I am running a SLC 5.2 with a Gnome 2.16 desktop setup for all the class room terminals. Where can I determine the status of the screensaver. The value could then be periodicaly tested within a "cron" script. If screen saver was running then a "skill" could then be called to force a complete logout releasing the terminal for another student.

Does the screensaver come on when it's left for awhile? I don't like screensavers. I just use screenblanker. Maybe that's what you really need.

The user preferences has set the screen saver routine to become active after 10 minutes of no activity. Note that it uses "ScreenSaver" as supplied by Gnome and NOT "Xscreensaver".

what file do you set the defaults in?
I want to set all my users to use a blank screensaver and a time out of 20min. password required
Have beenlooking all over the place for a valid config file I can edit and the syntax for it.
I should also mention I want these to be default for all user that CANNOT be changed except by root.
Red Hat running gnome in my case.
Thanx

I found this here
http://live.gnome.org/GnomeScreensav..._in_as_root.3F


but they dont tell me where this file is .. When I do a find on the system it give me directories not a file GConf.

find / -name GConf
/usr/lib/GConf
/usr/share/GConf
/usr/lib64/GConf


I'm a systems administrator. How can I set policies for all users of my system?

You can set mandatory policies in GConf. Here are some typical policies for a "locked down" system:

gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory \
--type bool \
--set /apps/gnome-screensaver/idle_activation_enabled true
gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory \
--type bool \
--set /apps/gnome-screensaver/lock_enabled true
gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory \
--type string \
--set /apps/gnome-screensaver/mode blank-only
gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory \
--type int \
--set /apps/gnome-screensaver/idle_delay 10

wow no one has posted back on how to find what file I am suppose to use. Please help need this for an audit on Monday

I could only respond today.

In regards to letter of 12 Feb, I found the following items as listed below:

"ftp://ftp.gnome.org/pub/gnome/desktop/2.16/2.16.0/sources/"

You can access from the above: "gnome-screensaver-2.16.0.tar.bz2" and/or
"gnome-screensaver-2.16.0.tar.gz".

The above supplied a "HOW TO" for a screen-saver which intern
directs you to "dbus" ,for C, and "dbus python" ,for line commands (or put into script files).

The "gconf" lines supplied on the 12th helps me more to understand how the screensaver might start. I assume that "dbus" is one, possibly only, way to test and alter the screensaver settings via dbus once screensaver is running..

Note that I am only looking at the 2.16 version as that is what I have to work with.

Maybe you could enable the feature which makes a logout option appear on the screensaver lock screen after while. So if a student leaves a computer locked for ages then other students have the option to log that student out. The relevant gconf keys are

/apps/gnome-screensaver/logout_enabled
/apps/gnome-screensaver/logout_delay

>>Maybe you could enable the feature which makes a logout option appear on the screensaver lock screen after while. So if a student leaves a >>computer locked for ages then other students have the option to log that student out. The relevant gconf keys are

>>/apps/gnome-screensaver/logout_enabled
>>/apps/gnome-screensaver/logout_delay

I've still had no luck yet determining screensaver engagement via "dbus". I'll have a try with the above method next. I'll make a closer look at "gconftool-2" options also.

thank you and also to the previous replies...