No idea why they just can't look at the person sitting at the computer but this is what they want.

How do they want "to see who's logged in" ?
Are they using Apple Remote Desktop ?
Why doesn't that work if FUD is deactivated ?

-t

Simon · Jul 14, 2009, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Why doesn't that work if FUD is deactivated ?

Freudian slip?

turtle777 · Jul 14, 2009, 10:19 AM

Yes

-t

shifuimam · Jul 14, 2009, 12:52 PM

What about writing an app that just displays the logged-in user's name in the menu bar?

Big Mac · Jul 14, 2009, 01:13 PM

If the OP wants to have FUS on but only have one user logged in at a time, he can command-drag the FUS menu out of the menu bar. Then the only easy way to get to the Login Window would be to logout. Maybe that's what the OP is asking for.

turtle777 · Jul 14, 2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

If the OP wants to have FUS on but only have one user logged in at a time, he can command-drag the FUS menu out of the menu bar. Then the only easy way to get to the Login Window would be to logout. Maybe that's what the OP is asking for.

And how's that different from deactivating FUS ?

I still don't understand the "see who's logged in" part

-t

CharlesS · Jul 14, 2009, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

What about writing an app that just displays the logged-in user's name in the menu bar?

Since I'm such a nice guy, I just did that for you:

http://www.charlessoft.com/IdentityCrisis.zip

carterx · Aug 8, 2009, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Since I'm such a nice guy, I just did that for you:

http://www.charlessoft.com/IdentityCrisis.zip

Sorry, thought I posted a thanks for this ....... Thanks again Charles