Combine multiple PSDs into one document using layer comps or frames

[Sean McCarron]

I would like to combine multiple layered PSD files into one document where each of the PSD files is its own layer comp or frame in the new file. Is anyone aware of how to do this or have a script?  Cheers.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Thinking out loud, the following is a bit of a hack, however, it should work until something better is offered:

1. I just created a script to combine a folder of layered PSD files into a single PSD, with each separate PSD file layered as a smart object layer. Each SO layer is named after the original PSD file.
   
   
2. A separate "UnSmart Object" script can then be run to create a layer set/group of each SO layer, which contains all of the layers from the original files.
   
   
3. Delete the original SO layers, as they were just a means to an end (may or may not be a part of the previous script).
   
   
4. Create a layer comp from each of the separate layer sets/groups.

Steps 1-3 can all be automated and tied together with an action, or by combining the separate scripts. Step 4 is either manual, or a script would be required to create a layer comp from each top-level layer set/group.

I have not found a script to automate the creation of layer comps from layer sets... However this script from Trevor Morris will create layer comps from the smart object layers, so if they are not "un-smarted" then all is good as you can do this in two steps – so, depending on your requirements, you may only need Step 1 and Step 4.

EDIT: A quick test appears to indicate that the script from Trevor Morris is easily edited to include layer sets, so if the smart object was decomposed to a layer set the layer comp creation could be automated, I don't know why layer sets have been disabled in the original script.

[Bill27418874ngnr]

Photoshop is so dumb. It's so hard to do the simplest, most obvious tasks. Adobe never fixes anything because they don't care nor do the "have to" care. I hate them.

[Bojan Živković]

I'm not entirely clear on your request, but did you know that you can change the layer comp for a placed PSD file from the Properties panel? Of course, the placed PSD must have defined layer comps.