I've always dreaded the X startup I have to go thru, where I switch thru 10 virtual desktops and start applications in each one. I know there is "desktop suspend-to-disk", but that requires a kernel patch, etc. This is just a simple Perl script, that will cycle thru your virtual desktops and start applications. You may need to adjust the delay, if your computer is slow, to prevent a slow-starting app from appearing on the adjacent desktop. Tested with ICEWM, and works with EWMH compliant window managers, and requires the wmctrl program.

I have 10 desktops, so adjust your script according to your desktop setup.

#!/usr/bin/perl
use warnings;
use strict;
use X11::WMCtrl;

# based on the EWMH specification: 
# http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/wm-spec/ 
# wmctrl only works with window managers which implement 
# this specification. 
# The homepage of wmctrl: 
#  http://sweb.cz/tripie/utils/wmctrl/ 
# wmctrl must be installed somewhere in the path 

my $wmctrl = X11::WMCtrl->new;

my %setup= (
     0 => '/home/zentara/mozilla/run-mozilla.sh',
     1 => '/usr/bin/sylpheed',
     2 => '/usr/bin/tk-spamchecker',
     3 => undef,
     4 => undef,
     5 => 'xterm -fn 10x20 -ls -geometry 97x35+0+25 -e /usr/bin/mc',
     6 => undef,
     7 => 'xterm -fn 10x20 -ls -geometry 97x35+0+25 -e /usr/bin/mc',
     8 => '/usr/bin/agent',
     9 => '/usr/bin/girc'
     );


foreach my $wrksp (0..9){
      $wmctrl->switch($wrksp);
      my $cmd = $setup{$wrksp};
      if(defined $cmd){ system("$cmd &"); sleep 3 }
      $wmctrl->maximize($wrksp);
 }

#my $app = $windows[0]->{title}; 
#$wmctrl->maximize($app); 
#$wmctrl->unmaximize($app); 
#$wmctrl->shade($app); 
#$wmctrl->unshade($app); 
#$wmctrl->close($app);

[download]

In reply to automate your linux window manager by zentara

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