When a program is launched, it typically opens in a specific window. However, there may be times when you want to change the window in which a program launches. For example, you may want to launch a program in a maximized window, or you may want to launch it in a specific location on your screen. Changing the window in which a program launches is a simple process, and it can be done in a few different ways.
One way to change the window in which a program launches is to use the program’s properties. To do this, right-click on the program’s icon and select “Properties.” In the “Properties” dialog box, click on the “Shortcut” tab. In the “Target” field, add the following switch to the end of the path: “-window-size=width,height.” For example, if you want to launch the program in a maximized window, you would add the following switch to the end of the path: “-window-size=1920,1080.” Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.
Another way to change the window in which a program launches is to use a third-party program. There are a number of different programs available that can help you to manage the windows in which your programs launch. One popular program is Window Manager. Window Manager allows you to create and manage custom window layouts. You can use Window Manager to launch programs in specific windows, and you can also use it to resize and move windows.
Locate the Program’s Shortcut
Identifying the program’s shortcut is a crucial step in modifying its launch behavior. Shortcuts are convenient pointers to programs, residing on the desktop or in the Start menu. They provide easy access to applications without navigating through directories.
To locate the shortcut, perform the following steps:
Search for the Program in the Start Menu
Click on the Windows Start button and type the name of the program you want to modify. As you type, a list of matching results will appear. If the program is installed, its shortcut should be displayed in the list.
Browse the Desktop
Check the desktop for any icons related to the program. Typically, program shortcuts are placed on the desktop for quick access. If you find the shortcut icon, right-click on it and select “Properties” from the context menu.
Explore File Explorer
If the shortcut is not on the desktop or in the Start menu, you can manually locate it in File Explorer. Navigate to the following directory:
C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Here, you will find subfolders for each program installed on your system. Locate the subfolder for the program you want to modify and look for its shortcut file.
Right-click the Shortcut
To change the window a program launches on using the right-click shortcut method, follow these steps:
1. Locate the Shortcut
Navigate to the desktop or folder where the shortcut to the desired program is located. You can also search for the program in the Start menu or use the Windows search bar to find the shortcut.
2. Access Shortcut Properties
Right-click on the shortcut icon and select “Properties” from the context menu. In the Properties window, switch to the “Shortcut” tab.
3. Customize Shortcut Target
In the “Target” field, you will see the path to the program’s executable file. At the end of the path, separated by a space, you will find the command line arguments. These arguments control various settings of the program, including the window it launches on. To change the window, add the following argument to the end of the command line:
“`
/D:window_number
“`
where window_number is the number of the window you want the program to launch. For example, to launch the program in the third window, you would add:
“`
/D:3
“`
If the command line arguments already exist, ensure there is a space separating them from the new argument. Click “OK” to save the changes and close the Properties window.
4. Verify the Change
Launch the program using the modified shortcut to verify if it opens in the desired window.
Select “Properties”
To change what window a program launches on, you first need to open the program’s properties. To do this, right-click on the program’s icon and select “Properties” from the menu.
Location Tab
Once the properties window is open, click on the “Location” tab. This tab will show you the path to the program’s executable file. To change the window that the program launches on, you need to edit the path in the “Target” field.
In the “Target” field, there will be a path to the program’s executable file. This path will be followed by a space and then the name of the window that the program launches on. To change the window that the program launches on, you need to edit the name of the window in the “Target” field.
For example, if the “Target” field currently reads “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe -window1”, then the program will launch on window 1. To change the program to launch on window 2, you would edit the “Target” field to read “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe -window2”.
Example
Let’s say you have a program that you always want to launch on window 2. To do this, you would open the program’s properties and click on the “Location” tab. In the “Target” field, you would edit the path to the program’s executable file to include the “-window2” parameter. For example, if the path to the program’s executable file is “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe”, you would edit the “Target” field to read “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe -window2”.
Multiple Windows
Some programs allow you to launch multiple windows at the same time. To do this, you need to add the “-multiple” parameter to the path to the program’s executable file in the “Target” field. For example, if the path to the program’s executable file is “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe”, you would edit the “Target” field to read “C:\Program Files\Program Name\Program.exe -multiple”.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -window1 | Launches the program on window 1 |
| -window2 | Launches the program on window 2 |
| -multiple | Allows the program to launch multiple windows |
Navigate to the “Shortcut” Tab
Begin by locating the program’s shortcut icon on your desktop or in the Start menu. Right-click on the icon and select “Properties.” In the “Properties” window, navigate to the “Shortcut” tab using the tabs at the top.
Target Field
In the “Shortcut” tab, you will find the “Target” field. This field contains the path to the executable file that launches the program. You can change the window that the program launches on by modifying the path in this field.
Specific Window Command
To launch the program in a specific window, add a command to the end of the path in the “Target” field. The command should be in the following format:
Command
</w:WindowIndex>
Description
* /w: – Prefix denoting a window command.
* WindowIndex – Index of the desired window to launch the program in.
For example, to launch the program in the second window, you would add the following command to the end of the path:
Example
</w:2>
Table: Window Index Values
| Window Index | Window |
|---|---|
| 0 | Main Window |
| 1 | First Secondary Window |
| 2 | Second Secondary Window |
| … | … |
Once you have made the necessary changes, click “OK” to save your changes. The program will now launch in the specified window the next time it is run.
Modify the “Target” Field
In the Properties window, you’ll see a text field labeled “Target.” This field contains the path to the program’s executable file. To change the window on which the program launches, you need to modify this path. Here are the steps on how to do it:
- In the “Target” field, locate the path to the program’s executable file. This path usually ends with a “.exe” extension.
- After the path, add a space and type the following command: “-newwindow.” This command tells the program to launch in a new window.
- Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.
For example, if the original “Target” field contains the following path:
| Original “Target” field |
|---|
| “C:\Program Files\MyProgram\myprogram.exe” |
After modifying the field, it will look like this:
| Modified “Target” field |
|---|
| “C:\Program Files\MyProgram\myprogram.exe” -newwindow |
When you launch the program now, it will open in a new window instead of the default window.
Add the Desired Window Name
This is where you tell your program which window you want it to open in. There are two ways to do this:
- **Use the window title.** This is the name that appears in the title bar of the window. To find the window title, open the program and click on the window you want it to open in. The title will be displayed in the title bar.
- **Use the window class.** This is a unique identifier for each type of window. To find the window class, open the program and click on the window you want it to open in. Right-click on the window and select “Inspect element” from the menu. In the inspector, find the “class” attribute of the window. This will be the window class.
| Method | Syntax |
|---|---|
| Window title | set_window_name(window_title) |
| Window class | set_window_class(window_class) |
Once you have the window title or class, you can use it to set the desired window name. Simply pass the window title or class to the set_window_name() or set_window_class() method.
For example, the following code sets the desired window name to “MyWindow”:
“`
driver.set_window_name(“MyWindow”)
“`
After you have set the desired window name, the program will open in that window the next time it is run.
Choose the Application You Want to Modify
The first step is to select the application that has been launching on the wrong window. You can do this by clicking on the application’s icon in the dock or by opening the Finder and navigating to the application’s folder.
Right-Click on the Application and Select “Get Info”
Once you have selected the application, right-click on it and select “Get Info” from the menu that appears.
Click on the “General” Tab
In the “Get Info” window, click on the “General” tab. This will display general information about the application, including its name, version, and size.
Locate the “Open With” Dropdown Menu
On the “General” tab, locate the “Open With” dropdown menu. This menu will display a list of applications that are compatible with the selected application.
Select the Desired Application from the Dropdown Menu
From the “Open With” dropdown menu, select the application that you want to open the selected application with. This will be the application that will launch on the desired window.
Click “Change All” to Apply the Setting to All Files of the Same Type
If you want to apply this setting to all files of the same type, click on the “Change All” button. This will open a confirmation dialog box. Click on the “Continue” button in the confirmation dialog box to apply the setting to all files of the same type.
Click “Apply” and “OK”
To save the changes, click on the “Apply” button in the “Get Info” window. Then, click on the “OK” button to close the “Get Info” window.
Troubleshoot Potential Issues
1. Verify that you have the necessary permissions.
If you are unable to change the window a program launches on, verify that you have the necessary permissions to do so. You may need to contact your system administrator for assistance.
2. Ensure the program is not already running.
If the program is already running, you will not be able to change the window it launches on. Close the program and try again.
3. Check for any conflicts with other programs.
Some programs may conflict with the ability to change the window a program launches on. Close any other programs that may be running and try again.
4. Update the program to the latest version.
The issue may be resolved in a newer version of the program. Check for updates and install them if available.
5. Reinstall the program.
If all else fails, you can try reinstalling the program. This will reset any settings that may be causing the issue.
6. Repair the Windows registry.
The Windows registry may contain corrupted or missing entries that can cause problems with changing the window a program launches on. Repair the registry using a tool like CCleaner or Registry Mechanic.
7. Perform a system restore.
If the issue started after making changes to your system, you can try performing a system restore. This will revert your system to a previous state before the issue occurred.
8. Contact the program developer.
If you have tried all of the above steps and are still unable to change the window a program launches on, you can contact the program developer for assistance. They may be able to provide you with further troubleshooting steps or a fix for the issue.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Verify permissions | Ensure you have the necessary permissions to change the window. |
| 2. Close the program | The program must be closed before changing the window. |
| 3. Check for conflicts | Close any other programs that may interfere with the process. |
| 4. Update the program | Install the latest version of the program to resolve potential issues. |
| 5. Reinstall the program | Reinstalling the program can reset settings and resolve issues. |
| 6. Repair the registry | Use a registry repair tool to fix corrupted or missing entries. |
| 7. Perform a system restore | Revert your system to a previous state if the issue started after recent changes. |
| 8. Contact the developer | Seek professional assistance from the program developer if other methods fail. |
Use Command-Line Switches for Specific Programs
Many programs provide command-line switches that allow you to specify which window the program should launch on. These switches vary depending on the program, so you’ll need to consult the program’s documentation to find the specific switch you need. Here are a few examples:
- Google Chrome:
--app=[window name] - Microsoft Word:
/n[window name] - Adobe Reader:
/A[window name]
To use a command-line switch, open the Command Prompt or Terminal window and type the following command:
[program path] [command-line switch]
For example, to launch Google Chrome in the “My Window” window, you would type the following command:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --app=My Window
You can also use a shortcut to launch a program with a specific command-line switch. To do this, right-click on the program’s icon and select “Properties”. In the “Target” field, add the command-line switch to the end of the path, as shown in the following example:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --app=My Window
Click “OK” to save your changes. Now, when you double-click on the shortcut, the program will launch in the specified window.
| Program | Command-Line Switch |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | –app=[window name] |
| Microsoft Word | /n[window name] |
| Adobe Reader | /A[window name] |
Consider Third-Party Window Managers
If the built-in options in your operating system don’t provide the flexibility you need, consider installing a third-party window manager. These tools offer a wide range of customization options, allowing you to fine-tune your window behavior to your liking.
Here are some popular third-party window managers that let you control which window a program launches on:
| Window Manager | Features |
|---|---|
| i3 | Powerful and highly configurable tiling window manager |
| Awesome | Extensible and scriptable window manager with advanced features |
| dwm | Minimalistic and customizable window manager |
| xmonad | Haskell-based window manager with extensive configuration capabilities |
| Mutter | GNOME’s default window manager, highly customizable |
Selecting a Window Manager
When choosing a third-party window manager, consider its features, user-friendliness, and compatibility with your system.
Configuring the Window Manager
Once you’ve installed a window manager, you can configure it to change the display settings of specific programs. This typically involves editing configuration files or using graphical interfaces provided by the window manager.
Setting Window Rules
Most window managers provide rule-based systems that allow you to specify criteria for how windows should be positioned and launched. You can create rules based on factors such as the program name, window size, or window class.
Advanced Features
Some window managers offer advanced features such as custom window layouts, keyboard shortcuts, and automatic window placement. These features enable you to optimize your workflow and create a highly personalized window management experience.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues with window positioning or launching, check the configuration files of your window manager and operating system. You can also consult online forums or documentation for assistance.
How To Change What Window A Program Launches On
There are 2 ways to change the default window on which a program launches.
- In the program’s settings, there should be an option to change the default window.
- In your computer’s settings, you can change the default window for all programs.
Additional tips
- If unable to change this setting in the program, try doing this in your computer’s settings.
- If encountering any issues, consult the program’s documentation or contact the developer for assistance.
People Also Ask About How To Change What Window A Program Launches On
How do I change what window a program launches on Mac?
Go to System Preferences > Mission Control. Click the “Displays” tab and select the display you want to use as the default for new windows. In the “When new windows open” section, select the desired window.
How do I change what window a program launches on Windows?
In the Windows Settings app, go to System > Display > Advanced display settings > Display adapter properties for Display 1. In the “Settings” tab, click the “List All Modes” button. Select the desired resolution and click “OK”.
How do I change what window a program launches on Linux?
Edit the program’s .desktop file. Add the line “X-Window-ID=####” to the file, where “####” is the ID of the desired window.
