How to create pre-defined layouts with apps specific positions

[SamEdwardes]

Thank you for all of the awesome work on AeroSpace. I really enjoy using it everyday.

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to create "pre-defined layouts". For example, I would like a "Zoom" layout that automatically tiles the following apps in a specific layout:

I would like to trigger this layout using a keyboard shortcut (e.g. alt + shift + z)

[SamEdwardes]

Here is my work in progress, but I it not very reliable:

#!/bin/zsh

set -e

# Flatten the entire tree
aerospace flatten-workspace-tree

# Get current windows
windows=$(aerospace list-windows --all --json)
echo $windows

# Zoom
zoom_window_id=$(echo -e "$windows" | jq '.[] | select(.["app-name"] == "zoom.us") | .["window-id"]')
echo "Zoom window id: $zoom_window_id"
aerospace focus --window-id "$zoom_window_id"
aerospace move left
aerospace move left

# Obsidian
obsidian_window_id=$(echo -e "$windows" | jq '.[] | select(.["app-name"] == "Obsidian") | .["window-id"]')
echo "Obsidian window id: $obsidian_window_id"
aerospace focus --window-id "$obsidian_window_id"
aerospace move left
aerospace join-with left

# Arc
arc_window_id=$(echo -e "$windows" | jq '.[] | select(.["app-name"] == "Arc") | .["window-id"]')
echo "Arc window id: $arc_window_id"
aerospace focus --window-id "$arc_window_id"
aerospace focus --window-id "$arc_window_id"
aerospace move right

# Clean up
aerospace mode main

[mcharo]

I played around with this and it feels like there's probably a better, more generic solution, but building off your WIP this worked reliably for me:

~/.aerospace/zoom_workspace.sh

#!/bin/bash

set -eu -o pipefail

# script accepts a workspace name to move windows to, defaults to "zoom"
# assumption is this target workspace is empty or doesn't exist yet
TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME="${1:-zoom}"

# Get window ID for an app and open it if not running
get_window_id() {
    local app_name="$1"

    # look for existing window
    local windows=$(aerospace list-windows --all --json)
    local window_id=$(echo -e "$windows" | jq -r --arg app "$app_name" '.[] | select(.["app-name"] == $app) | .["window-id"]')
    
    # open app if not running
    if [ -z "$window_id" ]; then
        open -a "$app_name"
        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
            echo "Failed to open $app_name" >&2
            exit 1
        fi
        while [ -z "$window_id" ]; do
            windows=$(aerospace list-windows --all --json)
            window_id=$(echo -e "$windows" | jq -r --arg app "$app_name" '.[] | select(.["app-name"] == $app) | .["window-id"]')
            sleep 0.1
        done
    fi
    
    echo "$window_id"
}

aerospace workspace $TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME

# Get zoom window ID and move it to target workspace
zoom_window_id=$(get_window_id "zoom.us")
aerospace move-node-to-workspace --window-id $zoom_window_id $TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME

# Get the obsidian window ID and move it to target workspace
obsidian_window_id=$(get_window_id "Obsidian")
aerospace move-node-to-workspace --window-id $obsidian_window_id $TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME

# Get the arc window ID and move it to target workspace
arc_window_id=$(get_window_id "Arc")
aerospace move-node-to-workspace --window-id $arc_window_id $TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME

aerospace flatten-workspace-tree --workspace $TARGET_WORKSPACE_NAME

# Try to ensure arc is on the right side of the screen
aerospace move --window-id $arc_window_id right
aerospace move --window-id $arc_window_id right

# Try to ensure obsidian is on the left side of the screen
aerospace move --window-id $zoom_window_id left
aerospace move --window-id $obsidian_window_id left
aerospace move --window-id $obsidian_window_id left

# Join the zoom window with obsidian on the left side of the screen
aerospace join-with --window-id $zoom_window_id left

# Try to ensure zoom is on the top of the screen
aerospace move --window-id $zoom_window_id up

~/.aerospace.toml

alt-z = 'exec-and-forget $HOME/.aerospace/zoom_workspace.sh zoom'

[SamEdwardes]

Thanks for sharing! I will check it out!

[mangoconcoco]

So this might not be what you are looking for but may help someone out there.

For a single app (wezterm) I've make this workaround. I run a script with the same shortcut I move to a workspace, so:

ctrl-alt-cmd-v = ['workspace V', 'exec-and-forget /Users/lclusr/.scripts/aerospace_wezterm_vps.zsh']

the script does a few things:

1. Check Workspace State
2. Open New Windows and Run Commands
3. Apply Window Layout
4. Resize bpytop Window (bpytop needs a minimum height)
5. Mark Workspace as Initialized

#!/bin/zsh

# Specify the workspace where we want to check for open windows (in this case, 'V')
WORKSPACE="V"
FLAG_FILE="$HOME/workspace_v_initialized"

# Check if there are any open windows in the workspace
open_windows=$(aerospace list-windows --workspace $WORKSPACE --count)

if [ "$open_windows" -gt 0 ]; then
  if [ -f "$FLAG_FILE" ]; then
    echo "Windows already initialized in workspace $WORKSPACE. Skipping further actions."
    exit 0
  fi
else
  # No windows are open in the workspace, so proceed to open new windows and run the commands

  # Open the first WezTerm window, execute SSH, run eza, and keep the session open
  wezterm start -- zsh -c "export PATH=/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin:\$PATH; ssh -t [email protected] 'home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/eza --tree --level=2 --long --color=always --icons=always --no-time --no-user --no-permissions; exec zsh'" &

  # Wait for the first window to finish its command before proceeding
  sleep 0.2

  # Open the second WezTerm window, execute SSH, run neofetch and pm2 status, and keep the session open
  wezterm start -- zsh -c "export PATH=/usr/bin:\$PATH; ssh -t [email protected] 'neofetch; pm2 status; exec zsh'" &

  # Wait for the second window to finish its command before proceeding
  sleep 0.2

  # Open the third WezTerm window, execute SSH, run bpytop, and keep the session open
  wezterm start -- zsh -c "export PATH=/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin:\$PATH; ssh -t [email protected] '/home/usr/.local/bin/bpytop; exec zsh'" &

  # Wait for all windows to finish executing their commands
  sleep 0.2

  # Now apply the layout after all windows are executed

  # Focus the first window and apply the h_tiles layout
  aerospace focus left
  aerospace layout h_tiles

  # Move the first window left, and the others will fall into place
  aerospace move left
  aerospace move left

  # Resize bpytop window
  aerospace focus right
  aerospace resize height +26

  # Create the flag file to indicate windows are initialized
  touch "$FLAG_FILE"
  echo "Workspace $WORKSPACE initialized and layout applied."
fi

It's a bit sloppy but oh well. What I'm trying to deal with is better consistency, sometimes the neofetch ends up in bottom right, or something similar, they mix up every now and then.

VPS.Workspace.mp4

[SamEdwardes]

Thanks @mangoconcoco this is a great example!