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Question

creating a unique text number in each copy of an image?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
September 18, 2021
4 replies
1889 views

I am making a 3D image that will contain 100 instgram like buttons. I am going to use these as sprintes in my 3D scene. I want the number of likes for each of the like button to have a unique number ranging from 0 to 299. I am guessing that this would require me to crate an action that will open a prexcistin image, assign a random number to a text field, flatten the image, then save the file in the png file format. I have never done scripting for photoshop but have done some basic coding in the past. Does anyone know where I might find examples of script or tutorials that I could modify for my purposes? If there is a plugin that does this also please let me know the name of it and where I might find it.

Actions and scripting

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JJMack

Community Expert

A random number does not not have to be a unique number it just needs to one number in your set of numbers. The range 0 to 299 is 300 numbers. Even if you beat the odd and it generate each with without generating a duplicate number. Your random number 301 is guaranteed to be a duplicated number. You could generated a UUID or date and time stamp . The Way the Image Processor scripts create unique file names is to add a unique sequential number suffix. The advantage of this is the suffix serial numbers are in order and the range of numbers is not limited to a small number like 299. It tales longer to generate the name but It will be unique in the output folder

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: CreateUniqueFileName
// Usage: Given a folder, filename, and extension, come up with a unique file name
// using a numbering system
// Input: string for folder, fileName, and extension, extension contains the "."
// Return: string for the full path to the unique file
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function CreateUniqueFileName( inFolder, inFileName, inExtension ) {
	inFileName = inFileName.replace(/[:\/\\*\?\"\<\>\|]/g, "_");  // '/\:*?"<>|' -> '_'
	var uniqueFileName = inFolder + inFileName + inExtension;
	var fileNumber = 1;
	while ( File( uniqueFileName ).exists ) {
		uniqueFileName = inFolder + inFileName + "_" + fileNumber + inExtension;
		fileNumber++;
	}
	return uniqueFileName;
}

]

JJMack

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Another option would be a Photoshop text replacement Variable and dataset (AKA Data Driven Graphics) spreadsheet with the sequential numbers, they would be unique, either in series or random with a formula.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

I had overlooked the randomness in the Script I posted; here is an updated, if not exactly elegant, version, though for testing I reduced theNumber to 20.

// 2021, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var theName= myDocument.name.match(/(.*)\.[^\.]+$/)[1];
var thePath = myDocument.path;
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
// psd options;
psdOpts = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
psdOpts.embedColorProfile = true;
psdOpts.alphaChannels = true;
psdOpts.layers = true;
psdOpts.spotColors = true;
// check if layer is type layer;
if (theLayer.kind != "LayerKind.TEXT") {alert ("selected layer is not a type layer")}
else {
// get numbers;
var theHighest = 300;
var theNumber = 20;
var theArray = new Array;
var resultArray = new Array;
for (var o = 1; o <= theHighest; o++) {
	theArray.push(bufferNumberWithZeros (o, 3));
	};
// random numbers;
for (var n = 0; n < theNumber; n++) {
var aRandom = Math.round(Math.random()*(theArray.length));
var thisNumber = theArray[aRandom];
resultArray.push(thisNumber);
theArray.splice(aRandom,1);
};
// replace number and save;
for (var m = 0; m < resultArray.length; m++) {
theLayer.textItem.contents = bufferNumberWithZeros(resultArray[m],3);
myDocument.saveAs((new File(thePath+"/"+theName+"_"+bufferNumberWithZeros(resultArray[m],3)+".psd")),psdOpts,true);
}
}
};
////// buffer number with zeros //////
function bufferNumberWithZeros (number, places) {
	var theNumberString = String(number);
	for (var o = 0; o < (places - String(number).length); o++) {
		theNumberString = String("0" + theNumberString)
		};
	return theNumberString
	};

Edit: The screenshots show the content of the Folder in Finder before and after running the Script.

timp19133327Author

Participant

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I have not used JS with photoshop before. Once I figured out how to load the script into PS it worked instantly. You know your stuff. Thanks again.

Right now the soluion produces 3 digit numbers 195, 238, 003, 067, etc. Is there are a way for it to produce 1, 2 and 3 digit number? e.g. 5, 10, 216.

PECourtejoie

Community Expert

Do you have access to the full Creative Suite?

It might be easier to do in AE, for instance: How to create a Counter or Countdown in After Effects with Expressions

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

I am not sure I understand your description.

Why do you not want the editable number in the containing image but in a separate image?

Even if so you could use Smart Objects.

The randomization would require a Script, but please clarify the file and layer structure first.

timp19133327Author

Participant

I want to generate a sequence of sprites for a 3D animation I am creating. Sprites are individual images/files that each look the same except for one small visual detail. In my case I want to create a sequences of sprites that all look the same except that each one will have a unique number in the image. I have never done scripting on photoshop but here is how I image it would work in general terms; For each sprite the photoshop flle will have the same image in the background layer. I also imagine that there would be a layer1 that would contain a text field. A script, plugin or action would populate the text field with a random number between 0-299, then flatten the image, then save the image as a png. The script would repeat this process so that I would have 300 individual pngs each with a unique number in the image. If you see the image I included in my intial post you can see how it has a number? I want to create several of those but each one should have a unique number.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Please post the image or at least a screenshot including the Layers Panel.

If the open image has a Type Layer as the active Layer this might work:

// 2021, use it at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var theName= myDocument.name.match(/(.*)\.[^\.]+$/)[1];
var thePath = myDocument.path;
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
// psd options;
psdOpts = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
psdOpts.embedColorProfile = true;
psdOpts.alphaChannels = true;
psdOpts.layers = true;
psdOpts.spotColors = true;
// check if layer is type layer;
if (theLayer.kind != "LayerKind.TEXT") {alert ("selected layer is not a type layer")}
else {
//
var theNumber = 30;
for (var m = 0; m < theNumber; m++) {
// replace numbers;
theLayer.textItem.contents = bufferNumberWithZeros(m,3);
//save psd;
myDocument.saveAs((new File(thePath+"/"+theName+"_"+bufferNumberWithZeros(m,3)+".psd")),psdOpts,true);
}
}
};
////// buffer number with zeros //////
function bufferNumberWithZeros (number, places) {
	var theNumberString = String(number);
	for (var o = 0; o < (places - String(number).length); o++) {
		theNumberString = String("0" + theNumberString)
		};
	return theNumberString
	};

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