This is how I solved my problem (this will logout an idle user after at least 30 minutes of idle time):
First create a file and put this code in it (you might need to install xprintidle before you start):
#!/bin/bash # Written by cz0 2010, adapted by dror 2013 # Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 HALFHOUR=1800000 IDLETIME=`xprintidle` QDBUS="/usr/bin/qdbus" if [ $IDLETIME -gt $HALFHOUR ] then logger timeout of $HALFHOUR expired. idle is $IDLETIME KDEPID=$(ps aux | grep 'startkde' | grep -v 'grep' | awk '') KDEUSER=$(ps u $KDEPID | grep 'startkde' | awk '') # If the DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS environment variable is not already set correctly # then set it by finding the environment file for the startkde process in proc and # parsing it to get get the correct setting. if [ -z "$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS" ]; then ENVIRON_FILE=/proc/$(ps h --ppid $KDEPID -o pid | awk '')/environ CURRENT_DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=$(grep -z DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS $ENVIRON_FILE | sed -e 's/DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=//') export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=$CURRENT_DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS fi $QDBUS org.kde.ksmserver /KSMServer logout 1 0 2 else logger timeout is $HALFHOUR not expired $IDLETIME fi Now cp it to /bin/
sudo cp myfile /bin/logoutonidle Next make it executavble
sudo chmod +x /bin/logoutonidle Next run per the user you want to logout automatically (if needed then run it on every user):
crontab -e and add to it the following line (this will make cron check every 15 minutes so worst case is that user will be logged out after ~45 idle time):
*/15 * * * * export DISPLAY=:0 && /bin/logoutonidle 2>&1 I would like to thank the people in these threads Bryan and Johanns for pointing me in the right direction.