Apply Layer Mask to Numerous Layers (without grouping)

And this one:

// https://forums.adobe.com/message/8895442#8895442
// Loop or iterate an action to multiple layers
// You need to edit the code to include the name of your action that you created (line 26) and the name of the group folder that the action is in (line 28)
#target photoshop  
  
var doc = app.activeDocument;  
var layerVisble  
  
doc.activeLayer = doc.layers[0];  
  
for(var i=0;i<doc.layers.length;i++){  
    doc.activeLayer = doc.layers[i];  
    layerVisible = doc.activeLayer.visible;  
    doc.activeLayer.visible = true;  
    spot ();  
    doc.activeLayer.visible = layerVisible;  
    }  
alert('done');  
  
function spot(){  
    var idPly = charIDToTypeID( "Ply " );  
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();  
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );  
    var ref1 = new ActionReference();  
    var idActn = charIDToTypeID( "Actn" );  
    ref1.putName( idActn, "TEMP" );  // Name of action  
    var idASet = charIDToTypeID( "ASet" );  
    ref1.putName( idASet, "TEMP" ); // Action set name  
    desc2.putReference( idnull, ref1 );  
executeAction( idPly, desc2, DialogModes.NO );  
}

Or perhaps this one:

// https://forums.adobe.com/message/8895266#8895266
// https://forums.adobe.com/message/8895401#8895401
var ActionName = "RandonFillColor";  
var ActionSet = "temp";  
  
if (!documents.length) { alert('There are no documents open.', 'No Document');}  
else {processArtLayers(activeDocument);}  
  
function processArtLayers(obj) {  
    for( var i = obj.artLayers.length-1; 0 <= i; i--) { activeDocument.activeLayer = obj.artLayers[i]; doAction(ActionName, ActionSet);}  
    for( var i = obj.layerSets.length-1; 0 <= i; i--) {processArtLayers(obj.layerSets[i]); } // Process Layer Set Layers  
}  

And this one:

// https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2285411
// Change Line 15 for the action and parent action set
#target photoshop  
if (app.documents.length > 0) {  
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;  
myDocument.suspendHistory("operation", "main(myDocument)");  
};  
////////////////////////////////////  
function main () {  
var theLayers = getSelectedLayersIdx();  
// do stuff;  
// reselect layers;  
for (var p = 0; p < theLayers.length; p++) {  
  selectLayerByIndex(theLayers[p], false);  
  app.doAction('Invert Action', 'Invert Set'); // Define the action to play and the action set 
  };  
};  
//   
function selectLayerByIndex(index,add){  
add = undefined ? add = false:add  
var ref = new ActionReference();  
    ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), index);  
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();  
    desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID("null"), ref );  
       if(add) desc.putEnumerated( stringIDToTypeID( "selectionModifier" ), stringIDToTypeID( "selectionModifierType" ), stringIDToTypeID( "addToSelection" ) );  
      desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" ), false );  
   try{  
    executeAction(charIDToTypeID("slct"), desc, DialogModes.NO );  
}catch(e){  
alert(e.message);  
}  
};  
////// by paul mr;  
function getSelectedLayersIdx(){  
      var selectedLayers = new Array;  
      var ref = new ActionReference();  
      ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );  
      var desc = executeActionGet(ref);  
      if( desc.hasKey( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ) ) ){  
         desc = desc.getList( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ));  
          var c = desc.count  
          var selectedLayers = new Array();  
          for(var i=0;i<c;i++){  
            try{  
               activeDocument.backgroundLayer;  
               selectedLayers.push(  desc.getReference( i ).getIndex() );  
            }catch(e){  
               selectedLayers.push(  desc.getReference( i ).getIndex()+1 );  
            }  
          }  
       }else{  
         var ref = new ActionReference();  
         ref.putProperty( charIDToTypeID("Prpr") , charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" ));  
         ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );  
         try{  
            activeDocument.backgroundLayer;  
            selectedLayers.push( executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" ))-1);  
         }catch(e){  
            selectedLayers.push( executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" )));  
         }  
      }  
      return selectedLayers;  
};

The following script may not be perfect, however, it will get the job done.  It is more of a "general purpose" script to apply "something" to all top-level layers and layer sets and also to layers within layer sets. One could obviously swap out the function to run an action with "use-specific" script code so that there is no dependency on having an action. I decided to use an action for the "use-specific" processing in this topic as this makes the script accessible and modular.

The script does all the heavy lifting, however, it requires the following to be set before running the script:

1) The mask channel should be copied to the clipboard

2) An action that applies the clipboard content as a layer mask with an action set name of Copied Channel as Mask with a referenced action name of Run

Link to action:

Copied Channel as Mask.atn

/* 

Apply layer mask action to all layer sets and layers.jsx

In reply to:
Apply Layer Mask to Numerous Layers (without grouping)
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/apply-layer-mask-to-numerous-layers-without-grouping/td-p/11093194

The script does all the heavy lifting, however, it requires the following to be set before running the script:

1) The mask channel should be copied to the clipboard
2) An action that applies the clipboard content as a layer mask with an action set name of 'Copied Channel as Mask' with a referenced action name of 'Run'

Based on:
https://forums.adobe.com/message/8895266#8895266
https://forums.adobe.com/message/8895401#8895401

*/

function main() {

    if (!documents.length) {
        alert('There are no documents open!');
    } else {
        processAllLayersAndSets(app.activeDocument);
    }

    function processAllLayersAndSets(obj) {

        // Process all layers and layer sets
        // Change the following 2 entries of "obj.layers" to "obj.artLayers" to exclude layer sets
        for (var al = obj.layers.length - 1; 0 <= al; al--) {
            app.activeDocument.activeLayer = obj.layers[al];

            // Start function call to run action
            runAction();
            // Finish function call to run action

        }

        // Process Layer Set Layers 
        for (var ls = obj.layerSets.length - 1; 0 <= ls; ls--) {
            processAllLayersAndSets(obj.layerSets[ls]);

            // Start function call to run action
            runAction();
            // Finish function call to run action

        }
    }

    function runAction() {
        app.doAction('Run', 'Copied Channel as Mask'); // Action and action set name
    }
}

activeDocument.suspendHistory('Process Layers & Sets', 'main()');

You could also place the layers inside a clipping group, it is not exactly a layer group...

Hi,

Yes, that's what I mean by being an intermittent user. I'm sure in the past I would end the action by selecting the next layer. 

I had a selection saved. I had a layer selected. 1, I created a new set, then a new action. 2, layer, layer mask, hide all. 3, load selection. 4, fill white. 5, deselect. 6, select next layer. 7, stop.

I'm sure it's gotten more complicated than that. Any advice to point me in the right direction would help. 

Cheers,

I expect this would need a Script. 

How can the Layers that you need to apply the Layer Mask to be identified? 

Post your action? How does your action know which layers to add the layer mask to?