How to retain windows sizes/positions before and after using an external monitor (OS

[yalag]

I've started to use an external monitor for my work during the day. At night I bring the laptop home. The problem is, the windows positioned/sized correctly for the external monitor is not useable for the 13'' screen at night. So I end up adjusting everything twice every day which is ridiculously annoying.

How to retain windows sizes/positions before and after using an external monitor (OS X)?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

The nice thing about Mac OS X is that it automatically handles saving and restoring of window positions for MOST applications - it even fixes the positions if they become invalid for some reason, say because you disconnected an external monitor. Problem is, this behavior becomes counter-productive in a situation like yours.

There is a solution, however. One way to work around this is to use 2 sets of preferences: one for those times you're with an external monitor, and one for without. Swapping between the two sets can be just as tiring as shuffling all your windows around, so this is not an ideal solution. It does work, though - since Mac OS X stores this information in the applications' individual preference files. Alas, I don't know of a better way, since I disconnect my second monitor so infrequently.

 

[yalag]

The nice thing about Mac OS X is that it automatically handles saving and restoring of window positions for MOST applications - it even fixes the positions if they become invalid for some reason, say because you disconnected an external monitor. Problem is, this behavior becomes counter-productive in a situation like yours.

There is a solution, however. One way to work around this is to use 2 sets of preferences: one for those times you're with an external monitor, and one for without. Swapping between the two sets can be just as tiring as shuffling all your windows around, so this is not an ideal solution. It does work, though - since Mac OS X stores this information in the applications' individual preference files. Alas, I don't know of a better way, since I disconnect my second monitor so infrequently.

When you say 2 set of preferences, what do you mean?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

When you say 2 set of preferences, what do you mean?

Quite simply, I mean making a duplicate copy of your /Users/username/Library/Preferences folder, and using one copy at one time, swapping when connecting or disconnecting your display.

 

[yalag]

theres gotta be a more elegant solution, everyone uses external monitor day and night!