Starting programs on multiple desktops using powershell in windows 10

Suppose I want to start several programs C:\program1.exe, C:\program2.exe, etc. on multiple desktops in windows 10. For example, programs 1 and 2 should be started on desktop 1 side-by-side, program 3 should be started on the second desktop, while program 4 should be started minimized on the third desktop.

This should be achieved using either a powershell or batch script. The solution would be perfect if the powershell script automatically detects whether enough desktops are open and open more desktops if necessary.

[batch-file-run-program-set position](

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) provides a solution to the problem of opening multiple programs side by side and resizing them. However, these solutions do not address multiple windows 10 desktops. The solutions rely on [Monitorinfoview](

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) and NirCmd (same website). The tool Monitorinfoview does not retrieve multiple desktop information, but only multiple screens. NirCmd also does not include commands to send programs to specific desktops.

There are Powershell commands that work with virtual desktops.
First, you will have to install virtual desktop module with `Install-Module VirtualDesktop`

``` lang-sql
# Switch to desktop 2 (count starts with 0)
Get-Desktop 1 | Switch-Desktop

# Move obs64.exe to desktop 3
(ps obs64)[0].MainWindowHandle | Move-Window (Get-Desktop 2) | Out-Null
```

You may have to wait for the starting process to initialize its window with `Start-Sleep`

Read more here:

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This should get you on the right lines. It uses PowerShell, C# (inside PS), Windows shortcuts and basic commands. Save this in a .ps1 script.

$Source = @"
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using WindowsInput;

namespace CSharpPS
{
public static class PS
{
public static void NewVD()
{
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyDown(VirtualKeyCode.LWIN);
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyDown(VirtualKeyCode.CONTROL);
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyPress(VirtualKeyCode.VK_D);
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyUp(VirtualKeyCode.LWIN);
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyUp(VirtualKeyCode.CONTROL);
}
}
}
"@;

Add-Type -TypeDefinition $Source -Language CSharp -ReferencedAssemblies InputSimulator.dll

You can get the C# InputSimulator.dll from

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- link is dead but wayback machine should help

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Once the type has been added you can then call `[CSharpPS.PS]::NewVD()` to create new virtual desktop. From here you can run specific programs.
You may need to manually set a sleep also. An example :

`calc
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 500`

Then open a new virtual desktop `[CSharpPS.PS]::NewVD()
Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 500
notepad
`

You could expand the C# class to allow changing between Virtual Desktops or minimizing applications like you required.