XMotD: X Message of the Day (Perl Tk based)

This PERL-Tk based program can show the message of the day plus some news. The main usage is for systems on which you login in graphically (such as Windows, OS/2 or XWindows [XDM]).

Download

xmotd

Features

• Operatingsystem independend. Since Perl and (Perl::)Tk are both available for numberous systems you can use this program on several plattforms without needing to compile. Already implemented structures allow you to set different paths for UNIX and Windows so you can use the same file for multiple operating systems.
• Script language allows simple additions. We use XMOTD to display our two central motd files and plus one depending on the group id of the user
• Supports the news feature: You can declare one directory as news directory and all file names turn into news items. If you click on them, their contents will be displayed in a new window (with modification date and user name of the creator).
• Output of the standard input (stdin), files etc. are possible
• Quiet option: If you don't want to bother your users if nothing has changed
• No-display modus: You can put everything to the commandline. ([Unread] News displaying including, news reading excluded.)

Disadvantages: On older computers it takes some time until the program is loaded, we have some very old computers where it takes almost ten seconds! On new computers it happens almost instantly. If you have old computers you should start the program from a script like that:

#!/bin/sh
if [   /usr/local/etc/motd      -nt ${HOME}/.xmotd
    -o /usr/local/etc/motd.unix -nt ${HOME}/.xmotd]
then
   /usr/local/bin/xmotd -center -news -quiet
fi

Options

xmotd --help shows:

XMOTD Version 0.9.1 2001-12-12

 --help                Show this command line help
 --version             Show the version string
 --title=xmotd         The used title
 --nox                 No X, run as console
 --quiet               Show items only if they are new
 --stdin               Place text from stdin between motd and news
 --no-motd             Don't show the "Message of the Day"
 --news                Show news (may be used with --quiet)
 --news-directory=path Path used for --news
 --news-touch=file     The news time stamp file
 --news-no-quiet       Only look at news-touch, not at touchfile
 --no-touch            Don't update the timestamp
 --touchfile=file      Filename for the timestamp
 --before=string       Show this string as first line
 --before-file=string  Show this file after the --before
 --after=string        Show this string after the last line
 --after-file=string   Append this file after --after
 --center              Center window (WM placement)

Bugs, missing features

None ;-) all are features to teach you perl.

Well if you find some of the numberous bugs, please drop a mail or better send a patch

Screenshots