AutoHotkey Community

[WileECoyote]

Hi there,

I created a very small and simple script to switch between multiple virtual desktops (just like e.g. CoolDesk does). Up to now only switching using Alt-<desktop index> is possible. Alt-0 quits the script and displays all open windows at once.
Please tell me if you encouter any bugs.
More functions coming soon (sending windows to other desktops, etc.) ...
Christian

Version history:
v1.11, 22. Nov. 2005
Fixed bug: windows are now corrrectly activated after switching/sending

v1.1, 05. Nov. 2005
Added feature: pressing Ctrl/Alt-<index> sends the active window to the desktop <index>.

v1.0, 04. Nov. 2005
It works!
Switching can be done using Alt-<desktop index>, e.g. Alt-1. Pressing
Alt-0 will exit the script and show all windows from all virtual desktops
at once.

The newest version can always be found here:

[Terrapin]

Christian... I tried it out. I am a big fan of VDM's (or to be precise, goScreen, which I've been using for about three years). Your script seems to work very nicely for me. I am interested in seeing how it develops.

I would encourage you to google for 'goScreen' and give it a try, as it may give you some ideas for features.

My thought as to the next feature would be some sort of on-screen indicator showing which 'desktop' is active. If it could also indicate what apps are visible on each desktop, that would be a plus. I'd like to put some thought into it.

Thanks,

Bob
_________________
When it comes to Binary, there are 10 types of people. Those who get it and those who don't.

[Nuwan]

Dear WileECoyote,

I'm very Interest of your script.

It is wonderful............................................

I have add some gui function to it, pls check.

[toralf]

In your SwitchToDesktop function your code is defining several subroutines. That is not working. Please restructure your code. If you use syntacticall indentation these things are easy to spot.
_________________
Ciao
toralf

[EXtes]

Hello

Look at www.Dexpot.de (english version available). It's my favourite virtual desktop prog. Perhaps it gives you some ideas. But I will track this project.

EXtes

[WileECoyote]

Thanks for all your nice feedback!
I new version is already working (also supporting sending windows to other desktops). I will upload it as soon as possible (possibly this evening).
Christian

[WileECoyote]

Here's the new version. Use ctrl-alt-<number> to send the currently active window to another desktop.
I had also a look at the small GUI - works fine on my computer! But I actually don't like this kind of guis, because 1. I want to use the keyboad and 2. I don't want to have another window on my desktop. But: why not integrating it (with another addition of showing the active desktop) and making it an option (maybe by adding a small small options dialog). I will have a look at this...

Concerning the code: I'm not very happy with using a global array because it provokes errors. Does anyone have a better idea? (maybe strings, but which character should be used to separate them?!)

Christian

Update - the newest version can be found on top of this topic.

[Nuwan]

Hai wile


It is Nice .
But you can implement it with active(Current) desktop Indicator.

But problem is no active desktop indicator with My Gui.

I am waiting for your new version....


Nuwan

[Chris]

If this latest version of the script is generally superior to the one at the top of this topic, it is probably best to edit your first post replace the old version. Otherwise, people will often not find the latest version because they don't scroll down far enough.

[WileECoyote]

Yes, that's a good idea! Thank you. I already changed it and I hope that I did it right.
Christian

[Klaus]

Hello, WileECoyote,
really nice script that, I think it will rest in my daily use, but let me direct your attention to the following:
I switch to desktop 2 (alt-2), start an application (let's say PSPad), send this application to desktop 3 (ctrl-alt-3). Now the application windows moves correctly to desktop 3, but the application's taskbar button remains in the taskbar of desktop 2!
Now we have got: desktop 2 without the PSPad window but with PSPad's taskbar button, and desktop 3 with a PSPad window without it's taskbar button!
For desktop 3 you can "create" a taskbar button by minimizing/maximizing the application window, but along with the button no awaited mimimizing/maximizing functionality comes.
Clicking the taskbar button in desktop 2 produces an appearing/disappearing PSPad title bar.
I hope my observations are correct.
In the end let me say it again, nice work that I down want to tear down with these remarks.
Carry on, I will keep an interested eye on it!
Klaus

[WileECoyote]

Hi Klaus,
thank you for having a critical eye on the script, so I will be able to improve it.

But I (un)fortunately never observed this behaviour on my Computer and even on my Office PC it's working fine. Can you tell me some more about your operating system and installed software which might be able to influence window management (e.g. CoolDesk, goScreen, Dexpot, etc.). Maybe we can then find the source of this strange behaviour!

Christian

[Klaus]

Hi, WileECoyote,
thank you very much for answering to my post.
After a little research I can give a supplement to the described behaviour:
This weird "taskbar buttoning" occured on my office computer (XP SP2, nothing special), where - without that I knew - AltDesk (another commercial desktop switcher) was installed by our sysops.
Now I could see that this "cooperation" of two switchers may cause some trouble (switching desktops in a desktop that is switched already ...). I think it's not worth to put greater efforts onto that, neither in describing all troubles in cooperation of two switchers nor in working around of that.
I think AltDesk is a nice tool, but as a real fan of AutoHotkey, I will remove it and stay a faithful user of yours.
I hope not to have caused too much confusion.
Best wishes
Klaus
By the way: Like others before me I'd like to see a little switch indicator that tells me what happens while pressing ALT-n. Somewhere in the forum I once read about a CD-ejecting script that indicates the opening of the CD-tray by inserting a little "Eject"-JPEG that fades out rapidly. I will look for that.
Another improvement could be a systray icon that offers a little clickable desktop list when hovering over it.

[WileECoyote]

Thank you for the compliment of preferring my script
Since it has been requested several times, the indicator (and gui) will come in the next version. However, my focus will still be on the keyboard control, since it seems to be the most efficient way for desktop switching to me.
By the way: I'm thinking of an additional advanced desktop layout control, but this will take some time...

Greetings,
Christian

[WileECoyote]

fixed a small bug concerning the windows' activation