SaveDesktop

A CLI tool for saving and restoring virtual linux desktops.

Stage of development: discotinued

SaveDesktop needs the deprecated xorg display server.
Xorg is almost unmaintened and will be phased out by most of the mayor Linux destributions.
The default desktop session is now the Wayland session.
Alternatives:

• Sway
• KDE Plasma Window Rules

Main features:

• Dumping window geometry and hints to human readable JSON files
• Apply the saved layout to any virtual desktop
• Command Line Interface
• GTK Interface

Dependencies:

• X Window Manager that implement the EWMH specification
• wmctrl (https://sites.google.com/site/tstyblo/wmctrl/)
• xwininfo (for getting window geometry and extents)
• xdotool (for hiding windows)
• Python 3.7
• python-setuptools
• python-gobject
• gtk3

Compatibility:

Tested DEs:

Desktop Enviroment	Version	Window Manager
Cinnamon	4	Muffin
LXQT	0.13	OpenBox
Mate	1.20	Marco
Plasma	5	Kwin
XFCE	4	Xfwm

Tested Applications:

• Caja
• Chromium
• Dolphin
• Falkon
• Firefox
• Galculator
• Gedit
• Kate
• Konsole
• Leafpad
• Libre Office
• Lxterminal
• Mate-Terminal
• Midori
• Mousepad
• Nemo
• Pluma
• Qpdview
• Thunar (remove --daemon option)
• VLC
• Wine Apps
• Xed
• Xreader

Incompatible:

• Gimp, setting gemometry failed

Installation:

Arch Linux AUR package:

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/savedesktop/

For manual installation use the following command:

$ sudo python setup.py install --optimize=1

Usage:

dump a desktop:

$ svd -d 0 -p profile1 -o

options:

-d 0 dump first desktop

-p profile1 save to ~/.config/savedesktop/profile1.json

-o open in default editor

save with gui:

$ svd --gui

restore a desktop:

$ rvd -d 1 -p profile1

-d 1 restore to second desktop

-p profile1 load ~/.config/savedesktop/profile1.json

restore with gui dialog:

$ rvd --gui

Profiles:

Profile files are stored in '~/.config/savedesktop'

[
  {
    "x": 403,
    "y": 219,
    "width": 1094,
    "height": 599,
    "timeout": 5,
    "cmd": [
      "nemo"
    ],
    "state": ""
  }
]

The following state properties are supported:

• maximized_vert
• maximized_horz
• shaded
• hidden
• fullscreen

Project Web site:

https://github.com/nrittsti/savedesktop/

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Licence:

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.

Copyright (C) 2018 Nico Rittstieg

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