Actions on multiple layers

[Damien Lane]

Is it possible to run an action on multiple layers simultaneously?

[Jef Bracke · Accepted solution]

Not really.

You can select multiple layers and transform them in one go, but you cannot (for example) select multiple layers and run an action that would perform one blur and expect it to blur all selected layers.

You could achieve what you want by making a script in ExtendScript.

[Damien Lane]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I can now stop searching for something that doesn't exist, and stop loading up on layer tools that don't resolve my issue. Surely a plug in with such capability (& monopoly) would go well in the market. Ok, off to learn about ExtendScript now 🙂

[Jef Bracke]

You're welcome. 🙂

I remember my first script... I wish I had this information, so, let's get you started! 😄

The official documentation has gaps so not everything is documented. Sometimes you just wont find the answer there. When that happens, remember this forum, there's a bunch of great people here ready to help out.

To write an ExtendScript, Adobe recommends using VSCode + the ExtendScript Debugger Extension (made by Adobe).

The most important documents are here:

• https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/photoshop/scripting/photoshop-cc-scripting-guide.pd...
• https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/photoshop/pdfs/photoshop-javascript-ref-2020.pdf
  (page 90 has information relevant to the activeLayer property)

"app.activeDocument.activeLayer" gives you access to the currently selected layers. It returns something different depending on whether you have 0, 1 or more layers selected, so in your script you'll need to take that into account. You'll also need to think about how to handle adjustment layers vs artlayers vs shape layers.

Hope that helps you out, best of luck!

[Damien Lane]

Wow, cheers!

It makes the world of difference getting helpful direct information as oppossed to fumbling around with several dozen browser windows open & downloading anything slightly related to your query. Next time I'll start here haha. Thanks again Jef 🙏

[Stephen_A_Marsh · Accepted solution]

Non simultaneously, but one after another... There are many example scripts in the forum to do similar:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/apply-an-action-to-all-selected-layer...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/applying-an-action-to-all-the-layers-...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/add-same-mask-to-multiple-layers/m-p/...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/apply-layer-mask-to-numerous-layers-w...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/script-i-made-iterate-action-over-lay...

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

[Kukurykus]

Two of your links take to 'Apply Layer Mask to Numerous Layers (without grouping)'.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Didn't mean to double up, but it is easy to swap the code for applying a layer mask for an action.

[Kukurykus]

I mean the other is the same but made in older times (before ecosystem).

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

The good thing is that the new link auto-resolves to the newer ecosystem link, so it was not broken (at the moment) as the Adobe server redirects it (unlike the older forum links which are all broken, be nice is they could be auto redirected too). I have updated the link and removed the dupe.

[Damien Lane]

Thanks Stephen, seriously - much appreciated,

I'm not sure why my many search attempts didn't land one of these links, a little confused about that. Regardless, thanks to your assistance I'm going to be saving huge chunks of time & effort. Such a pleasent surprise after being resigned to manually doing what these scripts will autoate for me. 

Best,

Damien.

[Remi24060989b4r3]

I want to remove the background on all layers with just one click

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I want to remove the background on all layers with just one click

By @Remi24060989b4r3

So how are you successfully doing this manually (magic wand, select subject etc)? A script can perform the same steps, or run an action on each layer, but without knowing your steps or seeing a sample layered file it's hard to answer.