Script to select next path in the Paths panel and use Insert Path menu item from Actions panel

[Bojan Živković]

I need script for very boring task if possible to automate at least something in this work which consist of several thousand repeats multiplied by 5 steps. In essence I am replacing Set Work Path step with new path. Here are steps I am taking to accomplish task:

• Select Set Work Path step in action
• Select next path in Paths panel
• Use Insert Path from Actions panel menu
• Select previous action step Set Work Path
• Delete Set Work Path
• Select next Set Work Path step in action
• Repeat....

[Bojan Živković]

Thanks @Stephen Marsh , this script is selecting path below currently selected in the Paths panel but only briefly and then returns to originally selected and opens some dialogue.

[Stephen Marsh]

Don't run the script through ESTK, just run the script in Photoshop directly, do you get different behaviour?

I tested in Ps version 2021 on Mac, using VS Code debugger and direct in Photoshop and it works as expected.

[Bojan Živković]

Here is what is going on https://www.screencast.com/t/SNH6aQeVy

Running CS6 on Windows.

Exactly same thing happens in Ps 2021.

[Stephen Marsh]

Curious... What happens if you remove the two debugger lines:

$.writeln(currPath);

$.writeln(incr);

Thanks for the feedback. 

[Bojan Živković]

Same thing, I commented lines and everything works in the same manner: script will quickly select below path and immediately jump back to originaly selected (above) path.

[Stephen Marsh]

Oh well, this is what becomes of being a hack!

I'm glad that @c.pfaffenbichler posted a workable alternative... I can't even hack that one to decrement to select previous layer (I know that you want next, but previous should be just as useful in other situations).

[Kukurykus]

He rather asked if it is going to launch ExtendScript ToolKit.

[Kukurykus]

Script ran from Ps shouldn't open ESTK. Beofre you execute .jsx, insert at beginning:

#target photoshop

Quit ToolKit and Photoshop and see which release of Photoshop is going to be opened.

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

// select next path;
// 2020, use it at your own risk;
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var thisPathIndex = selectedPath ();
if (thisPathIndex != null) {
    if (thisPathIndex == activeDocument.pathItems.length) {thisPathIndex = 1}
    else {thisPathIndex++};
    var desc28 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref5 = new ActionReference();
        ref5.putIndex( stringIDToTypeID( "path" ), thisPathIndex );
    desc28.putReference( stringIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref5 );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "select" ), desc28, DialogModes.NO );
};
};
////// determine selected path index //////
function selectedPath () {
    try {
    var ref = new ActionReference(); 
    ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Path"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") ); 
    var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
    var theIndex = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("itemIndex"));
    return theIndex
    } catch (e) {return null}
    };

[Bojan Živković]

This works, it is selecting next path in the Paths panel. Is it possible to add another step in process: use Insert Path menu item from Actions panel menu?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I see no immediate option for that. 

I think using Scripting to edit existing Actions in Photoshop is a problematic approach. 

[Kukurykus]

sTT = stringIDToTypeID;
(ref = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated
(sTT('path'), sTT('ordinal'), sTT('targetEnum'));
(dsc = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(sTT('null'), ref),
executeAction(sTT('duplicate'), dsc)

[Kukurykus]

This code is not an answer for original question. It does just the easiest part of job, I offered as well to share with other steps. Additionally Stephen_A_Marsh posted 'the same' code earlier.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

---

@Kukurykus wrote:

This code is not an answer for original question. It does just the easiest part of job, I offered as well to share with other steps. Additionally Stephen_A_Marsh posted 'the same' code earlier.

---

I did not mark my post the »Correct Answer« so feel free to change that ranking if possible. 

Anyway, I see no immediate option to »Insert Path« into the Action via Script – do you have a solution for that? 

Though I wonder what the point of this step is anyway; is the Action with those newly included Paths intended to be run on another file later on? 

[Kukurykus]

No worries, that was not to you, but Bojan Živković 😉

The workaround may be probably code posted 22m ago

[Stephen Marsh]

@c.pfaffenbichler 

I like how your version of the next/prev path selection script cycles back to the top when it hits the bottom. My script just stops at the bottom.

[Kukurykus]

He posted 2 scripts. You are interested only in the first one (you may record to action).

[Kukurykus]

l = activeDocument.channels.length
sTT = stringIDToTypeID; (ref = new ActionReference())
.putEnumerated(sTT('channel'), sTT('ordinal'), sTT('targetEnum'));
(i = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(sTT('itemIndex'))) > 0 && i < l
&& ((ref = new ActionReference()).putIndex(sTT('channel'), ++i),
(dsc = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(sTT('null'), ref),
executeAction(sTT('select'), dsc))

[Stephen Marsh]

@Kukurykus - Thank you for the select next channel code, I have the same issue in that I'd like to edit it to decrement to select the previous channel, however I can't make it work. 

[Kukurykus]

It's not same but very similar, so you shouldn't have any problem. To decreaase use --i.

[Stephen Marsh]

---

@Kukurykus wrote:

It's not same but very similar, so you shouldn't have any problem. To decreaase use --i.

---

If I wasn't having problems hacking the code I wouldn't have posted that I was having problems.

I have tried both single and double decrement operators as both prefix and postfix. I had the same issue trying to make a previous path version of the script posted by @c.pfaffenbichler – it is not that easy. In both cases I can't make a version that selects the previous path or channel.

[Kukurykus]

So you don't talk of yours and mine script, but his. Then change 2 lines to:

if (thisPathIndex==1){thisPathIndex=activeDocument.pathItems.length}
else{thisPathIndex--};

[Stephen Marsh]

---

@Kukurykus wrote:

So you don't talk of yours and mine script, but his. Then change 2 lines to:

if (thisPathIndex==1){thisPathIndex=activeDocument.pathItems.length}
else{thisPathIndex--};

---

Sorry if I was not clear... I can't make a previous version of your channel script either. It is "not that easy" (for me).

Thank you, I now have a working version of the script from @c.pfaffenbichler to select the previous path!

EDIT: No, I am not talking about my path scripts, I made both previous and next versions, however due to the issues reported by @Bojan Živković with my code, I would prefer versions that reportedly run without issues (even if I can't reproduce the same issue, it has made me doubt my code).

[Bojan Živković]

@Stephen Marsh send code to someone else to test on Windows machine, for
example.

Bojan Živković
bojan2273@gmail.com

[Stephen Marsh]

---

@Bojan Živković wrote:
@Stephen Marsh send code to someone else to test on Windows machine, for
example.

---

@Bojan Živković 

Thanks, I can test in Windows, it is just not convenient. So I justed tested my original two scripts in Win 10 and Ps 2022 and they work the same as on the Mac. I used browse, I didn't install the scripts, however I can't see why the behaviour would be different to browse. ESTK does not pop up, the next or previous path selected by the script remains selected.

So, I can't reproduce the issues you showed on either Mac or Windows in multiple versions of Photoshop.

I have updated the code in my previous posts to use ++ and -- increment/decrement operators rather than adding +1 or subtracting -1 from the curent path index, which is a different way of doing the same thing. I would be interested if that has a different outcome, but apart from that I can't explain your issues. Perhaps you need to reset prefs.