Is it possible to cycle through brushes (tpls) using a script?

[Fishbottle]

I would like to write a script to cycle through a set of Tool Presets like this:

I run the script and it selects brush_2 then next time I run it, it selects brush_3 then next time I run it it selects brush_1 again and so on, looping like that forever, each time I run the script.

I imagine this could be done with a script if it could update a variable each time I run it (select tool preset brush_x, add 1 to x unless X>2 then x=1)

But the variable x would have to be in memory, outside of the script...is such a thing possible or do variables get reset each time you run a script?

Thanks!

[JJMack]

I have only seem brush tool options shown on the Photoshop tool option bar scripted thanks to Tom.  You can change brushes in a script by selecting tool Presets. Like you want to do. So A script could have a list of presets it could cycle through.   There are ways to have variables outside a script. I have use two different ways and I sure there are more.  I think I read some use some kind of Photoshop.Option you can script.   If you just need a global variable you can use a system environment  variable. If you do a search on toggle  brush it will hit some code that uses  an environment variable. If you need variables associated to documents you working on you can use document metadata.  I use documents instructions metadata fields for that.

They can be use as toggle and for storing data. Here is one I use Metadata.  CC 2015.5 has a new bug that could may not set a metadata field back to empty.  I do not use CC 2015.5 the bugs breaks several of my scripts..  It easy to program around you just need some in the metadata field like x marks the spot.  Adobe is working on a fix.

/* ======================================================================================
// 2009  John J. McAssey (JJMack)  http://www.mouseprints.net/
//  
// This script is supplied as is. It is provided as freeware. 
// The author accepts no liability for any problems arising from its use.
//
// This script is designed to be used by a Photoshop Action twice
// A good pratice to use when creating an actions that use this scipt is for the action 
// not to do a save or play some other action between its two useages of this Script.
// 
// The first time this script is used by an action the documents current resolution
// and ruler units are saved into the document's meta-data Info Instructions field.
//
// The second time this script used by the action the script retreives what was
// saved in the meta-data during the first usage, resolution and ruler units.
// The document is resized to the saved resolution,
// Photoshop's ruler units are set to saved units
// and the saved data is removed from the document's meta-data Info Instructions field.
//
// ===================================================================================== */
/*
<javascriptresource>
<about>$$$/JavaScripts/SaveAndRestoreResolution/About=JJMack's SaveAndRestoreResolution.^r^rCopyright 2009 Mouseprints.^r^rRun twice script utility for action.^rNOTE:Don't play other actions between runs!^r^rFirst Run records Photoshop's preferences Units and documents DPI resolution.^rSecond Run restores the recorded setting and removes the recording.</about>
<category>JJMack's Action Run Twice Utility</category>
</javascriptresource>
*/
if (app.documents.length > 0) { 
  if (app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("<Resolution>") == -1 ){ // no footprint fisrt useage 
  //alert("first");
  // Retreive Document information for Foot Print 
                var units = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
  app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS; // set ruler units to PIXELS
                var typeunits = app.preferences.typeUnits;
  var res = app.activeDocument.resolution; 
  // put footprint in metadata info instructions
  app.activeDocument.info.instructions = app.activeDocument.info.instructions + "<Units>" + units + "</Units>"  + "<Tunits>" + typeunits + "</Tunits>" + "<Resolution>" + res + "</Resolution>"; 
  //alert( "Saved ="  + "<Units>" + units + "</Units>" + "<Tunits>" + typeunits + "</Tunits>" + "<Resolution>" + res + "</Resolution>" ); 
  app.preferences.rulerUnits = units; // restore ruler units
  } 
  else { 
  //alert("second");
  // Retreive saved information
  unitsOffset = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("<Units>") + "<Units>".length;
  unitsLength = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("</Units>") -unitsOffset;
  savedUnits = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.substr(unitsOffset, unitsLength);
  tunitsOffset = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("<Tunits>") + "<Tunits>".length;
  tunitsLength = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("</Tunits>") -tunitsOffset;
  savedTunits = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.substr(tunitsOffset, tunitsLength);
  resOffset = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("<Resolution>") + "<Resolution>".length;
  resLength = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("</Resolution>") + -resOffset;
  savedResolution = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.substr(resOffset, resLength);
  //alert("Resolution = " + savedResolution + " Units = " + savedUnits );
  // Restore resolution
  app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
  activeDocument.resizeImage(null, null, savedResolution, ResampleMethod.NONE);
  // Restore ruler units 
  // I get a message Enumerated value expected if I try to use var savedUnits app.preferences.rulerUnits = savedUnits;
  // perhaps if I knew Javascript I would not need to use the following if else if ..... 
  if ( savedUnits == "Units.INCHES" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.INCHES;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.CM" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.CM;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.PERCENT" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PERCENT;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.MM" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.MM;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.PIXELS" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.POINTS" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;}
  else if ( savedUnits == "Units.PICAS" ){ app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PICAS;}
  // Restore Type units 
  if ( savedTunits == "TypeUnits.PIXELS" ){ app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.PIXELS;}
  else if ( savedTunits == "TypeUnits.POINTS" ){ app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.POINTS;}
  else if ( savedTunits == "TypeUnits.MM" ){ app.preferences.typeUnits = TypeUnits.MM;}
  // Remove footprint from metadata info instructions
  before = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.substr(0,app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("<Units>"));
  afterOffset = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.indexOf("</Resolution>") + "</Resolution>".length;
  after = app.activeDocument.info.instructions.substr(afterOffset, app.activeDocument.info.instructions.length - afterOffset);
  //alert ("before = " + before + " after = " + after);
  app.activeDocument.info.instructions = before + after;
  } 
} 
else { alert("You must have at least one open document to run this script!"); } 

[SuperMerlin · Accepted solution]

Here is an example of cycling through three brushes using thier names.

N.B. make sure brushes are selected and the brushes are loaded.

#target photoshop;
app.bringToFront();
main();
function main(){
    //Name of Brushes to cycle through
var Brushes = ['Flat Angle Left Hand Pose','Chalk 36 pixels','Triangle Pastel'];
//Set up Photoshop to remember variables
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
try{
var desc = app.getCustomOptions ( 'toggleBrush' );
}catch(e){
    desc.putInteger ( 0,0 );
    //this line save the variable while Photoshop is open, 
    //change false to true and it will remember next time Photoshop is opened
    app.putCustomOptions( 'toggleBrush', desc, false );
    desc = app.getCustomOptions ( 'toggleBrush' );
    }
var brushNumber = desc.getInteger(0);
if(brushNumber < Brushes.length){ 
desc.putInteger ( 0, brushNumber + 1);
}else{
    brushNumber = 0;
    desc.putInteger ( 0,1);
    }
app.putCustomOptions( 'toggleBrush', desc, false );
selectBrushByName(Brushes[brushNumber]);
};
function selectBrushByName( brushName ){
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putName( charIDToTypeID('Brsh'), brushName );
desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID('null'), ref );
executeAction( charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO );
};

[Fishbottle]

Thank you both for these thoughtful answers. I wasn't sure it was worth pursuing as I wasn't sure it was possible to even remember a variable after running once but from your replies it seems that's not an issue at all and it's perhaps even possible to even save it between sessions.

I am trying to figure out a way to make some brushes that look good when animating natural media, and a key part of that will be switching brushes in between drawing each frame, I wanted to make sure I was not going down a dead end road.

Thanks so much!

[vinny dellay]

Did you ever write that script?  If so, is it available anywhere?