Default desktop placement for icons

[BeRniTo]

Hello everybody!

It's been two months since I'm enjoying my first Mac (MBP 13''late 2013) and I didn't install any VM with Windows yet. 🙂

I was customising it with GeekTool when I realised that if I connect a new device, an external hard drive for example, an icon appears on the desktop in the top right corner.
The same thing happens if I copy/move/create a file from the Terminal window.

I've been searching, without luck, how to change the default location they are created (to the left instead of to the right). I moved my Mac drive icon to the top left corner so they should stack under it.

How can I accomplish this? 😕

 

[Partron22]

Haven't seen an App that'll do what you want in a long time.
But you can roll your own using AppleScript.
Here's a start:

set drivename to "Titan" -- Put Your drive's name here
set wantedlocation to {100, 100} -- Put where you want it on the desktop here
----------------------------------------------
tell application id "com.apple.finder" -- NOT System events -- It doesn't keep track of desktop position
	-- set z to desktop position of disk drivename 
	set desktop position of disk drivename to wantedlocation
	
	set z to properties of disk drivename -- extra, is not really needed
end tell

return z

 

[BeRniTo]

Thanks for your reply, Partron22! 🙂

I didn't learn Apple Script yet but it's a must to me. 😀

I can't believe there's no way to do this over a System Preference or by a Terminal command. I mean, how does OSX determine where to place new icons on the desktop and why it starts from right to left instead of left to right? 😕

Moreover, every Windows user should ask "why are desktop icons on the right and not on the left?"! 😛

How come I'm the first one to ask this? 😱

 

[BeRniTo]

So there's no easy way of doing this like, let say, a terminal command? 😕