IDEA: logout when monitor turns on

[agentsteal]

Hi,
Could someone make a program that will log out of Windows XP when my monitor is turned on? When I press the button to turn on my monitor, I want the computer to immediately log out before displaying anything.

Thanks!

[SingingBoyo]

I may be wrong, but if I understand you right, then there's no way to do this.  XP logs out after screensavers by default, but I don't think you can tell whether the monitor has been turned on or off.

[Stoic Joker]

(Forcing a logoff) Sounds like a great way to lose data - Why not just use Win + L to lock the session when leaving the computer?

[skwire]

Could someone make a program that will log out of Windows XP when my monitor is turned on? When I press the button to turn on my monitor, I want the computer to immediately log out before displaying anything.

I agree with SingingBoyo.  I don't think there is a way, programatically, to know when the user physically turns on a monitor.

[ewemoa]

When I looked into this a bit, I got the sense it's doable in Vista and later.  Is that what other folks found too?

[agentsteal]

I read that it can be done in XP with this:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd694527%28VS.85%29.aspx

but I have no idea how to implement it...

[SingingBoyo]

@agentsteal Looks to me like thats video devices, such as webcams and possibly video cameras.  Possibly USB devices in general, but I doubt it works for monitors.

[agentsteal]

I got that from here:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/203355/is-there-any-way-to-detect-the-monitor-state-in-windows-on-or-off

[SingingBoyo]

And it still appears that its almost impossible to do it reliably.  It's almost definitely monitor-dependent, and I don't think its something you can do as a small, simple program.  However, Win+L works great, and if you really want to log off, log off properly! (As Stoic Joker said, forced logoffs are great for losing data.  Its sort of like holding down the power button because you can't wait for the computer to turn itself off.)

[agentsteal]

And it still appears that its almost impossible to do it reliably.  It's almost definitely monitor-dependent,

Could someone try making it anyway? I have multiple monitors I can try.

Win+L works great, and if you really want to log off, log off properly!

But I want to be able to keep the computer logged in to run a program after I leave but logged out when someone else wants to use it. Btw the computer can be forced to log off with the command "shutdown -l -f".

[SingingBoyo]

Win+L is basically the equivalent of switch users, in hotkey form.  Your program should stay running.