Close all apps before launching App Layouts

[pilniks]

Hello,

I have a straightforward proposal that could significantly enhance the functionality of the application. By adding a feature to close all open apps in "App layouts" before launching a new layout, users could switch work modes quickly without leaving unused apps running in the background. Implementing a simple shortcut to close these apps would be a major improvement.

This feature would streamline the user experience, making it more efficient and user-friendly.

[rxhanson]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a similar item on my backlog already, although the idea there was for hiding the existing windows rather than quitting apps. I'll have to give this some thought.

[pilniks]

No problem. I thought closing apps would help to switch between for example private and work environment and save PCs resources at the same time.

[pilniks]

I just thought that this could be a killer feature for a fairly large group of people who have 8GB of RAM. Thanks to this, you could switch between environments, like for work, planning, or entertainment, without delays caused by memory slowdown. For sure I would like to have it on my 8GB Mac.

[BrentEubanks]

Just bought the app and came here to see if there was a feature request for exactly this.

I'd like to second a request for this functionality. I have a saved layout "meeting prep" that I fire before I take a meeting, so I have all my notes, video call window, etc all set up. I usually try to close all my existing windows first but sometimes I forget. It would be nice to have that step automated as part of the setup, just to eliminate clutter.

FWIW, I'd like to have the options to either close or minimze running apps. I find that my M2 Air doesn't seem to mind holding quite a few apps running in the background, so I'd probably generally opt to minimze.

Any chance that this feature will make it off the backlog ?

[rxhanson]

Perhaps I was thinking ahead a bit on this without bringing you along :)

If you're good with having to unminimize manually, then I can think farther down that path, too. Initially I was thinking that this wouldn't be the most desirable option.

[BrentEubanks]

Well, to be honest I'm making up the workflow as I go. I've never had this much screen real estate before and it implicates a different working style. I'm also moving over from being primarily a windows user so figuring out new patterns as I go.

I think that ultimately having the option to restore would be pretty awesome, but it is a useful feature without that. And having the restore function be optional/selectable is good, because sometimes the last thing you want is all the clutter back.

[BrentEubanks]

Thanks for purchasing. I didn't quite get to the point where I was confident adding this to the UI, but if you don't mind trying it out and letting me know how it works for you, I'd appreciate it. Enable it by executing the following Terminal command and restarting the app:

defaults write com.knollsoft.Hookshot appLayoutsHideOtherApps -int 1

Hey Ryan

I've been using Rectangle with this setting turned on for a couple of days, and I wanted to give you some feedback.

As noted, it would be nice to have the option to either minimize open windows or hide the open apps.

In addition, it would be very helpful to have the ability to set this option on a per layout basis.

For example, I have a two-part workflow to set up for a meeting:

• Step 1: Activate Layout A, which opens my email, calendar, notetaking software, and browser and positions them on the screen. I have Layout A set to open/launch any apps that are closed or hidden. I also want Layout A to close/minimize/hide all other open windows.
• Step 2: From my calendar, I launch the video call app that is associated with the particular meeting that is coming up. I bounce between three or four different meeting apps, so which app I launch at this point varies.
• Step 3: Activate Layout B, which triggers each of my possible video call apps and tries to put each of them into the same drop target window. With Layout B, I have NOT set the option to open/launch apps which are closed and hidden - the result is that whichever app I opened in step 2 gets dropped into the appropriate spot on my screen (which is an open spot left from Layout A), and ideally that's all that happens at this step. For Step 3, I do NOT want Layout B to close/minimize/hide other open apps, because I don't want to disrupt the window layout that I established in Step 1.

Sorry if this is kind of a long, drawn-out explanation, but hopefully it makes sense and explains why I want this as a selectable option.

Is that something that seems feasible to you?

[rxhanson]

Thanks for trying this out, and for the feedback! That makes sense to me. I had been thinking about this differently but I like this and will likely roll it in this way when it makes it into the UI.

[BrentEubanks]

Cool. Let me know if you have a beta you'd like me to try. I'm eager to have this feature since I really want to set up the workflow I described and I can't quite do that with the app in its current state, so definitely keep me posted!