Isolating groups of pixels

Report · Mar 16, 2012

I have a transparent layer with 40 -50 blocks of color in random areas.

Is there a way of isolating each block of color and placing them on their own layer?

Thanks!

Jeff

Report · Mar 17, 2012

Could you give this a try?

// lift discontinuous content from layer onto individual layers;
// for rgb-images and cs5;
// 2012, use it at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0 && app.activeDocument.mode = DocumentMode.RGB) {
myDocument = app.activeDocument;
myDocument.activeChannels = [myDocument.channels[0], myDocument.channels[1], myDocument.channels[2]];
// load transarency;
// =======================================================
var idsetd = charIDToTypeID( "setd" );
    var desc11 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref6 = new ActionReference();
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idfsel = charIDToTypeID( "fsel" );
        ref6.putProperty( idChnl, idfsel );
    desc11.putReference( idnull, ref6 );
    var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T   " );
        var ref7 = new ActionReference();
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idTrsp = charIDToTypeID( "Trsp" );
        ref7.putEnumerated( idChnl, idChnl, idTrsp );
    desc11.putReference( idT, ref7 );
executeAction( idsetd, desc11, DialogModes.NO );
//
var check = true;
// set to pixels;
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
// set to 72ppi;
var originalResolution = app.activeDocument.resolution;
myDocument.resizeImage (undefined, undefined, 72, ResampleMethod.NONE);
//
var theMask = myDocument.channels.add();
myDocument.selection.store(theMask);
myDocument.activeChannels = [myDocument.channels[0], myDocument.channels[1], myDocument.channels[2]];
//var theMask = myDocument.channels[3];
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
myDocument.selection.load(theMask, SelectionType.REPLACE);
// use threshold to heighten non black pixels;
myDocument.quickMaskMode = true;
myDocument.activeLayer.threshold(1);
myDocument.quickMaskMode = false;
// create work path;
myDocument.selection.makeWorkPath(1);
var subPathsNumber = myDocument.pathItems[myDocument.pathItems.length-1].subPathItems.length;
// check for a high number of paths;
if (subPathsNumber > 30) {
          check = confirm("warning\rthere appear to be "+subPathsNumber+" elements.\rif this number is too high noise may have caused them.\rthis may result in a crash.\rproceed?")
          };
// do the operation;
if (check == true) {
          var thePathInfo = collectPathInfo(myDocument, myDocument.pathItems[myDocument.pathItems.length-1]);
// create one path for every subpathitem:
          for (var m = 0; m < thePathInfo.length - 1; m++) {
                    var theSubPath = thePathInfo;
                    var aPath = createPath ([theSubPath], m+"_path");
                    aPath.makeSelection(0, true, SelectionType.REPLACE);
// expand;
                    myDocument.selection.expand(6);
                    myDocument.selection.load(theMask, SelectionType.INTERSECT);
// layer via copy;
                    try {
                              var id14 = charIDToTypeID( "CpTL" );
                              executeAction( id14, undefined, DialogModes.NO );
                              myDocumentctiveLayer.name = theLayer.name + "_" + m
                              }
                    catch (e) {};
                    myDocument.pathItems[myDocument.pathItems.length-1].remove();
                    myDocument.activeLayer = theLayer;
                    };
          theLayer.visible = false;
          };
// reset;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
myDocument.resizeImage (undefined, undefined, originalResolution, ResampleMethod.NONE);
};
////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////
////// function to create path from array with one array per point that holds anchor, leftdirection, etc, 2010 //////
function createPath (theArray, thePointsName) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
lineSubPathArray = new Array ();
if (theArray[theArray.length - 1].constructor != Array) {var numberOfPoints = theArray.length - 1}
else {var numberOfPoints = theArray.length};
for (var b = 0; b < numberOfPoints; b++) {
          var lineArray = new Array ();
          for (c = 0; c < (theArray.length); c++) {
                    lineArray = new PathPointInfo;
                    if (!theArray[3]) {lineArray.kind = PointKind.CORNERPOINT}
                    else {lineArray.kind = theArray[3]};
                    lineArray.anchor = theArray[0];
                    if (!theArray[1]) {lineArray.leftDirection = theArray[0]}
                    else {lineArray.leftDirection = theArray[1]};
                    if (!theArray[2]) {lineArray.rightDirection = theArray[0]}
                    else {lineArray.rightDirection = theArray[2]};
                    };
          lineSubPathArray = new SubPathInfo();
          lineSubPathArray.operation = ShapeOperation.SHAPEADD;
          if (theArray[theArray.length - 1].constructor == Array) {lineSubPathArray.closed = true}
          else {lineSubPathArray.closed = theArray[theArray.length - 1]};
          lineSubPathArray.entireSubPath = lineArray;
          };
var myPathItem = app.activeDocument.pathItems.add(thePointsName, lineSubPathArray);
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return myPathItem
};
////// function to collect path-info as text //////
function collectPathInfo (myDocument, thePath) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
var theArray = [];
for (var b = 0; b < thePath.subPathItems.length; b++) {
          theArray = [];
          for (var c = 0; c < thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.length; c++) {
                    var pointsNumber = thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.length;
                    var theAnchor = thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.anchor;
                    var theLeft = thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.leftDirection;
                    var theRight = thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.rightDirection;
                    var theKind = thePath.subPathItems.pathPoints.kind;
                    theArray = [theAnchor, theLeft, theRight, theKind];
                    };
          var theClose = thePath.subPathItems.closed;
          theArray = theArray.concat(String(theClose))
          };
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return theArray
};

Report · Mar 17, 2012

Wow, this works great!!!

Thanks, c.pfaffenbichler

It even isolates color areas down to a few pixels in size... Perfect for what I'm looking for!

...

...Could I perhaps impose to ask one small additional feature?

Would it be possible to have the new layers created be given a unique name... something like: Area 1, Area 2 etc.. (or anything)

This would make it ideal to isolate for further Actions being applied.

If not, no worries.. This is perfect for what I'm looking for

Many thanks!!

Jeff

Report · Mar 17, 2012

I think you would just need to change the line (there is a typo, myDocumentctiveLayer should be myDocument.activeLayer)

                              myDocumentctiveLayer.name = theLayer.name + "_" + m

to

                              myDocument.activeLayer.name = "Area " + m

Report · Mar 17, 2012

And if you want the numbering to start at 1 instead of 0 replace

m

with

(m+1)

Report · Mar 17, 2012

Awesome...!

Many, many thanks!

Jeff

Report · Feb 08, 2019

c.pfaffenbichler i'm bringing this thread from the dead

I have this script that shows the percent of layer from entire canvas:

#target photoshop  
    var doc = activeDocument  
    var curLay = doc.activeLayer  
    getSelc ();  
    var his = doc.histogram  
    var hisCount = 0  
    for (var i=0;i<his.length;i++){  
        hisCount+= his  
        }  
    var perc= hisCount/(doc.width.value*doc.height.value)  
    doc.selection.deselect()  
    alert (perc);  
      
    function getSelc(){  
           var idsetd = charIDToTypeID( "setd" );  
            var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();  
            var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );  
                var ref5 = new ActionReference();  
                var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );  
                var idfsel = charIDToTypeID( "fsel" );  
                ref5.putProperty( idChnl, idfsel );  
            desc7.putReference( idnull, ref5 );  
            var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T   " );  
                var ref6 = new ActionReference();  
                var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );  
                var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );  
                var idTrsp = charIDToTypeID( "Trsp" );  
                ref6.putEnumerated( idChnl, idChnl, idTrsp );  
            desc7.putReference( idT, ref6 );  
        executeAction( idsetd, desc7, DialogModes.NO );   
        }

I need some help to combine it with your script, and only isolate layers that their percent from the entire canvas is larger than 15% for example, maybe even better: don't create layers that their subpath points number is lower than a certain number. (i have this picture and i need the object that is selected, and not always it's the biggest one or have the most points)

Report · Apr 05, 2020

Hello,

i am trying to use the script bu this error comes up?

Any solutions to this? 🙂

many thanks

Report · Apr 05, 2020

Another option:

https://photoshopscripts.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/split-to-layers/

Adobe Support Community

Isolating groups of pixels