Lockable screensaver via policies

[bazcurtis]

Hi,

Under Snow Leopard I could force out a lockable screensaver. I don't seem to be able to do this in Lion/Mountain Lion via policies. I see I can force the time, but how to make it lockable?

Best wishes

Michael

[Aaron]

There's an MCX for this - I use it myself for Lion/ML

com.apple.screensaver Require Password | User Level Enforced | askForPassword | integer | 1 Screen Saver | Idle Time | System Level Enforced | idleTime | integer | 600

[Sonic84]

Hello, sorry to bring this topic back from the dead, but is there any way to enforce the screensaver by using MDM only? I've been asked not to use MCX for our corporate 10.8.x image.

I tried a custom MDM profile for com.apple.screensaver : {askForPassword=1, askForPasswordDelay=5.0} seemed to work under 10.8.1, but recently it was pointed out that it no longer works.

[gregneagle]

There are things MCX can do that Profiles cannot. There are things that Profiles can to that MCX cannot. You may need to use both to achieve your desired results.

If you've been asked not to use a set of tools, you may not be able to build the thing you want to build.

[bentoms]

I always try:

1. Config Profiles]
2. MCX
3. Script

The following script should do what you need: http://macmule.com/2010/11/18/how-to-set-osxs-screen-saver-via-script/

[donmontalvo]

@gregneagle It would be nice if JSS can handle this without having to deal with Configuration Profiles, MCX or Scripts (ala @bentoms excellent suggestion), even if it does leverage these things on the back end. This is a good example of something that should be simple/easy to manage, but still isn't. :)

[gregneagle]

donmontalvo: No disagreement here.

[carlo_anselmi]

+1 for donmontalvo request :-)

I can't find a way to manage screensaver with mixed 10.6/10.7/10.8 (Workgroup Manager) machine groups with MCX unless I use the basic black "message/text" screen saver or some of the other older ones, so that I can assign the same screesaver all the OS versions.
Instead, I would like to use a folder for a simple slideshow, which is available in 10.8 but could not find the same way in 10.6/10.7
My goal would simply be using a folder (user or system wide but not an iphoto one) containing some pictures with companies logos, according to different WGM groups they belong to, but using a unique "parent" settings - where to set the same MCX pref for all sub-nested groups (and regardless of OS version).
For 10.6/10.7 I simply modified the "beach" screen saver creating a policy for each group, so that the original pics within the screensaver "bundle" (module) are replaced by each company logo, so MCX pref says "use beach" and set time but each group has different pics.
Problems arised with 10.8 - The "beach" screensaver is not directly available there as it used to be in 10.6./10.7, and - although correctly set according to local "managed client" info - simply can't be found and switches to "message" SS.
There's a little "hack" to use the old modules (can't remember where I found the way to do it) to replace the whole screensaaver OS components/framework - using the ones from 10.7 in 10.8 - and it seems to work, although you have to open the pref pane twice.
That would not be the best solution... but would allow a single MCX pref set.
I was wondering if the (brilliant) script could be modified to solve my problem (unless I am completely missing something easier with MCX)
Ciao
Carlo