【Help】Convert a layer group to an artboard

[Liu254468142lhe]

I have a batch of PSD files, some of which contain multiple layer groups as shown in the above image. The number of layer groups in each file is uncertain. I've written a script using ChatGPT and Claude to place each layer group on a canvas, with the canvas size being the same as the original file. However, I can't seem to get it to run successfully. The desired outcome is as shown in the image.

// Check if there are any Post layer groups
function hasPostGroups() {
var doc = app.activeDocument;
for (var i = 1; i <= doc.layerSets.length; i++) {
var layerSet = doc.layerSets[i - 1];
if (layerSet.name.indexOf("Post") === 0) {
return true;
}
}
return false;
}

// Create artboards
function createArtboards(num) {
var doc = app.activeDocument;
for (var i = 0; i < num; i++) {
var artboard = doc.artboards.add(doc.artboards[0].artboardRect);
artboard.name = "Artboard " + (i + 1);
}
}

// Move Post layer groups to corresponding artboards
function movePostGroupsToArtboards() {
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var artboardIndex = 0;
for (var i = 1; i <= doc.layerSets.length; i++) {
var layerSet = doc.layerSets[i - 1];
if (layerSet.name.indexOf("Post") === 0) {
var artboard = doc.artboards[artboardIndex];
var artboardRect = artboard.artboardRect;
var bounds = layerSet.bounds;
var offsetX = artboardRect[0] - bounds[0].value;
var offsetY = artboardRect[1] - bounds[1].value;
layerSet.translate(offsetX, offsetY);
artboardIndex++;
}
}
}

// Main function
function main() {
if (!hasPostGroups()) {
alert("There are no Post layer groups in the current document, no further action will be taken.");
return;
}

var numPostGroups = app.activeDocument.layerSets.length;
createArtboards(numPostGroups);
movePostGroupsToArtboards();

alert("Operation completed!");
}

// Execute the main function
main();

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

@Liu254468142lhe 

A basic conversion of all root/top-level groups to artboards will simply stack each artboard, one on top of the other*. This script is a bit of a cheat, but it works for me. Extra code could be added to check if the layer group contained "Post" in its name:

/* 
All Root-Top-Level Groups to Artboards.jsx
v1.0 15th April 2024, Stephen Marsh
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/help-convert-a-layer-group-to-an-artboard/td-p/14552904
NOTE: This script makes use of features found in later versions of Photoshop. Tested in version 2024 and 2021, errors may occur in earlier versions.
*/

try {

    ///// Pre-loop /////

    // Ensure that a layer is selected before starting the loop
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.layers[0];

    ///// Loop over the root/top-level layer sets /////
    for (var i = 0; i < activeDocument.layerSets.length; i++) {

        activeDocument.activeLayer = activeDocument.layers[i];
        if (isGroup() === true) {
            groupToArtboard();
        }

        function isGroup() {
            // modified from a script by greless with hints from jazz-y!
            // returns true or false
                var r = new ActionReference();
                r.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID('layer'), stringIDToTypeID('ordinal'), stringIDToTypeID('targetEnum'));
                var options = executeActionGet(r);
                return options.hasKey(stringIDToTypeID('layerSection')) && !options.hasKey(stringIDToTypeID('framedGroup')) && !options.hasKey(stringIDToTypeID('artboard')); // test for the required key
        }

        function groupToArtboard() {
            // Convert the group to a SO to "safely isolate it" for the artboard conversion
            executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("newPlacedLayer"), undefined, DialogModes.NO);
            // Edit the SO
            executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerEditContents"), undefined, DialogModes.NO);
            // Convert the group to an artboard
            var idselect = stringIDToTypeID("select");
            var desc751 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idnull = stringIDToTypeID("null");
            var ref90 = new ActionReference();
            var idmenuItemClass = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemClass");
            var idmenuItemType = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemType");
            var idartboardFromLayersEvent = stringIDToTypeID("artboardFromLayersEvent");
            ref90.putEnumerated(idmenuItemClass, idmenuItemType, idartboardFromLayersEvent);
            desc751.putReference(idnull, ref90);
            executeAction(idselect, desc751, DialogModes.NO);
            // Close the SO saving changes
            app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
            // Convert the SO to layers
            var idselect = stringIDToTypeID("select");
            var desc816 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idnull = stringIDToTypeID("null");
            var ref95 = new ActionReference();
            var idmenuItemClass = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemClass");
            var idmenuItemType = stringIDToTypeID("menuItemType");
            var idplacedLayerConvertToLayers = stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerConvertToLayers");
            ref95.putEnumerated(idmenuItemClass, idmenuItemType, idplacedLayerConvertToLayers);
            desc816.putReference(idnull, ref95);
            executeAction(idselect, desc816, DialogModes.NO);

        }
    }

    ///// Post-loop /////

    // Select all layers
    app.runMenuItem(stringIDToTypeID('selectAllLayers'));

    // Unlock the nested artboards
    var s2t = function (s) {
        return app.stringIDToTypeID(s);
    };
    var descriptor = new ActionDescriptor();
    var descriptor2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var reference = new ActionReference();
    reference.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
    descriptor.putReference(s2t("null"), reference);
    descriptor2.putBoolean(s2t("protectNone"), true);
    descriptor.putObject(s2t("layerLocking"), s2t("layerLocking"), descriptor2);
    executeAction(s2t("applyLocking"), descriptor, DialogModes.NO);

    // Deselect all layers
    app.runMenuItem(stringIDToTypeID('selectNoLayers'));

} catch (e) {
    alert("Error!" + "\r" + e + ' ' + e.line);
}

* I find it hard to script the distribution and gap of artboards (horizontally, vertically, in a grid/array etc). I am not aware of any scripts that can auto-arrange and or space out all artboards into such a layout (such a script would be a great tool to have, I have never been able to get the distribute artboards feature to work for this task).

[Liu254468142lhe]

Thank you very much for your reply. After searching for relevant information, I modified the script. Now the script can successfully create multiple artboards and arrange them neatly. However, I am unable to move layer groups like Post 2 to their corresponding artboards.

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

// Function to get the count of layer groups starting with "Post "
function getPostLayerGroupCount() {
var PostGroupCount = 0;
var layers = app.activeDocument.layers;
for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) {
if (layers[i].typename == "LayerSet" && layers[i].name.indexOf("Post ") === 0) {
PostGroupCount++;
}
}
return PostGroupCount;
}

// Function to get the file size
function getFileSize() {
var width = app.activeDocument.width.value;
var height = app.activeDocument.height.value;
return {width: width, height: height};
}

// Function to create artboards
function createArtboards(PostGroupCount, fileSize) {
var interval = 100; // Interval between artboards
var startX = 0;
var startY = 0;
for (var i = 0; i < PostGroupCount; i++) {
var name = "Artboard " + (i + 1);
var left = startX;
var top = startY;
var right = startX + fileSize.width;
var bottom = startY + fileSize.height;
createArtboard(top, left, bottom, right, name);
startX += fileSize.width + interval; // Update the starting position for the next artboard
}
}

// Function to create a single artboard
function createArtboard(top, left, bottom, right, name) {
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putClass(sTID("artboardSection"));
desc1.putReference(cTID('null'), ref1);
desc1.putString(cTID('Nm '), name);
var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc2.putDouble(cTID('Top '), top);
desc2.putDouble(cTID('Left'), left);
desc2.putDouble(cTID('Btom'), bottom);
desc2.putDouble(cTID('Rght'), right);
desc1.putObject(sTID("artboardRect"), sTID("classFloatRect"), desc2);
executeAction(sTID('make'), desc1, DialogModes.NO);
}

// Function to move "Post " layer groups to artboards
function movePostGroupToArtboard(PostIndex, artboardIndex) {
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var PostGroupName = "Post " + PostIndex;
var sourceArtboard = doc.layerSets.getByName("Artboard 1");
var destinationArtboard = doc.layerSets.getByName("Artboard " + artboardIndex);
if (sourceArtboard && destinationArtboard) {
var layers = sourceArtboard.layers;
for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) {
if (layers[i].typename == "LayerSet" && layers[i].name == PostGroupName) {
var PostGroup = layers[i];
PostGroup.move(destinationArtboard, ElementPlacement.INSIDE);
break;
}
}
}
}

// Main function
function main() {
var PostGroupCount = getPostLayerGroupCount();
if (PostGroupCount > 0) {
var fileSize = getFileSize();
createArtboards(PostGroupCount, fileSize);

// Move each "Post " layer group to its respective artboard
for (var i = 2; i <= PostGroupCount + 1; i++) { // Start moving from "Post 2" to "Artboard 2"
movePostGroupToArtboard(i, i);
}
}
}

// Execute the main function
main();

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

@Liu254468142lhe – Unfortunately the script doesn't run for me, nothing happens.

[Liu254468142lhe]

This is the script code

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Unfortunately, I get the same result, nothing happens, no artboards are created from the groups and no errors.

[Liu254468142lhe]

#target photoshop

//
// Generated Tue Apr 16 2024 09:24:14 GMT+0800
//

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

//
=
//
function () {
  function step1(enabled, withDialog) {
    if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
      return;
    var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
    var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref1 = new ActionReference();
    ref1.putName(cTID('Lyr '), "Post 2");
    desc1.putReference(cTID('null'), ref1);
    var ref2 = new ActionReference();
    ref2.putIndex(cTID('Lyr '), 295);
    desc1.putReference(cTID('T   '), ref2);
    desc1.putBoolean(cTID('Adjs'), false);
    desc1.putInteger(cTID('Vrsn'), 5);
    var list1 = new ActionList();
    list1.putInteger(2096);
    desc1.putList(cTID('LyrI'), list1);
    executeAction(sTID('move'), desc1, dialogMode);
  };

  step1();     
};

According to the script code exported using actions above, the rewritten script below cannot correctly obtain the index number of the artboard. Post 2 was moved to the wrong position. How can I obtain the correct index number of the artboard?（PHOTOSHOP 24.0.0）

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

// Find the index of an artboard
function findArtboardByName(artboardName) {
    var layers = app.activeDocument.layers;
    var found = false;
    for (var i = 0; i < layers.length; i++) {
        if (layers[i].typename === "LayerSet" && layers[i].name === artboardName) {
            alert("Found artboard: " + artboardName + " at index " + (i + 1));
            found = true;
            return i + 1; // Photoshop index starts from 1
        }
    }
    if (!found) {
        alert("Artboard not found: " + artboardName);
    }
    return -1; // Return -1 if not found
}

// Move a layer group to an artboard by its name
function moveGroupToArtboardByName(groupName, artboardName) {
    var artboardIndex = findArtboardByName(artboardName);
    if (artboardIndex === -1) {
        return; // Exit if artboard not found
    }

    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putName(cTID("Lyr "), groupName);
    desc.putReference(cTID("null"), ref);
    var ref2 = new ActionReference();
    ref2.putIndex(cTID("ArtL"), artboardIndex);
    desc.putReference(cTID("T   "), ref2);
    desc.putBoolean(cTID("Adjs"), false);
    desc.putInteger(cTID("Vrsn"), 5);
    try {
        executeAction(cTID("move"), desc, DialogModes.NO);
        alert("Layer group '" + groupName + "' moved to artboard '" + artboardName + "'");
    } catch (e) {
        alert("Error moving layer group: " + e.toString());
    }
}

// Call the function to move the layer group named "Post 2" to the artboard named "Artboard 2"
moveGroupToArtboardByName("Post 2", "Artboard 2");