Looking for a script or action to pull off a tricky text function.

[j.capp]

Hello.

I localize Asian storybooks/comics for English readers. My client made a mistake with his base files and rasterized all the text layers within a batch of PSD files. I use a separate plugin to translate the text into English but it will not work with rasterized text layers as it needs the standard text to edit.

Interestingly, the layer text descriptions still contain the text in Asian characters for each layer. Would there be any way (script??) to somehow take the text description information of each layer and either generate new text layers with this whether they can replace the rasterized layers or create new text layers?

I know this is a difficult sort of thing to pull off but I do see similar things being done within this forum. Any help appreciated!

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please provide (at the very least) a sample file. 

How are the other layers (the ones that were non-type to begin with) named? 

Can they definitely be distinguished by name? 

[j.capp]

I think I can describe that without a sample. When you create a text layer, the layer is named the same in the layers panel (If I typed "Hello" in text the text layer would read "Hello". The client accidently rasterized the text layers but the text information exists within the layer name designations.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I think I can describe that without a sample. 

You apparently work for a visual medium so you should understand that words may not suffice here … 

»Layer 1« (whether in Japanese or not) is also type content, isn’t it? 

Please provide the requested sample. 

How are the other Layers named? 

Can they be unequivocally identified by their names or other properties? 

Because otherwise you might end up with a Type Layer for each and every existing pixel Layer. (edited)

[j.capp]

Thanks for the reply. The other layer names are irrelevent as I have the option of dumping them entirely- just keeping my dialogue layer groups for whatever exprimentation. Even if I had a type layer for each and every panel I am not concerned with them as I would just pick out what I wanted to keep. The non-text layer names are named by the author and/or me- as they are just named "layer 1, 2 etc." by Photoshop if not designated by the user.

I do work in a "visual medium" but this particular request deals with a very basic Photoshop function- which is just creating a new layer. I'll throw in an example screenshot of a rasterized layer with the original layer name designation Photoshop adds to it when you type out text. Thanks.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I have asked for a sample file. 

If you won’t provide one (even with blackened-out illustrations, but with all the Layers and Groups) that’s that for me. 

[j.capp]

Thanks for your reply. I see no need to provide a sample file as any sort of PSD experimentation can be carried out with a simple user created file like the one the screenshot is based off of above. In fact, if any sort of script or action was found I would likely strip out all other layers aside from the dialogue layers. All one would need would be a rasterized layer and it's designation in the layer panel. Thanks for your time though and have a great day. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Good luck! 

Edit: For testing purposes it would have been interesting to have a file with the Layers’ names in the non-latin script, but it was not to be … 

[Zesty_wanderlust15A7]

The remaining text is just the layer name, so these are easy to get.  You have to wonder if it's usually complete though. Doesn't it get cut off at a certain length?  Anyway, you may be lucky here.

As now you can't simply loop through all true text layers, you may be kind of stuck. And if you do it for every layer, you get a mess and you have to reposition the text anyway.

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It's probably a good practice to rasterize the text layers (you may lose a font, or Adobe drops support for one), but he should have kept the original text layers too...

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As an aside, the free ShareX screen capturing software has OCR built in [uses the internet] for a selection you make, but I don't know if it does Asian languages.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

It's probably a good practice to rasterize the text layers

No, it is not. 

Converting (a duplicate of) a Type Layer to a Shape Layer would at least maintain vector output capabilities. 

Edit: A psd/psb with maximized compatibility would contain the pixel data for Type Layers with missing fonts anyway, so rasterizing the Type Layers would offer little benefit. 

[Zesty_wanderlust15A7]

Yes, that would be even better.

I probably didn't know it was easy or possible — thanks 🙂

Convert to Shape — I see it now.

[j.capp]

Thanks for the response. The guy just screwed up his files for the most part by rasterizing them- he generally gives me at least PSD's with editable text layers. If he was sending completed files out for whatever final publishing purpose- that would be fine. The thing is, the "base files" need to be edited and translated to multiple languages. The particular font doesn't matter too much as I usually change the fonts when I am changing to another language- sometimes I even change the Asian fonts before editing as well due to plugin quirks.

The data is still available in the layers panel as the lines are not overly long. So far I have just manually copy-pasted things as I was sure I wouldn't be able to pull off any "tricks" in time for when I want to finish the project. Repositioning was done but that wasn't too much of a concern for me.

I actually did try some screen reading software though and a lot of other tricky methods to try and capture the text and re-insert into the PSD files. I think if the text was English one of these methods could have mostly worked but since they were Asain characters I wasn't able to get more than a few random characters per page.