Add an Image Layer

[Guest]

I just want to add a layer to an image in Photoshop CS3, how is it possbile to add an image layer to the active document(image)

[xbytor2]

Open the document.

Select all

Copy

Close the document

Paste into the existing document.

Usually, things are a bit more complicated than that, but that's the basic flow.

You could also use Place the image as a smart object, etc...

-X

[Guest]

That is what I am doing manually...Is it possible that we can do all these steps programatically. I tried doing that with no success

[Paul Riggott]

Here is the basics...

if(documents.length){
var selectedFile =null;
while(selectedFile == null){
selectedFile = File.openDialog("Please select file.","File:*.*");
}
open(selectedFile);
activeDocument.flatten();
activeDocument.selection.selectAll();
activeDocument.selection.copy();
app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
activeDocument.paste();
}

[Muppet_Mark-QAl63s]

I don't have CS3 only CS2 (so I use a script listener function instead) but can't this be done using

app.open(someFile, asSmartObject)

[Paul Riggott]

That would just open a new document as a smart object Mark, if you wanded to add a smart object as a layer this should do it..

if(documents.length){
var selectedFile =null;
while(selectedFile == null){
selectedFile = File.openDialog("Please select file.","File:*.*");
}
placeFile(selectedFile);
}
function placeFile(file) {
  function cTID(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
  function sTID(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };
    var desc124 = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc124.putPath( cTID('null'), new File( file ) );
    desc124.putEnumerated( cTID('FTcs'), cTID('QCSt'), cTID('Qcsa') );
        var desc125 = new ActionDescriptor();
        desc125.putUnitDouble( cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );
        desc125.putUnitDouble( cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );
    desc124.putObject( cTID('Ofst'), cTID('Ofst'), desc125 );
    desc124.putBoolean( cTID('AntA'), true );
    executeAction( cTID('Plc '), desc124, DialogModes.NO );
};

[xbytor2]

This function places an image as a smart image into the active document. The resize() calll in there works around a problem if the ppis are not the same.

After this you'll probably want to resize, translate, and rasterize the layer.

-X

function placeImage(file) {
    cTID = function(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
    sTID = function(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
    desc.putPath( cTID('null'), file);
    desc.putEnumerated( cTID('FTcs'), cTID('QCSt'), cTID('Qcsa') );
        var ldesc = new ActionDescriptor();
        ldesc.putUnitDouble( cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );
        ldesc.putUnitDouble( cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Pxl'), 0.000000 );
    desc.putObject( cTID('Ofst'), cTID('Ofst'), ldesc );
    executeAction( cTID('Plc '), desc, DialogModes.NO );
    var layer = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;
    layer.resize(100, 100);
    return layer;
  }

[Muppet_Mark-QAl63s]

Thanks, both of you I was only going off what I read in the scripting guide? I already use the same cleaned up script listener code as what you have for placing an image I presumed wrongly that this method could be used if a file was already open to open another and place it. At least I will know thats not the case when I get to upgrade. The layer resize tip is cool. I also have script listener function to rasterize a layer.