KiXtart, a freeware scripting language, gives you much of the power
possible with custom executables. KiXtart scripts make many of the features you
want in your logon scripts possible. KiXtart is available from many Web sites.
Pick your favorite Web-based search engine and search for KiXtart to find sites
such as the KiXtart Archive at http://netnet.net/~swilson/kix/nfKiX.htm. Several
KiXtart Internet sites have not only the KiXtart program but also sample
scripts. As of July 23, version 3.38 was the most recent.
Once you've unzipped KiXtart, you'll find numerous files, including
Kix32.doc, a users guide. The crucial files are Kix32.exe, Kx32.dll, and
Kx16.dll. You must copy these three files to the Netlogon share on all your
Domain Controllers that authenticate logons. With this groundwork in place,
you're ready to write a KiXtart script and tell NT to use it.
Investigating a Script
You can leverage KiXtart in many ways. Our sample KiXtart script in Listing 1 displays corporate information, sets client machine time, and maps drive letters. This script has been regression tested on both NT Workstation 4.0 and Win95 Ver A. We'll refer to this script by section number as we explain what
each component does:
- Section 1.
Although this section is optional, anyone who has
written code knows the importance of a good header. Contact information for the
author and creation date are crucial parts of this section.
- Section 2.
Section 2 is where the action starts. For fun, we've
displayed a tree bitmap and the company name. (We have fictitiously assumed this
script is for a forestry service.)
- Section 3.
A neat feature of NetWare logon scripts is the ability
to display a greeting based on the time of day. Section 3 shows the KiXtart
version.
- Section 4.
A crucial part of any environment is synchronized time.
One idea that works well is to pick a server to set all clients' machine time.
We refer to this server as the Keystone timeserver. To ensure the Keystone
server has the correct time, install the time service from the NT Server
resource kit. By default, a plain user does not have the right to change the
time on an NT workstation. To enable users to change the time, give them the
right Change the system time.
- Section 5.
The last part of the script maps drive letters to
network resources. Section 5 shows this function.
The Big Picture
After you've written the script, you must save it. Your logon script needs
to be in the Netlogon share on all your domain controllers that validate logons.
If you have directory replication established, you can save the script to your
export server and it will be distributed automatically. If you are not using
directory replication, you must copy the script to each domain controller
manually.
Next, you have to instruct NT to use this script when a user logs on. You
define a logon script for a user through User Manager for Domains. The Logon
Script Name: field appears when you select the profile button under a user's
property sheet. The quickest and easiest method for calling the KiXtart script
is to specify KIX32.exe as the logon script name. This method works only if you
name your script KiXtart.scr. An optional method is available if you do not want
to name your script KiXtart.scr. You must create a batch file that contains the
following line:
Kix32.exe "Name of KiXtart Script"
Note that you must substitute the name of your script. If you name your
script Test.scr, the contents of the batch file are
Kix32.exe Test.scr
Instead of filling in KIX32.exe for the logon script name, you now use the
name of the batch file.
Further Information
Additional commands are documented in Kix32.doc. Because KiXtart is
freeware, many people are willing to share their knowledge and scripts. You can
download these scripts from the Web.
