Photoshop Scripting - Solid Fill or Shape Layer

[mikebaugh]

When I run this code on a "solid fill layer" or a "shape layer" I get the same result

alert(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind);

 Result: LayerKind.SOLIDFILL

I assume that a regular solid fill layer and a shape layer are both "LayerKind.SOLIDFILL" under the hood. However, I need to perform different functions for a solid fill vs a shape layer. Is there a way to detect if the layer is a shape layer?

It appears that a shape layer has two properties that a solid fill layer doesn't have, but I haven't been able to figure out how to test if the properties exist on the layer.

Shape layers have these two extra properties:

pathBounds
AGMStrokeStyleInfo

Any information would be greatly appreciated

[mikebaugh]

This seems to work.  If there is a more elegant or more efficient way to do this please let me know.

var actionReference = new ActionReference();
actionReference.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));

var actionDescriptor = executeActionGet(actionReference);

isShapeLayer = false;
for (i = 0; i < actionDescriptor.count; i += 1) {
    if (typeIDToStringID(actionDescriptor.getKey(i)) === "pathBounds") {
        isShapeLayer = true;
    }
}

alert(isShapeLayer);

[jazz-y · Accepted solution]

Action Manager uses a more detailed description of layer types:

const kAnySheet = 0;
const kPixelSheet = 1;
const kAdjustmentSheet = 2;
const kTextSheet = 3;
const kVectorSheet = 4;
const kSmartObjectSheet = 5;
const kVideoSheet = 6;
const kLayerGroupSheet = 7;
const k3DSheet = 8;
const kGradientSheet = 9;
const kPatternSheet = 10;
const kSolidColorSheet = 11;
const kBackgroundSheet = 12;
const kHiddenSectionBounder = 13;

try to use:

s2t = stringIDToTypeID;
(ref = new ActionReference()).putProperty(s2t("property"), s2t("layerKind"))
ref.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"))
var activeLayerType = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger (s2t("layerKind"))

alert (activeLayerType)

[mikebaugh]

Dmitry and Stephen,

Thanks for the replies! I really appreciate it.

Dmitry your script worked perfectly.

[Stephen Marsh]

Yet another option:

http://creativetuts.com/photoshop-script-determine-layer-kind/

// http://creativetuts.com/photoshop-script-determine-layer-kind/
// Photoshop Script
// "Determine Layer Kind"
// Script by Mehmet Şensoy
 
#target photoshop  
app.bringToFront();
 
var doc = app.activeDocument;
var layer = doc.activeLayer;// Save selected layer to variable:
 
function determinelayerkind (layer) {
if(layer.kind == LayerKind.TEXT) {layerkind = "Text Layer";return layerkind;} // Text Layer
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.SOLIDFILL) {layerkind = "Shape Layer";return layerkind; } /* Shape Layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.BLACKANDWHITE) {layerkind = "Black and White adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Black and White */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.BRIGHTNESSCONTRAST) {layerkind = "Brightness contrast adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Brightness contrast adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.CHANNELMIXER) {layerkind = "Channel mixer adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Channel mixer adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.COLORBALANCE) {layerkind = "Color balance adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Color balance adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.CURVES) {layerkind = "Curves adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Curves adjustment layer */
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.EXPOSURE) {layerkind = "Exposure layer";return layerkind; } /* Exposure layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.GRADIENTFILL) {layerkind = "Gradient fill";return layerkind; } /* Gradient fill */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.GRADIENTMAP) {layerkind = "Gradient map adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Gradient map adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.HUESATURATION) {layerkind = "Hue saturation adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Hue saturation adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.INVERSION) {layerkind = "Invert adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Invert adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.LAYER3D) {layerkind = "3D layer";return layerkind; } /* 3D layer */
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.LEVELS) {layerkind = "Levels adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Levels adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.NORMAL) {layerkind = "Normal layer";return layerkind; } /* Normal Layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.PATTERNFILL) {layerkind = "Pattern fill layer";return layerkind; } /* Pattern fill layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.PHOTOFILTER) {layerkind = "Photo filter layer";return layerkind; } /* Photo filter layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.POSTERIZE) {layerkind = "Posterize adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Posterize adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.SELECTIVECOLOR) {layerkind = "Selective color adjustment layer.";return layerkind; } /* Selective color adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT) {layerkind = "Smart object layer";return layerkind; } /* Smart object layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.THRESHOLD) {layerkind = "Threshold adjustment layer";return layerkind; } /* Threshold adjustment layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.VIBRANCE) {layerkind = "Vibrance layer";return layerkind; } /* Vibrance layer */ 
else if(layer.kind == LayerKind.VIDEO) {layerkind = "Video layer";return layerkind; } /* Video layer */ 
}
 
alert ("Current Layer is a " + determinelayerkind(layer));

EDIT: I just tested and this script reports a solid fill and a shape as both of a kind of "shape layer" with no distinction between them.

[microbians com]

That's right, there is no property to distinguish between a shape or a solid color fill .... I need a solution.

[Stephen Marsh]

@microbians com 

The AM code script from @jazz-y  (marked as the correct answer) would appear to correctly distinguish between shape (4) and color fill (11).

Are you having problems adapting that code into say an if/else or some other structure for conditional flow?

[microbians com]

Sorry finally is solved. I used a sort of simmilar code based on that correct answer. Thanks!

function isLayerShape(l) {

app.activeDocument.activeLayer = l;

var s2t =stringIDToTypeID;

var r = new ActionReference();

r.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));

var d = new ActionDescriptor();

d.putObject(s2t("object"), s2t("object"), executeActionGet(r));

var obj = executeAction(s2t("convertJSONdescriptor"), d).getString(s2t("json"));

return obj.indexOf("pathBounds")!=-1;

}

[c.pfaffenbichler]

That's right, there is no property to distinguish between a shape or a solid color fill .... I need a solution.

By microbians com

Please provide a fuller description of your problem and, ideally, also a sample file or at least screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible. 

[microbians com]

I added a control to mantain visibility of the layer, just because the action excecution change it to visible always:

function isLayerShape(l) {
    var activeDoc = app.activeDocument;
    var currentVisiblity = l.visible;
activeDoc.activeLayer = l;
    var s2t =stringIDToTypeID;
    var r = new ActionReference();
r.putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
    var d = new ActionDescriptor();
d.putObject(s2t("object"), s2t("object"), executeActionGet(r));
    var obj = executeAction(s2t("convertJSONdescriptor"), d).getString(s2t("json"));
    l.visible=currentVisiblity;
    return obj.indexOf("pathBounds")!=-1;
}