3 Correct answers
I don't think this is really possible or practical, for the reasons you found out. When a script runs, it will tie up PS until it finishes. A workaround might be to write a script that creates a text file of all the files paths names from a folder that you want to process. Then create another script that opens the next file, by assigning a F number hot key. You can control which file is next by having the script either delete the reference path from the text file or having another text file with
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'This is a tricky one to answer...
What Stephen said about zimonitrome's script is probably the fastest solution given that:
- you don't want the autoloader utility
- you need an autoloader but not a complex one
The hardest part I think will be to give up on the functionality you might want to have so you can use zimo's script.
You could rewrite zimo's script so it looks for a different filename pattern, maybe that helps you out well enough?
For something generalized & homemade, you'll probably nee
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Hi, first of many thanks to all the great minds in this community. They suggested me how to simulate this automatic open close feature with the help of scripts. I have attached the scripts herewith, I have also attached the screenshot of how to add the script in the Scripts Event Manager tab.
SequentialOpenFiles.jsx - This is the main script with multi-file selection dialog. The user needs to select the files in the drop down list. All the image files are supported. This script will create a text
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Hi, first of many thanks to all the great minds in this community. They suggested me how to simulate this automatic open close feature with the help of scripts. I have attached the scripts herewith, I have also attached the screenshot of how to add the script in the Scripts Event Manager tab.
SequentialOpenFiles.jsx - This is the main script with multi-file selection dialog. The user needs to select the files in the drop down list. All the image files are supported. This script will create a text file in the C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop XXXX\Adobe Photoshop XXXX Settings\ directory. That text file will contain the list of all the files selected in the above selection operation (except the very first file). This script will open the very first first file. Successive files will be opened by the event listener script.
function createOpenDialog() {
try {
var fileList;
// DIALOG
// ======
var openDialog = new Window("dialog");
openDialog.text = "Sequential Image Open";
openDialog.orientation = "column";
openDialog.alignChildren = ["center","top"];
openDialog.spacing = 10;
openDialog.margins = 16;
// PANEL1
// ======
var panel1 = openDialog.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "panel1"});
panel1.orientation = "column";
panel1.alignChildren = ["left","top"];
panel1.spacing = 10;
panel1.margins = 10;
var statictext1 = panel1.add("statictext", undefined, undefined, {name: "statictext1"});
statictext1.text = "Please select the images";
// GROUP1
// ======
var group1 = panel1.add("group", undefined, {name: "group1"});
group1.orientation = "row";
group1.alignChildren = ["left","center"];
group1.spacing = 10;
group1.margins = 0;
var edittext1 = group1.add('edittext {properties: {name: "edittext1"}}');
edittext1.helpTip = "Please select the image files";
edittext1.preferredSize.width = 500;
var button1 = group1.add("button", undefined, undefined, {name: "button1"});
button1.text = "Select ...";
button1.onClick = function() {
if ($.os.search(/windows/i) != -1) {
fileList = File.openDialog ("Please select the image files" , '*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.tif;*.psd;*.png;*.bmp', true);
}
else {
fileList = File.openDialog("Please select the image files", getFiles, true)
};
var fileNames=[];
for (var i=0;i<fileList.length;i++) {
fileNames[i]=fileList[i].fsName;
}
edittext1.text=fileNames;
}
function getFiles(theFile) {
if (theFile.name.match(/\.(txt|csv)$/i) || theFile.constructor.name == "Folder") {
return true
};
};
// PANEL2
// ======
var panel2 = openDialog.add("panel", undefined, undefined, {name: "panel2"});
panel2.orientation = "column";
panel2.alignChildren = ["left","top"];
panel2.spacing = 10;
panel2.margins = 10;
// GROUP2
// ======
var group2 = panel2.add("group", undefined, {name: "group2"});
group2.orientation = "row";
group2.alignChildren = ["left","center"];
group2.spacing = 10;
group2.margins = 0;
var button2 = group2.add("button", undefined, undefined, {name: "button2"});
button2.text = "Start";
button2.onClick = function () {
if (edittext1.text.length==0) {
alert("Please select the image files");
return;
}
openDialog.close();
createListFile(fileList);
}
var button3 = group2.add("button", undefined, undefined, {name: "button3"});
button3.text = "Cancel";
// openDialog.show();
openDialog.center();
return openDialog;
}
catch(e) {
alert(e + ': Line ' + e.line);
}
}
function showDialog(myDialog) {
return myDialog.show();
}
main()
function main() {
var openDialog = createOpenDialog();
showDialog(openDialog);
}
function createListFile(fileList) {
try {
if (fileList.length > 0) {
//Sort the fileList
fileList.sort(function (a, b) {
if (app.compareWithNumbers) {
return app.compareWithNumbers(a.name, b.name);
} else {
return sortAlphaNum(a.name, b.name);
}
});
var listFile = new File( app.preferencesFolder + "/" + "OpenClose_FileList.txt" );
listFile.open("a");
for (var index1 = 1; index1 < fileList.length; index1++) {
listFile.writeln(fileList[index1]);
}
listFile.close();
//Open the first file
open(fileList[0]);
}
}
catch(e) {
alert(e + ': Line ' + e.line);
}
}
CloseEventListener.jsx - this file should be selected in the Scripts Event Manager tab for Close Document event. So whenever any document will be closed, this script will open the successive file from the above mentioned file list. I have emphasised any because even if a file is opened which is not in the list and then closed, the event will be triggered and the first file from the file list will be opened. After due editing, whenever the file will be closed, this script will delete the first line from the text file. And the operation will continue.
var listFile = new File( app.preferencesFolder + "/" + "OpenClose_FileList.txt" );
listFile.open("r");
var contents = listFile.read();
listFile.close();
var rows = processInputFile(contents);
if (rows.length>0) {
var file = new File(rows[0]);
open(file);
//delete first line
listFile.open("w");
for (var i=1;i<rows.length;i++) {
listFile.writeln(rows[i]);
}
listFile.close();
}
function processInputFile(contents) {
try {
// Returns: Array [row][column]
var c = ""; // Character at index.
var index = 0;
var maxIndex = contents.length - 1;
var result = []; // Array of rows.
var row = []; // Array of columns.
var rowSum = 0; // Count of row contents.
var v = ""; // Column value.
while (index < contents.length) {
c = contents[index];
if (c == "\n" || c == "\r") {
// Reached end of line.
// Test for CRLF.
if (c == "\r" && index < maxIndex) {
if (contents[index + 1] == "\n") {
// Skip trailing newline.
index++;
}
}
// Column and row complete.
row.push(v);
rowSum += v.length;
if (rowSum) {
// Add row only when it has content.
result.push(row);
}
v = "";
row = [];
rowSum = 0;
}
else {
// Add character to column value.
v += c;
//alert(c);
}
if (index == maxIndex) {
// Reached end of data; flush.
row.push(v);
rowSum += v.length;
if (rowSum) {
// Add row only when it has content.
result.push(row);
}
break;
}
index++;
}
return result;
}
catch(e) {
alert(e + ': Line ' + e.line);
}
} This way the user has to register the event listener file in Photoshop Scripts Event Manager tab -
At anytime if the user wants to break the operation, he has to simply uncheck the Enable ... checkbox.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
Nirmalya
Another option, this script will open 1, 2 or more sets of images at a time and keep track of them until all images in the folder have been processed.
/*
Open Sequential Set of N Files v1-1.jsx
Stephen Marsh
v1.0, 9th November 2024
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/how-to-open-a-number-of-images-but-one-at-a-time/m-p/13804564
Related topics:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/reveal-in-explorer-js/td-p/14967762
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/when-i-open-more-than-50-images-in-photoshop-2022-the-photoshop-behaviour-is-changed/m-p/12850988
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/workflow-quot-auto-load-quot-images-from-a-file-directory-to-edit-one-at-a-time/m-p/9084727
*/
#target photoshop
var settingsFilePath = Folder(app.preferencesFolder);
var settingsFile = File(settingsFilePath + "/" + "Open Sequential Set of N Files Settings.json");
openNextFiles();
function showMainDialog() {
var settings = readSettings();
var dialog = new Window("dialog", "Open Sequential Set of N Files (v1.1)");
dialog.orientation = "column";
dialog.alignChildren = ["fill", "top"];
dialog.preferredSize.width = 450;
// Main panel with buttons and text fields
var mainPanel = dialog.add("panel");
mainPanel.alignChildren = "left";
mainPanel.margins = 15;
// Folder selection and path display with truncation
var folderGroup = mainPanel.add("group");
folderGroup.orientation = "row";
var selectFolderButton = folderGroup.add("button", undefined, "Select Folder");
var folderPathText = folderGroup.add("statictext", undefined, settings.folderPath ? truncatePath(settings.folderPath) : "No folder selected");
folderPathText.characters = 60;
// Quantity input
mainPanel.add("statictext", undefined, "Number of files to open each time:");
var quantityInput = mainPanel.add("edittext", undefined, settings.quantity || "1");
quantityInput.characters = 5;
quantityInput.preferredSize.width = 120;
// Checkboxes for additional options
var reverseOrderCheckbox = mainPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, "Open files in reverse order");
reverseOrderCheckbox.value = settings.reverseOrder || false;
var setFirstFileActiveCheckbox = mainPanel.add("checkbox", undefined, "Make the first file in set the active document");
setFirstFileActiveCheckbox.value = settings.setFirstFileActive || false;
// Disable setFirstFileActiveCheckbox if quantity is 1 initially
setFirstFileActiveCheckbox.enabled = parseInt(quantityInput.text, 10) !== 1;
// Event listener to disable the checkbox based on quantity input
quantityInput.onChanging = function () {
var quantity = parseInt(quantityInput.text, 10);
setFirstFileActiveCheckbox.enabled = quantity !== 1;
};
// Cancel and OK buttons
var btnGroup = dialog.add("group");
btnGroup.alignment = "right";
var cancelButton = btnGroup.add("button", undefined, "Cancel");
var okButton = btnGroup.add("button", undefined, "OK");
// Folder selection logic
selectFolderButton.onClick = function () {
var selectedFolder = Folder.selectDialog("Select the source folder.");
if (selectedFolder) {
folderPathText.text = truncatePath(selectedFolder.fsName);
settings.folderPath = selectedFolder.fsName;
writeSettings(settings);
}
};
// Cancel and OK button logic
okButton.onClick = function () {
// Validate and save quantity
var quantity = parseInt(quantityInput.text, 10);
settings.quantity = isNaN(quantity) || quantity <= 0 ? 1 : quantity;
settings.reverseOrder = reverseOrderCheckbox.value;
settings.setFirstFileActive = setFirstFileActiveCheckbox.value;
writeSettings(settings);
dialog.close(1);
};
cancelButton.onClick = function () {
dialog.close(0);
};
return dialog.show() === 1;
}
// Truncate long paths for display
function truncatePath(path) {
var maxLength = 50;
if (path.length <= maxLength) return path;
var half = Math.floor(maxLength / 2) - 1;
return path.slice(0, half) + "..." + path.slice(-half);
}
// Settings functions
function readSettings() {
if (settingsFile.exists) {
settingsFile.open("r");
var settings = settingsFile.read();
settingsFile.close();
try {
return JSON.parse(settings);
} catch (e) {
return getDefaultSettings();
}
}
return getDefaultSettings();
}
function writeSettings(settings) {
settingsFile.open("w");
settingsFile.write(JSON.stringify(settings, null, 4));
settingsFile.close();
}
function getDefaultSettings() {
return {
index: 0,
folderPath: "",
quantity: 1,
reverseOrder: false,
setFirstFileActive: false
};
}
// Main logic to open the next set of files
function openNextFiles() {
var settings = readSettings();
var sourceFolder = settings.folderPath ? Folder(settings.folderPath) : null;
var lastIndex = settings.index;
// Check if we need to prompt for settings or reset index
if (!sourceFolder || !sourceFolder.exists || lastIndex < 0) {
if (!showMainDialog()) return;
settings = readSettings();
sourceFolder = settings.folderPath ? Folder(settings.folderPath) : null;
if (!sourceFolder || !sourceFolder.exists) return;
settings.index = 0;
writeSettings(settings);
lastIndex = 0;
}
// Collect valid image files
var files = sourceFolder.getFiles(function (file) {
return file instanceof File && file.name.match(/\.(psd|psb|tif|tiff|jpg|jpeg|png|webp)$/i);
});
if (files.length === 0) {
alert("No valid image files found in the selected folder.");
settings.folderPath = "";
writeSettings(settings);
return;
}
// Apply sorting and file limit based on settings
var quantity = settings.quantity;
var reverseOrder = settings.reverseOrder;
var setFirstFileActive = settings.setFirstFileActive;
if (reverseOrder) files.reverse();
var endIndex = Math.min(lastIndex + quantity, files.length);
var firstFileOpened = null;
// Open files in the specified range
for (var i = lastIndex; i < endIndex; i++) {
app.open(files[i]);
if (i === lastIndex && setFirstFileActive) {
firstFileOpened = app.activeDocument;
}
}
// Set the first file opened as active, if needed
if (firstFileOpened && setFirstFileActive) {
app.activeDocument = app.documents[0];
}
// Update index and save settings
settings.index = endIndex >= files.length ? -1 : endIndex;
writeSettings(settings);
// Alert if all files are opened
if (endIndex >= files.length) {
alert("All files in the folder have been opened. You'll be prompted to select a new folder next time.");
}
}
https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html
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