Script to set active layers pulled from .txt doc on desktop?

One more time. Hopefully, this will be it. You can set this to either use the open file state as the first snapshot or the first manually set snapshot as a reference. To do so, you have to change the variable firstSnpStart to either 0, which will use the document open state as the first snapshot, or 1 for the first manually set snapshot. Other than making sure you set a second ending snapshot, there nothing else to do, other than run the script.

#target photoshop
var firstSnpStart = 1 // 1= first snapshot other than opening of file. 0 = open file snapshot
var doc = activeDocument;
var hsObj = doc.historyStates;
var hsLength = hsObj.length;
var snpNum = 0
var firstSnp, lastSnp

getFirstSnapshot ();
getLastSnapshot ();

if(firstSnp != lastSnp){
    doc.activeHistoryState = firstSnp;
    var useListFirst = [];
    var layerSets = 0
    try{doc.backgroundLayer}
    catch(e){layerSets=1}
    var layerListFirst = getLayerSetsData();  

    for (var i=0;i<layerListFirst.length;i++){
        if(layerListFirst.type != 13){useListFirst.push(layerListFirst[i].id)};
        } //end for loop to get original layers   
    doc.activeHistoryState = lastSnp;
    var useListLast = [];
    layerSets = 0
    try{doc.backgroundLayer}
    catch(e){layerSets=1}
    var layerListLast = getLayerSetsData();   
    
            for (var i=0;i<layerListLast.length;i++){
                if(layerListLast[i].type != 13||layerListLast[i].type != 5){
                    var layerOk = true;
                    for(var j=0;j<useListFirst.length;j++){
                        if(layerListLast[i].id == useListFirst[j]){
                            layerOk = false;
                            }
                        }//enf j loop   
                    if(layerOk){useListLast.push(layerListLast[i].id)}
                   }//end if for layer type
                } //end i loop         
    multiSelectByIDs (useListLast)       
    }//end if to run script
else{alert('There are not two snapshots')}


function getLastSnapshot()
{
   for (var i=hsLength - 1;i>-1;i--)
   {
      if(hsObj[i].snapshot) {
          lastSnp = hsObj[i]
         break;
      }      
   }      
}

function getFirstSnapshot()
{
   for (var i=firstSnpStart;i<hsLength;i++)
   {
      if(hsObj[i].snapshot) {
         firstSnp = hsObj[i];
         break;
      }      
   }      
}

function doesIdExists( id ){// function to check if the id exists
   var res = true;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
   ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), id);
    try{var desc = executeActionGet(ref)}catch(err){res = false};
    return res;
}

function multiSelectByIDs(ids) {
  if( ids.constructor != Array ) ids = [ ids ];
    var layers = new Array();
    var id54 = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
    var desc12 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var id55 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
    var ref9 = new ActionReference();
    for (var i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
       if(doesIdExists(ids[i]) == true){// a check to see if the id stil exists
           layers[i] = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
           ref9.putIdentifier(layers[i], ids[i]);
       }
    }
    desc12.putReference( id55, ref9 );
    var id58 = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
    desc12.putBoolean( id58, false );
    executeAction( id54, desc12, DialogModes.NO );
}

function getLayerSetsData()
{
    //var count = 0;//set counter for multi-dimensional array
    var lyrSets = [];

    while (true)
    {
        ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layerSets);
        try
            {var d1 = executeActionGet(ref)}
        catch (err){
            break;
            };

        var c2t = function (s){return app.charIDToTypeID(s);};
        var s2t = function (s){return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);};
        var lyrSet = {};

        lyrSet.type = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerKind"));
        lyrSet.name = d1.getString(c2t("Nm  "));
        lyrSet.id = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerID"));
        
        lyrSets.push(lyrSet);
        layerSets++;
    }; 
    return lyrSets;
};

I did find out why it's not saving the info to the text file: your file doesn't have a background layer. Have to change the code to check for that.

Well, let's see what I can come up with.

Opps, it was the 3rd one that doesn't write. The second one should. 

The way I wrote the script,  the second function doesn't write to the text file. It just reads it from where you set it to capture all the layers before editing, then uses that info to select the new layers. Yes it could be written just to use history states. At that point,  would you even need the text file? What would you want to store on it, if you still want it?

Try this. I used an old write routine that works for me. So I swapped it out with one that you provided, that seemed to work for you.

#target photoshop
var txtFile = new File('~/desktop/Text for scripts/select layers.txt');
var doc = activeDocument;
var method = 0

var dlg = new Window('dialog','Get, Save, and Inver layer selection');
dlg.getLay = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Select Layers from Text File');
dlg.saveLay = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Save all Layers to text File');
dlg.getNew = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Select New Layers that are not in the Text File');

dlg.getLay.onClick = function(){
    method = 1;
    dlg.close();
    }
dlg.saveLay.onClick = function(){
    method = 2;
    dlg.close();
    }
dlg.getNew.onClick = function(){
    method = 3;
    dlg.close();
    }

dlg.show();

switch(method){
    case 1:
        if(txtFile.exists){
            var layerList = readFile (txtFile).split('\n');    
            multiSelectByIDs (layerList)   
            }
        else{alert('There is no text file')};
        break;
    case 2:
        var useList = '';
        var layerList = getLayerSetsData();
        for (var i=0;i<layerList.length;i++){
            if(layerList.type != 13){useList +=layerList[i].id +'\n'};
            }
        writeFile (txtFile, useList);
        break;
    case 3:

        if(txtFile.exists){
            var layerListOld = readFile (txtFile).split('\n');    
            var layerList = getLayerSetsData();
            var layerListNew = new Array();
            for (var i=0;i<layerList.length;i++){
                if(layerList[i].type != 13||layerList[i].type != 5){
                    var layerOk = true;
                    for(var j=0;j<layerListOld.length;j++){
                        if(layerList[i].id == layerListOld[j]){
                            layerOk = false;
                            }
                        }//enf j loop   
                    if(layerOk){layerListNew.push(layerList[i].id)}
                   }//end if for layer type
                } //end i loop
            multiSelectByIDs (layerListNew)
            }//end if text exists
        else{alert('There is no text file')};
        break;        
    }//end switch


function doesIdExists( id ){// function to check if the id exists
   var res = true;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
   ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), id);
    try{var desc = executeActionGet(ref)}catch(err){res = false};
    return res;
}

function multiSelectByIDs(ids) {
  if( ids.constructor != Array ) ids = [ ids ];
    var layers = new Array();
    var id54 = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
    var desc12 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var id55 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
    var ref9 = new ActionReference();
    for (var i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
       if(doesIdExists(ids[i]) == true){// a check to see if the id stil exists
           layers[i] = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
           ref9.putIdentifier(layers[i], ids[i]);
       }
    }
    desc12.putReference( id55, ref9 );
    var id58 = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
    desc12.putBoolean( id58, false );
    executeAction( id54, desc12, DialogModes.NO );
}

function getLayerSetsData()
{
    //var count = 0;//set counter for multi-dimensional array
    var lyrSets = [];
    var layerSets = 0;
    while (true)
    {
        ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layerSets);
        try
            {var d1 = executeActionGet(ref)}
        catch (err){
            break;
            };

        var c2t = function (s){return app.charIDToTypeID(s);};
        var s2t = function (s){return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);};
        var lyrSet = {};

        lyrSet.type = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerKind"));
        lyrSet.name = d1.getString(c2t("Nm  "));
        lyrSet.id = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerID"));
        
        lyrSets.push(lyrSet);
        layerSets++;
    }; 
    return lyrSets;
};

//===============READ/WRITE functions========================================
//=========================================================================
 function readFile(file) {
	if (!file.exists) {
		alert( "Cannot find file: " + deodeURI(file.absoluteURI));
		}
	else{
		file.encoding = "UTF8";
		file.lineFeed = "unix";
		file.open("r", "TEXT", "????");
		var str = file.read();
		file.close();

		return str;
		};
};

// Export to txt file
function writeFile(file,str) {
    // Detect line feed type
    if ( $.os.search(/windows/i) !== -1 ) {
    fileLineFeed = "Windows";
    }
    else {
    fileLineFeed = "Macintosh";
    }    
    try {
    file.remove();
    file.open('a');
    file.lineFeed = fileLineFeed;
    file.write(str);
    file.close();
    }
    catch(e){}
}

I'll have to look at my script again. I was working okay on my end. What OS are you using?

One more time. I combined all the scripts into one with a UI that you select what you want to do.

The first button will select all layers that is in the text file. Actually, looking at your workflow, you might not need that.

The second button will record all existing layers to the text file. So either before you start editing, or go to your previous history state, run this to record all the layers.

The last button will recall the layers in the text file (old) and compare them to the current state. It will select all added layers, except smart objects, that were added after the recording of the layers to the text file.

Again, edit the path and name of the text file to your use.

#target photoshop
var txtFile = new File('~/desktop/Text for scripts/select layers.txt');
var doc = activeDocument;
var method = 0

var dlg = new Window('dialog','Get, Save, and Inver layer selection');
dlg.getLay = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Select Layers from Text File');
dlg.saveLay = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Save all Layers to text File');
dlg.getNew = dlg.add('button',undefined,'Select New Layers that are not in the Text File');

dlg.getLay.onClick = function(){
    method = 1;
    dlg.close();
    }
dlg.saveLay.onClick = function(){
    method = 2;
    dlg.close();
    }
dlg.getNew.onClick = function(){
    method = 3;
    dlg.close();
    }

dlg.show();

switch(method){
    case 1:
        if(txtFile.exists){
            var layerList = readFile (txtFile).split('\n');    
            multiSelectByIDs (layerList)   
            }
        else{alert('There is no text file')};
        break;
    case 2:
        var useList = '';
        var layerList = getLayerSetsData();
        for (var i=0;i<layerList.length;i++){
            if(layerList.type != 13){useList +=layerList[i].id +'\n'};
            }
        writeFile (txtFile, useList);
        break;
    case 3:

        if(txtFile.exists){
            var layerListOld = readFile (txtFile).split('\n');    
            var layerList = getLayerSetsData();
            var layerListNew = new Array();
            for (var i=0;i<layerList.length;i++){
                if(layerList[i].type != 13||layerList[i].type != 5){
                    var layerOk = true;
                    for(var j=0;j<layerListOld.length;j++){
                        if(layerList[i].id == layerListOld[j]){
                            layerOk = false;
                            }
                        }//enf j loop   
                    if(layerOk){layerListNew.push(layerList[i].id)}
                   }//end if for layer type
                } //end i loop
            multiSelectByIDs (layerListNew)
            }//end if text exists
        else{alert('There is no text file')};
        break;        
    }//end switch


function doesIdExists( id ){// function to check if the id exists
   var res = true;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
   ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), id);
    try{var desc = executeActionGet(ref)}catch(err){res = false};
    return res;
}

function multiSelectByIDs(ids) {
  if( ids.constructor != Array ) ids = [ ids ];
    var layers = new Array();
    var id54 = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
    var desc12 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var id55 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
    var ref9 = new ActionReference();
    for (var i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
       if(doesIdExists(ids[i]) == true){// a check to see if the id stil exists
           layers[i] = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
           ref9.putIdentifier(layers[i], ids[i]);
       }
    }
    desc12.putReference( id55, ref9 );
    var id58 = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
    desc12.putBoolean( id58, false );
    executeAction( id54, desc12, DialogModes.NO );
}

function getLayerSetsData()
{
    //var count = 0;//set counter for multi-dimensional array
    var lyrSets = [];
    var layerSets = 0;
    while (true)
    {
        ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layerSets);
        try
            {var d1 = executeActionGet(ref)}
        catch (err){
            break;
            };

        var c2t = function (s){return app.charIDToTypeID(s);};
        var s2t = function (s){return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);};
        var lyrSet = {};

        lyrSet.type = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerKind"));
        lyrSet.name = d1.getString(c2t("Nm  "));
        lyrSet.id = d1.getInteger(s2t("layerID"));
        
        lyrSets.push(lyrSet);
        layerSets++;
    }; 
    return lyrSets;
};

//===============READ/WRITE functions========================================
//=========================================================================
 function readFile(file) {
	if (!file.exists) {
		alert( "Cannot find file: " + deodeURI(file.absoluteURI));
		}
	else{
		file.encoding = "UTF8";
		file.lineFeed = "unix";
		file.open("r", "TEXT", "????");
		var str = file.read();
		file.close();

		return str;
		};
};

function writeFile(file,str) {
		file.encoding = "UTF8";
		file.open("w", "TEXT", "????");
		//unicode signature, this is UTF16 but will convert to UTF8 "EF BB BF"
		file.write("\uFEFF");
		file.lineFeed = "unix";
		file.write(str);
		file.close();
		
	};
 //=========================================================================

I will have to rework the code. It should run a lot faster though.