xsession-manager 1.0.5

A command line to save and restore sessions for X11 desktops like Gnome, with many other features

xsession-manager

Python-based command line tool to save and restore sessions for X11 desktops like Gnome, and other features to maintain sessions. The project is currently in an early stage of development.

This project was written in Bash originally. But now I'm completely rewriting it in Python which obviously makes it way more flexible, extensible.

This project relies on wmctrl, which is why you have to install it beforehand.

Install

Install dependencies

• Fedora 33

dnf install python3-devel python3-tkinter wmctrl

Install xsession-manager via PyPi

pip3 install xsession-manager

Install xsession-manager via source code

cd the_root_of_source_code
python3 setup.py install

Common usage

• Save running windows as a X session

xsm -s

Note: It will save some window states, which include Always on Top and Always on Visible Workspace. These saved states will be used when executing xsm -r or xsm -ma.

• Close running windows except those apps with mutiple windows. It's better to leave them to the user to close by hand, some apps like JetBrain's IDEs may have their own session.

xsm -c

• Close running windows include those apps with mutiple windows.

xsm -c -im

• Restore the saved X session

xsm -r

• Move running windows to their Workspaces according to the saved X session

xsm -ma

• List saved X sessions

xsm -l

• View the details of a saved X sessions

xsm -t xsession-default

Usage:

usage: xsm [-h] [-s [SAVE]] [-c [CLOSE_ALL ...]] [-im] [-r [RESTORE]] [-ri RESTORING_INTERVAL] [-pr [PR]] [-l] [-t DETAIL]
           [-x EXCLUDE [EXCLUDE ...]] [-i INCLUDE [INCLUDE ...]] [-ma [MOVE_AUTOMATICALLY]]

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -s [SAVE], --save [SAVE]
                        Save the current session. Save to the default session if not specified a session name.
  -c [CLOSE_ALL ...], --close-all [CLOSE_ALL ...]
                        Close the windows gracefully. Close all windows if only -c/--close-all is present. You can specify
                        arguments to specify which windows should be closed, that is <window_id>, <pid>, <app_name> or
                        <title_name> exactly the same as -x.
  -im, --including-apps-with-multiple-windows
                        Close the windows gracefully including apps with multiple windows
  -r [RESTORE], --restore [RESTORE]
                        Restore a session gracefully. Restore the default session if not specified a session name.
  -ri RESTORING_INTERVAL, --restoring-interval RESTORING_INTERVAL
                        Specify the interval between restoring applications, in seconds. The default is 2 seconds.
  -pr [PR]              Pop up a dialog to ask user whether to restore a X session.
  -l, --list            List the sessions.
  -t DETAIL, --detail DETAIL
                        Check out the details of a session.
  -x EXCLUDE [EXCLUDE ...], --exclude EXCLUDE [EXCLUDE ...]
                        Exclude apps from the operation according to <window_id>, <pid>, <app_name> or <title_name>. Require
                        at least one value
  -i INCLUDE [INCLUDE ...], --include INCLUDE [INCLUDE ...]
                        Include apps from the operation according to <window_id>, <pid>, <app_name> or <title_name>. Require
                        at least one value
  -ma [MOVE_AUTOMATICALLY], --move-automatically [MOVE_AUTOMATICALLY]
                        Auto move windows to specified workspaces according to a saved session. The default session is
                        `xsession-default`

If you want to restore the previous X session automatically after login

Here is a solution. If you are using Fedora, create a file named auto-restore-working-state.desktop and the Exec should be:

xsm -pr

Then put this file into ~/.config/autostart.

For example:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Auto Restore saved X Windows
Comment=
Icon=
Exec=xsm -pr
Terminal=false
Type=Application
X-GNOME-Autostart-Delay=20

NOTE: You can also use xsession-manager instead of xsm.

Todo:

TODO