What is Login Screen Extension
 

Hi,

can anybody please explain what the Login Screen Extension is?
I have MacBook with M1 and docking station HP G2. Works ok with DisplayLink 1.2.
Should I also download the Login Screen Extension?

Thanks,
Jakub

It enables a DisplayLink-connected display to be active prior to logging in to the system. DisplayLink has more information here --> https://support.displaylink.com/know...ction-in#other

Great, thanks a lot for the info and for the link. I couldn't have found it by myslef:rolleyes:

HelloI read this sentence and the linked documentation where there is (only) the same description... But I'm still not sure to understand what is the purpose of this additionnal "Login Screen Extension" for my Mac.

From this explanation, I could conclude it is just an "extra" and not absolutely necessary when using an external Displaylink display, after logging in my Mac session and then launching th DisplayLink Manager.

Nevertheless it appears that I never managed to reach the above purpose when I had only installed the DisplayLink Manager (and rebooted the Mac)
=> The DisplayLink manager windows always displayed 'No Displaylink-enabled display connected"
=> and I only got my external Displaylink display detected in my Mac user session when I also installed the "Login Screen Extension".

So is there a way to use an external DisplayLink display only with the DisplayLink Manager and without installing the Login Screen Extension?

Regards.

The 'Login Screen Extension' is optional, it is not required.

In order for a DisplayLink display to function on a Mac, the DisplayLink Manager Application must be running.

When a Mac first boots and presents a login screen, the DisplayLink Manager Application is NOT running. As a result, any DisplayLink display will not work.

Only after the user logs in to the system will the DisplayLink display work.

This behavior works fine in most cases, however there are exceptions such as when the host Mac does not have a display connected directly to it. For example, a Mac mini no display connected to the Mac's built-in video outputs but with DisplayLink-based docking station connected.

In such a case, the Login Extension is necessary in order to for the DisplayLink displays to work so the end user can log in when the Mac first boots.

Hello,Thank you for your answer.
Nevertheless, in spite of your explanation I still can't get DisplayLink display to work without adding the Login Screen Extension.

In details (the computer is a laptop, MacBook pro, and I only installed the DisplayLink Manager)

1- I reboot the laptop
2- my laptop is in use, and my personal session opened (so I'm not in the login screen, but in my session, with the Mac Desktop opened)
3- then I go to a room with a DisplayLink display
4- I manually launch the application "DisplayLink Manager"
5- a menubar item appears, and in this menubar item I see always see the message stated above:
"No Displaylink-enabled display connected"

Only if I add the Login Item Extension (and redo the whole scenario above) will the external DisplayLink display be detected.

So I must miss something, but I don't know where...
Regards,

Follow-up
 

I was about to ask the same question.

Why doesn't the DL Manager app PKG include the Login Screen Extension launchdaemon for customers rather than making them hunt it down? There is very little info about the Login Screen Extension online. Its frustrating to end-users when they see link in the DL Manager menu bar app stating 'Login Screen Extension is available' - users don't know if this is the actual DL app, or something else. Why put users in a situation in which they dont know if they need the Login Screen Extension daemon or not...until its too late and they are stuck with no video? Just include the agent - or make the PKG installer have the option to install it.

The Login Screen Extension is NOT a System/Kernel Extension at all: Its just a LaunchDaemon (.plit file). These 2 things are not the same at all. Why name it incorrectly? The naming conventions are sloppy and not accurate for the Mac platform.

Another thing annoying about the PKG for the Login Screen Extension:

It contains an "uninstaller app" (named 'DisplayLink Software Uninstaller' - which is vague). But the actual DL Manager PKG does NOT contain any type of uninstaller app. Why not?

The Uninstaller app does NOT explain to the user WHAT is being removed. Is it the full DM Manager app? Or the launch daemon? Or Both? This is lazy development. You should inform your customers about what is happening or about to happen. Im going to GUESS that the 'DisplayLink Software Uninstaller' ONLY removes the LaunchDaemon? Is this correct?

Where is the documentation for the DisplayLink Software Uninstaller or the Login Screen Extension?