Can The System Log Into Two User Accounts At Bootup

In article <tom_stiller-B68254.08324413112009.RemoveThis@news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <kurt.r.todoroff-7696A6.08093013112009.RemoveThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
> "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > As the title suggests, I would like the system to log into two separate
> > user accounts at boot.
> >
> > I have fast user switching enabled on the home Mac. From work, I access
> > this home Mac via VNC. Then I log into another of my user accounts on
> > the home Mac. Switching back and forth between user accounts on the
> > home Mac is cumbersome.
> >
> > I want the home Mac to launch both user accounts at boot. Then, I want
> > each running user account to launch the VNC server (VineVNC) in each
> > account, with separate ports numbers (account #1 = 5900, account #2 =
> > 5901), so that from my work pc, I can launch two separate VNC client
> > sessions and use both home Mac user accounts simultaneously, without
> > having to tell the home Mac to switch user accounts.
> >
> > Is this possible?
> >
> > Thank you.
>
> No. The Mac OS only support the GUI interface for one user at a time.
>
> If you don't need the Mac GUI, you could run two XWindows sessions to
> the two users or, if you don't need any GUI, you could run two SSH
> sessions for the two users.

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your reply. I originally found this idea at:

www.testplant.com/multidesktop.html

My partner and I have a G5iMac and a Dell pc on our respective office
desks. I have a G4 iMac at my home. He has an Intel iMac at his home.
Both of us use VNC to access our respective home Macs for business and
personal related tasks during the course of the business day. My iCal
contains over 25,000 calendar items, so it is quite slow. Last Monday,
I exported my calendars to his Intel iMac and did a trial run. It was a
speed merchant. Those 25,000 calendar items didn't faze it.

So, I got to thinking that I could set up my own account on his home
iMac, and then I could use his iCal to manage my calendar items, as well
as for other business related Mac tasks that are processor intensive.
My partner liked the idea and he gave me the green light to give it
whirl.

I remembered reading the article that I cited above, about a year ago,
and thought that this was just what we needed. I could use VNC to do my
work on his home Intel iMac at the same time that he was using his same
home Intel iMac for his work. I was hoping that I could get OSX to save
me a step or two every morning by getting both accounts warmed up since
both of our home Mac auto-restart each morning at 6 AM.

What are your thoughts about the article, Tom? Is the author off base?
Is his idea legitimate?

Thank you.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-4C7913.14024413112009.RemoveThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:

> In article <tom_stiller-B68254.08324413112009.RemoveThis@news.individual.net>,
> Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <kurt.r.todoroff-7696A6.08093013112009.RemoveThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
> > "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > > As the title suggests, I would like the system to log into two separate
> > > user accounts at boot.
> > >
> > > I have fast user switching enabled on the home Mac. From work, I access
> > > this home Mac via VNC. Then I log into another of my user accounts on
> > > the home Mac. Switching back and forth between user accounts on the
> > > home Mac is cumbersome.
> > >
> > > I want the home Mac to launch both user accounts at boot. Then, I want
> > > each running user account to launch the VNC server (VineVNC) in each
> > > account, with separate ports numbers (account #1 = 5900, account #2 =
> > > 5901), so that from my work pc, I can launch two separate VNC client
> > > sessions and use both home Mac user accounts simultaneously, without
> > > having to tell the home Mac to switch user accounts.
> > >
> > > Is this possible?
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> >
> > No. The Mac OS only support the GUI interface for one user at a time.
> >
> > If you don't need the Mac GUI, you could run two XWindows sessions to
> > the two users or, if you don't need any GUI, you could run two SSH
> > sessions for the two users.
>
> Hi Tom,
>
> Thank you for your reply. I originally found this idea at:
>
> www.testplant.com/multidesktop.html
>
> My partner and I have a G5iMac and a Dell pc on our respective office
> desks. I have a G4 iMac at my home. He has an Intel iMac at his home.
> Both of us use VNC to access our respective home Macs for business and
> personal related tasks during the course of the business day. My iCal
> contains over 25,000 calendar items, so it is quite slow. Last Monday,
> I exported my calendars to his Intel iMac and did a trial run. It was a
> speed merchant. Those 25,000 calendar items didn't faze it.
>
> So, I got to thinking that I could set up my own account on his home
> iMac, and then I could use his iCal to manage my calendar items, as well
> as for other business related Mac tasks that are processor intensive.
> My partner liked the idea and he gave me the green light to give it
> whirl.
>
> I remembered reading the article that I cited above, about a year ago,
> and thought that this was just what we needed. I could use VNC to do my
> work on his home Intel iMac at the same time that he was using his same
> home Intel iMac for his work. I was hoping that I could get OSX to save
> me a step or two every morning by getting both accounts warmed up since
> both of our home Mac auto-restart each morning at 6 AM.
>
> What are your thoughts about the article, Tom? Is the author off base?
> Is his idea legitimate?
>
> Thank you.

I have to admit that I haven't tried the technique described and the
article outlines some of the problems that can arise.

Since you have, or can get, the necessary software, why not just try it
out and see if it works in your situation.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article <tom_stiller-51FF28.15591113112009 DeleteThis @news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

> I have to admit that I haven't tried the technique described and the
> article outlines some of the problems that can arise.
>
> Since you have, or can get, the necessary software, why not just try it
> out and see if it works in your situation.

Tom,

I had planned to do that either way. I was curious about OSX logging in
two accounts simultaneously, on its own.

By the way, do you use Vine VNC? If so, can it run in both the system
server mode, and in a desktop server mode simultaneously? I've scoured
the documentation and the website, but I can't find anything that would
indicate a yes or a no.

Thank you.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-80599D.16535513112009 DeleteThis @nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote:

> In article <tom_stiller-51FF28.15591113112009 DeleteThis @news.individual.net>,
> Tom Stiller <tom_stiller DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I have to admit that I haven't tried the technique described and the
> > article outlines some of the problems that can arise.
> >
> > Since you have, or can get, the necessary software, why not just try it
> > out and see if it works in your situation.
>
> Tom,
>
> I had planned to do that either way. I was curious about OSX logging in
> two accounts simultaneously, on its own.
>
> By the way, do you use Vine VNC? If so, can it run in both the system
> server mode, and in a desktop server mode simultaneously? I've scoured
> the documentation and the website, but I can't find anything that would
> indicate a yes or a no.
>
> Thank you.

I do use Vine VNC and in the system server mode, since my remote systems
usually have no one logged in when I contact them.

I just did a quick test and was able to start a Vine Server within a
user's space while a system server was already running. as one would
expect, the two servers must be assigned different port numbers.

It seems like you may be able to do what you want.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article <tom_stiller-E58641.17175513112009.DeleteThis@news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I do use Vine VNC and in the system server mode, since my remote systems
> usually have no one logged in when I contact them.
>
> I just did a quick test and was able to start a Vine Server within a
> user's space while a system server was already running. as one would
> expect, the two servers must be assigned different port numbers.
>
> It seems like you may be able to do what you want.

Tom,

I configured Vine VNC to run as both a system server, and as individual
desktop servers in the two user accounts. When I restart the Mac the
system server starts running, as it always has. However, the individual
desktop servers don't start. I configured Vine VNC to open at login in
each account, and it does, but the desktop server doesn't start. If I
click on Start Server (by accessing it via the system server), then I
can access that account remotely using the 5901 or 5902 port that I have
assigned to it.

At this point, the problem is that the desktop servers don't start when
Vine VNC launches at login.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-FF500E.08260414112009.TakeThisOut@nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote:

> In article <tom_stiller-E58641.17175513112009.TakeThisOut@news.individual.net>,
> Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I do use Vine VNC and in the system server mode, since my remote systems
> > usually have no one logged in when I contact them.
> >
> > I just did a quick test and was able to start a Vine Server within a
> > user's space while a system server was already running. as one would
> > expect, the two servers must be assigned different port numbers.
> >
> > It seems like you may be able to do what you want.
>
> Tom,
>
> I configured Vine VNC to run as both a system server, and as individual
> desktop servers in the two user accounts. When I restart the Mac the
> system server starts running, as it always has. However, the individual
> desktop servers don't start. I configured Vine VNC to open at login in
> each account, and it does, but the desktop server doesn't start. If I
> click on Start Server (by accessing it via the system server), then I
> can access that account remotely using the 5901 or 5902 port that I have
> assigned to it.
>
> At this point, the problem is that the desktop servers don't start when
> Vine VNC launches at login.
>
> Do you have any suggestions?
>
> Thank you.

Do you have the "Start server..." checkbox in "Startup" pane of the
Vine Services Preferences panel checked? If not, try that, otherwise I
have no suggestion.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article <tom_stiller-77B27E.09190714112009.RemoveThis@news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <kurt.r.todoroff-FF500E.08260414112009.RemoveThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
> "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <tom_stiller-E58641.17175513112009.RemoveThis@news.individual.net>,
> > Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I do use Vine VNC and in the system server mode, since my remote systems
> > > usually have no one logged in when I contact them.
> > >
> > > I just did a quick test and was able to start a Vine Server within a
> > > user's space while a system server was already running. as one would
> > > expect, the two servers must be assigned different port numbers.
> > >
> > > It seems like you may be able to do what you want.
> >
> > Tom,
> >
> > I configured Vine VNC to run as both a system server, and as individual
> > desktop servers in the two user accounts. When I restart the Mac the
> > system server starts running, as it always has. However, the individual
> > desktop servers don't start. I configured Vine VNC to open at login in
> > each account, and it does, but the desktop server doesn't start. If I
> > click on Start Server (by accessing it via the system server), then I
> > can access that account remotely using the 5901 or 5902 port that I have
> > assigned to it.
> >
> > At this point, the problem is that the desktop servers don't start when
> > Vine VNC launches at login.
> >
> > Do you have any suggestions?
> >
> > Thank you.
>
> Do you have the "Start server..." checkbox in "Startup" pane of the
> Vine Services Preferences panel checked? If not, try that, otherwise I
> have no suggestion.

Yep. This is what puzzles me. I have configured Vine identically this
way in both user accounts. During a restart, Vine launches but the
server does not start.

Out of curiosity, when you restart your Mac, does the desktop server
always start after Vine launches at login?

I'll keep looking around.

Thank you, Tom.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A0EF72.12061914112009.RemoveThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:

> Out of curiosity, when you restart your Mac, does the desktop server
> always start after Vine launches at login?

I never enable a desktop server, only the system wide server. I tried
the desktop server as an experiment, but I am not willing to restart
just to test further. Besides, if you have done everything right and it
still doesn't work for you, it doesn't really matter if it works for me,
or not.

I have verified that the "startServerOnLaunch" key in
~/Library/Preferences/com.redstonesoftware.VineServer.plist switches
from false to true with the (un)checking of the box. If that isn't
sufficient, perhaps you should contact the developer.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article <tom_stiller-E4E43E.14571814112009.TakeThisOut@news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A0EF72.12061914112009.TakeThisOut@nntp.aioe.org>,
> "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Out of curiosity, when you restart your Mac, does the desktop server
> > always start after Vine launches at login?
>
> I never enable a desktop server, only the system wide server. I tried
> the desktop server as an experiment, but I am not willing to restart
> just to test further. Besides, if you have done everything right and it
> still doesn't work for you, it doesn't really matter if it works for me,
> or not.
>
> I have verified that the "startServerOnLaunch" key in
> ~/Library/Preferences/com.redstonesoftware.VineServer.plist switches
> from false to true with the (un)checking of the box. If that isn't
> sufficient, perhaps you should contact the developer.

Rock and roll!

I found a solution in a help forum. I had clicked the Hide box in
System Preferences --> Accounts --> Login Items. The person who posted
to that help forum, claimed that he unchecked this box and his same
problems disappeared. I unchecked the box and now the desktop server
starts when Vine launches at login.

I had never used the desktop server either, until this week. With
respect, it does matter if it does or doesn't work for you since the
similarities in our systems outweigh the differences. If it's supposed
to work, then it should work. In our cases, you probably did not have
the Hide box checked. It sounds trivial, but often it's the trivial
things that choke up the works, not the huge things that we're looking
for.

Nevertheless Tom, thank you for your replies. You broke my thinking out
of the fixed mode that it was in, which prompted me to explore different
avenues for a solution. My gratitude.

Best wishes.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A78BD4.16403714112009.DeleteThis@nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote:

> Nevertheless Tom, thank you for your replies. You broke my thinking out
> of the fixed mode that it was in, which prompted me to explore different
> avenues for a solution. My gratitude.
>
> Best wishes.

By the way, have you used Mac's built in VNC server? I've read that
it's solid but slow. It plays well with ARD, but sometimes it hickups
with other VNC clients.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <tom_stiller-1F5068.17273114112009 RemoveThis @news.individual.net>,
Tom Stiller <tom_stiller RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <kurt.r.todoroff-AF2949.16434314112009 RemoveThis @nntp.aioe.org>,
> "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A78BD4.16403714112009 RemoveThis @nntp.aioe.org>,
> > "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Nevertheless Tom, thank you for your replies. You broke my thinking out
> > > of the fixed mode that it was in, which prompted me to explore different
> > > avenues for a solution. My gratitude.
> > >
> > > Best wishes.
> >
> > By the way, have you used Mac's built in VNC server? I've read that
> > it's solid but slow. It plays well with ARD, but sometimes it hickups
> > with other VNC clients.
>
> I don't. I use JollysFastVNC client tunneled via SSH to Vine Server, or
> equivalent running on various Mac OSs, Ubuntu, and Windows using cygwin.

I use TightVNC server and client on my business Windows machines.
They're very fast and stable. I switched from COTVNC to Jolly's a
couple of months ago.

I'm still looking for a way to login to a second user account
automatically. Maybe an AppleScript will do it.

Again, thank you.

--


Kurt Todoroff

Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-AF2949.16434314112009 RemoveThis @nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:

> In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A78BD4.16403714112009 RemoveThis @nntp.aioe.org>,
> "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff RemoveThis @comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Nevertheless Tom, thank you for your replies. You broke my thinking out
> > of the fixed mode that it was in, which prompted me to explore different
> > avenues for a solution. My gratitude.
> >
> > Best wishes.
>
> By the way, have you used Mac's built in VNC server? I've read that
> it's solid but slow. It plays well with ARD, but sometimes it hickups
> with other VNC clients.

I don't. I use JollysFastVNC client tunneled via SSH to Vine Server, or
equivalent running on various Mac OSs, Ubuntu, and Windows using cygwin.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF

In article <kurt.r.todoroff-6FE4BC.17372014112009.TakeThisOut@nntp.aioe.org>,
"Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote:

> In article <tom_stiller-1F5068.17273114112009.TakeThisOut@news.individual.net>,
> Tom Stiller <tom_stiller.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <kurt.r.todoroff-AF2949.16434314112009.TakeThisOut@nntp.aioe.org>,
> > "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > > In article <kurt.r.todoroff-A78BD4.16403714112009.TakeThisOut@nntp.aioe.org>,
> > > "Kurt R. Todoroff" <kurt.r.todoroff.TakeThisOut@comcast.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Nevertheless Tom, thank you for your replies. You broke my
> > > > thinking out of the fixed mode that it was in, which prompted
> > > > me to explore different avenues for a solution. My gratitude.
> > > >
> > > > Best wishes.
> > >
> > > By the way, have you used Mac's built in VNC server? I've read
> > > that it's solid but slow. It plays well with ARD, but sometimes
> > > it hickups with other VNC clients.
> >
> > I don't. I use JollysFastVNC client tunneled via SSH to Vine
> > Server, or equivalent running on various Mac OSs, Ubuntu, and
> > Windows using cygwin.
>
> I use TightVNC server and client on my business Windows machines.
> They're very fast and stable. I switched from COTVNC to Jolly's a
> couple of months ago.
>
> I'm still looking for a way to login to a second user account
> automatically. Maybe an AppleScript will do it.
>
> Again, thank you.

Maybe; I checked "Vine Server" for an AppleScript dictionary and it had
none, so AppleScript is out for that app.

You could start the server manually and then check the command string
using the 'ps' command to see how it was launched. Then copy that into
a shell script, escaping the special characters where necessary, to
create a command that will start the server. You should then be able to
trigger that command as a login item.

--
Tom Stiller

PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3 7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF