How to launch and set multiple applications to a specific fixed area on the monitor screen after every reboot?

First_Law_of_Unix

First_Law_of_Unix

So I have multiple applications like: VLC, Chrome and few terminal applications.

Is it possible for these applications to automatically open and move to a specific fixed area?

Example, when I log into the KDE Plasma:

Would like the "VLC" player to always open and stay on the left side of the monitor screen.
Would like "htop" to always open and stay on the top right side of the monitor screen.
Would like "radeontop" to always open and stay at the center top of the monitor screen.
Would like "Chromium" to always open and stay at the dead center of the monitor screen.

Is it possible to do all of the 4 above every time when I log in, reboot or start FreeBSD 13.1?

I couldn't find such answer on google for FreeBSD.

Thanks
 
Your question is not related to FreeBSD, but to your desktop environment and specific applications you use. For example I use Audacious which remembers the last screen position.

It looks like you are using KDE. I'm not familiar with KDE, I suggest you find the answer on the KDE web pages, manuals or forums.
 
For programs that you want to start up, but don't need to be in a specific place, use ~/.xsession. They can be stuff that goes into the task bar and the screensaver. I'm not sure if the window manager will reconfigure their locations. For programs which need to be in a specific fixed area, use the configuration of your window manager's configuration file. Either of these, or some programs have a -geometry option that goes after the program's arguments when starting.

You may have to look up the window manager's documentation and online examples. Also, see the manpages of programs, that some have a -geometry option setting there. On here, there's a few examples of programs started with .xsession, and a few for specific window managers.
 
First_Law_of_Unix said:
Is it possible for these applications to automatically open and move to a specific fixed area?
...
Would like the "VLC" player to always open and stay on the left side of the monitor screen.
Would like "htop" to always open and stay on the top right side of the monitor screen.
Would like "radeontop" to always open and stay at the center top of the monitor screen.
Would like "Chromium" to always open and stay at the dead center of the monitor screen.
...
Is it possible to do all of the 4 above every time when I log in
Click to expand...
Those should work out of the box. I have a test VM running Artix Linux with KDE plasma version 5.23.0 and KDE frameworks version 5.87.0.

FreeBSD port x11/plasma5-plasma is at version 5.24.6_1, x11/kf5-frameworks is at version 5.96.0_1

The applications are auto-started (System Settings -> Startup and Shutdown -> Autostart), the windows "remember" their positions automatically, the internet browser (Falkon in this case) is configured to "Keep below other windows", I assume that's what "dead center" means (left side window menu icon -> More Actions -> Configure Special Window Settings).
 
T-Daemon said:
Those should work out of the box. I have a test VM running Artix Linux with KDE plasma version 5.23.0 and KDE frameworks version 5.87.0.
Click to expand...

Yes, you’re right, I like how KDE plasma remembers which applications were open and at which spot on the monitor.

But sometimes I close the application or shutdown the PC unexpectedly and the applications are not opened in the right spot or miss to open the application needed. Hence would like to permanently set everything myself if possible.
 
Often a DE will have a "save session" somewhere, sometimes it asks before you logout.
You could get everything setup the way you want it, then "save session" and you should have that every time you log in.
Warning: if you save session and have one of those applications in AutoStart, you may wind up with 2 running instances.
 
If you prefer a script based solution: if you're sticking to X11, I'm fairly certain you could also use a tool like x11/xdotool to move the windows to fixed coordinates after their start.

This utility should permit selecting a window by its properties like a class identifier; those you can find with a tool like x11/xprop and/or x11/xwininfo.

Overall, you'd have to write a script that starts your desired applications and then moves them into place with aforementioned tools. Said script could then be placed into the ~/.xinitrc, KDE's autostart or whatever floats your boat to get it started during your session startup.

Caveat: not sure how well this approach works with graphics/wayland.
 
Thank You everyone for the helpful replies, I will get busy and figure out how to set everything so that it loads with specific parameters. I’ll then post what I did for the solution.

I also agree with the idea in not using a DE. Would like to gain more experience in how to use FreeBSD without a DE but able to run one or two GUI applications with 4K resolution. I believe the way of using a PC this way is called “Tiling manager” such as the “i3” tiling manager used in Linux. I’m not sure if FreeBSD have it’s own tiling manager at full resolution with high bit-depth color.
 
Landed here from google search, and couldn't resist to post.

All the applications run by xorg support -geometry command line argument:

-geometry WxH+X+Y

by setting this command line argument you can launch any application at any display place creating different layouts or starting applications on a desired monitor in a multi display environment.

Personally I mostly use this parameter to "turn off" second display at night by opening a black image in full screen mode on the second monitor by one key shortcut and closing by another shortcut. This way I can turn off the second monitor at night when I don't need it or when I watch some youtube video in darkness and the light from the second display hampers watching.
 
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