Divide multiple paths into divided vector layers?

Question

I accidentally merged all the shapes into a single vector layer in Photoshop. Luckily, they still retained their individual paths, so I could use the path selection tool to select them. However, my job requires me to separate them into individual vector layers, and there are thousands of such shapes, like this:

c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted Answer

// split layer with vector mask into layers according to subpathitems;
// 2026, use it at yout own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
if (hasVectorMask() == true) {
var myDocument = activeDocument;
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
var thePath = collectPathInfoFromDesc2023 (myDocument, myDocument.pathItems[myDocument.pathItems.length-1]);
for (var m = 0; m < thePath.length; m++) {
var thisLayer =  theLayer.duplicate();
myDocument.activeLayer = thisLayer;
changeSelectedPath2020([thePath[m]])
myDocument.activeLayer = theLayer;
};
theLayer.remove()
}
};
////// collect path info from actiondescriptor, indices start at 1, not 0 //////
function collectPathInfoFromDesc2023 (myDocument, thePath) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
// based of functions from xbytor’s stdlib;
var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );
var ref = new ActionReference();
// check if thePath is an index or a dom-path;
if (thePath.constructor == Number) {
ref.putIndex(idPath, thePath)
}
else {
thePath.select();
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
};
// get stuff;
var desc = app.executeActionGet(ref);
var pname = desc.getString(cTID('PthN'));
// create new array;
var theArray = new Array;
var pathComponents = desc.getObjectValue(cTID("PthC")).getList(sTID('pathComponents'));
// for subpathitems;
for (var m = 0; m < pathComponents.count; m++) {
	var listKey = pathComponents.getObjectValue(m).getList(sTID("subpathListKey"));
	var operation1 = pathComponents.getObjectValue(m).getEnumerationValue(sTID("shapeOperation"));
	switch (operation1) {
		case 1097098272:
		var operation = 1097098272 //cTID('Add ');
		break;
		case 1398961266:
		var operation = 1398961266 //cTID('Sbtr');
		break;
		case 1231975538:
		var operation = 1231975538 //cTID('Intr');
		break;
		default:
//		case 1102:
		var operation = sTID('xor') //ShapeOperation.SHAPEXOR;
		break;
		};
// for subpathitem’s count;
	for (var n = 0; n < listKey.count; n++) {
		theArray.push(new Array);
		var points = listKey.getObjectValue(n).getList(sTID('points'));
		try {var closed = listKey.getObjectValue(n).getBoolean(sTID("closedSubpath"))}
		catch (e) {var closed = false};
// for subpathitem’s segment’s number of points;
		for (var o = 0; o < points.count; o++) {
			var anchorObj = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(sTID("anchor"));
			var anchor = [anchorObj.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), anchorObj.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];
			var thisPoint = [anchor];
			try {
				var left = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(cTID("Fwd "));
				var leftDirection = [left.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), left.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];
				thisPoint.push(leftDirection)
				}
			catch (e) {
				thisPoint.push(anchor)
				};
			try {
				var right = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(cTID("Bwd "));
				var rightDirection = [right.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), right.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];
				thisPoint.push(rightDirection)
				}
			catch (e) {
				thisPoint.push(anchor)
				};
			try {
				var smoothOr = points.getObjectValue(o).getBoolean(cTID("Smoo"));
				thisPoint.push(smoothOr)
				}
			catch (e) {thisPoint.push(false)};
			theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(thisPoint);
			};
		theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(closed);
		theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(operation);
		};
	};
// by xbytor, thanks to him;
function cTID (s) { return cTID[s] || cTID[s] = app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
function sTID (s) { return sTID[s] || sTID[s] = app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };
// reset;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return theArray;
};
////// change a path based on collectPathInfoFromDesc2023-array //////
function changeSelectedPath2020(theArray) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
// thanks to xbytor;
cTID = function(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
sTID = function(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };
    var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref1 = new ActionReference();
    ref1.putEnumerated( cTID('Path'), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
    desc1.putReference(sTID('null'), ref1);
    var list1 = new ActionList();
for (var m = 0; m < theArray.length; m++) {
    var thisSubPath = theArray[m];
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc2.putEnumerated(sTID('shapeOperation'), sTID('shapeOperation'), thisSubPath[thisSubPath.length - 1]);
    var list2 = new ActionList();
    var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc3.putBoolean(cTID('Clsp'), thisSubPath[thisSubPath.length - 2]);
    var list3 = new ActionList();
for (var n = 0; n < thisSubPath.length - 2; n++) {
    var thisPoint = thisSubPath[n];
    var desc4 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var desc5 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc5.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[0][0]);
    desc5.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[0][1]);
    desc4.putObject(cTID('Anch'), cTID('Pnt '), desc5);
    var desc6 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc6.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[1][0]);
    desc6.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[1][1]);
    desc4.putObject(cTID('Fwd '), cTID('Pnt '), desc6);
    var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc7.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[2][0]);
    desc7.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[2][1]);
    desc4.putObject(cTID('Bwd '), cTID('Pnt '), desc7);
    desc4.putBoolean(cTID('Smoo'), thisPoint[3]);
    list3.putObject(cTID('Pthp'), desc4);
    };
    desc3.putList(cTID('Pts '), list3);
    list2.putObject(cTID('Sbpl'), desc3);
    desc2.putList(cTID('SbpL'), list2);
    list1.putObject(cTID('PaCm'), desc2);
    };
    desc1.putList(cTID('T   '), list1);
    executeAction(cTID('setd'), desc1, DialogModes.NO);
/// get index;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("itemIndex"));
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Path"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
var pathDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var myPathItem = activeDocument.pathItems[pathDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("itemIndex")) - 1];
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return myPathItem
};
////// from »Flatten All Masks.jsx« by jeffrey tranberry //////
function hasVectorMask() {
	var hasVectorMask = false;
	try {
		var ref = new ActionReference();
		var keyVectorMaskEnabled = app.stringIDToTypeID( 'vectorMask' );
		var keyKind = app.charIDToTypeID( 'Knd ' );
		ref.putEnumerated( app.charIDToTypeID( 'Path' ), app.charIDToTypeID( 'Ordn' ), keyVectorMaskEnabled );
		var desc = executeActionGet( ref );
		if ( desc.hasKey( keyKind ) ) {
			var kindValue = desc.getEnumerationValue( keyKind );
			if (kindValue == keyVectorMaskEnabled) {
				hasVectorMask = true;
			}
		}
	}catch(e) {
		hasVectorMask = false;
	}
	return hasVectorMask;
};

c.pfaffenbichler · Answer

If you need to maintain Vector Masks (as opposed to rasterising the Shape Layers) I see no other option than a custom Script.But it is certainly possible.

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