Workspace-Buddy

A powerful macOS menu bar application for managing workspace presets and applications. Create custom workspaces, switch between them seamlessly, and maintain your productivity workflow.

Security & Permissions

Important: First Launch Setup

Since this app is not code-signed with an Apple Developer certificate, macOS will block it by default. Here's how to enable it:

1. Go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General
2. Look for a message about Workspace-Buddy being blocked
3. Click "Open Anyway" next to the message
4. Launch the app normally

Required Permissions

The app will request these permissions on first launch:

• Menu Bar Access: To display the preset manager in your menu bar
• Accessibility: To manage and launch other applications
• Full Disk Access: To discover installed applications

Grant these permissions when prompted for full functionality.

Why This Happens

This is normal behavior for apps without an Apple Developer certificate. macOS protects users by blocking unsigned applications, but you can safely allow this app to run.

Features

• Custom Presets: Create unlimited workspace presets (Work, Gaming, Study, etc.)
• App Management: Assign multiple applications to each preset
• One-Click Switching: Switch between workspaces instantly
• Browser Integration: Automatically open specific websites when switching to browser presets
• Smart App Handling: Automatically close previous apps when switching (optional)
• Menu Bar Integration: Clean, accessible interface from the top menu bar

Installation

Quick Install (Recommended)

1. Download Workspace-Buddy-v1.0.dmg from the Releases page
2. Double-click the DMG file to mount it
3. Drag Workspace-Buddy.app to your Applications folder
4. Launch the app (see Security & Permissions for first-time setup)
5. Look for the icon in your menu bar (top-right of screen)

Build from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Mykyta-G/Mac-Preset-Handler.git
cd Mac-Preset-Handler

# Build the app
./build_workspace_buddy.sh

Quick Start

First Time Setup

1. Launch the app - Look for the list icon in your menu bar (top-right)
2. Grant permissions when prompted (menu bar access, accessibility, etc.)
3. Explore default presets - Work, School, Gaming, and Relax are pre-configured

Creating Your First Custom Preset

1. Click the "+" button to add a new workspace preset
2. Name your preset (e.g., "Development", "Design", "Study")
3. Add applications - Use the search bar to find and select apps
4. Add websites (optional) - For browser apps, expand the row to add URLs
5. Save and switch - Click your new preset to instantly switch to that workspace

Using Presets

• Switch workspaces - Click any preset name to activate it
• View details - Click the arrow to expand and see all assigned apps
• Edit presets - Modify apps and websites anytime
• Delete presets - Remove unwanted configurations

System Requirements

• macOS: 14.0 (Sonoma) or later
• Architecture: Intel & Apple Silicon (Universal Binary)
• Storage: ~50MB
• Permissions: Menu bar access (granted automatically)

How It Works

Preset Management

• Create unlimited presets with custom names and descriptions
• Assign multiple apps to each preset using real-time search
• Automatic saving - all changes persist between sessions

App Discovery

• Real-time search through all installed applications
• Smart detection of apps in System, Applications, and Utilities folders
• App name normalization - type "google" → finds "Google Chrome"

Browser Integration

• Website management for browser apps (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
• Automatic URL opening when switching to browser presets
• URL validation and auto-title detection

Workspace Switching

• Instant switching between different workspace configurations
• Smart app handling - optionally close previous apps
• Smooth transitions with expandable preset rows

Use Cases

Work Environment

• Development: Xcode, Terminal, Safari (GitHub, Stack Overflow), Slack
• Design: Figma, Photoshop, Browser (design resources)
• Office: Word, Excel, Teams, Calendar

Gaming Setup

• Gaming: Steam, Discord, Game clients
• Streaming: OBS, Twitch, YouTube
• Communication: Discord, Teamspeak

Study Mode

• Research: Safari (Canvas, Google Drive), Notes, Calendar
• Documentation: Word, PDF readers, Reference apps

Development

Project Structure

Workspace-Buddy/
├── Workspace-Buddy-Source/
│   ├── Workspace-BuddyApp.swift    # Main app entry point
│   ├── ContentView.swift            # Main UI and preset management
│   ├── Preset.swift                 # Preset data model
│   ├── PresetHandler.swift          # Business logic and app management
│   └── Assets.xcassets/            # App icons and resources
├── build_workspace_buddy.sh         # Build script
└── Package.swift                    # Swift Package Manager configuration

Building

# Development build
./build_workspace_buddy.sh

# Create release DMG
./build_workspace_buddy.sh --release

Documentation

• DEVELOPMENT.md - Detailed development guide
• INSTALLATION.md - Comprehensive installation instructions

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
3. Make your changes and test thoroughly
4. Submit a Pull Request

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

Support & Resources

Getting Help

• Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• ** Documentation**:
  • Installation Guide - Detailed setup instructions
  • Development Guide - For contributors and developers

Downloads

• ** Latest Release**: Download DMG
• ** Source Code**: Clone the repository to build from source

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Transform your Mac into a productivity powerhouse with intelligent workspace management!