Opening Apps WIth Automator to a Specific Desktop - OSX

Question

I do a live radio show, with many apps open (Traktor, Ableton, Nicecast, Caffene, RADR + Several web pages).

Sometimes I can be in a bit of a hurry so I have set up an Automator app in OSX to get me started as quickly as possible.

During the show I make use of Desktop 1, 2 and 3 to segregate my workflow and tab between them with 'Control + Arrow'. Traktor is on Desktop 1, Ableton/Nicecast Desktop 2, And my browser on Desktop 3 etc.

My two questions are...

1. Is there any way I can tell Automator to open the apps/web pages on specific desktops?
2. Can I open some of the apps with switches or settings to automate application states? e.g. to enable Caffene on opening.

Answer 1

You might use a script like this:

delay 0.5 -- time to release modifier keys if for example the script is run with command-R
tell application "System Events" to key code 18 using control down -- number row 1
delay 1
tell application "TextEdit"
    reopen -- open a new default window if there are no open default windows
    activate -- make TextEdit frontmost
end tell
tell application "System Events" to key code 19 using control down -- number row 2
delay 1
tell application "Calculator"
    reopen
    activate
end tell

For example control-2 has to be assigned to "Switch to Desktop 2" in System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Mission Controls.