Screen Saver setting for multiple users and machines

Question

Screen Saver setting for multiple users and machines

I need help... I need to be able to control (set) the Screen Saver settings on all of our Macs so that they are the same. Each Mac has multiple users who may log into that machine.

So far, it looks like these settings reside in the User/Library/Preferences/ByHost and are unique to each machine. In other words I can't use the ByHost folder from one machine and have it control the Screen Saver correctly on another.

Any ideas on how I can accomplish this would be MUCH appreciated! All I need to do is display the same .jpg image from the Pictures folder.

I'm even open to a stand-alone app that will let me do this. Thanks again!

G5, Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Feb 7, 2006 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Feb 7, 2006 3:23 PM in response to Bruce Carillon1

Hi, Bruce.

Sounds like a school lab. Am I correct?

1. Mac OS X isn't designed for this. The settings are actually at the user account level: every user on a given Mac can specify their own screen saver, with the settings saved in the

/Users/user_account/Library/Preferences/ByHost

folder. So, you cannot even enforce this at the Mac-level unless:

1. You log into each account on every Mac.

2. Set the screen saver the same.

3. Enable Parental Controls on each account, preventing the accounts from making changes via System Preferences.

2. As to if a third-party app exists to do this, I don't know. Try searching MacUpdate or Version Tracker.

3. You wrote:

" All I need to do is display the same .jpg image from the Pictures folder."

Using only one image sort of defeats the purpose of using a screen saver: you risk burning in that image.

What I suggest as an alternative is to use the Admin account on each Mac to set the Display Sleep inactivity period to the same value. Only an Admin user can change that setting. Set it short enough and you can avoid burn-in without having to resort to screen savers.

The Display Sleep preferences are saved in the file:

com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

in /Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration. Accordingly, this setting applies at the system (entire Mac, all accounts) level.

Whether setting that up on one Mac and copying that file to others will work, I can't say as I've not tried it. If memory serves, there are some invisible .Global preferences files that also derive settings from this file.

One also has to be sure that if copying this file from one Mac to another, the preferences for it are set correctly on the Mac receiving the copy. One can check the preferences of the file on the Mac to which the common file will be copied, and then set the preferences the same after the common file is copied over.

Given all the steps required to copy this file to different Macs, it may simply be easier to set Display Sleep the same on each Mac via System Preferences. 🙂

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 2

Feb 8, 2006 8:16 AM in response to Dr. Smoke

Dr. Smoke... thanks so much for the reply!

Actually I administer close to 100 Macs at a newspaper. Part of our Co-Worker communication initiative uses the wallpaper settings on our PCs which is handled through our AD policies and our screen savers on our Macs. We use this to alert Co-Workers to various things throughout the year.

Prior to migrating our Macs to OSX, we used MacAdministrator to handle a common screen saver settings and when it would kick in after 1 hour of inactivity, it would float a .pct file image around the display which wouldn't cause burn in. I can accomplish almost the same thing by using the picture slide show setting with only one image in the pictures folder.by selecting cross fade and zoom back and forth.

Based on what you said, it sounds like the Parental Controls settings would work and anytime I needed to change the .jpg I could just copy it to all machines with ARD.

However, there is a problem. All of my users login and validate their login through our Active Directory network. It appears Parental Controls cannot be set for inister or network accounts. Arghh!

Your thoughts please, thanks!

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Answer 3

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Feb 8, 2006 8:24 AM in response to Bruce Carillon1

Since you have ARD, perhaps you can simply enforce the screen saver setting at the account level with ARD. That would be a question for the ARD Discussion.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 4

Feb 8, 2006 8:30 AM in response to Dr. Smoke

Thanks, I'll check with the ARD group and see what they may have to offer.

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