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Question

how do I export layers as .png without loosing the size and placement of the particular layer?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
February 4, 2022
3 replies
6837 views

Please, this is driving me crazy. I am exporting my layers individually and I lose the size and where this layer was placed. In my 1st Photo see how the 3 hearts are covering basically the whole canvas? 2nd pic there are no hearts but all that color are hair, shirt, eyes, back ground... I am using export as, now I go to canvas and input the proper px width, height, I also preserve details, then export it and now as seen in the 3rd pic I have the size that I originally wanted but the placement is still in the middle of the canvas. I dont understand what im doing wrong. Ive got a project with 18 groups each consisting of no less than 15 layers. Ive already gone thru 3 seperate times exporting individually thinking Ive figured it out but I havent and that is time consuming and definately tries my patience. what should I do?

Windows

This topic has been closed for replies.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Similar to the previous script, this version uses Save for Web to export to PNG every top-level layer or layer group as a separate image. I have not added checks or graceful handling of duplicate layer names, the expectation is that every layer will produce a unique filename.

/*
All top level layers exported to PNG.jsx
Stephen Marsh, 5th February 2022 - v1.0
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/how-do-i-export-layers-as-png-without-loosing-the-size-and-placement-of-the-particular-layer/m-p/12734226
Based on:
https://damienfremont.com/2019/05/25/how-to-photoshop-script-export-layers-to-png-files/
Note: Existing files will be overwritten!
*/

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {

    try {
        var outputPath = app.activeDocument.path.fsName;
    } catch (e) {
        var outputPath = Folder.selectDialog("Unsaved base file, select the output folder:");
    }
    
    for (var i = 0; i < app.activeDocument.layers.length; i++) {
        for (var j = 0; j < app.activeDocument.layers.length; j++) {
            app.activeDocument.layers[j].visible = false;
        }
        var layerIndex = i;
        app.activeDocument.layers[layerIndex].visible = true;
        
        var layerName = app.activeDocument.layers[layerIndex].name.replace(/[^a-z0-9 _-]/gi, '').replace(/ +|-+|_+$/g, '');
        var filename = app.activeDocument.name.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, '');

        var pngOptions = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
        pngOptions.PNG8 = false;
        pngOptions.transparency = true;
        pngOptions.interlaced = false;
        pngOptions.quality = 100;
        pngOptions.includeProfile = true;
        pngOptions.format = SaveDocumentType.PNG;
        app.activeDocument.exportDocument(File(outputPath + "/" + filename + "_" + layerName + ".png"), ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, pngOptions);
    }
    alert("PNG files saved to:" + "\r" + outputPath);

} else {
    alert("You must have a document open!");
}

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

staydown.outlawAuthor

Participating Frequently

dont want you to think i am ignoring you or the time you spend trying to help me. I appreciate it very much. unfortuneatly I have some family issues I must deal with before I can put my head into this. I will get to this and thank you very much for your time and help. I will let you know how it goes when I am able to. thanks again

Kukurykus

Legend

Since six and the half week passed can you make a time to try shared solution?

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

This scipt will save as to PNG every top-level layer or layer group as a separate image. I have not added checks or graceful handling of duplicate layer names, the expectation is that every layer will produce a unique filename.

/*
All top level layers saved to PNG.jsx
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/how-do-i-export-layers-as-png-without-loosing-the-size-and-placement-of-the-particular-layer/m-p/12734226
Stephen Marsh, 5th February 2022 - v1.0
Based on:
https://damienfremont.com/2019/05/25/how-to-photoshop-script-export-layers-to-png-files/
Note: Existing files will be overwritten!
*/

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {

    try {
        var outputPath = app.activeDocument.path.fsName;
    } catch (e) {
        var outputPath = Folder.selectDialog("Unsaved base file, select the output folder:");
    }

    for (var i = 0; i < app.activeDocument.layers.length; i++) {
        for (var j = 0; j < app.activeDocument.layers.length; j++) {
            app.activeDocument.layers[j].visible = false;
        }
        var layerIndex = i;
        app.activeDocument.layers[layerIndex].visible = true;

        var layerName = app.activeDocument.layers[layerIndex].name.replace(/[^a-z0-9 _-]/gi, '').replace(/ +|-+|_+$/g, '');
        var filename = app.activeDocument.name.replace(/\.[^\.]+$/, '');
        var file = new File(outputPath + "/" + filename + "_" + layerName + ".png");
        
        var saveOptions = new PNGSaveOptions();
        saveOptions.compression = 0; // 0-9
        saveOptions.interlaced = false;
        app.activeDocument.saveAs(file, saveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
    }
    alert("PNG files saved to:" + "\r" + outputPath);

} else {
    alert("You must have a document open!");
}

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

D

Dã Hạc30787016q755

Participant

Hi, if I want to save the layers in a specific folder and not the folder of the orginal files, which lines of code should I replace with the path of the folder?

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

Hi, if I want to save the layers in a specific folder and not the folder of the orginal files, which lines of code should I replace with the path of the folder?

By @Dã Hạc30787016q755

If you wish to use a dialog to select, change this try/catch block from:

    try {
        var outputPath = app.activeDocument.path.fsName;
    } catch (e) {
        var outputPath = Folder.selectDialog("Unsaved base file, select the output folder:");
    }

To:

var outputPath = Folder.selectDialog("Select the output folder:");

Or if you prefer to use a common, cross-platform location such as the user's Desktop, or Documents folders:

var outputPath = "~/Desktop";

Otherwise put in the full path to the folder/directory...

Mac example:

var outputPath = "/Users/user name/the folder"

Windows example (directory path using cross-platform JS single forward slashes):

var outputPath = "C:/the parent folder/the child directory";

Windows example (directory path using Windows back slashes, but they need to be JS escaped/double):

var outputPath = "C:\\the parent folder\\the child directory";

Have fun!

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

Maybe you need to add registration marks to your design.

staydown.outlawAuthor

Participating Frequently

what is that?

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

im not quite sure what scripts are but I truly believed i had figured it out and have been all super secret squierrel about it until i was able to re-export and re-name and re-everything basically for the hundreth time but it doesnt matter. i suck. im close but its off and i can not put this out as art or anything really respectable under my name. but maybe... nevermind. booooooooooooooo

Scripts are similar to actions but more powerful, they are use code (JavaScript, Apple Script or VB Script) rather than "macro" recordings via an interface as is the case with actions.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/creating-actions.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/scripting.html

If you look in Photoshop's File menu, Scripts there are some that come pre-installed with Photoshop.

(If you search the web for more info you will learn a lot, these are just basic starter links).

There are two workarounds if you can't resolve the issue with retaining the correct position of the image content and position relative to the canvas transparency:

1) Use an action or script to place a 1x1 pixel at 1% opacity in the opposite upper/lower corners of the image in order for the export to retain the transparent canvas size and the position of the image relative to the transparent canvas.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/export-as-now-crops-to-contents-instead-of-using-the-mask/td-p/12336888

2) Or use a script that will automate the save of every separate top-level layer or layer set using the save as or legacy save for web feature that will retain the position/size as you require. I'll post a couple of scripts shortly with a link to instructions on how to save/install/run the scripts.

EDIT: A couple worth trying from Paul Riggott

https://github.com/Paul-Riggott/PS-Scripts/blob/master/Layer%20Saver%20Plus.jsx

https://github.com/Paul-Riggott/PS-Scripts/blob/master/Layer%20Saver.jsx

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