How to set the default workspace?

Question

Lets say I have 9 workspace 3 horizontally and 3 vertically. By default ubuntu starts with the top left workspace which feels goofy. How do I set to start with the middle one?

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 25 '14 at 06:38

5

This is a nice idea. I don't know if there is a GUI way to do this (most probably, no), but you can use, for example, the following script at start up to make Ubuntu change to the top left workspace with the middle one:

#!/bin/bash

#check if xdotool is installed
if [ ! -n "$(dpkg -s xdotool 2>/dev/null | grep 'Status: install ok installed')" ]; then
    echo -e "The package 'xdotool' must to be installed before to run $(basename $0)\nUse 'sudo apt-get install xdotool' command in terminal to install it."
    exit
fi

xdotool key Ctrl+Alt+Right
xdotool key Ctrl+Alt+Down

edited Jan 25 '14 at 06:38

kiri

28,246
16
81
118

answered Jan 25 '14 at 06:35

Radu Rădeanu

169,590

okay I'll accept this, although I am not completely satisfied with it as it is not very robust – Jani Kovacs Feb 14 '14 at 19:36
How to do this? – Muhamed Huseinbašić Oct 03 '14 at 12:24
@MuhamedHuseinbašić To do what? – Radu Rădeanu Oct 03 '14 at 12:33
How to make this script to run at startup? – Muhamed Huseinbašić Oct 03 '14 at 17:31
@MuhamedHuseinbašić Just see How do I start applications automatically on login – Radu Rădeanu Oct 03 '14 at 17:36
I have already seen that. But do I put the above code as command or I have to do something else? – Muhamed Huseinbašić Oct 03 '14 at 17:38

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

An adaptation of Radu's answer. This will make a keyboard shortcut to switch directly to a certain workspace using a most likely unused key (XF86LaunchB).

Run this command in a terminal:
```
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/wm/keybindings/switch-to-workspace-1 "['XF86LaunchB']"
```
You can replace the number at the end of switch-to-workspace-1 with the workspace number (from 1 to 12)
Install xdotool
```
sudo apt-get install xdotool
```
Add this command to your Startup Applications:
```
xdotool key XF86LaunchB
```

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

0

First step:

Determine (learn) how to go to specific workspace using this.

Second step:

Add the command from previous step to the startup applications (commands), as described here.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

Community

1

answered Oct 04 '14 at 19:36

Muhamed Huseinbašić

1,258
3
14
19

How to set the default workspace?

3 Answers3