AUP Acceptable Computer Use Policy

Scripting is easy to use! You just create a text file with the extension ‘.spt’ and then run the program from a shortcut with the command “c:\aup\aup.exe script.spt”, where “c:\aup\aup.exe” is the path of the program, and “script.spt” is the name of the script file to use.

Once you have the program accessing the script file you need to put commands into the file. To do this you need to open up the script file in a text editor (eg: notepad) and type in the commands. The syntax to use [COMMAND] ‘PARAMETER1’ ‘PARAMETER2’, where COMMAND is the command to use, and PARAMETER1, PARAMETER2 are the parameters for the command. eg: [AUP FILE] ‘c:\aup\aup.txt’.

It is recommended that each command be put on a separate line. Each command must be enclosed with the square brackets [] and in capitals. Each parameter must be enclosed in single quotes ” and placed in the correct order. A list of commands is specified below.

[AUP FILE] – Specifies the AUP file to use. If you do not specify this command, no AUP will be shown.

There is one parameter the file name of the AUP file.

eg: [AUP FILE] ‘c:\aup\aup.txt’

[LAUNCH PROGRAM] – Specifies a program to launch or run. There are three parameters: filename, parameters and working directory.

eg: [LAUNCH PROGRAM]   ‘C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE’   ‘/n,/e,c:\windows’   ‘c:\windows’

[MESSAGE] – Specifies the text of a message to show in a message box. There is one parameter – the message. If you put in tabs and carriage returns then these will be shown in the message box.

eg: [MESSAGE] ‘Hello World!
This is a multi-line message’

[LINK] – Specifies another script file to be linked in. There is one parameter, the path of the file to link. The main use of LINK is to link to an individual file for each user.

For example, when a user logs on their folder is mapped to a drive, say “n:\”. You could then put a script file into their folder and put the statement “[LINK] ‘n:\link.spt'” into the main script file, where n:\ is the drive or path that their folder is mapped to, and link.spt is the name of the script file. This would mean that each user could be shown a slightly different AUP, or you could stop a user from logging on by putting [DENY LOGON] into their individual script file.

eg: [LINK]   ‘linked.spt’

[DENY LOGON] – Specifies that the accept button is disabled. This is very powerful, so be careful. If the accept button is disabled you HAVE to click the decline button and be logged off – THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE.

The idea of DENY LOGON is that it can be put in a linked file for a user that has demonstrated some form of errant behavior. The user will not be able to user the computer, but will still see the AUP. You can use this with DENY MESSAGE to tell them what they have violated acceptable policy.

eg: [DENY LOGON]

[DENY MESSAGE] – Specifies a message that is shown, before the AUP is shown. There is one parameter, the content for the message box. See MESSAGE (above) for more details.

The method behind DENY MESSAGE is that it is used with DENY LOGON so that a user can see the AUP, but can not use the computer.

eg: [DENY MESSAGE]   ‘You have violated the AUP and are not allowed to use this computer.’

The scripting is limited, but the author is examining ways that it may be expanded, so if you have an idea for them, you may want to send them an email.