How to maintain consistent free transformation after replacing the content?

[w30290083o9nn]

Due to the varying resolution and size of each image, after using the code below, some images may appear very large or very small, and even the coordinates and free transformation may differ.How can I maintain the consistent width, height, and free transformation of the image after replacing its content? Thank you again.

#target photoshop

var theFiles = File.openDialog("Please select a file", "*.psd;*.tif;*.jpg", false);

// Replace Smart Object contents
var idplacedLayerReplaceContents = stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerReplaceContents");
var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idnull = charIDToTypeID("null");
desc3.putPath(idnull, new File(theFiles)); // Pass the new file path to the action
var idPgNm = charIDToTypeID("PgNm");
desc3.putInteger(idPgNm, 1);
executeAction(idplacedLayerReplaceContents, desc3, DialogModes.NO);

[Stephen Marsh]

One destructive method that comes to mind for an embedded SO:

Set variables for the known target resolution and width and height... Or edit the smart object to retrieve the resolution and image size info and set as variables. After replacing the SO image, edit the smart object and set the resolution and image size from the variables.

A non-destructive method may match the transformation on the SO without editing the SO, this would be more complicated, search the forum, search the web or vibe code it.

[w30290083o9nn]

Thank you for your suggestion. The method of editing the smart object works, but it's very slow. I will continue exploring the approach of replacing the content to change the image. Thanks again!

[Stephen Marsh]

Ideally, all of the smart object replacement files are batch normalised to the correct size and resolution.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I recommend a SO-in-SO-approach. 

Place the new image in the already transformed Smart Object and transform it to macth the dimensions. 

[w30290083o9nn]

Yes, editing smart objects is possible, but when the size is particularly large, the speed is very slow. Replacing the content is several times faster than that.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

If the replacement images are a hodgepodge of image dimensions and proportions you have to evaluate the original transformation before replacing the content and then correct the resulting appearance via an additional transformation. 

Which would likely also mean additional runtime. 

I haven’t tested which one would be faster/slower … 

Please provide the containing document and a few sample replacement images. 

[w30290083o9nn]

Thank you for your reply. Taking this PSD file as an example, the speed of editing smart objects and replacing content is different, which is why I opted to use content replacement. The sizes of the images used for replacement are not uniform; for instance, some are 3000 pixels, while others are 4000 pixels. All of these need to be placed into this A1 smart object. Although content replacement can be achieved, it cannot be freely transformed into the same shape.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I also asked for »a few sample replacement images«. 

So far I cannot tell if the replacement images have the same proportions or if they are a mix of portrait, landscape, square, …

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

A check to verify the active layer is a Smart Object might be a useful addition. 

// replace contens of smart object and recreate previous perspectival transformation;
// based on code by michael l hale and r-bin;
// 2025, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
////////////////////////////////////
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var theFiles = File.openDialog("Please select a file", "*.psd;*.tif;*.jpg", true);
for (var m = 0; m < theFiles.length; m++) {
// get info;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var soDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObject'));
var soMoreDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObjectMore'));
var size = soMoreDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('size'));
var oldWidth = size.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID('width'));
var oldHeight = size.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID('height'));
var transform = soMoreDesc.getList(stringIDToTypeID("transform"));
var nonAffineTransform = soMoreDesc.getList(stringIDToTypeID("nonAffineTransform"));
var yy = new Array;
for (var n = 0; n < nonAffineTransform.count; n++) {
yy.push(nonAffineTransform.getDouble(n))
};
////////////////////////////////////
var newFile = theFiles[m];
replaceContents (newFile);
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var soDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObject'));
var soMoreDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObjectMore'));
var size = soMoreDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('size'));
var newWidth = size.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID('width'));
var newHeight = size.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID('height'));
var transform = soMoreDesc.getList(stringIDToTypeID("transform"));
var nonAffineTransform = soMoreDesc.getList(stringIDToTypeID("nonAffineTransform"));
var yyNew = new Array;
for (var n = 0; n < nonAffineTransform.count; n++) {
yyNew.push(nonAffineTransform.getDouble(n))
};
// reset transformation;
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerResetTransforms" ), undefined, DialogModes.NO );
// transform;
var p0 = myDocument.activeLayer.bounds;
var p1 = [[Number (yy[0]), Number (yy[1])], [Number (yy[2]), Number (yy[3])], [Number (yy[4]), Number (yy[5])], [Number (yy[6]), Number (yy[7])]];
non_affine_transform(p0, p1);
////////////////////////////////////
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
}
};
////////////////////////////////////
////// replace SmartObject contents //////
function replaceContents (newFile) {
var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc3.putPath(charIDToTypeID("null"), new File(newFile));
desc3.putInteger(charIDToTypeID("PgNm"), 1);
executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerReplaceContents"), desc3, DialogModes.NO);
};
////// free transform by r-bin //////
function non_affine_transform(p0, p1) 
{  
try {
var d = new ActionDescriptor();
var r = new ActionReference();
r.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("layer"), stringIDToTypeID("ordinal"), stringIDToTypeID("targetEnum"));
d.putReference(stringIDToTypeID("null"), r);

var l = new ActionList();
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p0[0]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p0[1]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p0[2]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p0[3]);
d.putList(stringIDToTypeID("rectangle"), l );

var l = new ActionList();
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[0][0]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[0][1]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[1][0]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[1][1]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[2][0]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[2][1]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[3][0]);
l.putUnitDouble(stringIDToTypeID("pixelsUnit"), p1[3][1]);
d.putList(stringIDToTypeID("quadrilateral"), l);

d.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("interpolation"), stringIDToTypeID("interpolationType"), stringIDToTypeID("bicubic"));

executeAction(stringIDToTypeID("transform"), d, DialogModes.NO); 

return true;
}
catch (e) { alert(e); return false; }
};

 

[w30290083o9nn]

This result is amazing, thank you so much for your help!

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

@c.pfaffenbichler - great job as always, I was hoping that you would join the discussion as I was pretty sure that you'd be all over this!

---

@c.pfaffenbichler wrote:

A check to verify the active layer is a Smart Object might be a useful addition. 

---

My meagre contribition, DOM code:

// Terminate the script if the active layer isn't a smart object
if (app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind !== LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT) {
    //alert("The active layer isn't a smart object!");
    exit();
}

AM code:

// Terminate the script if the active layer isn't a smart object
s2t = stringIDToTypeID;
(r = new ActionReference()).putProperty(s2t('property'), p = s2t('layerKind'));
r.putEnumerated(s2t('layer'), s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));
var layerKind = executeActionGet(r).getInteger(p);
if (layerKind !== 5) {
    //alert("The active layer isn't a smart object!");
    exit();
}

[w30290083o9nn]

Thank you, I really appreciate your help.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

But please keep in mind that this only addresses a »plain« transformation, an applied Warp would be a different matter. 

[w30290083o9nn]

ok,Thank you