macOS Applescript Help! Secuirty Settings

[kodydoherty]

I am trying to create a script to set some security settings on my MBP running Lion.

I found this example using system events


tell application "System Events"
tell security preferences
get properties
set properties to {log out when inactive:false, automatic login:true, require password to unlock:false, log out when inactive interval:14, require password to wake:false}
end tell

end tell

The script runs and asks for my admin password for each change. The issue is it does not actually change anything. I need this to change those preference but I don't understand why it is not working.

 

[Red Menace]

Not every object will let you set properties like that. Try setting them individually.

 

[r0k]

I am trying to create a script to set some security settings on my MBP running Lion.

I found this example using system events


tell application "System Events"
tell security preferences
get properties
set properties to {log out when inactive:false, automatic login:true, require password to unlock:false, log out when inactive interval:14, require password to wake:false}
end tell

end tell

The script runs and asks for my admin password for each change. The issue is it does not actually change anything. I need this to change those preference but I don't understand why it is not working.

Try adding "with administrator privileges" at the end of the set properties line. This should prompt you for your admin password once and then do it all. Scroll all the way to the right in the code window below:

Tell application "System Events"
	tell security preferences
		get properties
		set properties to {log out when inactive:false, automatic login:true, require password to unlock:false, log out when inactive interval:14, require password to wake:false} with administrator privileges
	end tell
	
end tell

 

[kodydoherty]

r0k I tried your example in Lion and I got this error:
Syntax Error

A administrator:true can't go after this log out when inactive:false



Also I tried all the properties one at a time and the script still did not work.

 

[r0k]

r0k I tried your example in Lion and I got this error:
Syntax Error

A administrator:true can't go after this log out when inactive:false



Also I tried all the properties one at a time and the script still did not work.

Here's another solution I found via google...

tell application "System Preferences"
  activate
end tell

tell application "System Events"
  tell process "System Preferences"
    click menu item "Sharing" of menu "View" of menu bar 1
    delay 2
    tell window "Sharing"
      click checkbox 1 of row 11 of table 1 of scroll area 1 of group 1
      delay 1
      if (exists sheet 1) then
        if (exists button "Turn AirPort On" of sheet 1) then
          click button "Turn AirPort On" of sheet 1
          delay 1
        end if
        click button "Start" of sheet 1
      end if
    end tell
  end tell
end tell

In this guy's example he is turning on and off the network but you could of course edit the script to open the security pref pane and click things there instead. I really like the way this guy's script checks to make sure things exist before clicking them. Hope this helps...

 

[Red Menace]

A administrator:true can't go after this log out when inactive:false
Also I tried all the properties one at a time and the script still did not work.

The with administrator privileges bit only applies to a do shell script command.

How are you setting the individual properties? A statement such as set require password to wake to false (in the security preferences tell statement) works for me. Also note that if you are watching the prefpane for changes, you won't see them until you restart the System Preferences application again.

 

[kodydoherty]

Ok I got one to work

Thanks for the help on the first one that worked great. The issue is if it requires my admin password it does not do anything. I type in my password and it just fails to change a properties. I have tried all of the settings I wanted to change with my example below and listed the ones that don't work. If the setting is locked is there a way just be able to type the password in and the change works?

EX:

tell application "System Events"
	tell security preferences
		get properties
		set require password to wake to true -- this works
		set log out when inactive to true -- does not work
                set automatic login to false -- does not work
                set log out when inactive interval to 15 -- does not work
       
	end tell
end tell