is there a way to display a message on a system with no console user?

[Eyoung]

Does anyone know of a way to send and display a message on a system sitting at its logon screen? the scenario is a fairly spread out community of networked users on a wonky file server (yaaaay AFP). I would love the ability to quickly disseminate the fact that the server is again available to log in via a nice

thanks

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones. - Bertrand Russell

Eric Young
eyoung1 at mac.com

[Bukira]

Hmmm never tried bit growl might ?

Can't test now as im finished for the day

Criss Myers

[Bukira]

Forget that, growl has to be running and runs after a user logs in

Criss Myers

[rmanly]

iHook does this. You can look at Larkin's thread from a few days re:
ideas for things to try implementing in his new build for info.

Ryan M. Manly
Glenbrook High Schools

[rmanly]

This was linked somewhere in that thread I believe but here it is anyway.

Ryan M. Manly
Glenbrook High Schools

[#6]

I believe osascript and display dialog will do it over the login window. I think jamfhelper works as well.

[Eyoung]

it did not occur to me that jamfhelper was what was accessed via the display message command in the standard policy window. here I was looking for how to fiddle with that app directly

a quick policy with an "other" trigger scoped to my effected users and wham. exactly what I needed.

thanks all

...........................................................
There are grammatical errors even in his silence. - Stanislaw J. Lec

Eric Young
eyoung1 at mac.com

[#8]

Yep. I do this often through ARD Execute Unix command.

osascript <<EOF
tell application "loginwindow"
display dialog "This machine is bound to Active Directory"
end tell
EOF

[tlarkin]

I use MCX to display the AUP in the login Window. If you modify the loginwindow.plist you can add your own custom message. You need to modify this in the managed preferences folder

example:

<key>LoginwindowText</key> <string>All staff, student and other users of the KCKPS network and Internet access must read and agree to the policies found below. Print out the appropriate form, fill it out and send it to the appropriate authority as indicated below. You can download and read the AUP from this link: http://www.kckps.org/tis/policies/ </string>

[Bukira]

True but thats a 1 off, we do that for a policy message but its a one off,

Criss Myers
Senior IT Analyst (Mac Services)
iPhone / iPad Developer
Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5
LIS Development
Software Management Team
Adelphi Building AB28
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Ex 5050
01772 895050

[tlarkin]

I just tried to send a message to my client via ssh and the client is at the login window and it did not work, gave me all sorts of errors and I did it via osascript

[stevewood]

Using the "jamf displayMessage" command will do this. You can either call
On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Thomas Larkin <tlarki at kckps.org> wrote:
it in a script, or just set it in the Reboot tab of a policy (or in Casper
Remote), and voila your message appears at the login window.

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475

[tlarkin]

Steve,

You are correct sir. Just tested it out, the display message does show up.

[rmanly]

Seconded.

Ryan M. Manly
Glenbrook High Schools