Ps Actions does not record certain tool selections

JulianMuscott

It seems that in order to draw a gradient on a layer, you do not need to write the selection of this tool and its preset into the action. Everything is recorded in one gradient command and does not require then selecting the gradient tool anf preset during playback.

I think so, check it out for yourself.

@r-bin, have you edited the atn file? great idea! 

Not everything you do in Photoshop records. As you found out Selecting some tool selections do not record and you also found out you can only select Tool Preset for the current tool unless you have show all tool presets in Photoshop UI.  You will also find that recording tools usage  is not very useful unless all documents the action will be used  on have Canvas size so the tool strokes  will be the same in each document.

So if all you actually want to do is to select the tool you want to use when the action finishes.  You can do that in the action by using a little Photoshop to select tool menu File>Scripts>SelectToolName.

selectTool("magicLassoTool");
function selectTool(tool) {
    var desc9 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref7 = new ActionReference();
        ref7.putClass( app.stringIDToTypeID(tool) );
    desc9.putReference( app.charIDToTypeID('null'), ref7 );
    executeAction( app.charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc9, DialogModes.NO );
};
/* Some Photoshop tool names here you will not see the Frame tool here I even removed it from my Tool Bar so don't look here
'moveTool'                     'cloneStampTool'            'typeCreateOrEditTool'            'artboardTool'
'marqueeRectTool'              'patternStampTool'          'typeVerticalCreateOrEditTool'    'perspectiveCropTool'
'marqueeEllipTool'             'historyBrushTool'          'typeCreateMaskTool'              'eyedropperTool'              
'marqueeSingleRowTool'         'artBrushTool'              'typeVerticalCreateMaskTool'      '3DMaterialSelectTool'
'marqueeSingleColumnTool'      'eraserTool'                'pathComponentSelectTool'         "magicLassoTool" 
'lassoTool'                    'backgroundEraserTool'      'directSelectTool'
'polySelTool'                  'magicEraserTool'           'rectangleTool'
'magneticLassoTool'            'gradientTool'              'roundedRectangleTool'
'quickSelectTool'              'bucketTool'                'ellipseTool'
'magicWandTool'                'blurTool'                  'polygonTool'
'cropTool'                     'sharpenTool'               'lineTool'
'sliceTool'                    'smudgeTool'                'customShapeTool'
'sliceSelectTool'              'dodgeTool'                 'textAnnotTool'
'spotHealingBrushTool'         'burnInTool'                'soundAnnotTool'
'magicStampTool'               'saturationTool'            'eyedropperTool'
'patchSelection'               'penTool'                   'colorSamplerTool'
'redEyeTool'                   'freeformPenTool'           'rulerTool'
'paintbrushTool'               'addKnotTool'               'handTool'
'pencilTool'                   'deleteKnotTool'            'zoomTool'
'colorReplacementBrushTool'    'convertKnotTool'           'wetBrushTool' 
*/

How do I enable a GROUP of tool presets? Creating an action causes an error.

If you have the tool preset loaded then the action can open the recorded preset first, which will also select the gradient tool (I forgot to mention that current tool only has to be unchecked in tool presets, thanks Kukurykus).

Actions are more accessible but limited in functionality compared to scripts. A script can select a tool, which can be recorded into an action.