Script request for toggling visibility of multiple layers using regex

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Hello,

I have done a ton of search, trail / error, and finally need to reach out for assistance.

I am attempting to create a PS script that toggles visibility of layers AND groups based on a regular expression in a PS document.

EXAMPLE STRUCTURE OF PS GROUPS & LAYERS

=======================================

• // example

• header

- some-layer

- // test

• footer

- another-layer

- // content-area

Bullet = Group

Hyphen = Layer

This script should hide both "// example", "// test", and "// content-area" on run. Running the script again would ideally reveal these layer(s) and group(s).

I have managed to located two scripts that do each half of the desired outcome below.

Part 1: Use Regular expression to locate each layer and group (I have modified the reg exp to use case):

Re: Script to search layer names

by: Michael L Hale

var re = /\/\/\ .*/; // a reg exp  
var matches = collectNamesAM(re); // get array of matching layer indexes  
for( var l = 0; l < matches.length; l++ ){
  makeActiveByIndex( matches, false );
  // do something with layer
  alert(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name);


} // next match if any  


function collectNamesAM(re){
  var allLayers = new Array();
  var startLoop = Number( !hasBackground() );
  var endLoop = getNumberOfLayer();
  for( var l = startLoop;l < endLoop; l++){
  while( !isValidActiveLayer( l ) ) {
  l++;
  }
  if( getLayerNameByIndex( l ).match(re) != null){
  allLayers.push( l );
  }
  }
  return allLayers;
};
/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
// Function: getActiveLayerIndex  
// Description: Gets gets the Action Manager API index  
//                        of activeLayer corrected for Background Layer  
// Usage: var idx = getActiveLayerIndex();  
// Input: None  
// Return: Number - correct AM itemIndex  
// Dependices: hasBackground  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
function getActiveLayerIndex() {
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , 1232366921 );
  ref.putEnumerated( 1283027488, 1332896878, 1416783732 );
  var res = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger( 1232366921 ) 
  - Number( hasBackground() );
  res == 4 ? res++:res // why the skip in this doc?  
  return res;
}
/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
// Function: isValidActiveLayer( )  
// Description: Checks LayerSection for 'real' layers  
// Usage: if( isValidActiveLayer() )  
// Input: None  
// Return: Boolean - True if not the end of a Set  
// Notes:  Needed only if the layer was made active  
//               using Action Manager API  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
function isValidActiveLayer( idx ) {
  var propName = stringIDToTypeID( 'layerSection' ); // can't replace  
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , propName); // TypeID for "Prpr"  
  // 'Lyr ", idx  
  ref.putIndex( 1283027488, idx );
  var desc =  executeActionGet( ref );
  var type = desc.getEnumerationValue( propName );
  var res = typeIDToStringID( type );
  return res == 'layerSectionEnd' ? false:true;
};
/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
// Function: hasBackground  
// Description: Test for background layer using AM API  
// Usage: if( hasBackground() );  
// Input: None  
// Return: Boolean - true if doc has background layer  
// Notes:  Requires the document to be active  
//  DOM:  App.Document.backgroundLayer  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
function hasBackground(){
  var res = undefined;
  try{
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , 1315774496);
  ref.putIndex( 1283027488, 0 );
  executeActionGet(ref).getString(1315774496 );;
  res = true;
  }catch(e){ res = false}
  return res;
};
function makeActiveByIndex( idx, forceVisible ){
  try{
  var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), idx)
  desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref );
  desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" ), forceVisible );
  executeAction( charIDToTypeID( "slct" ), desc, DialogModes.NO );
  }catch(e){ return -1;}
};
function getNumberOfLayer(){
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
  var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
  var numberOfLayer = desc.getInteger(charIDToTypeID("NmbL"));
  return numberOfLayer;
};
function getLayerNameByIndex( idx ) {
  var ref = new ActionReference();
  ref.putProperty( charIDToTypeID("Prpr") , charIDToTypeID( "Nm  " ));
  ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), idx );
  return executeActionGet(ref).getString(charIDToTypeID( "Nm  " ));;
};

This script shows an alert for each layer / group name that matches - It is locating the layers / groups!

Now I need these layers / groups to simultaneously hide or appear depending on their status.

I located a script that toggles visibility for a specific name (in this case 'GRID') here:

photoshop-grid-toggle/Toggle Grid.jsx at master · squarefrog/photoshop-grid-toggle · GitHub

var gridName = "GRID"; // Change to whatever you call your grid layer set.


function toggleGridLayer() {
    if (app.documents.length > 0) {
        var gridLayer = app.activeDocument.layerSets.getByName(gridName);
        gridLayer.visible = !gridLayer.visible;
    }
}


toggleGridLayer();

Essentially, I would like to fuse the toggling visibility script into the regular expression script. Any and all help would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

Note: Using PS CC 2015

Report · Jul 14, 2015

That script is all on one line and is difficult to see where separate lines are. If you want code to turn on or off a layer you can use:

var docLayer = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;
docLayer.visible=docLayer.visible==false;

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Your solution worked! I added the two lines you provided into the script at line 6 & 7 (after "// do something with layer") and it its toggling the visibility perfectly. The only thing to note for others that may come across this, is that the script does not find a match on the top most layer / group of the stack. The elements that I am toggling are nested, so this is not a concern for me. Just making a note.

P.S. - Sorry about not inserting the JS into the code formatting as pasting would wrap after I posted. It looked fine while editing in the reply field. Hm.

var re = /\/\/\ .*/; // a reg exp

var matches = collectNamesAM(re); // get array of matching layer indexes

for( var l = 0; l < matches.length; l++ ){

makeActiveByIndex( matches, false );

// do something with layer

var docLayer = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;

docLayer.visible=docLayer.visible==false;

// test matches with alert

// alert(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name);

} // next match if any

function collectNamesAM(re){

var allLayers = new Array();

var startLoop = Number( !hasBackground() );

var endLoop = getNumberOfLayer();

for( var l = startLoop;l < endLoop; l++){

while( !isValidActiveLayer( l ) ) {

l++;

}

if( getLayerNameByIndex( l ).match(re) != null){

allLayers.push( l );

}

return allLayers;

};

/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// Function: getActiveLayerIndex

// Description: Gets gets the Action Manager API index

// of activeLayer corrected for Background Layer

// Usage: var idx = getActiveLayerIndex();

// Input: None

// Return: Number - correct AM itemIndex

// Dependices: hasBackground

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/

function getActiveLayerIndex() {

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , 1232366921 );

ref.putEnumerated( 1283027488, 1332896878, 1416783732 );

var res = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger( 1232366921 )

- Number( hasBackground() );

res == 4 ? res++:res // why the skip in this doc?

return res;

}

/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// Function: isValidActiveLayer( )

// Description: Checks LayerSection for 'real' layers

// Usage: if( isValidActiveLayer() )

// Input: None

// Return: Boolean - True if not the end of a Set

// Notes: Needed only if the layer was made active

// using Action Manager API

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/

function isValidActiveLayer( idx ) {

var propName = stringIDToTypeID( 'layerSection' ); // can't replace

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , propName); // TypeID for "Prpr"

// 'Lyr ", idx

ref.putIndex( 1283027488, idx );

var desc = executeActionGet( ref );

var type = desc.getEnumerationValue( propName );

var res = typeIDToStringID( type );

return res == 'layerSectionEnd' ? false:true;

};

/*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// Function: hasBackground

// Description: Test for background layer using AM API

// Usage: if( hasBackground() );

// Input: None

// Return: Boolean - true if doc has background layer

// Notes: Requires the document to be active

// DOM: App.Document.backgroundLayer

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/

function hasBackground(){

var res = undefined;

try{

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putProperty( 1349677170 , 1315774496);

ref.putIndex( 1283027488, 0 );

executeActionGet(ref).getString(1315774496 );;

res = true;

}catch(e){ res = false}

return res;

};

function makeActiveByIndex( idx, forceVisible ){

try{

var desc = new ActionDescriptor();

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), idx)

desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref );

desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" ), forceVisible );

executeAction( charIDToTypeID( "slct" ), desc, DialogModes.NO );

}catch(e){ return -1;}

};

function getNumberOfLayer(){

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );

var desc = executeActionGet(ref);

var numberOfLayer = desc.getInteger(charIDToTypeID("NmbL"));

return numberOfLayer;

};

function getLayerNameByIndex( idx ) {

var ref = new ActionReference();

ref.putProperty( charIDToTypeID("Prpr") , charIDToTypeID( "Nm " ));

ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), idx );

return executeActionGet(ref).getString(charIDToTypeID( "Nm " ));;

};

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Glad it's working for you!

Report · Jul 15, 2015

Hi Chuck Uebele,

since a long time I missed the possibility to mark an answer as helpful. How did you mark my answer as helpful?

Best regards

Report · Jul 15, 2015

pixxxel schubser I'm a mod, so I can mark answers as helpful. It's been removed for regular users for some odd reason.

Report · Jul 15, 2015

What a shame. I guessed it.

But thank you for your answer.

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Hope it helps, MSpangenberg.

I have no CC2015 to test. Only CC2014

// string for regexp verification
var myRegexp = "example_test_content-area";
//
var wasHere = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;
var onOff = false;
// The group "example" visibility will dictate the other artlayers visibility
for (var a=0; a<app.activeDocument.layers.length ; a++) {
    //
    if (myRegexp.match(new RegExp(app.activeDocument.layers.name)) != null) {
        app.activeDocument.layers.visible = (String(app.activeDocument.layers.visible) == 'true') ? false : true;
        onOff = app.activeDocument.layers.visible;
    } else {
        // to activate a artlayer or group, will also put its visibility on at the same time (important):
        app.activeDocument.activeLayer = app.activeDocument.layers;
        for (var b=0; b<app.activeDocument.layers.artLayers.length ; b++) {
            if (myRegexp.match(new RegExp(app.activeDocument.layers.artLayers.name)) != null) {
                app.activeDocument.layers.artLayers.visible = onOff;
            }
        }
    }
}
// go back to the initial active layer
app.activeDocument.activeLayer = wasHere;

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Thanks for the reply!

I added my regular expression into the variable:

var myRegexp = /\/\/\ .*/;

Running the script, I receive the following error:

Error 24: myRegexp.match is not a function.

Line: 9

-> if (myRegexp.match(new RegExp(app.activeDocument.layers.name)) != null) {

Any ideas?

Report · Jul 14, 2015

Hi MSpangenberg‌,

you should use something like this (standalone "three-liner") in your script:

if (app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name.match(/\/\/\ .*/) != null) {
    alert("found: " + app.activeDocument.activeLayer.name.match(/\/\/\ .*/));
    }

Have fun

Script request for toggling visibility of multiple layers using regex

1 Correct answer

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