How do I determine if the computer is at the login screen?

[AcidicChip]

I know you can get the current logged in user's name, etc. However I am looking for a way to determine if the computer is at the Windows XP Login/Switch User screen?

Edited May 17, 2007 by AcidicChip

[Xenobiologist]

Hi,

does this help?

$value = RegRead("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\", "AltDefaultUserName")
Msgbox(64, "Value", $value)

So long,

Mega

[AcidicChip]

Hi,

does this help?

$value = RegRead("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\", "AltDefaultUserName")
Msgbox(64, "Value", $value)

So long,

Mega

That seems to just tell me the default name, and returns it wether I'm at the login screen or actively logged in.

I basically want to know when I log out or go into the switch user screen, so that I can just see my lights red to know that my computer isn't open for someone else to just sit down and use it.

[ptrex]

@AcidicChip

Maybe this can help you out.

; ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
$strUserDN = "<UserDN>" ; e.g. cn=rallen,ou=Sales,dc=rallencorp,dc=com
; ------ END CONFIGURATION ---------

 $objUser = ObjGet("LDAP://" & $strUserDN)
 $objLogon = $objUser.Get("lastLogonTimestamp")
 
$intLogonTime = $objLogon.HighPart * (2^32) + $objLogon.LowPart 
$intLogonTime = $intLogonTime / (60 * 10000000)
$intLogonTime = $intLogonTime / 1440

ConsoleWrite ("Approx last logon timestamp: " & $intLogonTime )

Regards,

ptrex

[AcidicChip]

@ptrex

I can't seem to get that to work, I keep getting this error

C:\Documents and Settings\Chance\Desktop\LightFX\LightFX.au3 (20) : ==> Variable must be of type "Object".:

$objLogon = $objUser.Get("lastLogonTimestamp")

$objLogon = $objUser^ ERROR

[ptrex]

@AcidicChip

You need to be logged into the domain and have admin rights.

Where did i read this before ?

regards

ptrex

[AcidicChip]

@ptrex

I'm not looking for domain users or anything like that being logged in.

I guess I should clarify what I want to do.

How can I detect if the computer is at the login/user switch screen or not?

[Selmak]

How can I detect if the computer is at the login/user switch screen or not?

In principle this would work:

if WinExists ( 'Program Manager') then

$userAuthenticated=1

else

$userAuthenticated=0

endif

The only thing is, to be of any use your script would have to run as a system service, otherwise it will be terminated when the user logs-off, defeating the purpose. Might be possible with the srvany utility.

On a similar question, does anyone know how to tell if the screensaver is running? I believe it is possible to do this with a (fairly complex) call to user.exe, but just wondered if I'm overlooking an easier way.

Edited May 16, 2007 by Selmak

[jefhal]

Hi ptrex-

The problems that I have with this method is that:

a. you have to know the user name

b. you only get the login time, but still do not know if the user logged off

There are threads all over the web on this very difficult issue. I usually check to see if a machine is in use before taking control of it with Dameware. However, the data I get back is often wrong. I use psloggedon from sysinternals (now microsoft), and I have recently tried by checking sessions on the main server, but this is incredibly slow.

The one solution that people end up offering is to write a script(s) that creates a database of users logging on and logging off computers. Even this method is not foolproof, for example, when a user just shuts down the computer with the power button. The database shows him logged on, but he has already left the building!

jefhal

; ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
$strUserDN = "<UserDN>" ; e.g. cn=rallen,ou=Sales,dc=rallencorp,dc=com
; ------ END CONFIGURATION ---------

 $objUser = ObjGet("LDAP://" & $strUserDN)
 $objLogon = $objUser.Get("lastLogonTimestamp")
 
$intLogonTime = $objLogon.HighPart * (2^32) + $objLogon.LowPart 
$intLogonTime = $intLogonTime / (60 * 10000000)
$intLogonTime = $intLogonTime / 1440

ConsoleWrite ("Approx last logon timestamp: " & $intLogonTime )

[MHz]

I know you can get the current logged in user's name, etc.

@Username normally comes up empty when no one is logged on.

[AcidicChip]

Is there some sort of object class, window title/text i can look for that would determine that the computer is at the login/user switch screen?