How to automatically place a Custom Shape?

Report · Nov 19, 2023

Is it possible to place a custom shape in canvas using a script? I know it's possible to do it with an action, but is there a function that would place a custom shape with specified proportions?

I want to place a custom shape on my canvas that's on my Shapes folder called "Star" with 300 px width and 200 px height but I couldn't find a function online that would do it. Adding it as an action would probably be way more complicated for me so I was thinking if there's a function to do it, it would be much easier for me.

Report · Nov 19, 2023

This is AM code for placing a Shape Layer, naturally you need to amend the lines referencing the name, color and dimensions.

// =======================================================
var idmake = stringIDToTypeID( "make" );
    var desc33 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = stringIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref8 = new ActionReference();
        var idcontentLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "contentLayer" );
        ref8.putClass( idcontentLayer );
    desc33.putReference( idnull, ref8 );
    var idusing = stringIDToTypeID( "using" );
        var desc34 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idtype = stringIDToTypeID( "type" );
            var desc35 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idcolor = stringIDToTypeID( "color" );
                var desc36 = new ActionDescriptor();
                var idred = stringIDToTypeID( "red" );
                desc36.putDouble( idred, 255 );
                var idgreen = stringIDToTypeID( "grain" );
                desc36.putDouble( idgreen, 125 );
                var idblue = stringIDToTypeID( "blue" );
                desc36.putDouble( idblue, 0 );
            var idRGBColor = stringIDToTypeID( "RGBColor" );
            desc35.putObject( idcolor, idRGBColor, desc36 );
        var idsolidColorLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "solidColorLayer" );
        desc34.putObject( idtype, idsolidColorLayer, desc35 );
        var idshape = stringIDToTypeID( "shape" );
            var desc37 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idname = stringIDToTypeID( "name" );
            desc37.putString( idname, "Ape" );
            var idkeyOriginType = stringIDToTypeID( "keyOriginType" );
            desc37.putInteger( idkeyOriginType, 9 );
            var idtop = stringIDToTypeID( "top" );
            var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idtop, idpixelsUnit, 0 );
            var idleft = stringIDToTypeID( "left" );
            var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idleft, idpixelsUnit, 0 );
            var idbottom = stringIDToTypeID( "bottom" );
            var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idbottom, idpixelsUnit, 334 );
            var idright = stringIDToTypeID( "right" );
            var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idright, idpixelsUnit, 200 );
        var idcustomShape = stringIDToTypeID( "customShape" );
        desc34.putObject( idshape, idcustomShape, desc37 );
        var idstrokeStyle = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyle" );
            var desc38 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idstrokeStyleVersion = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleVersion" );
            desc38.putInteger( idstrokeStyleVersion, 2 );
            var idstrokeEnabled = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeEnabled" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeEnabled, false );
            var idfillEnabled = stringIDToTypeID( "fillEnabled" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idfillEnabled, true );
            var idstrokeStyleLineWidth = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineWidth" );
            var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleLineWidth, idpixelsUnit, 50.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleLineDashOffset = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineDashOffset" );
            var idpointsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pointsUnit" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleLineDashOffset, idpointsUnit, 0.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleMiterLimit = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleMiterLimit" );
            desc38.putDouble( idstrokeStyleMiterLimit, 100.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleLineCapType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineCapType" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineCapType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineCapType" );
            var idstrokeStyleButtCap = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleButtCap" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineCapType, idstrokeStyleLineCapType, idstrokeStyleButtCap );
            var idstrokeStyleLineJoinType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineJoinType" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineJoinType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineJoinType" );
            var idstrokeStyleMiterJoin = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleMiterJoin" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineJoinType, idstrokeStyleLineJoinType, idstrokeStyleMiterJoin );
            var idstrokeStyleLineAlignment = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineAlignment" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineAlignment = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineAlignment" );
            var idstrokeStyleAlignCenter = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleAlignCenter" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineAlignment, idstrokeStyleLineAlignment, idstrokeStyleAlignCenter );
            var idstrokeStyleScaleLock = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleScaleLock" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeStyleScaleLock, false );
            var idstrokeStyleStrokeAdjust = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleStrokeAdjust" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeStyleStrokeAdjust, false );
            var idstrokeStyleLineDashSet = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineDashSet" );
                var list5 = new ActionList();
            desc38.putList( idstrokeStyleLineDashSet, list5 );
            var idstrokeStyleBlendMode = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleBlendMode" );
            var idblendMode = stringIDToTypeID( "blendMode" );
            var idnormal = stringIDToTypeID( "normal" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleBlendMode, idblendMode, idnormal );
            var idstrokeStyleOpacity = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleOpacity" );
            var idpercentUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "percentUnit" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleOpacity, idpercentUnit, 100.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleContent = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleContent" );
                var desc39 = new ActionDescriptor();
                var idcolor = stringIDToTypeID( "color" );
                    var desc40 = new ActionDescriptor();
                    var idred = stringIDToTypeID( "red" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idred, 31.014540 );
                    var idgrain = stringIDToTypeID( "grain" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idgrain, 26.674863 );
                    var idblue = stringIDToTypeID( "blue" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idblue, 18.747451 );
                var idRGBColor = stringIDToTypeID( "RGBColor" );
                desc39.putObject( idcolor, idRGBColor, desc40 );
            var idsolidColorLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "solidColorLayer" );
            desc38.putObject( idstrokeStyleContent, idsolidColorLayer, desc39 );
            var idstrokeStyleResolution = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleResolution" );
            desc38.putDouble( idstrokeStyleResolution, 300.000000 );
        var idstrokeStyle = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyle" );
        desc34.putObject( idstrokeStyle, idstrokeStyle, desc38 );
    var idcontentLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "contentLayer" );
    desc33.putObject( idusing, idcontentLayer, desc34 );
executeAction( idmake, desc33, DialogModes.NO );

Report · Nov 19, 2023

Thank you this does what I need, I also have a question, this AM code, is it possible to turn it into a function to which I can call upon adding the name of the shape each time? Or it would work like that?

Report · Nov 19, 2023

Yes, you can wrap the code in a function with the corresponding arguments.

placeCustomShape ("Ape", [50,125,255], [0,0,200,334]);
function placeCustomShape (theName, theColor, theBounds) {
var idpixelsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pixelsUnit" );
var idmake = stringIDToTypeID( "make" );
    var desc33 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = stringIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref8 = new ActionReference();
        var idcontentLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "contentLayer" );
        ref8.putClass( idcontentLayer );
    desc33.putReference( idnull, ref8 );
    var idusing = stringIDToTypeID( "using" );
        var desc34 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idtype = stringIDToTypeID( "type" );
            var desc35 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idcolor = stringIDToTypeID( "color" );
                var desc36 = new ActionDescriptor();
                var idred = stringIDToTypeID( "red" );
                desc36.putDouble( idred, theColor[0] );
                var idgreen = stringIDToTypeID( "grain" );
                desc36.putDouble( idgreen, theColor[1] );
                var idblue = stringIDToTypeID( "blue" );
                desc36.putDouble( idblue, theColor[2] );
            var idRGBColor = stringIDToTypeID( "RGBColor" );
            desc35.putObject( idcolor, idRGBColor, desc36 );
        var idsolidColorLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "solidColorLayer" );
        desc34.putObject( idtype, idsolidColorLayer, desc35 );
        var idshape = stringIDToTypeID( "shape" );
            var desc37 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idname = stringIDToTypeID( "name" );
            desc37.putString( idname, theName );
            var idkeyOriginType = stringIDToTypeID( "keyOriginType" );
            desc37.putInteger( idkeyOriginType, 9 );
            var idtop = stringIDToTypeID( "top" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idtop, idpixelsUnit, theBounds[1] );
            var idleft = stringIDToTypeID( "left" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idleft, idpixelsUnit, theBounds[0] );
            var idbottom = stringIDToTypeID( "bottom" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idbottom, idpixelsUnit, theBounds[3] );
            var idright = stringIDToTypeID( "right" );
            desc37.putUnitDouble( idright, idpixelsUnit, theBounds[2] );
        var idcustomShape = stringIDToTypeID( "customShape" );
        desc34.putObject( idshape, idcustomShape, desc37 );
        var idstrokeStyle = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyle" );
            var desc38 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idstrokeStyleVersion = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleVersion" );
            desc38.putInteger( idstrokeStyleVersion, 2 );
            var idstrokeEnabled = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeEnabled" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeEnabled, false );
            var idfillEnabled = stringIDToTypeID( "fillEnabled" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idfillEnabled, true );
            var idstrokeStyleLineWidth = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineWidth" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleLineWidth, idpixelsUnit, 50.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleLineDashOffset = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineDashOffset" );
            var idpointsUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "pointsUnit" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleLineDashOffset, idpointsUnit, 0.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleMiterLimit = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleMiterLimit" );
            desc38.putDouble( idstrokeStyleMiterLimit, 100.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleLineCapType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineCapType" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineCapType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineCapType" );
            var idstrokeStyleButtCap = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleButtCap" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineCapType, idstrokeStyleLineCapType, idstrokeStyleButtCap );
            var idstrokeStyleLineJoinType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineJoinType" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineJoinType = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineJoinType" );
            var idstrokeStyleMiterJoin = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleMiterJoin" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineJoinType, idstrokeStyleLineJoinType, idstrokeStyleMiterJoin );
            var idstrokeStyleLineAlignment = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineAlignment" );
            var idstrokeStyleLineAlignment = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineAlignment" );
            var idstrokeStyleAlignCenter = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleAlignCenter" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleLineAlignment, idstrokeStyleLineAlignment, idstrokeStyleAlignCenter );
            var idstrokeStyleScaleLock = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleScaleLock" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeStyleScaleLock, false );
            var idstrokeStyleStrokeAdjust = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleStrokeAdjust" );
            desc38.putBoolean( idstrokeStyleStrokeAdjust, false );
            var idstrokeStyleLineDashSet = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleLineDashSet" );
                var list5 = new ActionList();
            desc38.putList( idstrokeStyleLineDashSet, list5 );
            var idstrokeStyleBlendMode = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleBlendMode" );
            var idblendMode = stringIDToTypeID( "blendMode" );
            var idnormal = stringIDToTypeID( "normal" );
            desc38.putEnumerated( idstrokeStyleBlendMode, idblendMode, idnormal );
            var idstrokeStyleOpacity = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleOpacity" );
            var idpercentUnit = stringIDToTypeID( "percentUnit" );
            desc38.putUnitDouble( idstrokeStyleOpacity, idpercentUnit, 100.000000 );
            var idstrokeStyleContent = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleContent" );
                var desc39 = new ActionDescriptor();
                var idcolor = stringIDToTypeID( "color" );
                    var desc40 = new ActionDescriptor();
                    var idred = stringIDToTypeID( "red" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idred, 31.014540 );
                    var idgrain = stringIDToTypeID( "grain" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idgrain, 26.674863 );
                    var idblue = stringIDToTypeID( "blue" );
                    desc40.putDouble( idblue, 18.747451 );
                var idRGBColor = stringIDToTypeID( "RGBColor" );
                desc39.putObject( idcolor, idRGBColor, desc40 );
            var idsolidColorLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "solidColorLayer" );
            desc38.putObject( idstrokeStyleContent, idsolidColorLayer, desc39 );
            var idstrokeStyleResolution = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyleResolution" );
            desc38.putDouble( idstrokeStyleResolution, 300.000000 );
        var idstrokeStyle = stringIDToTypeID( "strokeStyle" );
        desc34.putObject( idstrokeStyle, idstrokeStyle, desc38 );
    var idcontentLayer = stringIDToTypeID( "contentLayer" );
    desc33.putObject( idusing, idcontentLayer, desc34 );
executeAction( idmake, desc33, DialogModes.NO );
};

Report · Nov 19, 2023

Thank you so much! This will help me a lot!

How to automatically place a Custom Shape?

1 Correct answer

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