Batch aligning text via the shape/smart object below it?

Question

Hello everyone! I'm having thousands of text layers that need to be center aligned. The text is not too out of place, but my work needs a certain amount of precision, so it would take a lot of time if I did it manually.

Because all text layers need to be classified into one group, and all other layers are in another group, their order does not go together. Usually I will select the text layer and the object/shape below it manually, then center it by the move tool aligning.

But there is another problem when I select the bubble, that the text will center via the entire height/width of the shape. So the text will sometimes be skewed because of the "tail" of the bubble.

So I switched to using the layer selection. This way I can contract the selection and remove the "tail". That makes my work longer as I have to create a selection of the shape, then find its corresponding text layer again (because when the selection is created, the text inside it cannot be selected with ctrl - click or move tool, as far as I have tried). So I had to use the magicwand and it create a selection faster, by hiding the text and creating a selection below it.

And yet another problem: I have to constantly hide the text, create a selection, show the text, then use the aligning action. Thanks to this topic, my life is saved. But I have to run the action for each text layer one by one. Usually if they have shape layers without the "tail", I will prioritize select the shape to align because it's run faster than the "creating selection" action, but not always the case. Not all text layers are in text boxes so i'll skip if it has no shape below. I have attached a psd sample below.

Does anyone have any opinions? If you can help, it would be my great blessing. Thank you for your interest in this topic!

c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted Answer

Thank you, thank you very much!! Your script work perfectly but, sorry for my omission, it seems to only work with vector layers. Could you make it to work if the bubbles are the smart objects/rasterize layers too? Because they're not always shape layers, but they will be put in a certain "text box" group. I will set the group as the name of the script.

The proper way would be determining the kind of the Layer and progress accordingly but the sloppy way is just using a try-clause on the loading of the vector mask and catch with loading the transparency as a Selection …

// center layers in group »text« to layers in group »text box선«;
// 2023, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    activeDocument.suspendHistory("do stuff", "main()");
};
function main () {
var theTextLayers = collectLayerInLayerSetNamed("text");
var theShapeLayers = collectLayerInLayerSetNamed("text box선");
if (theTextLayers.length > 0 && theShapeLayers.length > 0) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
for (var m = 0; m < theTextLayers.length; m++) {
    var bounds1 = theTextLayers[m][5];
    for (var n = 0; n < theShapeLayers.length; n++) {
        var bounds2 = theShapeLayers[n][5];
        if (bounds1[0] > bounds2[0] && bounds1[1] > bounds2[1] && bounds1[2] < bounds2[2] && bounds1[3] < bounds2[3]) {
            loadVectorMask (theShapeLayers[n][2]);
            contractSelection (7);
            var selectionBounds = activeDocument.selection.bounds;
            var theX = Number(selectionBounds[0]+(selectionBounds[2]-selectionBounds[0])/2) - (bounds1[0]+(bounds1[2]-bounds1[0])/2);
            var theY = Number (selectionBounds[1]+(selectionBounds[3]-selectionBounds[1])/2) - (bounds1[1]+(bounds1[3]-bounds1[1])/2);
            activeDocument.selection.deselect();
            duplicateMoveRotateScale (false, theTextLayers[m][2], theX, theY, 100, 100, 0)
        }
    }
};
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
};
};
////// collect layers //////
function collectLayerInLayerSetNamed(groupCheckName) {
// get number of layers;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID('property'), stringIDToTypeID('numberOfLayers'));
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
var applicationDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var theNumber = applicationDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("numberOfLayers"));
// process the layers;
var theLayers = new Array;
for (var m = 0; m <= theNumber; m++) {
try {
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), m);
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var layerSet = typeIDToStringID(layerDesc.getEnumerationValue(stringIDToTypeID("layerSection")));
var isBackground = layerDesc.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("background"));
// if group collect values;
if (layerSet != "layerSectionEnd" /*&& layerSet != "layerSectionStart" && isBackground != true*/) {
var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
var theID = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('layerID'));
var theIndex = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('itemIndex'));
var theParentId = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('parentLayerID'));
var groupName = getLayerNameById (theParentId);
// check name of group;
if (groupName == groupCheckName) {
var theBounds = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("bounds"));
var theseBounds = [theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("left")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("top")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("right")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("bottom"))];
theLayers.push([theName, theIndex, theID, groupName, theParentId, theseBounds])
}
};
}
catch (e) {};
};
return theLayers
};
////// get layer’s name by id //////
function getLayerNameById (theId) {
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), theId); 
    var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
    var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
    return theName
};
////// load vector mask as selection //////
function loadVectorMask (theID) {
try {
    var desc5 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref1 = new ActionReference();
        ref1.putProperty( stringIDToTypeID( "channel" ), stringIDToTypeID( "selection" ) );
    desc5.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref1 );
        var ref2 = new ActionReference();
        var idpath = stringIDToTypeID( "path" );
        ref2.putEnumerated( idpath, idpath, stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMask" ) );
        ref2.putIdentifier( stringIDToTypeID( "layer" ), theID );
    desc5.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), ref2 );
    desc5.putInteger( stringIDToTypeID( "version" ), 1 );
    desc5.putBoolean( stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMaskParams" ), true );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc5, DialogModes.NO );
} catch (e) {
    loadTransparencyAsSelection (theID, false)
}
};
////// based on code by mike hale, via paul riggott //////
function selectLayerByID(id,add){
try {
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 ); 
try{
executeAction(charIDToTypeID("slct"), desc, DialogModes.NO );
}catch(e){
alert(e.message); 
}
} catch (e) {}
};
////// duplicate layer and move, rotate and scale it //////
function duplicateMoveRotateScale (copyOrNot, theID, theX, theY, theScaleX, theScaleY, theRotation) {
selectLayerByID(theID,false);
/*smartify (activeDocument.activeLayer);
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty (stringIDToTypeID ("property"), charIDToTypeID ("LyrI"));
ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt")); 
d = executeActionGet(ref); 
var theID = d.getInteger(charIDToTypeID('LyrI'));*/
try{
var idTrnf = charIDToTypeID( "Trnf" );
    var desc10 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref6 = new ActionReference();
        //ref6.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), theID );
        ref6.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" ), charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" ) );
    desc10.putReference( idnull, ref6 );
    var idFTcs = charIDToTypeID( "FTcs" );
    var idQCSt = charIDToTypeID( "QCSt" );
    var idQcsa = charIDToTypeID( "Qcsa" );
    desc10.putEnumerated( idFTcs, idQCSt, idQcsa );
    var idOfst = charIDToTypeID( "Ofst" );
        var desc11 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idHrzn = charIDToTypeID( "Hrzn" );
        var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
        desc11.putUnitDouble( idHrzn, idPxl, theX );
        var idVrtc = charIDToTypeID( "Vrtc" );
        var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
        desc11.putUnitDouble( idVrtc, idPxl, theY );
    var idOfst = charIDToTypeID( "Ofst" );
    desc10.putObject( idOfst, idOfst, desc11 );
    var idWdth = charIDToTypeID( "Wdth" );
    var idPrc = charIDToTypeID( "#Prc" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idWdth, idPrc, theScaleX );
    var idHght = charIDToTypeID( "Hght" );
    var idPrc = charIDToTypeID( "#Prc" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idHght, idPrc, theScaleY );
    var idAngl = charIDToTypeID( "Angl" );
    var idAng = charIDToTypeID( "#Ang" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idAngl, idAng, theRotation );
    var idIntr = charIDToTypeID( "Intr" );
    var idIntp = charIDToTypeID( "Intp" );
    var idbicubicAutomatic = stringIDToTypeID( "bicubicAutomatic" );
    desc10.putEnumerated( idIntr, idIntp, idbicubicAutomatic );
    var idCpy = charIDToTypeID( "Cpy " );
    desc10.putBoolean( idCpy, copyOrNot );
executeAction( idTrnf, desc10, DialogModes.NO );
return theID
} catch (e) {}
};
////// contract selection //////
function contractSelection (theValue) {
try {
// =======================================================
var idCntc = charIDToTypeID( "Cntc" );
    var desc14 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idBy = charIDToTypeID( "By  " );
    var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
    desc14.putUnitDouble( idBy, idPxl, theValue );
executeAction( idCntc, desc14, DialogModes.NO );
} catch (e) {}
};
////// load transparency //////
function loadTransparencyAsSelection (theID, theInvert) {
    var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID( "channel" );
    var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref3 = new ActionReference();
        ref3.putProperty( idchannel, stringIDToTypeID( "selection" ) );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref3 );
        var ref4 = new ActionReference();
        ref4.putEnumerated( idchannel, idchannel, stringIDToTypeID( "transparencyEnum" ) );
        ref4.putIdentifier( stringIDToTypeID( "layer" ), theID );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), ref4 );
    desc7.putBoolean(charIDToTypeID("Invr"), theInvert);
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc7, DialogModes.NO );
};

c.pfaffenbichler · Answer

// center layers in group »text« to layers in group »text box선«;
// 2023, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
    activeDocument.suspendHistory("do stuff", "main()");
};
function main () {
var theTextLayers = collectLayerInLayerSetNamed("text");
var theShapeLayers = collectLayerInLayerSetNamed("text box선");
if (theTextLayers.length > 0 && theShapeLayers.length > 0) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
for (var m = 0; m < theTextLayers.length; m++) {
    var bounds1 = theTextLayers[m][5];
    for (var n = 0; n < theShapeLayers.length; n++) {
        var bounds2 = theShapeLayers[n][5];
        if (bounds1[0] > bounds2[0] && bounds1[1] > bounds2[1] && bounds1[2] < bounds2[2] && bounds1[3] < bounds2[3]) {
            loadVectorMask (theShapeLayers[n][2]);
            contractSelection (7);
            var selectionBounds = activeDocument.selection.bounds;
            var theX = Number(selectionBounds[0]+(selectionBounds[2]-selectionBounds[0])/2) - (bounds1[0]+(bounds1[2]-bounds1[0])/2);
            var theY = Number (selectionBounds[1]+(selectionBounds[3]-selectionBounds[1])/2) - (bounds1[1]+(bounds1[3]-bounds1[1])/2);
            activeDocument.selection.deselect();
            duplicateMoveRotateScale (false, theTextLayers[m][2], theX, theY, 100, 100, 0)
        }
    }
};
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
};
};
////// collect layers //////
function collectLayerInLayerSetNamed(groupCheckName) {
// get number of layers;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID('property'), stringIDToTypeID('numberOfLayers'));
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
var applicationDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var theNumber = applicationDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("numberOfLayers"));
// process the layers;
var theLayers = new Array;
for (var m = 0; m <= theNumber; m++) {
try {
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), m);
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var layerSet = typeIDToStringID(layerDesc.getEnumerationValue(stringIDToTypeID("layerSection")));
var isBackground = layerDesc.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("background"));
// if group collect values;
if (layerSet != "layerSectionEnd" /*&& layerSet != "layerSectionStart" && isBackground != true*/) {
var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
var theID = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('layerID'));
var theIndex = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('itemIndex'));
var theParentId = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('parentLayerID'));
var groupName = getLayerNameById (theParentId);
// check name of group;
if (groupName == groupCheckName) {
var theBounds = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("bounds"));
var theseBounds = [theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("left")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("top")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("right")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("bottom"))];
theLayers.push([theName, theIndex, theID, groupName, theParentId, theseBounds])
}
};
}
catch (e) {};
};
return theLayers
};
////// get layer’s name by id //////
function getLayerNameById (theId) {
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), theId); 
    var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
    var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
    return theName
};
////// load vector mask as selection //////
function loadVectorMask (theID) {
    var desc5 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref1 = new ActionReference();
        ref1.putProperty( stringIDToTypeID( "channel" ), stringIDToTypeID( "selection" ) );
    desc5.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref1 );
        var ref2 = new ActionReference();
        var idpath = stringIDToTypeID( "path" );
        ref2.putEnumerated( idpath, idpath, stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMask" ) );
        ref2.putIdentifier( stringIDToTypeID( "layer" ), theID );
    desc5.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), ref2 );
    desc5.putInteger( stringIDToTypeID( "version" ), 1 );
    desc5.putBoolean( stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMaskParams" ), true );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc5, DialogModes.NO );
};
////// based on code by mike hale, via paul riggott //////
function selectLayerByID(id,add){
try {
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 ); 
try{
executeAction(charIDToTypeID("slct"), desc, DialogModes.NO );
}catch(e){
alert(e.message); 
}
} catch (e) {}
};
////// duplicate layer and move, rotate and scale it //////
function duplicateMoveRotateScale (copyOrNot, theID, theX, theY, theScaleX, theScaleY, theRotation) {
selectLayerByID(theID,false);
/*smartify (activeDocument.activeLayer);
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty (stringIDToTypeID ("property"), charIDToTypeID ("LyrI"));
ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt")); 
d = executeActionGet(ref); 
var theID = d.getInteger(charIDToTypeID('LyrI'));*/
try{
var idTrnf = charIDToTypeID( "Trnf" );
    var desc10 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref6 = new ActionReference();
        //ref6.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), theID );
        ref6.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" ), charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" ) );
    desc10.putReference( idnull, ref6 );
    var idFTcs = charIDToTypeID( "FTcs" );
    var idQCSt = charIDToTypeID( "QCSt" );
    var idQcsa = charIDToTypeID( "Qcsa" );
    desc10.putEnumerated( idFTcs, idQCSt, idQcsa );
    var idOfst = charIDToTypeID( "Ofst" );
        var desc11 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idHrzn = charIDToTypeID( "Hrzn" );
        var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
        desc11.putUnitDouble( idHrzn, idPxl, theX );
        var idVrtc = charIDToTypeID( "Vrtc" );
        var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
        desc11.putUnitDouble( idVrtc, idPxl, theY );
    var idOfst = charIDToTypeID( "Ofst" );
    desc10.putObject( idOfst, idOfst, desc11 );
    var idWdth = charIDToTypeID( "Wdth" );
    var idPrc = charIDToTypeID( "#Prc" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idWdth, idPrc, theScaleX );
    var idHght = charIDToTypeID( "Hght" );
    var idPrc = charIDToTypeID( "#Prc" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idHght, idPrc, theScaleY );
    var idAngl = charIDToTypeID( "Angl" );
    var idAng = charIDToTypeID( "#Ang" );
    desc10.putUnitDouble( idAngl, idAng, theRotation );
    var idIntr = charIDToTypeID( "Intr" );
    var idIntp = charIDToTypeID( "Intp" );
    var idbicubicAutomatic = stringIDToTypeID( "bicubicAutomatic" );
    desc10.putEnumerated( idIntr, idIntp, idbicubicAutomatic );
    var idCpy = charIDToTypeID( "Cpy " );
    desc10.putBoolean( idCpy, copyOrNot );
executeAction( idTrnf, desc10, DialogModes.NO );
return theID
} catch (e) {}
};
////// contract selection //////
function contractSelection (theValue) {
try {
// =======================================================
var idCntc = charIDToTypeID( "Cntc" );
    var desc14 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idBy = charIDToTypeID( "By  " );
    var idPxl = charIDToTypeID( "#Pxl" );
    desc14.putUnitDouble( idBy, idPxl, theValue );
executeAction( idCntc, desc14, DialogModes.NO );
} catch (e) {}
};

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