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Magicite · 10:03 PM

I've looked elsewhere for an answer to this, but I've come up empty handed . . .

Here's what I want to do. I want, after a specified period of time, to be "kicked" to the login screen. Not logged out, mind you, like the security control panel offers; just taken to the login screen (with fast user switching enabled, of course). I live in a dorm, so fast user switching is a good thing. Anyways, people are lazy / unfamiliar with my machine, so they just use my account. "Forcing" them to use the guest account by seeing the login screen would be really nice.

Perhaps there's a screensaver out there that does this (or hidden OS X preference)? I swear I saw something that did this recenty . . .

phantomo · Apr 30, 2005, 11:38 PM

Magicite, look under System Preferences / Security / "Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver"

Magicite · May 1, 2005, 01:48 AM

No, that's not the same. That's what I do now, and people just ask me for my password (apparently they don't see the "login window" option). I want it to go straight to the login screen without logging me out.

charlespsu · May 1, 2005, 11:30 AM

It's almost like xp; when you return from a screensaver, you have to log in as it shows all of the users.

mdc · May 1, 2005, 11:42 AM

the only thing i could think of is to put the fast user switching icon in your menu bar and then choose "login window" from it before you stop using your mac.

i am not sure how to make it automatically go there after a set time (or screensaver)

bborofka · May 1, 2005, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Magicite

No, that's not the same. That's what I do now, and people just ask me for my password (apparently they don't see the "login window" option). I want it to go straight to the login screen without logging me out.

Can't you tell your friends to just hit the "Switch User..." button in that window?

Mithras · May 1, 2005, 07:18 PM

Ciao is a free, 29kb screensaver that can log out or fast-switch to the login panel.

Magicite · May 2, 2005, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by bborofka

Can't you tell your friends to just hit the "Switch User..." button in that window?

You'd think that'd work, but then they'd just get annoyed and ask for my password. "It's faster to just have you type in your password!"

Lazy bums.

Magicite · May 2, 2005, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by Mithras

Ciao is a free, 29kb screensaver that can log out or fast-switch to the login panel.

Exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks much!

Randman · May 2, 2005, 04:21 AM

Winswitch will also do it. Never heard of the other app but Winswitch (developer's name has Win in it, not M$-related).
Very easy to use, configurable in the menu bar and works just fine (and free) in Panther and Tiger.

Magicite · May 2, 2005, 08:56 PM

Ruh-roh, Ciao has a problem. After going to the login screen (which it does wonderfully well), for some reason the display won't shut off (I have it set to go off after 5 minutes).

I'll check out WinSwitch, but if that doesn't pan out, does anyone else have any ideas?

(running tiger, btw)

Mithras · May 2, 2005, 09:04 PM

Hmm, funny.
Another idea is ScriptSaver, in conjunction with a one-line Applescript:

Code:
 do shell script "/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu\\ Extras/User.menu/Contents/Resources/CGSession -suspend"