Auto-login with a headless Panther server?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Does anyone know how I can get a user logged in locally on a Panther Server machine? We've just purchased OS X Server, and I've got it up and running pretty damn well -- but we have a program that needs to run locally and it'll only run when a user is logged in.

I have the accounts preference pane set up to auto-login that specific user and the application that needs to launch is in the login items for that user. All is well when there's a monitor connected to the machine -- but if there's no monitor connected (the way we prefer it to run), apparently, the server startup is different and the user doesn't get logged in.

Does anyone know a way around this, other than tricking the server into thinking there's a monitor connected?

 

[Ricky]

Monitors are cheap -- around $50 for a decent CRT. Seems like the obvious solution to me, unless space is an issue.

If that's the case, I'd guess there's a dongle you could use to trick the computer into thinking there's a monitor attached, for people in similar situations to your own.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Well, for some reason, it did it just fine a second ago upon reboot. It seems as though it happened when I logged in via ssh, though.

I'll have to do more testing. This is confusing. I can't find any literature on Apple's site about headless operation and auto-login.

And space is a big issue -- there's barely room for the computer itself, and we like the remote management capabilities of OS X Server. We may have to just buckle and get a cheap CRT, though. I have a feeling it'll work out in the end without a monitor, though.