In applescript, is there any way to specify which desktop a file is opened in?

Question

When my system boots I would like to run applescript that opens files in three different desktops/spaces.

First Space: Mail and Things (my to do list program)
Second Space: Textmate and a Safari for my first project
Third Space: Textmate and a Safari for my second project

First, in Mission Control I created two more desktops which will remain there the next time my system boots unless they are manually removed. Instead of creating one long script, I chained three applescripts (boot1, boot2 and boot3) to break it up into simpler blocks of code. At the end of boot1 you will see:

run script file "<drive name>:Users:<username>:boot2.scpt"

In boot2 and boot3 you will see a bunch of delay lines. One thing I dislike about applescript is that it often starts processing the next command before the OS finishes responding to the prior one. This causes inconsistencies and errors. Delays are a hack to force things to slow down. They help, but even when you use them things are still a bit dicey. In boot2.script:

# this emulates the keyboard shortcut to move to desktop 2
# there doesn't seem to be any way to modify an `open` command to open a file on desktop 2
tell application "System Events"
    delay 2
    # key code 19 is the key code for the number 2. 
    # <cntl> 2 is the shortcut to get to desktop 2
    key code 19 using control down
end tell

tell application "TextMate"
    activate
    # 'sites' is the name of the directory my projects are in
    open "/users/<username>/sites/project1/"
end tell

tell application "Terminal"
    activate
    do script "cd /users/<username>/sites/project1/"

    delay 2
    do script "rails s" in front window

    delay 2
    tell application "System Events" to tell process "Terminal" to keystroke "t" using command down
    tell application "System Events" to tell process "Terminal" to keystroke return

    delay 2
    do shell script "open -a Safari http://localhost:3000"
end tell

OK... so this mostly works to get desktop 2 in place except for inconsistencies when the delays aren't long enough. Boot3.script is almost the same as boot2 but when trying to open an application on desktop 3, because there is a window on desktop 2 the system jumps back to that desktop. This is the next problem. How do I overcome that?

2305491 is no longer relevant because space preferences are gone.

Thanks.

I think there's no why to do this with Applescript. You could use the autmator recording function. — idmean, Nov 04 '13 at 18:35

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 07 '14 at 11:50

Boot3.script is almost the same as boot2 but when trying to open an application on desktop 3, because there is a window on desktop 2 the system jumps back to that desktop.

There is an option in the Mission Control Preferences called "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application". Uncheck this.

OK... so this mostly works to get desktop 2 in place except for inconsistencies when the delays aren't long enough.

Better solution is always something like this

repeat until something exists
delay 0.1
end repeat

In applescript, is there any way to specify which desktop a file is opened in?

1 Answers1