load selection to selected layers

[Mohamed Hameed]

How can I make a Load Selection for all selected layers?
Without pressing ctrl+ Mouse Click to select each layer every time

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

@Mohamed Hameed 

You can use an action:

A script has the added bonus of being able to offer a single history step:

/*
Load Selected Layers Transparency to Selection.jsx
Stephen Marsh, 8th September 2021
v1.0
NOTE: Previously selected layers are deselected, it would be nice to retain the selected layers...
*/

function loadSelLayersTransparency() {

    // Select all layers (ignores Background layer, ignores visibility)
    app.runMenuItem(stringIDToTypeID('selectAllLayers'));

    // Create temp merged layer
    mergedLayer();

    // Rename layer
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name = "_temp";

    // Load layer transparency
    loadLayerTrans();

    // Remove temp merged layer
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer.remove();


    /****************** Functions ******************/

    function mergedLayer() {
        var idmergeLayersNew = stringIDToTypeID("mergeLayersNew");
        var desc291 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idduplicate = stringIDToTypeID("duplicate");
        desc291.putBoolean(idduplicate, true);
        executeAction(idmergeLayersNew, desc291, DialogModes.NO);
    }

    function loadLayerTrans() {
        var idset = stringIDToTypeID("set");
        var desc323 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idnull = stringIDToTypeID("null");
        var ref75 = new ActionReference();
        var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID("channel");
        var idselection = stringIDToTypeID("selection");
        ref75.putProperty(idchannel, idselection);
        desc323.putReference(idnull, ref75);
        var idto = stringIDToTypeID("to");
        var ref76 = new ActionReference();
        var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID("channel");
        var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID("channel");
        var idtransparencyEnum = stringIDToTypeID("transparencyEnum");
        ref76.putEnumerated(idchannel, idchannel, idtransparencyEnum);
        desc323.putReference(idto, ref76);
        executeAction(idset, desc323, DialogModes.NO);
    }
}

// Single history step
app.activeDocument.suspendHistory("Load Selected Layers Transparency to Selection", "loadSelLayersTransparency()");

Remove or comment out the following to only use the selected layers instead of all layers:

// Select all layers (ignores Background layer, ignores visibility)
    app.runMenuItem(stringIDToTypeID('selectAllLayers'));

[Mohamed Hameed]

@Stephen Marsh 

Thank you very much for helping me, sir

[Stephen Marsh]

You're welcome!

There may be other ways*, this is just the way that naturally came to me.

*loop over all layers, load transparency as selection with modifier to add to selection.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

The following code would work for pixel layers, but would disregard Layers Masks and Vector Masks. 

So in that regard your approach is actually more reliable. 

// load selection of selected layers;
// 2023, use it at your own risk;
if (documents.length > 0) {
var theSelectedLayers = collectSelectedLayers ();
var theAdd = false;
for (var m = 0; m < theSelectedLayers.length; m++) {
loadTransparencyAsSelection (theSelectedLayers[m][2], false, theAdd);
theAdd = true;
}
};
////// load transparency of layer //////
function loadTransparencyAsSelection (theID, theInvert, theAdd) {
try {
var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID( "channel" );
if (theAdd == true) {
    var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref1 = new ActionReference();
    ref1.putEnumerated( idchannel, idchannel, stringIDToTypeID( "transparencyEnum" ) );
    ref1.putIdentifier( stringIDToTypeID( "layer" ), theID );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref1 );
    var ref2 = new ActionReference();
    var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID( "channel" );
    var idselection = stringIDToTypeID( "selection" );
    ref2.putProperty( idchannel, idselection );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), ref2 );
    executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "add" ), desc7, DialogModes.NO );}
else {
    var desc7 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref3 = new ActionReference();
    ref3.putProperty( idchannel, stringIDToTypeID( "selection" ) );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref3 );
    var ref4 = new ActionReference();
    ref4.putEnumerated( idchannel, idchannel, stringIDToTypeID( "transparencyEnum" ) );
    ref4.putIdentifier( stringIDToTypeID( "layer" ), theID );
    desc7.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "to" ), ref4 );
    executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "set" ), desc7, DialogModes.NO )
};
} catch (e) {}
};
////// collect bounds of selected layers //////
function collectSelectedLayers () {
// set to pixels;
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
// get selected layers;
var selectedLayers = new Array;
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
if (desc.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("hasBackgroundLayer")) == true) {var theAdd =0}
else {var theAdd = 1};
if( desc.hasKey( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ) ) ){
desc = desc.getList( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ));
var c = desc.count;
var selectedLayers = new Array();
// run through selected layers;
for(var i=0;i<c;i++){
var theIndex = desc.getReference( i ).getIndex()+theAdd;    
// get id for solid color layers;
try {
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), theIndex ); 
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
var theIdentifier = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID ("layerID"));
/*var theClippingMasked = layerDesc.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID ("group"));
var theBounds = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("bounds"));
var theseBounds = [theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("left")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("top")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("right")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("bottom"))];
var theXCenter = theseBounds[0]+(theseBounds[2]-theseBounds[0])/2;
var theYCenter = theseBounds[1]+(theseBounds[3]-theseBounds[1])/2;*/
selectedLayers.push([theName, theIndex, theIdentifier/*, theseBounds, theXCenter, theYCenter*/]);
} catch (e) {};
};
// if only one:
}else{
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
try {
var theName = layerDesc.getString(stringIDToTypeID('name'));
var theIdentifier = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID ("layerID"));
/*var theClippingMasked = layerDesc.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID ("group"));
var theBounds = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("bounds"));
var theseBounds = [theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("left")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("top")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("right")), theBounds.getUnitDoubleValue(stringIDToTypeID("bottom"))];
var theXCenter = theseBounds[0]+(theseBounds[2]-theseBounds[0])/2;
var theYCenter = theseBounds[1]+(theseBounds[3]-theseBounds[1])/2;*/
selectedLayers = [[theName, theIndex, theIdentifier/*, theseBounds, theXCenter, theYCenter*/]]
} catch (e) {};
};
// reset;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return selectedLayers;
};

[Mohamed Hameed]

@c.pfaffenbichler 

When I tried the code, I saw this message

Is this because the file has background

[c.pfaffenbichler]

No, it works with and without a Background Layer. 

What is the alert you get? 

[Mohamed Hameed]

@c.pfaffenbichler 

[Stephen Marsh]

Have you tried running the script outside of ESTK, directly in Photoshop?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

What is the image’s Color Mode etc.? 

[Mohamed Hameed]

@c.pfaffenbichler  Ok sir

What is the image’s Color Mode etc.?

Color Mode (RGB/8)

when running the script outside of ESTK, directly in Photoshop?

this message show to me

 error show in line number 48

[c.pfaffenbichler]

The Panel names being written in All Caps seems peculiar to me (Mac user myself), which version of Photoshop are you using? 

Can you provide a sample file (feel free to black out all design elements)? 

[Mohamed Hameed]

@c.pfaffenbichler 

Is the problem in the Photoshop version? I have a version of Photoshop CS5. I know it is old, but this is due to my work circumstances.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I work with Photoshop 2024, so if you want to pursue a Scripting approach (despite the existing Action-approach) your problem with CS5 is yours to fix. 

[Stephen Marsh]

If the issue is that the Action Manager code isn't compatible with your old version, then you can either use older supported AM code, or use supported DOM code instead.

try {
app.activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
    alert("A Background layer exists!");
} catch (e) {
    alert("No Background layer exists!");
}

[c.pfaffenbichler]

And if the images always have a background Layer the whole check and the variable theAdd are useless and could be removed. 

@Mohamed Hameed , didn’t you use a function called »getSelectedLayersIdx« (or something similar) in one of your other projects? 

If that works then you can also adapt it to collect IDs instead of (or additional to) indices. 

[Mohamed Hameed]

@c.pfaffenbichler 
I didn't understand what you mean
Is this a modification within the code or what?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

You can modify the code anyway you want or need to adapt it to Photoshop CS5. 

[Stephen Marsh]

@c.pfaffenbichler – Nice one! Now I can see why this method was beyond my reach.