How can I launch screensaver directly by link ?

[John]

If I clic on ssmypics.scr it starts in test mode (no password protection).
How can I launch a screensaver with password protection directly by a link
on desktop?
Thank you

 

[sam]

http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com/screensaver.htm

--------------------------------------------------------

 

[John]

No, as I already explained, when I launch screensaver by link in Windows XP
it starts with no password protection, because it starts in test mode.
It's password protected only when I wait a few minutes and it starts
automatically by itself.
How can I do this by a link ?
I'm in Windows XP, not Windows 98.
Thank you

 

[_ Jan]

Hello John,

You are contradicting yourself when you write
"No, as I already explained, when I launch screensaver by
link in Windows XP it starts with no password protection,
because it starts in test mode" because in your first post
you wrote "If I clic on ssmypics.scr it starts in test
mode (no password protection)"

Have you actually tried the procedure outlined in the
article? Try it, and then report back here with your
observations.

Quoting from the article,
http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com/screensaver.htm

"_** Dialog boxes may appear slightly different in other
versions of Windows, but, basically, the process is the
same **

7. You now have a shortcut to your screensaver on your
desktop, which will launch your screensaver when you
doubleclick on it. You will also see that, after your
screensaver is launched, when you move your mouse or hit a
key on your keyboard, your are prompted for a password to
deactivate the screensaver.

11. Now, go into any program or any website and hit your
new hotkey combo. Your screensaver will instantly launch
and it is password protected!!_"

Jan

 

[jane]

i tried the process in the article (linda's stop) and
could not get the s/saver password protected. tried five
times with different savers each. original and plus!

even placing the icon on launch bar for single click
the saver would kick in but did not need password to stop.

maybe this works on earlier windows but not on my xp
brand new with all updates and security/antivirus.

 

[David Candy]

You can't. When a screensaver is automatically started your account gets hidden and a special desktop comes up that runs the screensaver program. It's similar to Fast User Switching. The security comes from the switching of desktops not the screensaver which is an ordinary program that draws pretty stuff.

You can lock the workstation.
rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation

This is the workaround for NT4 which don't have LockWorkStation (case is important) which activates the screensaver

Windows NT 4.0
There is no solution to lock a Windows NT 4.0-based workstation from the command line. You can, however, achieve a similar effect with some additional configuration.

In Windows NT 4.0, you can use the SendMessage call to send a SC_SCREENSAVE message to the topmost window, which locks the workstation if the current user has a screen saver configured and the screen saver is configured to require a password.

To ensure that a screen saver is configured, you can create registry entries. Run a registry (.reg) file that adds the following entries from the command line:
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive = 1
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaverIsSecure = 1
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeout = timeout in seconds
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\SCRNSAVE.EXE = %SystemRoot%\System32\Appropriate screen saver.scr
Some screen savers require additional parameters in HKCU\Control Panel\Screen Saver.screen saver name as well.

After you create these registry entries, the following call invokes the screen saver:
SendMessage(HWND_TOPMOST, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_SCREENSAVE, 0)
You must write and compile a short program (.exe file) that contains this call. You can then call your program from the command line to activate the screen saver. Because the ScreenSaverIsSecure value in the registry has been set to 1, this has the effect of locking the workstation.

I've looked up the constants for you if you have VB
HWND_TOPMOST = -1
WM_SYSCOMMAND = &H112
SC_SCREENSAVE = &HF140

 

[David Candy]

That won't work on XP. This is due to the difference in security model.