=== modified file 'libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.cpp'
--- libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.cpp	2011-10-18 10:23:34 +0000
+++ libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.cpp	2011-11-03 08:35:55 +0000
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
     Orientation orientation;
     Corner startingCorner;
     unsigned long *result;
+    unsigned long newvalues[4];
+    bool updateX;
 
     /* First obtain the number of workspaces, that will be needed to
        also calculate some properties of the layout which could be missing
@@ -143,26 +145,41 @@
         startingCorner = WorkspacesInfo::CornerTopLeft;
     }
 
+    updateX = false;
+
     /* Notify of changes, if any */
     if (m_count != workspaceCount) {
         m_count = workspaceCount;
         Q_EMIT countChanged(m_count);
+	updateX = true;
     }
     if (m_rows != rows) {
         m_rows = rows;
         Q_EMIT rowsChanged(m_rows);
+	updateX = true;
     }
     if (m_columns != columns) {
         m_columns = columns;
         Q_EMIT columnsChanged(m_columns);
+	updateX = true;
     }
     if (m_orientation != orientation) {
         m_orientation = orientation;
         Q_EMIT orientationChanged(m_orientation);
+	updateX = true;
     }
     if (m_startingCorner != startingCorner) {
         m_startingCorner = startingCorner;
         Q_EMIT startingCornerChanged(m_startingCorner);
+	updateX = true;
+    }
+
+    if (updateX) {
+        newvalues[0] = orientation;
+        newvalues[1] = columns;
+        newvalues[2] = rows;
+        newvalues[3] = startingCorner;
+        setX11IntProperty(_NET_DESKTOP_LAYOUT, (unsigned char*)newvalues, 4);
     }
 }
 
@@ -233,4 +250,13 @@
     return NULL;
 }
 
+void WorkspacesInfo::setX11IntProperty(Atom property, unsigned char *data, long length)
+{
+    XChangeProperty(QX11Info::display(), QX11Info::appRootWindow(),
+                    property,
+                    XA_CARDINAL, 32,
+                    PropModeReplace,
+                    data, length);
+}
+
 #include "workspacesinfo.moc"

=== modified file 'libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.h'
--- libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.h	2011-07-29 13:49:34 +0000
+++ libunity-2d-private/src/workspacesinfo.h	2011-11-03 07:52:55 +0000
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     void updateWorkspaceGeometry();
     void updateCurrentWorkspace();
     unsigned long * getX11IntProperty(Atom property, long length);
+    void setX11IntProperty(Atom property, unsigned char *data, long length);
 
 private:
     int m_count;