How to select visible layers fast via script?

qwerty123 · Post by **qwerty123** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:53 pm

If I have a psd file with more than 100 layers and almost all of them hidden except 2-5 layers is there a way to quickly select those layers via script. If I use standard approach and iterate over all layers, checking their visibility status then it takes the script too long, especially when such procedure is repeated several times per script...
I hope someone can help.

qwerty123

Paul MR · Post by **Paul MR** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:14 pm

This should be fast ....

Code: Select all#target photoshop
app.bringToFront();

main();
function main(){
if(!documents.length) return;
var Vis = getVisLayers();
deselectLayers();
for(var a in Vis){
selectLayerById(Number(Vis[a]),true);
}
}
function getVisLayers(){
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Dcmn'), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt') );
var count = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID('NmbL')) +1;
var Names=[];
try{
activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
var i = 0; }catch(e){ var i = 1; };
for(i;i<count;i++){
if(i == 0) continue;
ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), i );
var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
var layerName = desc.getString(charIDToTypeID( 'Nm ' ));
var Id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
if(layerName.match(/^<\/Layer group/) ) continue;
var layerType = typeIDToStringID(desc.getEnumerationValue( stringIDToTypeID( 'layerSection' )));
var isLayerSet =( layerType == 'layerSectionContent') ? false:true;
var vis = desc.getBoolean(charIDToTypeID( "Vsbl" ));
if(!isLayerSet && vis) Names.push(Id);
};
return Names;
};
function selectLayerById(ID, add) {
add = (add == undefined) ? add = false : add;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), ID);
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID('null'), ref);
if (add) {
desc.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID('selectionModifier'), stringIDToTypeID('selectionModifierType'), stringIDToTypeID('addToSelection'));
}
desc.putBoolean(charIDToTypeID('MkVs'), false);
executeAction(charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}
function deselectLayers() {
var desc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref01 = new ActionReference();
ref01.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt') );
desc01.putReference( charIDToTypeID('null'), ref01 );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID('selectNoLayers'), desc01, DialogModes.NO );
};

qwerty123 · Post by **qwerty123** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:40 pm

Wow, Paul! Impressive.
Thank you!

Is there a repository of canned functions of this type somewhere?

Paul MR · Post by **Paul MR** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:19 pm

There are a number of functions based on Action Manager code on this site, maybe if you had a wish list of functions that list could be put together. Mike has done some fantastic work getting layerset layers, an example of using his code can be found here...
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1101485?tstart=0

qwerty123 · Post by **qwerty123** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:56 am

Paul, thank you for your help, the script and the reference. The script have already opened new approaches for my workflow. The code is a bit cryptic - can you give me some insight on why it works so much faster than regular comparison? I mean some sort of comparison has to happen one way or another for a layer to be selected, so why this approach is faster?

Paul MR · Post by **Paul MR** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:50 am

I think the main problem using thr DOM to access the layer is that it gets all the layers properties including the document histogram. Using Action Manager you by-pass this.

larsen67 · Post by **larsen67** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 3:13 pm

Is there a repository of canned functions of this type somewhere?

Quite possibly the biggest and best is a file by xbytor called stdlib.js if you have his toolkit installed you should open this and have a look… gulp