How to save the desktop?

pietrom · Jan 20, 2010

How can I save the desktop (I mean the folders, the applications ad their open files, all in the position I left them) before logging out, so that logging back in I will find everything like it was before?

Is there a flag to set somewhere so that it will be done automatically?

In Linux this is the default behaviour...

Thank you!

Collin Bl · Jan 20, 2010

If you want all windows to open where they were then u have to set the Apps to open on login - Sys Prefs/Accounts/Login Items. Then shutting down should see all windows come back in same position. Would be a help to know what OS u are on but that is the general scene.

pietrom · Jan 20, 2010

I am using MacOS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
I would like the system to remember the applications that are open when I log out, not a predefined semi-fixed list.
I would also like all the windows to be placed in the same "space" they were before.

toMACsh · Jan 20, 2010

pietrom said:
I would also like all the windows to be placed in the same "space" they were before.

Pffff! Why'd ya hafta go and use that word? Do you mean the same position on the screen, or the same space in Spaces?

VegasGeorge · Jan 20, 2010

I think we Mac users just put our Mac to sleep when we want it to come back (wake up) with everything just the way we left it. Sleep is a fairly foreign concept to most PC users who normally turn their machines completely off. Have you considered using Sleep instead?

CrimsonRequiem · Jan 20, 2010

VegasGeorge said:
I think we Mac users just put our Mac to sleep when we want it to come back (wake up) with everything just the way we left it. Sleep is a fairly foreign concept to most PC users who normally turn their machines completely off. Have you considered using Sleep instead?

While this is true...I kind of miss hibernation which is better than sleep. Essentially it's sleep + shutdown, except they kind of removed that option in Windows 7. I remember using it a lot in Vista.

Well for Mac OSX you could try this.

VegasGeorge · Jan 20, 2010

Oh wow, CrimsonRequiem, DeepSleep looks like a cool widget! I'm going to try that out on my MBP right away. Thanks!

CrimsonRequiem · Jan 20, 2010

VegasGeorge said:
Oh wow, CrimsonRequiem, DeepSleep looks like a cool widget! I'm going to try that out on my MBP right away. Thanks!

Well I'm glad I made a difference in someones life. ^-^""

pietrom · Jan 21, 2010

toMACsh said:
Pffff! Why'd ya hafta go and use that word? Do you mean the same position on the screen, or the same space in Spaces?

toMACsh: I mean both things: same position on the screen, and same space in Spaces. Just like in Linux.

pietrom · Jan 21, 2010

It should not be such a hard thing to implement. There must be a structure in memory where the list of open applications and their position is stored. They just should have to save this structure on disk before logging out, and reload it at login... The fact it is so simple makes me think that it must be already available.

toMACsh · Jan 22, 2010

Well, use the Expose and Spaces System Preferences pane to assign things to certain Spaces (with a capital S). Do you have things assigned already that are not opening in the designated Space? If so, your System Preferences plist file may be corrupt.

pietrom · Jan 22, 2010

I should not be forced to assign anything to a certain Space. The system should just remember where I leave things around, and put them in the same place when I log back in. Let's say that I open an editor with a document, then I log out. When I log in again, I would like the editor to start and open the document I was working on. All without telling the OS: "automatically open this app when I log in", because that is something I do not want to happen every time. The same for every application an every folder.

Again, in Linux this is the default behaviour...

toMACsh · Jan 23, 2010

Well, you're not using Linux. Apple may add similar functionality in the future, but it's not there now, as you know. So, you can either work with what you have, or grouse about other things that you don't. It's your choice.

bobtomay · Jan 23, 2010

And not all of us want that type of a default behavior just because you do.

#1 It is extremely rare that I ever turn any of my computers off unless required by some software install which in itself is pretty rare. So when I wake it from sleep, it's always exactly where I left it.

#2 When I do turn one off, I don't want it starting every single app that may have been running when I shut it down. Those that I do want running every single time I boot the machine are in my login items.

BitOcas · Jan 23, 2010

Why not think more open. We all nead something that, not only save what is open on the desktop and their positions, but some think that memorize infinite sets of work distribution on desktop.

With "save on" feacture to relate any item (folder, file or application window) to certain project, without open that project (very importante to save time and dont jump allways betwin projects and keap fokused on itch). This will be mutch better than wall-in-one aplication like Together, Personal brain or Voodoo pad.

we have allready some thing like this?

Pehraps Chrome OS will bring the solution.

6string · Jan 23, 2010

Not all of us..... I don't want it!

It protects my privacy!
If I have shut down my MB and rush out the door to give a guitar lesson, when I power back up in front of my students, I have only my desktop, not the applications that I had up and running when I shut down before I left the house.
I am sure that there are many instances that if people power down, that when they boot back up, they don't want prying eyes seeing what they were doing.
I don't power down very often, and sleep feature works perfectly well for me if i want to keep everything as I left it

pietrom · Jan 24, 2010

toMACsh said:
Well, you're not using Linux. Apple may add similar functionality in the future, but it's not there now, as you know. So, you can either work with what you have, or grouse about other things that you don't. It's your choice.

I just erroneously supposed it was possible. Now I know it is not, ..., well, I will try not to shut my mac down any longer...
Thank's

pietrom · Jan 24, 2010

6string said:
Not all of us..... I don't want it!

It protects my privacy!
If I have shut down my MB and rush out the door to give a guitar lesson, when I power back up in front of my students, I have only my desktop, not the applications that I had up and running when I shut down before I left the house.
I am sure that there are many instances that if people power down, that when they boot back up, they don't want prying eyes seeing what they were doing.
I don't power down very often, and sleep feature works perfectly well for me if i want to keep everything as I left it

You could create different users: one for your private life, one for your guitar lessons, ...

6string · Jan 24, 2010

I could, but I don't need to, as I'm perfectly happy with the way Mac and OS X works!

BitOcas · Jan 24, 2010

another solution

I think that Cobalt can be another alternative solution.
A new paradigma to project management