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Setting up E/L for multiple users...
>>>>> "Stewart" == Stewart Smith <ssmith@essun2.murdoch.edu.au> writes:
Stewart> Hi Ardi, Some questions about executor/linux for you:
Stewart> Is it possible to configure executor so that each user
Stewart> has their own browser state and preferences?
Thanks for the question. I've just added this to the Executor FAQ.
Question 3.18. How can Executor be configured for multiple users?
Executor has a variety of environment variables that can be altered to
allow individual users to override the default locations Executor expects
to find key files. Here are the important environment variables and their
default values:
* ConfigurationFolder "+/Configuration"
* SystemFolder "+/ExecutorVolume/System Folder"
* PublicDirectoryMap "+/DirectoryMap"
* PrivateDirectoryMap "~/.Executor/DirectoryMap"
* DefaultFolder "+/ExecutorVolume"
* MacVolumes "+/exsystem.hfv;+"
* PrintFolder "/tmp"
* ScreenDumpFolder "/tmp"
The leading "+/" represents the directory "/usr/local/lib/executor". So
to allow multiple users to all have their own preferences, you can create
an executor directory for each potential user like this:
~/executor/
~/executor/Configuration
~/executor/SystemFolder
~/executor/ScreenDumps
Then reassign these environment variables:
* ConfigurationFolder "~/executor/Configuration"
* SystemFolder "~/executor/SystemFolder"
* PublicDirectoryMap "~/DirectoryMap"
* DefaultFolder "~/executor"
* ScreenDumpFolder "~/executor/ScreenDumps"
You'll then need to populate the System Folder either with copies of
what's in "/usr/local/lib/executor/ExecutorVolume/System Folder", or with
symbolic links to the actual files. The Desktop Textures program actually
modifies the System File, so if different users are going to want
different desktops, or if you want to make sure there's no interference
between users, then you should use copies rather than symbolic links.
Stewart> Is there any way of having a user's home directory appear
Stewart> automatically as a volume on start-up? I remember seeing
Stewart> something about a "macvolumes" environment variable, but
Stewart> can't find anything in the FAQ about this.
Sadly there's no easy way to do this, although there's a hard way.
What you need to do is adjust the godata.sav file to have the users
directory open in the beggining, and maybe also have that home
directory in the hotband. What I suggest you do is do one by hand,
then look at the godata.sav file and figure out how to munch it
yourself.
After 2.0 ships, if see enough sales of E/L (and we think we will),
we'll hire someone whose full-time job will be to come up with spiff
tools to make E/L work nicely.
Stewart> If these things can be done, executor would represent a
Stewart> major improvement over normal macs in a multi-user
Stewart> environment. Our department has a bunch of macs that are
Stewart> shared amongst many users, mostly students. People are
Stewart> continually changing settings, deleting programs,
Stewart> corrupting files. It requires quite an effort on the part
Stewart> of the maintainers to simply keep the things runing, let
Stewart> alone have a consistent environment that one can come
Stewart> back to later.
Well, try what I've suggested above, and get back to us. We'll take
seriously any suggestions you have, although we still are pretty short
of time.
I've cc'd this to the Executor list because I think it's of interest
to many of our E/L users.
--Cliff
ctm@ardi.com