Preserve window layout in Emacs

I sometimes still use C-x r w <register> to store a window configuration in a register, and C-x r j <register> (where <register> is a single character) to jump back to it.

While this is a nice way for storing a few window configurations which you want to go back to after some time, I find winner-mode to be more convenient in a few regards. (For example, you won't have to bother naming the configurations).

Just put (winner-mode 1) in your .emacs, bind winner-undo and winner-redo to convenient shortcuts (or use the IMHO awkward C-c <left> and C-c <right> predefined ones), and you'll be able to switch back to previous window configurations.

See also: M-: (info "(emacs) Window Convenience") and M-: (info "(emacs) RegConfig")

I know you allready accepted an answer, however because I understand your question in another way (concerning layout) and this question showed up for me when I was in search for something to persist my emacs window layout, I would like to mention:

workgroups.el

which purpose is to save and restore the way, emacs windows are layed out and many more.

Check out emacs desktop. I have no emacs available but I believe it's part of the standard lisp packages you get when you install emacs.

Use the desktop library to save the state of Emacs from one session to another. Once you save the Emacs desktop—the buffers, their file names, major modes, buffer positions, and so on—then subsequent Emacs sessions reload the saved desktop.