3 Correct answers
Community Expert
,
Jul 10, 2025
Yeah, you would only need to set it up once. Then you would switch out your image each time you'd want to run it.
While you're setting it up, you could make all your duplicate Brightness Adjustment layers with the keyboard shortcut and then go back to set the value of each. To set them, you could click on the brightness icon in the Layers panel while the Properties panel is open and enter the value. You could just click on the next one and enter the value until you had incremented them all.
Community Expert
,
Jul 11, 2025
// create brightness contrast variations as jpgs;
// 2025, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
//////////////////////////////////////////
var thedoc = app.activeDocument;
var docName = thedoc.name;
try {
var basename = docName.match(/(.*)\.[^\.]+$/)[1];
var docPath = thedoc.path;
}
catch (e) {
var basename = thedoc.name;
var docPath = "~/Desktop"
};
var theMin = -10;
var theMax = 10;
var theCopy = thedoc.duplicate ("thecopy", false);
brightnessContrastLayer ();
for (var m =
Mentor
,
Jul 15, 2025
I had a similar task and saved a sketch of an old script using adjustment layers (slightly adapted it to your task):
s2t = stringIDToTypeID;
var apl = new AM('application'),
doc = new AM('document'),
lr = new AM('layer'),
adjustments = {
'Brightness/Contrast': { brightness: 100, contrast: 100, option: 'useLegacy' },
'Hue/Saturation': { hue: 180, lightness: 100, saturation: 100 }
}
if (apl.getProperty('numberOfDocuments')) {
showDialog(adjustments);
}
function s
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Community Expert
,
@c.pfaffenbichler I'm not adding any screenshots.
By @Mark37430984r9lw
Just an observation... As one of the regular contributors of scripts to those coming to this forum who want a script but can't do it themselves, there are very good reasons why @c.pfaffenbichler requested this from you.
I would also request screenshots to ensure that I understood the request so as not to waste time coding something that wasn't required.
Community Expert
,
For the workflow, I create high-quality (12) jpgs and open them in the Windows “Photos” App before deciding on the final version.
By @Mark37430984r9lw
As an alternative, a script could make the changes and store them as temporary snapshots in the History panel, rather than writing out JPEGs for review in other software. You could then review in Photoshop and save or export the winning snapshot.
Community Expert
,
I’d love to just be able to change a few things such as the output directory, and the attribute to be changed, (plus the direction where to start and end) such as brightness, contrast, and saturation.
Yes, all of this is possible.
You need to be very specific on the exact step-by-step workflow, in order for someone to help code this. Which exact commands in what exact order. When are certain steps applied to the isolated subject, isolated background or globally.
Community Expert
,
// create brightness contrast variations as jpgs;
// 2025, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
//////////////////////////////////////////
var thedoc = app.activeDocument;
var docName = thedoc.name;
try {
var basename = docName.match(/(.*)\.[^\.]+$/)[1];
var docPath = thedoc.path;
}
catch (e) {
var basename = thedoc.name;
var docPath = "~/Desktop"
};
var theMin = -10;
var theMax = 10;
var theCopy = thedoc.duplicate ("thecopy", false);
brightnessContrastLayer ();
for (var m = theMin; m <= theMax; m++) {
editBrightnessContrastLayer (m);
saveJpgCopy (theCopy, docPath, basename, false, 12, "_"+String(m), true);
};
theCopy.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
};
////// create brightness contrast layer //////
function brightnessContrastLayer () {
var desc17 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref5 = new ActionReference();
ref5.putClass( stringIDToTypeID( "adjustmentLayer" ) );
desc17.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref5 );
var desc18 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc18.putBoolean( stringIDToTypeID( "group" ), true );
var desc19 = new ActionDescriptor();
var iduseLegacy = stringIDToTypeID( "useLegacy" );
desc19.putBoolean( iduseLegacy, false );
desc18.putObject( stringIDToTypeID( "type" ), stringIDToTypeID( "brightnessEvent" ), desc19 );
desc17.putObject( stringIDToTypeID( "using" ), stringIDToTypeID( "adjustmentLayer" ), desc18 );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "make" ), desc17, DialogModes.NO );
};
////// edit brightness contrast layer //////
function editBrightnessContrastLayer (theB) {
var desc23 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref6 = new ActionReference();
ref6.putEnumerated( stringIDToTypeID( "adjustmentLayer" ), stringIDToTypeID( "ordinal" ), stringIDToTypeID( "targetEnum" ) );
desc23.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref6 );
var desc24 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idbrightness = stringIDToTypeID( "brightness" );
desc24.putInteger( idbrightness, theB );
desc24.putInteger( stringIDToTypeID( "center" ), 0 );
desc24.putBoolean( stringIDToTypeID( "useLegacy" ), false );
desc23.putObject( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), stringIDToTypeID( "brightnessEvent" ), desc24 );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc23, DialogModes.NO );
};
////// save jpg copy //////
function saveJpgCopy (thedoc, docPath, basename, srgb, theQuality, theSuffix, overwrite) {
/* check for existing file */
if (overwrite == false && File(docPath+'/'+basename+theSuffix+'.jpg').exists == true) {
var theConfirm = confirm("overwrite existing file");
if (theConfirm == false) {return false}
};
/* make copy and save */
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
try {
var jpegOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
jpegOptions.quality = theQuality;
jpegOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
/* duplicate */
if (thedoc.mode == DocumentMode.BITMAP) {
var theCopy = thedoc.duplicate ("thecopy", true);
var idCnvM = charIDToTypeID( "CnvM" );
var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T " );
var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idRt = charIDToTypeID( "Rt " );
desc3.putInteger( idRt, 1 );
var idGrys = charIDToTypeID( "Grys" );
desc2.putObject( idT, idGrys, desc3 );
executeAction( idCnvM, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
}
else {
if (thedoc.mode == DocumentMode.LAB || thedoc.mode == DocumentMode.DUOTONE || thedoc.mode == DocumentMode.INDEXEDCOLOR || thedoc.mode == DocumentMode.MULTICHANNEL) {
var theCopy = thedoc.duplicate ("thecopy", true);
var idCnvM = charIDToTypeID( "CnvM" );
var desc114 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T " );
var idRGBM = charIDToTypeID( "RGBM" );
desc114.putClass( idT, idRGBM );
executeAction( idCnvM, desc114, DialogModes.ALL );
}
else {
var theCopy = thedoc.duplicate("thecopy", true)
}
};
/* convert */
if (srgb == true) {
theCopy.convertProfile ("sRGB IEC61966-2.1", Intent.RELATIVECOLORIMETRIC, true, true)
};
theCopy.saveAs((new File(docPath+'/'+basename+theSuffix+'.jpg')),jpegOptions,true);
theCopy.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES)
}
catch (e) {docName+" failed"}
}
};
Community Expert
,
Usually with a subject, but it may also be with the sky or inverse of the subject. Goals vary. It could be to increase or decrease brightness, or to increase saturation.
By @Mark37430984r9lw
OK, from the screenshot I can now see that you have a simple layer structure, no artboards or groups to complicate things.
Do you select the subject, then make Brightness and or Hue/Saturation adjustments etc. Then adjust everything else independently of the subject? Or select sky without the subject etc?
In order to script the steps, they need to be layed out like @Myra Ferguson did in her detailed step-by-step example.
A moving target is hard to hit :]
I had a similar task and saved a sketch of an old script using adjustment layers (slightly adapted it to your task):
s2t = stringIDToTypeID;
var apl = new AM('application'),
doc = new AM('document'),
lr = new AM('layer'),
adjustments = {
'Brightness/Contrast': { brightness: 100, contrast: 100, option: 'useLegacy' },
'Hue/Saturation': { hue: 180, lightness: 100, saturation: 100 }
}
if (apl.getProperty('numberOfDocuments')) {
showDialog(adjustments);
}
function showDialog(p) {
var w = new Window('dialog{text:"Script settings",orientation:"column",alignChildren:["fill","top"]}'),
grMode = w.add('group{orientation:"row"}'),
dlMode = grMode.add('dropdownlist{preferredSize:[150,-1]}'),
dlTarget = grMode.add('dropdownlist{preferredSize:[150,-1]}'),
grFrom = w.add('group{preferredSize:[300,-1],orientation:"row",alignChildren:["left","center"]}'),
stFrom = grFrom.add('statictext{text:"From",preferredSize:[50,-1]}'),
slFrom = grFrom.add('slider{preferredSize:[200,-1]}'),
stFromValue = grFrom.add('statictext{preferredSize:[35,-1],justify:"right"}'),
grTo = w.add('group{preferredSize:[300,-1],orientation:"row",alignChildren:["left","center"]}'),
stTo = grTo.add('statictext{text:"To",preferredSize:[50,-1]}'),
slTo = grTo.add('slider{preferredSize:[200,-1]}'),
stToValue = grTo.add('statictext{preferredSize:[35,-1],justify:"right"}'),
grStep = w.add('group{preferredSize:[300,-1],orientation:"row",alignChildren:["left","center"]}'),
stStep = grStep.add('statictext{text:"Step",preferredSize:[50,-1]}'),
slStep = grStep.add('slider{preferredSize:[200,-1]}'),
stStepValue = grStep.add('statictext{preferredSize:[35,-1],justify:"right"}'),
chOptions = w.add('checkbox'),
grBn = w.add('group{orientation:"row",alignChildren:["center","center"]}'),
ok = grBn.add("button", undefined, "Save to folder...", { name: "ok" }),
cancel = grBn.add("button", undefined, "Cancel", { name: "cancel" });
slFrom.value = 0;
slTo.value = 0;
slStep.minvalue = 1;
slStep.maxvalue = 20;
slStep.value = 1;
dlMode.onChange = function () {
cur = p[this.selection.text];
do { dlTarget.remove(dlTarget.items[0]) } while (dlTarget.items.length)
for (a in cur) if (a != 'option') dlTarget.add('item', a)
dlTarget.selection = 0;
if (cur['option']) chOptions.text = chOptions.visible = cur['option'] else chOptions.visible = false
}
dlTarget.onChange = function () {
updateSliders(p[dlMode.selection.text][this.selection.text])
}
w.onShow = function () {
for (a in p) dlMode.add('item', a)
dlMode.selection = 0
}
function updateSliders(cur) {
if (cur) {
slFrom.minvalue = slTo.minvalue = -cur;
slFrom.maxvalue = slTo.maxvalue = cur;
}
stFromValue.text = parseInt(slFrom.value)
stToValue.text = parseInt(slTo.value)
stStepValue.text = parseInt(slStep.value)
ok.enabled = (slFrom.value != slTo.value)
}
ok.onClick = function () {
var f = ((new Folder).selectDlg());
if (f) {
w.close()
var title = doc.getProperty('title').replace(/\..+$/, '');
activeDocument.suspendHistory('Save Adjustments',
"processFiles(f,\
title,\
dlMode.selection.text,\
dlTarget.selection.text,\
Math.min(parseInt(stFromValue.text), parseInt(stToValue.text)),\
Math.max(parseInt(stFromValue.text), parseInt(stToValue.text)),\
parseInt(slStep.value),\
chOptions.value)")
}
}
slFrom.addEventListener('keydown', sliderHandler)
slTo.addEventListener('keydown', sliderHandler)
slStep.addEventListener('keydown', sliderHandler)
slFrom.addEventListener('changing', sliderHandler)
slTo.addEventListener('changing', sliderHandler)
slStep.addEventListener('changing', sliderHandler)
function sliderHandler(evt) {
evt.preventDefault();
if (evt.keyIdentifier == 'Right' || evt.keyIdentifier == 'Up') {
evt.target.value += slStep.value
} else if (evt.keyIdentifier == 'Left' || evt.keyIdentifier == 'Down') {
evt.target.value -= slStep.value
}
updateSliders()
}
w.show();
}
function processFiles(pth, title, mode, param, min, max, step, option) {
switch (mode) {
case 'Brightness/Contrast':
doc.makeAdjustmentLayer('brightnessContrast')
for (var i = min; i <= max; i += step) {
for (a in adjustments[mode]) adjustments[mode][a] = a != param ? 0 : i
lr.setBrightnessContrast(adjustments[mode]['brightness'], adjustments[mode]['contrast'], option)
activeDocument.saveAs(File(pth + '/' + title + ' ' + param + ' ' + i), function () { var o = new JPEGSaveOptions; o.quality = 12; return o }(), true)
}
break;
case 'Hue/Saturation':
doc.makeAdjustmentLayer('hueSaturation')
for (var i = min; i <= max; i += step) {
for (a in adjustments[mode]) adjustments[mode][a] = a != param ? 0 : i
lr.setHueSaturation(adjustments[mode]['hue'], adjustments[mode]['saturation'], adjustments[mode]['lightness'])
activeDocument.saveAs(File(pth + '/' + title + ' ' + param + ' ' + i), function () { var o = new JPEGSaveOptions; o.quality = 12; return o }(), true)
}
break;
}
doc.restoreSelection();
doc.removeAdjustmentLayer();
}
function AM(target, order) {
var s2t = stringIDToTypeID,
t2s = typeIDToStringID;
target = target ? s2t(target) : null;
this.getProperty = function (property, descMode, id, idxMode) {
property = s2t(property);
(r = new ActionReference).putProperty(s2t('property'), property);
id != undefined ? (idxMode ? r.putIndex(target, id) : r.putIdentifier(target, id)) :
r.putEnumerated(target, s2t('ordinal'), order ? s2t(order) : s2t('targetEnum'));
return descMode ? executeActionGet(r) : getDescValue(executeActionGet(r), property);
}
this.hasProperty = function (property, id, idxMode) {
property = s2t(property);
(r = new ActionReference).putProperty(s2t('property'), property);
id ? (idxMode ? r.putIndex(target, id) : r.putIdentifier(target, id))
: r.putEnumerated(target, s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));
try { return executeActionGet(r).hasKey(property) } catch (e) { return false }
}
this.descToObject = function (d) {
var o = {}
for (var i = 0; i < d.count; i++) {
var k = d.getKey(i)
o[t2s(k)] = getDescValue(d, k)
}
return o
}
this.makeAdjustmentLayer = function (type) {
(r = new ActionReference()).putClass(s2t("adjustmentLayer"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
(d1 = new ActionDescriptor()).putObject(s2t("type"), s2t(type), new ActionDescriptor());
d.putObject(s2t("using"), s2t("adjustmentLayer"), d1);
executeAction(s2t("make"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}
this.setHueSaturation = function (hue, saturation, lightness) {
(r = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated(s2t("adjustmentLayer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
(d1 = new ActionDescriptor()).putEnumerated(s2t("presetKind"), s2t("presetKindType"), s2t("presetKindCustom"));
(d2 = new ActionDescriptor()).putEnumerated(s2t("channel"), s2t("channel"), s2t("composite"));
d2.putInteger(s2t("hue"), hue);
d2.putInteger(s2t("saturation"), saturation);
d2.putInteger(s2t("lightness"), lightness);
(l = new ActionList()).putObject(s2t("hueSatAdjustmentV2"), d2);
d1.putList(s2t("adjustment"), l);
d.putObject(s2t("to"), s2t("hueSaturation"), d1);
executeAction(s2t("set"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}
this.setBrightnessContrast = function (brightness, contrast, useLegacy) {
(r = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated(s2t("adjustmentLayer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
(d1 = new ActionDescriptor()).putInteger(s2t("brightness"), brightness);
d1.putInteger(s2t("contrast"), contrast);
d1.putBoolean(s2t("useLegacy"), useLegacy);
d.putObject(s2t("to"), s2t("brightnessContrast"), d1);
executeAction(s2t("set"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}
this.restoreSelection = function () {
(r = new ActionReference()).putProperty(s2t("channel"), s2t("selection"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
(r1 = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated(s2t("channel"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
d.putReference(s2t("to"), r1);
executeAction(s2t("set"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}
this.removeAdjustmentLayer = function () {
(r = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
executeAction(s2t("delete"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}
function getDescValue(d, p) {
switch (d.getType(p)) {
case DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE: return { type: t2s(d.getObjectType(p)), value: d.getObjectValue(p) };
case DescValueType.LISTTYPE: return d.getList(p);
case DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE: return d.getReference(p);
case DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE: return d.getBoolean(p);
case DescValueType.STRINGTYPE: return d.getString(p);
case DescValueType.INTEGERTYPE: return d.getInteger(p);
case DescValueType.LARGEINTEGERTYPE: return d.getLargeInteger(p);
case DescValueType.DOUBLETYPE: return d.getDouble(p);
case DescValueType.ALIASTYPE: return d.getPath(p);
case DescValueType.CLASSTYPE: return d.getClass(p);
case DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE: return (d.getUnitDoubleValue(p));
case DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE: return { type: t2s(d.getEnumerationType(p)), value: t2s(d.getEnumerationValue(p)) };
default: break;
};
}
}
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