Remove DocumentAncestors recursively for all SmartObjects in a PSD

[m3zli]

I am currently working on a script that can clean the DocumentAncestors in a .psd file. 

Since there are SmartObjects in the SmartObjects of the PSD, I am current trying to recursively iterate trough all layers, check if a layer is a SmartObject and if so, iterate into it and check if any further SmartObjects exist. If no more SmartObjects exist, the script starts to delete the DocumentAncestors recursively. 

The problems:

- it seems to iterate correctly through all the layers, but the removal not always seems to work, since there are many DocumentAncestor entries left in the PSD afterwards

- the procedure is also very heavy on the woking volumes. I am currently trying to remove the Ancestors of a 800MB PSD and the working volumes need >150GB of space

- after about 5-10 min, the variable which holds the current SmartObject becomes invalid

The code implements several different little scripts and parts of users found on here (JJMack, Kukurykus just to name a few)

#target photoshop
var count = 0;
const doneIDs = [];
var doc = app.activeDocument;
doc.suspendHistory("Delete Ancestors Metadata", "processSOLayers(doc)");

function processSOLayers(theParent) 
{
    $.writeln("Entering Parent: " + theParent.name );
    count++;
    $.writeln( "Depth: " + count);

    for (var m = 0; m <  theParent.layers.length; m++) 
    {
        var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];

        if (theLayer.typename === "ArtLayer") 
        {
            if (theLayer.kind === LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT) 
            {
                var theVisibility = theLayer.visible;
                app.activeDocument.activeLayer = theLayer;

                var layerID = getLayerId();
                if( layerIsPsObject(layerID) )
                {
                    $.writeln("Opening SmartObject: " + theLayer.name);
                    var smartObject = openSmartObject(theLayer);
                    if( smartObject.id !== theParent.id && !isAlreadyDone(smartObject.id))
                    {
                        processSOLayers(smartObject);
                        deleteDocAncestors(smartObject);
                        smartObject.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
                        $.writeln("Saved SmartObject: " + theLayer.name + " ID: " + theLayer.id);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        smartObject.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
                    }
                }
                theLayer.visible = theVisibility;
            }
            //alert("SO doc cleaned");
        } 
        else
        { 
            //Layerset
            processSOLayers(theLayer);
            $.writeln("Exiting LayerSet: " + theLayer.name );
        }
    }
    
    $.writeln("Exiting parent: " + theParent.name );
    count--;
    $.writeln( "Depth: " + count);
    return;
}

deleteDocAncestors(doc);
//alert("Parent doc cleaned");

function deleteDocAncestors(document) 
{
    if (ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript === undefined) ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject("lib:AdobeXMPScript");
    var xmp = new XMPMeta(document.xmpMetadata.rawData);
    xmp.deleteProperty(XMPConst.NS_PHOTOSHOP, "DocumentAncestors");
    document.xmpMetadata.rawData = xmp.serialize();
    $.writeln("Cleaned Ancestors...")
}

function isAlreadyDone(id)
{
    for( var i = 0; i < doneIDs.length; ++i)
    {
        if( doneIDs[i] === id)
            return true;
    }

    doneIDs.push(id);
    return false;
}

function getLayerId()
{
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt')); // reference is active layer
    var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
    var layerID = layerDesc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID('layerID'));

    return layerID;
}

function openSmartObject (theLayer) 
{
    try
    {
        var idplacedLayerEditContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerEditContents" );
        var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
        executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );

        return app.activeDocument;
    }
    catch(e)
    {
        alert(e.name + " " + e.message);
        return undefined;
    }
};

function smartobject_file_ext(id) 
{  
    try 
    {         
        var r = new ActionReference();     
        r.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));  
        r.putIdentifier(stringIDToTypeID("layer"), id);  
        var name = executeActionGet(r).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject")).getString(stringIDToTypeID("fileReference"));         
         
        var n = name.lastIndexOf(".");
        if (n < 0) return "";
     
        return name.substr(n+1).toLowerCase();  
    }  
    catch (e) 
    {
        $.writeln(e);
        return "error"; 
    }  
}   

function layerIsPsObject(layerID) 
{
	var ext = smartobject_file_ext(layerID);  
	switch (ext)  
		{  
        case "psb":
        case "psd":
            return true;
  		default:  
			return false;
    }  
}

[Stephen Marsh]

---

@JuDrus wrote:

And what it does with linked files? Because 3 out of my 13 linked files disappeared completely from my computer... not from layers, but from my project "linked files" folder...

I ran a script and got this error:

After clicking OK, this popped up:

And after clicking this OK, I saw that there were red question marks on a couple of my layers, so I thought "oh... what? how did they linked off? ok I will relink them"... But when I tried to relink them, these files were no longer in my "link files" folder... I also checked Recycle Bin, but they were not there either...

So what happened and why did my linked files disappeared out of this world?

I'm glad that I tested it on my fresh project and it was only simple balloon files that I will be able to re-download, but if this would happen on a more complex file that was created from scratch, I would jump out of a window...

---

If you read this entire topic, then you'll know as much as I do!

I haven't tested with linked files or TIFF.

[JuDrus]

@m3zli Maybe you as creator could comment on this?

[m3zli]

Hey,

I'm currently not maintaining this script, as I had a usecase for this nearly 2 years ago, but am not the one using it. Just from guessing it could probably be a problem with a newer version, as this script was tested on a veeery old CS 5 version. Sorry this wasn't helpful at all, but as said, I have no current usecase for now and won't look into this until I might face the same problem.

[m3zli]

@JuDrus  I don't know how much programming knowledge you have, but I think I can explain to you how to fix the problem. As I own no valid Photoshop license right now, I am not able to rewrite and test it myself, sorry.

I am currently not fully hands on the topic, but here's what I  think happens:

- tiff/tif files seem to work different than psd or psb SmartObjects

- it looks like they don't create an overhead, like psd or psb files, when iterating(opening) into them (based on your screenshot)

- the tiff/tif file gets incorrectly removed, because that's the standard procedure for psd and psb files

- the tiff/tif file is now broken, because we deleted its content

maybe that helps, but I think I can do no more from here on (till I get a new PS license at least 😉 )

[Stephen Marsh]

@JuDrus @m3zli 

I have just taken a look at the code... I think that the answer is simple (I have performed limited testing). There is a "garbage collection" step that was intended to work with temp files for embedded smart objects, however, if the script is run on a linked smart object then the garbage collection deletes the linked file without recovery.

A simple, quick fix is to disable the offending step, changing the following line:

removePSB(path);

To:

//removePSB(path);

Another option would be to test if the smart object is linked, and if so skip the garbage collection.

[Stephen Marsh]

Here is an edited version with a conditional check for the smart object being embedded. I have performed limited testing and this appears to stop linked smart objects being deleted from disk:

/*

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/remove-documentancestors-recursively-for-all-smartobjects-in-a-psd/td-p/13043605

Remove DocumentAncestors recursively for all SmartObjects in a PSD.jsx

Hacked together by m3zli
04.07.2022

Edited by Stephen Marsh
25th April 2024 - Conditional check for embedded smart object added to avoid deleting links smart object files

Interesting posts, which helped me write this script:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/inflated-jpg-file-size-photoshop-document-ancestors-metadata/m-p/8055434
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/rasterize_all_smart_objects_in_a_psd_file_to_shrink_down_its_size
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/remove-documentancestors-recursively-for-all-smartobjects-in-a-psd/m-p/13047853#M655448 
https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/06/metadata-bloat-photoshopdocumentancestors.html 
https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/directory-manipulation-as-part-of-an-extend-script/m-p/7822479

Adobe Photoshop CC JavaScript Reference 2020

*/

#target photoshop
var count = 0;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
doc.suspendHistory("Delete Ancestors Metadata", "processSOLayers(doc)");

function processSOLayers(theParent) 
{
    $.writeln("Entering Parent: " + theParent.name );
    count++;
    $.writeln( "Depth: " + count);

    var soLayers = getSmartObjectLayers();
    
    for (var m = 0; m < soLayers.length; m++) 
    {
        var layerID = soLayers[m];
        selectById(layerID);

        if( layerIsPhotoshopObject(layerID) )
        {
            $.writeln("Opening SmartObject ID: " + layerID);
            var smartObject = openSmartObject();
            var path = smartObject.fullName;

            if( smartObject.id !== theParent.id)
            {
                processSOLayers(smartObject);
                deleteDocAncestors(smartObject);
                smartObject.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
                $.writeln("Saved SmartObject ID: " + layerID);

                // Garbage collection step modified to avoid deleting linked smart objects!
                var ref = new ActionReference();
                ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
                var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
                ref.putProperty(charIDToTypeID("Prpr"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
                ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
                var so = executeActionGet(ref).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
                var soMoreDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObjectMore'));
                if (so.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("linked")) === false) {
                    removePSB(path);
                }
            }
        }
    }
    
    $.writeln("Exiting parent: " + theParent.name );
    count--;
    $.writeln( "Depth: " + count);
    return;
}

deleteDocAncestors(doc);
doc.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);

function selectById(id) 
{
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), id);
    desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID('null'), ref);
    executeAction(charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}

function getSmartObjectLayers() 
{
    var ids = [];
    var layers, desc, type, id;

    try
    {
      activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
      layers = 0;
    }
    catch (e)
    {
      layers = 1;
    }

    while (true)
    {
      ref = new ActionReference();
      ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layers);
      try
      {
        desc = executeActionGet(ref);
      }
      catch (err)
      {
        break;
      }
      type = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("layerKind"));
      id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("layerID"));
      if (type == 5 ) ids.push(id);
      layers++;
    }
    return ids;

}

function deleteDocAncestors(document) 
{
    if (ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript === undefined) ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject("lib:AdobeXMPScript");
    var xmp = new XMPMeta(document.xmpMetadata.rawData);
    xmp.deleteProperty(XMPConst.NS_PHOTOSHOP, "DocumentAncestors");
    document.xmpMetadata.rawData = xmp.serialize();
    $.writeln("Cleaned Ancestors...")
}

function openSmartObject () 
{
    try
    {
        var idplacedLayerEditContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerEditContents" );
        var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
        executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );

        return app.activeDocument;
    }
    catch(e)
    {
        alert(e.name + " " + e.message);
        return undefined;
    }
};

function removePSB(path)
{
    var file = new File(path);
    if(file.exists)
    {
        file.remove();
        $.writeln("Removed file: " + path);
    }
    file.close();
}

function getSmartObjectFileExtension(id) 
{  
    try 
    {         
        var r = new ActionReference();     
        r.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));  
        r.putIdentifier(stringIDToTypeID("layer"), id);  
        var name = executeActionGet(r).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject")).getString(stringIDToTypeID("fileReference"));         
         
        var n = name.lastIndexOf(".");
        if (n < 0) return "";
     
        return name.substr(n+1).toLowerCase();  
    }  
    catch (e) 
    {
        $.writeln(e);
        return "error"; 
    }  
}   

function layerIsPhotoshopObject(layerID) 
{
	var ext = getSmartObjectFileExtension(layerID);  
    $.writeln("Object with ID " + layerID + " Ext: " + ext);
	switch (ext)  
		{  
        case "psb":
        case "psd":
        case "png":

            return true;
  		default:  
			return false;
    }  
}

[Kuro Kei]

Hello, thank you for this amazing script, it works wonderful!!
Would you mind helping me edit this script to ignore Generative Fill layers? Currently for it to work i have to merge all generative fill layer :< It would be life saving for me!!

[Stephen Marsh]

Hello, thank you for this amazing script, it works wonderful!!
Would you mind helping me edit this script to ignore Generative Fill layers? Currently for it to work i have to merge all generative fill layer :< It would be life saving for me!!

By @Kuro Kei

I have not tested this update, please test on a copy, just in case... use at your own risk!  :]

Feedback is appreciated.

/*

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/remove-documentancestors-recursively-for-all-smartobjects-in-a-psd/td-p/13043605

Remove DocumentAncestors recursively for all SmartObjects in a PSD 16july2025.jsx

Hacked together by m3zli
04.07.2022

Interesting posts, which helped me write this script:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/inflated-jpg-file-size-photoshop-document-ancestors-metadata/m-p/8055434
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/rasterize_all_smart_objects_in_a_psd_file_to_shrink_down_its_size
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/remove-documentancestors-recursively-for-all-smartobjects-in-a-psd/m-p/13047853#M655448 
https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/06/metadata-bloat-photoshopdocumentancestors.html 
https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/directory-manipulation-as-part-of-an-extend-script/m-p/7822479

Adobe Photoshop CC JavaScript Reference 2020

Edited by Stephen Marsh

25th April 2024 - Conditional check for embedded smart object added to avoid deleting links smart object files

16th July 2025 - Conditional check for generative smart object added at request

*/

#target photoshop
var count = 0;
var doc = app.activeDocument;
doc.suspendHistory("Delete Ancestors Metadata", "processSOLayers(doc)");

function processSOLayers(theParent) {
    $.writeln("Entering Parent: " + theParent.name);
    count++;
    $.writeln("Depth: " + count);

    var soLayers = getSmartObjectLayers();

    for (var m = 0; m < soLayers.length; m++) {
        var layerID = soLayers[m];
        selectById(layerID);

        if (layerIsPhotoshopObject(layerID)) {
            $.writeln("Opening SmartObject ID: " + layerID);
            var smartObject = openSmartObject();
            var path = smartObject.fullName;

            if (smartObject.id !== theParent.id) {
                processSOLayers(smartObject);
                deleteDocAncestors(smartObject);
                smartObject.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
                $.writeln("Saved SmartObject ID: " + layerID);

                // Garbage collection step modified to avoid deleting linked smart objects!
                var ref = new ActionReference();
                ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
                var layerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
                ref.putProperty(charIDToTypeID("Prpr"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
                ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt"));
                var so = executeActionGet(ref).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
                var soMoreDesc = layerDesc.getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID('smartObjectMore'));
                if (so.getBoolean(stringIDToTypeID("linked")) === false) {
                    removePSB(path);
                }

                // Garbage collection step modifed to avoid processing generative smart object layers
                if (soMoreDesc.hasKey(stringIDToTypeID('generativeDocInfo')) === false) {
                    removePSB(path);
                }
            }
        }
    }

    $.writeln("Exiting parent: " + theParent.name);
    count--;
    $.writeln("Depth: " + count);
    return;
}

deleteDocAncestors(doc);
doc.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);

function selectById(id) {
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), id);
    desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID('null'), ref);
    executeAction(charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}

function getSmartObjectLayers() {
    var ids = [];
    var layers, desc, type, id;

    try {
        activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
        layers = 0;
    }
    catch (e) {
        layers = 1;
    }

    while (true) {
        ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layers);
        try {
            desc = executeActionGet(ref);
        }
        catch (err) {
            break;
        }
        type = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("layerKind"));
        id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("layerID"));
        if (type == 5) ids.push(id);
        layers++;
    }
    return ids;

}

function deleteDocAncestors(document) {
    if (ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript === undefined) ExternalObject.AdobeXMPScript = new ExternalObject("lib:AdobeXMPScript");
    var xmp = new XMPMeta(document.xmpMetadata.rawData);
    xmp.deleteProperty(XMPConst.NS_PHOTOSHOP, "DocumentAncestors");
    document.xmpMetadata.rawData = xmp.serialize();
    $.writeln("Cleaned Ancestors...")
}

function openSmartObject() {
    try {
        var idplacedLayerEditContents = stringIDToTypeID("placedLayerEditContents");
        var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
        executeAction(idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO);

        return app.activeDocument;
    }
    catch (e) {
        alert(e.name + " " + e.message);
        return undefined;
    }
};

function removePSB(path) {
    var file = new File(path);
    if (file.exists) {
        file.remove();
        $.writeln("Removed file: " + path);
    }
    file.close();
}

function getSmartObjectFileExtension(id) {
    try {
        var r = new ActionReference();
        r.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("smartObject"));
        r.putIdentifier(stringIDToTypeID("layer"), id);
        var name = executeActionGet(r).getObjectValue(stringIDToTypeID("smartObject")).getString(stringIDToTypeID("fileReference"));

        var n = name.lastIndexOf(".");
        if (n < 0) return "";

        return name.substr(n + 1).toLowerCase();
    }
    catch (e) {
        $.writeln(e);
        return "error";
    }
}

function layerIsPhotoshopObject(layerID) {
    var ext = getSmartObjectFileExtension(layerID);
    $.writeln("Object with ID " + layerID + " Ext: " + ext);
    switch (ext) {
        case "psb":
        case "psd":
        case "png":

            return true;
        default:
            return false;
    }
}

[patrickhennessey]

exiftool can already do this: exiftool -r -overwrite_original -XMP-photoshop:DocumentAncestors= [filepath.psd]

[jazz-y]

No, it cannot.

This topic is about DocumentAncestors in smart objects nested in a document. Exiftool works only with the metadata block of the main document.

[patrickhennessey]

Ahh, that's unfortunate. Still, there is a workaround: make smart objects into linked PSB assets, run the exiftool on that, then re-embed them into the PSD. Not as elegant, but it would work.