P: Layer Comps that remember Layer Comps within Smart Objects

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Someone may be able to point out to me that this feature already exists in one way or another but I haven't been able to find it so far - Photoshop or Forums.

So, Photoshop recently introduced the ability to change the state of a layer comp within a smart object in the Properties menu, without opening that object. This is an amazing feature.

I thought that logically, there would also now be a preference to 'Remember Smart Object Layer Comp' within the Layer Comp preferences of the main document in the same way that it can remember the visibility and position of any element.

I can only imagine how tidy my Photoshop work space would become if this were the case.

Any ideas?

[IlMostro]

I second this idea, it would be incredibly useful.
For web design I save buttons as smart objects and use the layer comps within it to set different states of it (like active, hover, loading etc...)

If the main psd in wich I am designing my website layout (and in which I am placing said button) has different layer comps as well (for different pages, like "home", "contacts" etc...) I could set a different state for the button in each of those, easily simulating the behavior of menu buttons in the mock up.

[Mattias_Bregnballe]

A lot of people have been requesting this. I'm still hoping it will come soon, but haven't heard anything 😞

[Mattias_Bregnballe]

I suggested the same 8 months ago:
http://feedback.photoshop.com/photosh...

[jesses88060151]

i just wasted an hour setting up a project assuming this of course would work. I can't believe they bothered to support layer comps within smart objects and not let the parent doc's layer comps control these. What's the point otherwise? I mean who is going to take the trouble to set up layer comps in a smart object and NOT layer comps in the parent doc? I just don't see the utility of this feature without doing this?

Please make this work photoshop...please!

[jesses88060151]

BTW, the work around for this is to duplicate the linked smart object in your parent doc. Then change the states of each smart object's layer comps as desired and toggle the visibility with the parent doc's layer comps. Seems silly, since the purpose of this is supposed to be to make things simpler, but at least you get different states...

[tk211]

I also assumed this was possible until I tried to do it. Adobe please add this!

[Mattias_Bregnballe]

Adobe Photoshop team doesn't care about ui designers.

Hopefully Comet will be able to do something like this, when it comes out.

http://blogs.adobe.com/creativecloud/...

Or maybe it's time to try something new.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I would find it very useful if Layer Comps could store/recall the selected layer comps of linked smart objects. This seems like a natural evolution of these advanced features. Any plans for such functionality?

[SirFrogster]

I love using smart objects in conjunction with layer comps.
The ability to embed external smart objects and define their layer comp in the properties is genius!
The one thing that is missing though is the ability for layer comps of the host psd file to also record the state of the external smart object layer comp properties.

Example:
Create a psd document.
Create a smart object from a layer. (I used a simple shape)
Double click the smart object to open it.
Create 2 year comps within the web object document. Make sure to give them different names.
modify layer style for each layer comp. (2 different colors via layer style works well)
save and close.
go back to host document where the smart object resides.
create 2 layer comps.
select the smart object layer and change its layer comp from within the layer properties panel dropdown menu.
Update the current layer comp of the main document (host)
switch back and forth between the 2 layer comps.
notice that the smart object does not change.

Expected result should be that the layer comp properties would update based on layer comps.

I hope this makes sense. Sorry for the long winded post! whew...

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I agree. This is solution for complex webdesign. Especialy if you have many subpages and linked smart objects. Even if every artboards remembered its own composition. That would be really brilliant.

[vinnylepes]

I have been hoping this would be implemented for years. It's really the missing link once you get used to a layer comp workflow. It would speed me up even more and keep my PSDs a lot cleaner. Please consider this feature!

Where layer comps have options to capture visibility, position and effects of layers, couldn't we also have an icon/option for smart object state?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I suggest don't wait next 2-3 yers for Adobe and make script.
1) first you need listen layer comp update event (both events since you can update only selected layers)
2) don't continue/exclude selected comp(s) which has not checked visibility state
3) get list all or selected  smart objects layer IDs and SOcompIDs 
3b) since you can't read compID inside SO you must listen compID change event and store IDcomp value in XMP metainfo of each layer
4) write data from step 3 in layer comps comment (you can't use comments in this case, but I never used them)
5) read data in layer comp comment on layer comp change event
6) change SOcompID for layer with IDs from step 5
7) solve Comp issue if you remove SO layer

This will work only for one level. You can't simply change SO inside SO from parent document.

You need listend events for all the time. Otherwise you need run script which will find SOcompID for each layer. I have algorithm for it, but it is not efective and it is slow. Second approch is reading PSD file at byte level, which could be fast and precise but it's a bit difficult and PSD must be saved.

[peterw64906991]

i too would love this feature. I too set up a Layer Comp workflow for an incredibly complex project assuming this feature was in place, but woe is me it isn't! My fault entirely for not fully checking, but now I'm duplicating layers as suggested above which is ballooning layer counts to over a thousand. Fun times...

Jaroslav, by your own final paragraph it sounds like a solution needs to be implemented by Adobe for a satisfying implementation of this feature?

[oscarlosan]

already comment something 2 years ago
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/panel-states

[Earth Oliver]

Three years and counting... any feedback from Adobe about this feature request would be very appreciated.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

For whatever good it will do, I'm adding my wish for this feature. I've also been wanting it since the ability to select layer comps in smart objects was added. I have complex user interface screen mockups that combine multiple UI components as smart objects, with the states of each component saved as layer comps. Then I use layer comps to capture various screen states and configurations. This feature would significantly simplify my process.

[Shigaugis]

4 years after this request, yet no one in Adobe thinks this is important enough?
This small feature will make my workflow so much better and easier.

Come on Adobe, make us happy.

[Earth Oliver]

Yep. This feature would be a huge game-changer in my workflows.

The work around is completely ridiculous too. If using linked SO's, you have to duplicate the layer x# of times and then assign a different Layer Comp to each dupe.

[strawbo13]

This feature has been implemented in Photoshop 2020 (version 21.0). Enjoy!