Animation in Photosop layer selection

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

Hi!

I am using Photoshop for drawn animation. I am perfectly aware that PS is not animation software,

but I need to animate in it with my students nevertheless.

I am using "video time line" option in my timeline, not the "frame animation" option.

When I enable the keyboard shortcuts I can move to the next frame with the arrows.

The issue is that I have to click on the next layer as well. It is not selected automatically.

Is there something like "Select follows playhead from Premiere Pro" in Photoshop as well?

Any workaround?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Timeline, Options Bar, …) visible? 

Why do you need to select the next Layer when you are using Timeline Animation and not Frame Animation? 

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

As you can see the layer named "1" is selected. I hit right arrow to get the playhead on the second frame "Layer 1".

(sorry for wrong naming).

Now I have to click again and choose the "Layer1" to be able to paint with brush tool in it.

I wondered of there is a way how I could just move to the next frame and paint directly into it without additional clicking. It is slowing me down a lot.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Why are you doing that astimeline animation instead of as frame animation? You literally seem to be drawing frames.

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

Because I need to "make some frames longer" and making it visually is far more convenient than inserting numbers (seconds). I also need video layer groups for multiple action in background and foreground.

[Conrad_C]

I don’t think Photoshop has that Premiere Pro option of automatically selecting the track (layer) the playhead is on. The closest you might get is to take advantage of the built-in keyboard shortcut for Select Forward Layer, which on my Mac is Option + ] (right square bracket key) so I guess in Windows it would be Alt + ] .

In other words, continue to use the right arrow key to go to the next frame, and when you reach the next layer, press Alt + ] to select the next layer in front in the stacking order (next layer up in the Layers panel). 

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

Thank you. The Alt + ]  shortuct works. I tried to combine it with right arrow  and record it as a one Action.

Unfortunately it seems recording right arrow (go to next frame in timeline) does not work. It just moves the playhead to the specific frame once but it can not be repeated for the following frame. Or  can it?

[Conrad_C · Accepted solution]

I think what we’re running into here is a quirk with how some Photoshop features interpret different methods of input, which affects how the Actions panel records them. How it records can depend on how you used a feature, especially when it comes to mouse vs. keyboard shortcut.

For example, I have long been aware that if I want to record “Select forward layer” or “Select backward layer” I must do it with a keyboard shortcut, because if I click on the next layer up or down in the Layers panel, Photoshop records selecting that specific layer name I clicked, so it doesn’t actually go up or down (relative), it selects that layer name exactly (absolute). 

I recorded a combined action for your timeline question even before you replied, and it worked fine. When you replied saying it didn’t work, based on the above experience the first thing I questioned was how the next frame was being selected. I realized that I recorded my action by clicking the Go To Next Frame button. So I tested recording it by pressing the right arrow key instead, and discovered that Photoshop sends that to the Actions panel as moving the playhead to a specific timecode (absolute), so it will always go to that frame.

So, see if your action works as expected if you re-record the next frame step by clicking the Go To Next Frame button instead.

[Tomáš2944323597hf]

It works now! Thanks a lot! I could not find the solution for a long time.

The functionality is still not 100%, but it works.

Now the Action_1 works  as "go to the next frame and select it".  I made the analogous Action_2 for "go to previous frame and select".  Only flaw is when you accidentaly use the Action_2 "go to previous frame and select" on the first frame the playhead gets offseted and you need to restore it manually. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Not sure I understand the problem. 

I am not sure but it might be possible to determine the playhead position, determine the Layer visible in the Timeline Panel and select it in the Layers Panel via a Script.