Integrating Macs into the Windows Domain

[prvt.donut]

There are lots of people working with Macs in Windows Domains, so I am sure someone has an answer for this.

I am trying to make a script that can be stored on a central file server, and then have the Macs run the script when users login using their Domain accounts. (I want to be able to modify it in the future in a single place)

I have made an Applescript that does the following:
1. Mount SMB shares,
2. Run the script to stop OSX writing the DS_Store files everywhere on the fileserver

I need to make the Macs run the script when users login.

1 way of doing that would be to make an App that calls the script from a network location and save to the User's Accounts|Login,

Ideally I would like it to work when any new user logs into the Mac, so I don't have to copy the app file into the login folder everytime there is a new user.

 

[Mr Rabbit]

Maybe add the scripts into an appropriate section of the User Template? The user template folder is what OS X relies on when creating new accounts.

Basically if you modify the User Template to show a company branded wallpaper then any user who logs into the Mac for the first time will see the company wallpaper, however existing users will be unaffected by the change unless they go in and manually adjust their own settings. Think of it as the starting point for accounts.

For instance, I got tired of manually changing Finder preferences, Dock items, user preferences, etc on all of the Macs that I set up. To save a good chunk of time I booted to a fresh image, created a generic user, set all of the preferences, dock items, etc that I wanted then I copied the associated plist and other support files into the User Template. Now when I image a Mac this is copied over as one of the extra files and all of those settings are applied whenever a new user logs in. Users can still change anything at will, this just starts them off on the right path.

You can find some more info in this Amsys blog post.

There may be a server side way of accomplishing this as well, I'm just not terribly familiar with the Windows server side.