Convert Live Shape to regular path via Javascript

Report · Oct 12, 2017

I have a script which needs to merge paths made up of multiple subpaths into a single path, and sometimes I get the dialog 'This operation will turn a live shape into a regular path'.

Is there a command to convert the paths/subpaths which are live shapes into a regular path (and also to determine which are live shape paths that need to be converted) via Javascript?

Report · Oct 14, 2017

Could you please post a screenshot to illustrate the Layer structure (as its is and the result you want to achieve)?

Report · Nov 01, 2017

Sorry I haven't been able to reply until now.

What I'm doing is merging shape components, the equivalent of this menu in the path dropdown in the interface:

This works, but sometimes there's a live shape in the paths, and this dialog appears:

I'm looking for a solution to allow my script to merge the paths if there is a live shape included.

Report · Nov 01, 2017

Your script should still merge the paths. Is it not doing that, when you click the OK button? I would also check the "Do not show again" so that doesn't appear.

Report · Nov 01, 2017

I would like it to do the merge without providing the dialog. This is meant to run somewhat unattended, and I cannot control whether the user will have that option checked or not

Report · Nov 19, 2017

A possible workaround:

Collect the subPathInfo and create a new Path based on that, remove the Vector Mask, select the newly created Path, add a Vector Mask and remove the intermediate Path.

Edit:

#target photoshop

var myDocument = activeDocument;

var theArray = collectPathInfoFromDesc2012 (myDocument, selectedPath2015 ());

var thePathName = Math.random();

var thePath = createPath2015(theArray, thePathName);

// =======================================================

var idDlt = charIDToTypeID( "Dlt " );

var desc9 = new ActionDescriptor();

var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

var ref2 = new ActionReference();

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

var idvectorMask = stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMask" );

ref2.putEnumerated( idPath, idPath, idvectorMask );

var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );

var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );

ref2.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );

desc9.putReference( idnull, ref2 );

executeAction( idDlt, desc9, DialogModes.NO );

myDocument.pathItems[thePathName].select();

// =======================================================

var idMk = charIDToTypeID( "Mk " );

var desc11 = new ActionDescriptor();

var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

var ref4 = new ActionReference();

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

ref4.putClass( idPath );

desc11.putReference( idnull, ref4 );

var idAt = charIDToTypeID( "At " );

var ref5 = new ActionReference();

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

var idvectorMask = stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMask" );

ref5.putEnumerated( idPath, idPath, idvectorMask );

desc11.putReference( idAt, ref5 );

var idUsng = charIDToTypeID( "Usng" );

var ref6 = new ActionReference();

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );

ref6.putEnumerated( idPath, idOrdn, idTrgt );

desc11.putReference( idUsng, ref6 );

executeAction( idMk, desc11, DialogModes.NO );

// =======================================================

var idcombine = stringIDToTypeID( "combine" );

var desc4 = new ActionDescriptor();

var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

var ref1 = new ActionReference();

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );

ref1.putEnumerated( idPath, idOrdn, idTrgt );

desc4.putReference( idnull, ref1 );

executeAction( idcombine, desc4, DialogModes.NO );

myDocument.pathItems[thePathName].remove();

////// collect path info from actiondescriptor, smooth added //////

function collectPathInfoFromDesc2012 (myDocument, thePath) {

var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;

app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;

//app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;

// based of functions from xbytor’s stdlib;

var ref = new ActionReference();

for (var l = 0; l < myDocument.pathItems.length; l++) {

var thisPath = myDocument.pathItems;

if (thisPath == thePath && thisPath.kind == PathKind.WORKPATH) {

ref.putProperty(cTID("Path"), cTID("WrPt"));

};

if (thisPath == thePath && thisPath.kind != PathKind.WORKPATH && thisPath.kind != PathKind.VECTORMASK) {

ref.putIndex(cTID("Path"), l + 1);

};

if (thisPath == thePath && thisPath.kind == PathKind.VECTORMASK) {

var idPath = charIDToTypeID( "Path" );

var idvectorMask = stringIDToTypeID( "vectorMask" );

ref.putEnumerated( idPath, idPath, idvectorMask );

};

var desc = app.executeActionGet(ref);

var pname = desc.getString(cTID('PthN'));

// create new array;

var theArray = new Array;

var pathComponents = desc.getObjectValue(cTID("PthC")).getList(sTID('pathComponents'));

// for subpathitems;

for (var m = 0; m < pathComponents.count; m++) {

var listKey = pathComponents.getObjectValue(m).getList(sTID("subpathListKey"));

var operation1 = pathComponents.getObjectValue(m).getEnumerationValue(sTID("shapeOperation"));

switch (operation1) {

case 1097098272:

var operation = 1097098272 //cTID('Add ');

break;

case 1398961266:

var operation = 1398961266 //cTID('Sbtr');

break;

case 1231975538:

var operation = 1231975538 //cTID('Intr');

break;

default:

// case 1102:

var operation = sTID('xor') //ShapeOperation.SHAPEXOR;

break;

};

// for subpathitem’s count;

for (var n = 0; n < listKey.count; n++) {

theArray.push(new Array);

var points = listKey.getObjectValue(n).getList(sTID('points'));

try {var closed = listKey.getObjectValue(n).getBoolean(sTID("closedSubpath"))}

catch (e) {var closed = false};

// for subpathitem’s segment’s number of points;

for (var o = 0; o < points.count; o++) {

var anchorObj = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(sTID("anchor"));

var anchor = [anchorObj.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), anchorObj.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];

var thisPoint = [anchor];

try {

var left = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(cTID("Fwd "));

var leftDirection = [left.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), left.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];

thisPoint.push(leftDirection)

}

catch (e) {

thisPoint.push(anchor)

};

try {

var right = points.getObjectValue(o).getObjectValue(cTID("Bwd "));

var rightDirection = [right.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('horizontal')), right.getUnitDoubleValue(sTID('vertical'))];

thisPoint.push(rightDirection)

}

catch (e) {

thisPoint.push(anchor)

};

try {

var smoothOr = points.getObjectValue(o).getBoolean(cTID("Smoo"));

thisPoint.push(smoothOr)

}

catch (e) {thisPoint.push(false)};

theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(thisPoint);

};

theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(closed);

theArray[theArray.length - 1].push(operation);

};

// by xbytor, thanks to him;

function cTID (s) { return cTID ~~|| cTID ~~= app.charIDToTypeID(s); };~~~~

function sTID (s) { return sTID ~~|| sTID ~~= app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };~~~~

// reset;

app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;

return theArray;

};

////// create a path from collectPathInfoFromDesc2012-array //////

function createPath2015(theArray, thePathsName) {

var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;

app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;

// thanks to xbytor;

cTID = function(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };

sTID = function(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };

var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();

var ref1 = new ActionReference();

ref1.putProperty(cTID('Path'), cTID('WrPt'));

desc1.putReference(sTID('null'), ref1);

var list1 = new ActionList();

for (var m = 0; m < theArray.length; m++) {

var thisSubPath = theArray;

var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();

desc2.putEnumerated(sTID('shapeOperation'), sTID('shapeOperation'), thisSubPath[thisSubPath.length - 1]);

var list2 = new ActionList();

var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();

desc3.putBoolean(cTID('Clsp'), thisSubPath[thisSubPath.length - 2]);

var list3 = new ActionList();

for (var n = 0; n < thisSubPath.length - 2; n++) {

var thisPoint = thisSubPath;

var desc4 = new ActionDescriptor();

var desc5 = new ActionDescriptor();

desc5.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[0][0]);

desc5.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[0][1]);

desc4.putObject(cTID('Anch'), cTID('Pnt '), desc5);

var desc6 = new ActionDescriptor();

desc6.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[1][0]);

desc6.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[1][1]);

desc4.putObject(cTID('Fwd '), cTID('Pnt '), desc6);

var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();

desc7.putUnitDouble(cTID('Hrzn'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[2][0]);

desc7.putUnitDouble(cTID('Vrtc'), cTID('#Rlt'), thisPoint[2][1]);

desc4.putObject(cTID('Bwd '), cTID('Pnt '), desc7);

desc4.putBoolean(cTID('Smoo'), thisPoint[3]);

list3.putObject(cTID('Pthp'), desc4);

};

desc3.putList(cTID('Pts '), list3);

list2.putObject(cTID('Sbpl'), desc3);

desc2.putList(cTID('SbpL'), list2);

list1.putObject(cTID('PaCm'), desc2);

};

desc1.putList(cTID('T '), list1);

executeAction(cTID('setd'), desc1, DialogModes.NO);

// name work path;

var check = false;

var x = activeDocument.pathItems.length - 1;

while (check == false) {

if (activeDocument.pathItems.kind == PathKind.WORKPATH) {

app.activeDocument.pathItems.name = thePathsName;

var myPathItem = app.activeDocument.pathItems;

check = true

};

x--

};

app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;

return myPathItem

};

////// determine selected path, updated 09.2015 //////

function selectedPath2015 () {

try {

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putProperty (stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("targetPathIndex"));

ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );

var docDesc = executeActionGet(ref);

return app.activeDocument.pathItems[docDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("targetPathIndex"))]

}

catch (e) {return undefined}

};

Report · Nov 19, 2017

I forgot to mention one should include a check to verify whether the Vector Mask has Feather and Density settings …

Report · Nov 20, 2017

A small note )

You can use the dup_to_wrk_path () function instead of the combination
"collectPathInfoFromDesc2012" and "createPath2015". It works instantly, while the proposed functions can suspend photoshop with the number of points in many thousands.

function dup_to_wrk_path(id)
    {
    try
        {
        var d = new ActionDescriptor();
        var r = new ActionReference();
        if (id == undefined)             r.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("path"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
        else if (typeof(id) == "string") r.putName( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), id);
        else                             r.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), id);
        var path = executeActionGet(r).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("pathContents"));           
        var list = path.getList(stringIDToTypeID("pathComponents"));           
        var r = new ActionReference();
        r.putProperty( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), charIDToTypeID( "WrPt" ) );
        d.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), r );
        d.putList(charIDToTypeID("T   "), list);
        executeAction(charIDToTypeID("setd"), d, DialogModes.NO);
        return true;
        }
    catch (e) { alert(e); return false; }
    }

Report · Apr 27, 2023

Do you by any chance have a full script? The one OP posted below is erroring out. I'm trying to cobble together a function that converts a live path to a regular path. I'm not sure how to use your dup_to_wrk_path function. What do I pass as the ID? Any chance you could help me out?

Would really appreciate it!

Report · Apr 27, 2023

There were errors when transferring a topic from the old forum.

You can use nothing as an ID, i.e. empty: dup_to_wrk_path();

In this case, the current selected path will be duplicated.

You can also use the path name: dup_to_wrk_path("Path 1");

Report · Nov 22, 2017

Thank you both for the examples, I'll look into this further when my workload allows it.

Recreating the path sounds promising, but might be a bit problematic if it has to do that every time the program comes across a path. Depending on how complicated the paths might be, it could cause a very undesired slowdown. And since I don't see any way to determine if the path is/contains a 'live path', I would have to recreate every path.

These are actually clipping paths, not vector masks, so I shouldn't have to worry about any settings other than duplicating the path and applying the existing clipping path properties.

Thanks again.

Report · Nov 22, 2017

Success!

I used r-bin's solution, and modified it to my needs, attached is the code that I will be using:

var myDocument = activeDocument;
var theClippingPath = getClippingPath (myDocument) 
if (theClippingPath != null) {
    var pathName = theClippingPath.name
    dup_to_wrk_path(pathName )  
    var thePath = getWorkPath (myDocument)
    if (thePath != null) {
        theClippingPath.remove()
        thePath.name = pathName //'Clipping Path'
        thePath.makeClippingPath()
    } else {
        alert ('Work path not found?')
    }
}
function getClippingPath (oDoc) {
    var ct = oDoc.pathItems.length;
    if (ct > 0) {
        for( var i = 0; i< ct; i++) {
            var p = oDoc.pathItems;
            if (p.kind == PathKind.CLIPPINGPATH) {
                return p
            }
        }
    }  
    return null
}
function getWorkPath (oDoc) {
    var ct = oDoc.pathItems.length;
    if (ct > 0) {
        for( var i = 0; i< ct; i++) {
            var p = oDoc.pathItems;
            if (p.kind == PathKind.WORKPATH) {
                return p
            }
        }
    }  
    return null
}
function dup_to_wrk_path(id) {  
    try  
        {  
        var d = new ActionDescriptor();  
        var r = new ActionReference();  
  
        if (id == undefined)             r.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("path"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );  
        else if (typeof(id) == "string") r.putName( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), id);  
        else                             r.putIdentifier( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), id);  
  
        var path = executeActionGet(r).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("pathContents"));             
  
        var list = path.getList(stringIDToTypeID("pathComponents"));             
  
        var r = new ActionReference();  
        r.putProperty( charIDToTypeID( "Path" ), charIDToTypeID( "WrPt" ) );  
  
        d.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), r );  
        d.putList(charIDToTypeID("T   "), list);  
  
        executeAction(charIDToTypeID("setd"), d, DialogModes.NO);  
  
        return true;  
        }  catch (e) { 
            alert(e); return false; 
        }  
  }

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Convert Live Shape to regular path via Javascript

1 Correct answer