semi-sleep mode to allow background tasks?

[x&trick]

(My apologies if this is something really basic I just didn't hit on the right search terms for here or elsewhere.)

When I leave home I want to put my PowerBookk G4 into sleep mode so my data won't be accessible to intruders. But can I require a password to wake from sleep mode WHILE allowing background tasks (ongoing or set by a timer to start later) to run--that is, allow previously-keystroked tasks while requiring a password for anything new? Seems this would be extremely valuable. Thanks.

 

[bartelby]

You can set it to require a password when you exit a screen saver. That's as close as you'll get to allowing it to continue to work on tasks but still be inaccessible to other people.

 

[x&trick]

Thanks, that works; just set screen saver for the minimum (3 minutes) or for some longer time if I start my tasks and leave it alone well in advance (that way it's less likely to go to sleep on me at other times without my always changing the preferences). Unfortunately, the menu Sleep command or closing the lid stops processes even if disk sleep is set to Never.

It would seem getting around this would be quite useful relative to programming difficulty--a "screen saver now" script?

Thanks again.

 

[robbieduncan]

Sleep is sleep: the CPU is suspended. You are effectively asking for a screen lock. You can set a hot corner to start the screen saver on demand...

Edit to add: you can create an AppleScript to start the screen saver. Open the Script Editor and enter this:

tell application "ScreenSaverEngine"
	activate
end tell

Save it as an Application and you can double click to start the screen saver...

 

[x&trick]

Here I was about to tell you the hot corner didn't work when I saw, on the screen I was using to post a reply, that your message had been edited!

Script works great; thanks to those who point me to things I COULD ultimately figure out, but sometimes forums, the web and the OS are hard to search (at least when I'm hyper).

You Demi Gods have fast answers. Whatever Demi Moore's religion is, I'm converting.

 

[robbieduncan]

Hmm, the hot corner should work. I've just tested and it does for me (on 10.5.2). You may need to wait a few seconds for the screen saver to start...

 

[energycore]

It does work but if you do anything en the screensaver is disabled in a short period of time after activating, it will not ask for a password.

 

[AndyK]

I start my screensaver when I need to wander off using a hot corner.

If I move the mouse / make a keystroke with in a couple of seconds it doesn't need a password, but anything above around 3 seconds and it asks for it.

 

[x&trick]

Don't know why the corner doesn't work for me, but the app does--good enough!