Mac and different Spaces: conserving the windows arragement when changing the external monitor

Question

I use Mac OS X Leopard with 4 different Spaces and an external monitor at workplace, which is located above the laptop. On each Space I work on a different project, with different terminal windows and Xcode and Finder windows. The problem happens when I am at home, then I use an external monitor but now located at left position. When the MacBook wakes up, everything gets messed up and even some windows switch from one space to another.

Could I somehow fix it so always the windows belonging to one Space remain there and also the association to main/external monitor even if I change to another external monitor?

Thanks

Answer 1

Do either of these work?

• http://cordlessdog.com/stay/
• http://www.autumnapps.com/breeze/

Or perhaps the best sounding one:

• http://code.google.com/p/forget-me-not/

Answer 2

I don't know of an existing clean solution, but you ought to be able to hack it most of the way using some AppleScript like this one and/or some additional apps. Check out, for example, ReLaunch.

Answer 3

SwitchResX has an option that might help you with this, assuming the external screens have the same resolution.

Answer 4

I find I often get a similar problem whenever my screen resolution is changed in a dirty manner. Connecting an external display often does it, as do some older full screen applications, especially if they crash. I don't have an easy solution, but I do have a workaround - hide all applications save the Finder. Simply command-tab to the Finder, then select "Hide Others" from the "Finder" menu. Once you've connected your external display, you can bring the applications back by command-tabbing to them, or clicking on them on the dock.