[knowmad]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: ewhite[/u][p]Maybe this is obvious, but it isn’t clear to me from the Read Me … to implement Instauser 10.5, is it as simple as putting Instauser_10.5.pkg into the CustomPKG folder?[/p][/QUOTE]

really, your much better off using the other user creation script found in this thread:
[url]https://www.afp548.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=20206[/url]

[knowmad]

check your permissions,I ran into an issue with the auto-update system, it said it could not be run on this system…. turns out I had root set as owner somehow.

[knowmad]

name your folders 01 through 09 and then 10

and I can’t take the credit for this one, someone else noted this elsewhere (too swamped to find it and give real credit but…)

[knowmad]

and there is no transfer between the two formats?

[knowmad]

this will sound dumb but…. move it off your desktop.
I was working fine, then moved it to my desktop by accident (errant drag and drop) and decided to leave it there for convenience. I ran into glitches that I never bothered to look into. I figured I had done something by wrote using the old location, so I just moved the folder back to where it was. Things went back to normal.
May or may not be related but is an easy thing to check.
(yes I know there is no good technical reason for trying this).

[knowmad]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: cooperkevind[/u][p]

what I would really like to know is: After creating my image in InstaDMG. can I open up that image and copy in a new English.lproj ? If so how? I

If not I guess I will work on a script to copy it in before its imaged.

Thanks

Kevin[/p][/QUOTE]

The answer you are looking for is yes, the caveat is ‘good god, don’t do it!’

If I understand your request, the ‘simple’ series of steps you are looking for are:

1) Create a new image the InstaDMG way
2) After it has completed, put the resulting image into DiskUtility and convert it to read/write (thsi will take a while)
3) Then either log in as root or continue by using sudo
4) mount the read/write image
5) If logged in as root, navigate to the preferred English.lproj and drag copy it to the correct place on the read/write image
5a) If not logged in as root than open terminal and [code]sudo cp -R -P /System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj /Volumes/{IMAGE}/System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj[/code] (please double check my syntax and path… this is done on the fly and I don’t do this by command line often even though I should know how).
6) convert the newly edited image file back to compressed and then
7) scan it for restore

While these 7 (or so) steps seem simple, this is hugely time consuming as all the scanning and converting takes a VERY long time, more dependent on hard drive speed than CPU. I would seriously suggest looking into a script or installer package.
I am currently working on avoiding the use of an installer package but until I have alternatives perfected, I have created (using IceBerg and LanRevInstallEase) a package that puts my pre-configured English.lproj in place during the IDMG process. The two caveats I offer are:
1) build the package as root so you can see your English.lproj without issue
2) Use a preflight script to change the name of the existing English.lproj on the image before you try to put the new one in place.

My pre flight script is super simple and says:
[code]mv $3/System/Library/User\ Template/English.lproj $3/System/Library/User\ Template/English.OLD[/code]
thats all.
(small admission, I could not find the full path to the MV command, but I did not look hard, if anyone knows it I would be grateful for its posting, thanks.)

I hope all of this helps at least a little bit.

[knowmad]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: knowmad[/u][p]please tell us how well the mcxset command works[/p][/QUOTE]

ahem… I meant … ‘please tell us how the MCXSET command works… out for you…. ie how good or bad an answer it is to your specific issues’

but the pointer to the info on how it works is well appreciated too!

[knowmad]

can’t MCX be used even if you DON’T have a central Mac server? ie use WGM to create MCX settings and a package to install them?

EDIT:
(meant as continuation of conversation, not answer to the ‘MCX does not cover everything’ comment)

[knowmad]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: dmgraham[/u][p]

I agree, but was responding to your claim about “changes to base image will be minimal for hardware dependancies over time.” I don’t think it appropriate to push an image forward to newer hardware — although the reverse is nearly always the case — just because an image “loads beautifully”. My experience have given me a nearly opposite opinion on the matter; namely that changes to a base image will be a near certainty for hardware dependancies over time. Rarely does new CPU, chipset, graphic card or other hardware changes NOT necessitate a base OS image update (NB, obviously minor revs usually don’t have the same impact).

I’m simply trying to understand the best practice for maintaining [i]forward compatibility[/i] in an IDMG configuration.[/p][/QUOTE]

I see your point

[knowmad]

just to clarify re UIDs below 100.
Its probably not a good idea to use them, apple might use what are currently blank uids at a later time. I just noticed that you comment in the script about testing for valid ranges, so i was pointing to a list of used IDs and how they were obtained. As far as I am concerned, as long as I can use an ID sub-500 I am happy.

regarding all else, I understand completely the idea of one script per item, string em together as needed…. I just don’t always follow the logical route.
again, thanks so much for this…. BTW, know any good resources for learning the particulars of dscl? (man pages are typically anemic on details)

[knowmad]

please tell us how well the mcxset command works

[knowmad]

using the most current is just a matter of making an image of the most current you have… pretty easy to do.

[knowmad]

ive been using the packages from SU (earlier I called it AU, sorry for the confusion) and have run into no trouble at all.
I just remove the *.dist file and use the .pkg files. So far mpkg and pkg files have run flawlessly for me (with the small exception that I had to modify the ilifebrowser install not to kill my prefpanes)
experiment a little, the system (so far) has been far more forgiving than I ever though it could be.
(PS I represent the novice in all this, I am certain the more experienced experts have better information and guidance)

[knowmad]

[QUOTE][u]Quote by: dmgraham[/u][p]I don’t think so. Your post is based on limited maintenance from 10.5 through 10.5.2. If you were able to support all your hardware through a 10.5.11 version lifetime I think you’d change your mind. In fact, that’s pretty rare since the need to support new hardware will force you at some point to start with a new base OS, which is in fact a snapshot in and of itself.[/p][/QUOTE]

hmm, you may be right but so far… IDMG has created for me an image that loads beautifully (and runs nicely too) on every non-laptop (I have non to work with) I have thrown it at, from a 400mhz G4 all the way up to an 8-core mac pro, plus all the iMacs in between. If its working that well…. something tells me that my changes to base image will be minimal for hardware dependancies over time.

check out: [url]https://www.afp548.com/article.php?story=20080218214146959[/url] for another perspective of what a single image done this way will work on.

[knowmad]

and now let the fun begin.
Item one, thank you again for this, everything I say here is meant to help, not nit-pick or complain.

2) while looking at the script I noticed that you point out TARGET_DIR=$3 and while I am still learning all of this(proper scripting), I noted from an earlier thread that it might be useful to put it in as “$3” in case people have target volumes with spaces in the names, is this true?
3) Sub 100 UIDs are valid, but you have to be careful as many are taken…. take a look at the list posted at: http://forums.macosxhints.com/showpost.php?p=422085&postcount=6 which gives a listing of used UIDs and GIDs.
4) Many admins need to hide the admin account, so including an option to hide the admin account in the UserData file would be really helpful, it can be done with two lines in the script:
A) as noted by our very own ODMaster ( [url]https://www.afp548.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=18579&mode=&show=5[/url] ) the first line to add is: [code]defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow Hide500Users -bool YES[/code]
B ) as noted on MacOsXHints ( [url]http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080127172157404&query=hide%2Busers%2B10.5[/url] ) [code]sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow HiddenUsersList -array $USERNAME[/code] and replace $USERNAME with the account name (short name I think)
5) Some admins need to hide the ‘other’ option at login, for which you can use (from the same MacOsXHints … hint) [code]sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow SHOWOTHERUSERS_MANAGED -bool FALSE[/code] this too could be put in as an option.
6) Someone noted above (and in another thread) that adding a user to the admin group, an making it your only user, results in running the movie and registration routine on first boot… getting rid of that should be trivial.
7) Along the lines of items 4 and 5, IF you put in an option to hide the admin account, then it would need to be a sub 500 UID, and it would be best to create the home folder in the /private/var/ location.
8) It may (or may not) be a good idea to have this installer dump down a customized English.lproj (or language of choice) so that new users get specific setups… though I will have mine do it AFTER it creates the admin account. The reason I was thinking its good for inclusion here is that it would keep all portions of user creation in one space, but maybe I am overdoing it)

I am going to play with the script now and see how much of this I can do and post back for someone to fix (my scripting is more vestigial than useful).
Anyway, like I sadi at the top, the script is awesome and I am NOT complaining, just offering suggestions for the next version.

AND… after re-reading thew script but before posting this I noted some mistakes I made, so Items 4 and 5 would need to be in a script that runs at boot OR would need to have their lines added to the requisite prefs files using something other than “defaults write” (should not be an issue). Right now I think I will leave them (for me at least) in a separate script (probably unnecessary, but I will post it).

(Edited to make B) show up as B ) and not a smiley)

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