Windows may randomly jump to the focused workspace

[nikitabobko]

There are two cases when it's possible:

1. When you unlock the screen. It's because the current algorithm of saving state before the screen is locked is incorrect. To fix it, we should make TreeNode immutable #1215, which will make it a breath to take snapshots of the tree on its every modification before windows start "dying out" when the screen is locked.

2. During high CPU usage / when apps are slow at responding AX requests. When AeroSpace checks for dead windows, it doesn't distinguish between long responses and nil response. Though it's a hypothesis, which should be investigated

Both of the issue are caused by #445 (since 0.16.0-Beta)

Action points:

(1) Investigate 21336ad

(2) Test case

commit a6b44c561e48191bf5ad2454ab4e414df2c4c733
Author:     Nikita Bobko <[git@bobko.xyz](mailto:git@bobko.xyz)>
AuthorDate: Thu Dec 5 22:24:21 2024 +0100
Commit:     Nikita Bobko <[git@bobko.xyz](mailto:git@bobko.xyz)>
CommitDate: Sun Feb 16 18:56:55 2025 +0100

    TODO. Improve reliability of windows position restore on screen unlock. FUCK THIS DOESN'T WORK

    test case:
        Given: window1 and window2, window1 is in the closedWindowCache cache, window2 isn't

        Steps:
        1. lock the screen
        2. window1 dies -> cache is not updated
        3. window2 dies -> cache is updated, but it won't include window1, since window1 is already dead :(
        4. unlock the screen
        5. Only window2 is restored

    The commit makes sure that the "given" is never the case

diff --git Sources/AppBundle/tree/MacWindow.swift Sources/AppBundle/tree/MacWindow.swift
index f2c2e685..27e68a97 100644
--- Sources/AppBundle/tree/MacWindow.swift
+++ Sources/AppBundle/tree/MacWindow.swift
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ final class MacWindow: Window, CustomStringConvertible {
                 allWindowsMap[id] = window
                 debugWindowsIfRecording(window)
                 if !restoreClosedWindowsCacheIfNeeded(newlyDetectedWindow: window) {
+                    if !isClosedWindowsCacheUseful() { resetClosedWindowsCache() }
                     tryOnWindowDetected(window, startup: startup)
                 }
                 return window
diff --git Sources/AppBundle/tree/frozen/closedWindowsCache.swift Sources/AppBundle/tree/frozen/closedWindowsCache.swift
index 20da4b17..f042d607 100644
--- Sources/AppBundle/tree/frozen/closedWindowsCache.swift
+++ Sources/AppBundle/tree/frozen/closedWindowsCache.swift
@@ -121,3 +121,7 @@ private func restoreTreeRecursive(frozenContainer: FrozenContainer, parent: NonL
 func resetClosedWindowsCache() {
     closedWindowsCache = FrozenWorld(workspaces: [], monitors: [])
 }
+
+func isClosedWindowsCacheUseful() -> Bool {
+    closedWindowsCache.windowIds.contains { MacWindow.get(byId: $0) == nil }
+}

[AlejandroSanchez90]

Im having this same issues, all windows reset to the default workspace after unlocking, if i move a chrome window from workspace 1 to 2 ( 1 is the defualt for chrome for me) then when i unlock all my chrome windows goes back to workspace 1

[jack4git]

EDIT: I lied!

I am seeing this on almost every screen unlock on my M4 Mac Mini (one display), haven't noticed it on my M1 MacBook Pro (integrated+external displays). UPDATE: just seeing this on the M1 MacBook Pro.

Also, I don't recall noticing this until recently e.g. 18.x ... as always, memory is unreliable ;-)

[nickjvturner]

I get this issue, but not always, when waking from sleep and unlocking, all open windows have jumped to the focussed workspace.

Is there anything, logs or data I can provide to assist?

macOS: 15.4.1 (24E263)
device: MacBook Pro 14-inch 2024
AeroSpace: 0.18.5-Beta

[hezhizhen]

I have this issue all the time after I upgraded to 0.18.5-Beta: when waking from sleep and unlocking, all open windows have jumped to the focussed workspace.

info:

• macOS: 15.4.1 (24E263)
• device: MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 2020
• AeroSpace: 0.18.5-Beta 4213dfd

[brianhuey]

I'm seeing the same issue. I was on 0.18.2 and it was happening, upgraded to 0.18.5 and it's still happening.

• macOS 15.4.1
• MacBook Pro M4

[northben]

I've configured Aerospace to move windows to specified workspaces as a workaround.

for example:

[[on-window-detected]]
if.app-id = 'com.apple.Safari'
run = "move-node-to-workspace 3"

[dmitrym0]

I'm seeing it also, but simply with screensaver activating:

• AeroSpace.app server version: 0.18.5-Beta 4213dfd
• MacOS 15.2

[noam-sol]

I'd like to help fixing this (although it doesn't reproduce for me more than once-twice a month), so I just want to make sure the ticket is relevant and up to date, or if you have any new ideas?

If I understand correctly, the way to go is implementing #1215 ? have you already planned working on it yourself, or can I take a look?

Also, can you elaborate on-

Action point: Investigate 21336ad