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Load / Save Desktop Icon Positions

AppleScript set by Adam Bjornson (bitfume.com)
Version 1.0.3 (2015-02-03)
Public Domain

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Overview

This is a set of AppleScript files to save and load desktop icon positions. It's provided as a workaround for a bug in recent releases of Mac OS X, where icon positions are discarded on startup/shutdown/logout/grid adjust/Finder relaunch.

Usage

Run Save Icon Positions to save the positions of the desktop icons.
Run Load Icon Positions to load the saved positions of the desktop icons.

Automation

Add Load Icon Positions to your login items. Apple > System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items (and click the corresponding "Hide" checkbox).
Add Save Icon Positions to your logout items. To create logout items, see <https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/macosx/conceptual/bpsystemstartup/>. You may also choose to manually save icon positions at any time.

Behavior

The save data is stored as a small, hidden CSV file at ~/.desktopIconPositions.csv. Column 1 = file name, column 2 = x, and column 3 = y. Commas escaped as Tabs.

Version History

Version 1.0.3
- Improved icon
- Other minor updates

Version 1.0.2
- Added cleanup and re-grid code
- Added support for folder and disk icons
- Cleaned up code and added error handlers
- Expanded documentation
- Added custom app icons

Version 1.0.1
- Initial Release
- Support for document and alias icons

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