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Some laptops, like mine, are so easy to dock/undock. So, I do that all the time. When docked, my screen is Full HD. When undocked, it's smaller. So, everytime I dock/undock my window arrangements get messed up.

Does anyone know of a solution that could make my laptop monitor-aware and restore the arrangements of my windows based on the monitor being used?

I'm on Windows 8, by the way.

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  • Product recommendations are off-topic for Superuser and all Stack exchange sites.
    – Mokubai
    Aug 31, 2013 at 10:38
  • @Mokubai Can you point me to the part of the policy that says so?
    – M.K. Safi
    Aug 31, 2013 at 10:41
  • Product recommendations are indeed off-topic, but I added a +1 because I would love to have an answer to it. Preferably without buying an app and with some background (e.g. this is stored here in the registry/config files/ You can use a psh script to save/restore it, ...) @OP: Can you edit the post so you are looking for a way to solve your problem (the changing window arrangements) rather then 'please tell me which program can fix this` ?
    – Hennes
    Aug 31, 2013 at 10:49
  • It falls under a question that could potentially have an infinite number of answers and is that same as a straw poll: superuser.com/help/dont-ask "To prevent your question from being flagged and possibly removed, avoid asking subjective questions where … every answer is equally valid: “What’s your favorite ______?”"
    – Mokubai
    Aug 31, 2013 at 10:52
  • If you can edit your question to remove the "please find me a product" then I will retract my close vote.
    – Mokubai
    Aug 31, 2013 at 11:06

3 Answers 3

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Actual Window Manager, among other things, allows you to restrict the size and position for your elements. Believe me, I tried to solve a very similar problem for years (remember window position and size accross three screens), and this is the closest I got to it. Besides, it's an awesome app, allows you to control multiple aspects of the windows GUI, and supports profiles, which would allow you to accomplish your goal.

Specifically, once you install the app, double click the tray icon, then under window settings, right click specific settings and select Add window rule. then on the right pane go to the target window tab and select the app you want to control. After that, you can control its position under position -> restrict placement, and its size unger Size -> fix minimal size and fix maximal size.

After you've finished configuring it, right click the tray icon and select desktop profiles -> configure.

You want to end up with one profile with position/size rules for fullHD and another for when your laptop is undocked.

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  • 2
    I tried Actual Window Manager and @magicandre1981 suggestion above. Neither one does the job. My test was like this: two open app windows positioned on the desktop in a certain way on an external monitor. Undock the laptop to go to laptop monitor. Dock again for external monitor. Windows didn't go back to previous positions in both apps.
    – M.K. Safi
    Aug 31, 2013 at 19:54
  • did you configure size and positioning restrictions for the windows on both profiles? you need to configure two separate profiles and then manually switch between them for it to work, something like the instructions given in the answer. Aug 31, 2013 at 20:44
  • Frankly speaking, no I didn't exactly follow the steps you described. The app was a bit of an overkill for me. It's around 22MB and seems a bit overcomplicated for the simple solution that I was looking for. Thanks anyway!
    – M.K. Safi
    Sep 1, 2013 at 9:32
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I just tried a program called Mosaico that seems to do almost exactly what is wanted except that it can't handle full screen windows well on my computer.

Also, another downside is that it is not free, although there is a trial period.

http://www.soulidstudio.com/#mosaico_features

Edit:

I also use Display Fusion which has some of the options described in Actual Window Manager if you need an alternative to that option.

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DisplayFusion is another viable alternative. Two of its features are relevant:

  1. Window Position Profiles: one profile identifies all existing windows uniquely, and stores their window-position;
  2. Monitor Profiles: one profile stores the monitor configuration, and can auto-reset other settings that are specific to such monitor-layout.

Upon docking a laptop, or connecting an external monitor, the monitor layout will change. Upon assigning a certain Window Position profile to the monitor profile, physically switching monitor layouts will reload the corresponding Window Position Profile.

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