Quick way to select all layer contents in a group?

[baserock love]

Hey, I know you can select all the content on a layer by ctrl+clicking the layer thumbnail in the layers pallet but is there a way to do that with a group?  I have a huge group with a bunch of stuff in it, i want to do an adjustment mask that only effects that group and ctrl+shift clicking each layer to add it to the selection is not fast.  

I can't seem to find any answer to this and it seems like a thing that would exist.

[@mj]

Hi,

I can think of two possibilities.

1. Duplicate your group, Make the duplicate a smart object and Ctrl+click it to get your selection
2. Duplicate your group, merge layers in the duplicate group and Ctrl+click it to get your selection

You can then save the selection as a mask for future use

hth

1.  

[marliton]

Hi. You can apply Adjustment layers and Layer masks to Layer groups. Just select the group and apply the Adjustment and/or Mask as if were a layer. That Adjustment and/or Mask will affect all layers contained in that group.

[Bojan Živković]

You can clip Adjustment layer to layer group without any need for masking to limit adjustment to group only.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I would automate using a simple 4 step action to save the selection as an alpha channel, otherwise only 3 steps:

A script could go further, such as naming the alpha channel after the original group name.

That being said, one of the earlier suggestions would be preferable.

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, please vote on this feature request: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/load-create-a-selection-from-a-group-or-mul...

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

+1 vote...

In the meantime:

/*
Load Group Transparency to Selection.jsx
Stephen Marsh, 7th September 2021
v1.0
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/quick-way-to-select-all-layer-contents-in-a-group/td-p/11139779
Quick way to select all layer contents in a group?
*/

function loadGroupTransparency() {
    // check for group with layers as active layer
    if ((app.activeDocument.activeLayer.typename === "LayerSet" && app.activeDocument.activeLayer.layers.length > 0)) {

        // Get layer name
        var groupName = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name;

        // Create temp merged layer
        mergedLayer();

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

        // Load layer transparency
        loadLayerTrans();

        // Save selection to alpha
        // selectionToAlpha();

        // 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);
        }

        function selectionToAlpha() {
            // Save selection to alpha
            var idmake = stringIDToTypeID("make");
            var desc348 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idnew = stringIDToTypeID("new");
            var desc349 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idname = stringIDToTypeID("name");
            // Group name
            desc349.putString(idname, groupName + " Transparency");
            var idcolorIndicates = stringIDToTypeID("colorIndicates");
            var idmaskIndicator = stringIDToTypeID("maskIndicator");
            // "selectedAreas"
            var idmaskedAreas = stringIDToTypeID("maskedAreas");
            // idselectedAreas
            desc349.putEnumerated(idcolorIndicates, idmaskIndicator, idmaskedAreas);
            var idcolor = stringIDToTypeID("color");
            var desc350 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idred = stringIDToTypeID("red");
            desc350.putDouble(idred, 255.000000);
            var idgrain = stringIDToTypeID("grain");
            desc350.putDouble(idgrain, 0.000000);
            var idblue = stringIDToTypeID("blue");
            desc350.putDouble(idblue, 0.000000);
            var idRGBColor = stringIDToTypeID("RGBColor");
            desc349.putObject(idcolor, idRGBColor, desc350);
            var idopacity = stringIDToTypeID("opacity");
            desc349.putInteger(idopacity, 50);
            var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID("channel");
            desc348.putObject(idnew, idchannel, desc349);
            var idusing = stringIDToTypeID("using");
            var ref88 = new ActionReference();
            var idchannel = stringIDToTypeID("channel");
            var idselection = stringIDToTypeID("selection"); // 
            ref88.putProperty(idchannel, idselection);
            desc348.putReference(idusing, ref88);
            executeAction(idmake, desc348, DialogModes.NO);
        }

    } else {
        alert("This action only works on a selected Layer Group");
    }
}
// Single history step
app.activeDocument.suspendHistory("Load Group Transparency to Selection", "loadGroupTransparency()");

EDIT: Here is one for selected layers.

/*
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() {

    // 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()");

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/11/downloading-and-installing-adobe-scripts.html

[andrander]

Thanks adobe (removed)

[brunafilismino]

Select Move, click in the gear icon and make sure you have all the options selected. Including the first one. That's what worked for me.