Change a layer name using an expression?

[Rick Gerard]

This is probably only available using scripting, but it would be a very good feature if you could save a layer name when creating an expression. Any ideas? Dan??

[Dan Ebberts]

Hey Rick,

I'm trying to figure out exactly what you're after here. So are you asking if when you apply an expression preset to a layer, the layer name gets changed as well? If so, then I think yes, you'd have to do that with scripting, maybe with a little sidecar file for each expression which would contain the layer name and the path to the preset. Then the script could do both things for you.

Or was it something completely different?

[Rick Gerard]

That's pretty much what I suspected. I've got a whole box full of presets that require you to rename some lawyers when they're used together. I guess I better start working on some scripting.

[Mathias Moehl]

In general, expressions cannot change anything in your project. They can read all kinds of properties in your project and then calculate the value of the property they are applied to based on that. But they will never be able to change something other than the property that they are applied to.

[Rick Gerard]

I wish they could look through all layers for a shape layer property where I renamed a shape "Pinion." I guess I'm finally going to need to study up on scripting. Any good guides out there? I've pretty much gone through all of the stuff I can access directly through the tools Adobe offers.