Would like to automate open stacks as layers + run action. Possible with script??

Hi Everyone,

I have the same issue as Orchid Photo- I have hundreds of folders, each with 5 images in them- I need each set of 5 to be aligned then stacked as layers. I have tried the scripts kindly presented here, however I can't seem to get them to run (I have never run a script before). When I run, it says "Result:onSelect()" and the "Stack to Layers" appears in the tool menu, but nothing happens at all when I click it. Even if I highlight a folder, or the set of 5 images I want stacked and click "Stack to Layers", nothing happens.

What could I be doing wrong here? I appreciate any help I could get.

Also, just for clarification, I am assuming that this script will open multiple folders as different stacks in photoshop? Ultimately I want to save a single stacked 5 layer image (non-flattened) in its state of alignment, as a tiff in the original folder. (RGB, NIR and Red Edge bands of light).

Just for context, I am aligning slightly offsetting satellite images covering the same areas. Each folder has a frame (5 bands) that I'd like to realign so the surface features match perfectly over the 5 bands/frame.  

Complicated eh? But any help would be immensely appreciated. Donations are available.

I found a wierd bug in bridge/photoshop while using this script. Or is there something missing from the script?

I discovered that if I change just one raw file in camera raw (eg WB) then the 'load files into stack' script loads all the files with default settings, ignoring the changes made and saved while in Camera RAW.

On the otherhand if I change all the files, then the camera raw settings are observed and the files are loaded into a stack with the new settings.

The problem only seems to happen when the discussed script sends the files from bridge for processing. It doesn't happen if I manually go to BRIDGE >Tools>Photoshop>Loadfiles into Photoshop Layers.

Does anyone know if there is a fix? The script is below

var stacks = app.document.stacks;
var stackCount = stacks.length;
for(var s = 0;s<stackCount;s++){
      var stackFiles = getStackFiles( stacks );
      if(stackFiles.length> 1){
           var bt = new BridgeTalk;
           bt.target = "photoshop";
           var myScript = ("var ftn = " + psRemote.toSource() + "; ftn("+stackFiles.toSource()+");");
           bt.body = myScript;
           bt.onResult = function( inBT ) {myReturnValue(inBT.body); }
           bt.send(500);
      }
}
function getStackFiles( stack ){
      var files = new Array();
      for( var f = 0; f<stack.thumbnails.length;f++){
           files.push(stack.thumbnails.spec);
      }
      return files;
};
function myReturnValue(str){
      res = str;
}
function psRemote(stackFiles){
      var loadLayersFromScript = true;
      var strPresets = localize ("$$$/ApplicationPresetsFolder/Presets=Presets");
      var strScripts = localize ("$$$/PSBI/Automate/ImageProcessor/Photoshop/Scripts=Scripts");
      var strFile2Stack = "Load Files into Stack.jsx";
      var ipFilePath = app.path + "/" + strPresets + "/" + strScripts + "/" + strFile2Stack;
      var ipFile = new File (ipFilePath);
      $.evalFile( ipFile );
      loadLayers.intoStack(stackFiles);
}

Thank you Michael, Paul and JJMack. This has given me plenty to work with!! 

I have moved this thread to Bridge Scripting. Please see http://forums.adobe.com/thread/881342 for further discussion.

Thanks for your help. I should clarify that I would like to automatically process multiple stacks. So a script would need to..

1) find first stack

2) open as layers

3) run PS action

4) save and close (as psd preserving layers)

5) find next stack, etc

I'm already using open as layers (LR3) and processing with the PS action. While this semi automatic approach is ok, the actions take a while to work through and it would better if I was free to do something else  (such as help my wife with our newborn).

Stilesy911 wrote: Something similar to 'Process Collection' in Bridge CS5 only with my own action instead of merge to HDR/Panorama.

If you want to work from Bridge you can select your images then choose Tools-Photoshop-Load Files into Photoshop Layers. That will load the selected files into one Photoshop document. You can then run your action.

It may be possible to automate your entire workflow but we would need more details about what you want done.

Photoshop CS5 ships with a Script "Load Files into  Stack" that uses three of Photoshop Stacks Scripts that will load files into a Document as layers and optionally align them. In this forum or PS-Scripting community web other have written scripts to load  files into a stack and align them as a strip by expanding the canvas and then moving the newly add layer into the expanded area.  Auto Collection I believe is what you wrote about seems to be listed the Bridge  preferences in startup scripts.

"Load files into a stack" is not a plug in script so you can not record its use in an action and bypass its dialog. However you may be able to do what you want in two stages. "Load Files into stack"  followed by a script that you write that will process all the layers. Targeting layer after layer and do your action for each targeted layer.