start-and-move.sh

#!/bin/bash

MAX=20  # maximum numbe of loops

LOGFILE=~/tmp/start-and-move.log

rm -f $LOGFILE

log() {
    echo "$@" | ts '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' >> $LOGFILE
}

move_resize() {
    local winclass=$1
    local workspace=$2  # zero to max-workspaces (-1 means all workspaces)
    local x=$3 
    local y=$4
    local width=$5
    local height=$6
    local result=""
    local count=0
    while [[ ! $result =~ '(true' ]] && (( $((count=count+1)) < $MAX ))
    do
        sleep 1
        log "$winclass: $x $y $width $height (count = $count)"
        result=$(gdbus call \
            --session \
            --dest org.gnome.Shell \
            --object-path /org/gnome/Shell \
            --method org.gnome.Shell.Eval "      
                // let space = global.workspace_manager.get_workspace_by_index($workspace)
                let win = global
                .get_window_actors()
                .map(a=>a.meta_window)                                   
                .map(w=>({
                    class: w.get_wm_class(),
                    title: w.get_title(),
                    ws:    w
                    })
                )
                .find(ws => ws.class == '$winclass')
                if (win) {
                    win.ws.change_workspace_by_index($workspace, false)
                    win.ws.move_resize_frame(0, $x, $y, $width, $height)
                }
                else {
                    throw 'Not found'
                }
                "
        )
    done
}

sleep 2

firefox &
thunderbird &
Telegram &
franz &
speedcrunch &
gnome-terminal

sleep 5

move_resize 'firefox' 0 2593 958 1283 1166 &
move_resize 'TelegramDesktop' -1 1758 1804 800 637 &
move_resize 'Franz' 1 10 1832 1007 778 &
move_resize 'SpeedCrunch' -1 5760 1607 640 517 &
move_resize 'gnome-terminal-server' 0 3876 1643 1364 481 &
sleep 8 && move_resize 'thunderbird' 1 2588 1113 1237 1004 &    # tb takes forever to initialise

ydotool key meta+1  # a cheeky way of getting back to the first workspace