[Macworld.com]

Learn a number of different ways to easily and quickly lock your screen. [more]

[stridey]

You can also lock the screen by typing
/System/Library/CoreServices/"Menu Extras"/User.menu/Contents/Resources/CGSession -suspend
into the terminal. This method is great, because it works even if you don't require a password to exit the screensaver or wake from sleep.

[gesteves]

Is there any way to make the computer require a password after waking up from sleep, but not after exiting the screensaver? I hate entering my password after the screensaver comes on, but I'd still like to enter it when I open the lid on my PowerBook.

[idb]

"... press and hold your the power button ..."?!
Um ... this forces the machine to power off on every one I've owned. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[mwsneakers]

How about just pressing F11?

[Nobody]

The best way I have found is to use Quicksilver in conjunction with Fast-User-Switching (so the login menu appears but you are not logged out, which for various reasons is more secure than using the screen saver lock)
Quicksilver comes with some handy scripts to do this, so now I just type Opt-Space F Enter. Easy /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[edwardd20]

Anybody beside me not heard of Shift-Command-Option-Q before? I tried it while reading the article and lo and behold it worked and kick me out of reading the article! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Berko]

The application "WinSwitch" is all you need. It adds more functionality to Fast User Switching, PLUS adds a hot-key which immediately locks your screen without having to log-out. Everything is still running in the background. Other niceties include things like pausing iTunes when you lock it and unpauses when you unlock it - things like that. Oh, yeah, and it's freeware!
http://wincent.com/a...ucts/winswitch/

[leroybrown]

In reply to:

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How about just pressing F11?

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Isn't that the expos hot key to show the desktop?

[jgalicinski]

I tried:
/System/Library/CoreServices/"Menu Extras"/User.menu/Contents/Resources/CGSession -suspend
Works great! It's even easier if you create a workflow to run that command and put the workflow on your dock or make it a hotkey.

[SPOOF]

You mention of use only on laptops for the power button trick...but this is not so!
Older mac keyboards will have the power key as well, which works the same.
Those macs which don't have this key (bad Apple!), can pretend they do by hitting control-eject on the keyboard for the same effect. I use this on my various different G4 towers all the time, as well as other systems in labs I've worked at.
Once the dialog box is up, you can simply hit "s" to sleep, "r" to restart, Escape to cancel, or Enter/Return to shut down. No mousing around needed. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Nobody]

You need to press and quickly release the Power button, letting the button click. It is kind of awkward doing this method on a G5 iMac since the Power button is on the back at the lower right. It could be done. This has been a feature with Macs since OS 8, I believe. There was a system mode dialog box before to choose from. Now the system suddenly goes to Sleep, I believe it just monitor Sleep.

[schalliol]

Wow, I can't believe Salling Clicker wasn't mentioned here. When I physically walk away from my desk with my phone in my pocket, my computer locks - no touching required.

[SidneySM]

getsteves: You may find this article of use. You may have to apply this comment to make it work, and SleepWatcher is available here.
Good luck.
P.S. First post!