P: Please add the ability for Command-J to dupe layers and layer groups

[marcbjango]

Command-J duplicates the entire current layer, or a portion of the current layer, if there’s a selection. It’s a great feature, and one I use daily.

For some strange reason, Command-J doesn’t do anything when there’s two layers or a layer group selected. Why? I realise there’s probably a decent technical reason for this, but a context sensitive “just dupe it” command would be really handy, even if it’s actually several different methods behind the scenes.

Is now a good time to mention that the Layer menu already contains an item that does most of these things, but it doesn’t have a keyboard shortcut by default? Pre-emptive strike: Assigning a keyboard shortcut wouldn’t help, as the menu item doesn’t duplicate selections within a layer (Command-J does).

Image is not available

[David Dobish]

Maybe everyone already knows about this but scripts can be automatically generated using the scriptlistner

1. Open folder where PS is installed.
2. Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS5 (64 Bit)\Scripting\Utilities
3. Place the ScriptListener plugin into your root plugins directory.
4. Restart PS
5. Now almost every thing you do, will be written out to a file on your desktop called. ScriptingListenerJS
6. You can copy and paste the chucks of code into a seperate script to run the given function.

1. Open Extendscript
2. Paste the code into a new file.
3. save the file out as foo.JS

You now have a stand alone script.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This has got to be a cruel Adobe joke! I just assumed, like millions of other users, the plug-in is for script writers who want to debug their scripts.

Why isn't there an interface to turn the ScriptListner on and off and given a name that would attract non-scripting people to try it, or a Scripts panel on par with Actions?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Is this a joke on your part?
Adobe provides ExtendScript Toolkit to edit and test Scripts, a Scripts Panel in Photoshop seems utterly unnecessary.

Scripting is a slightly more complicated technique than using Actions (ease of use being one of the advantages of Actions) – if you want to give Scripting a try Photoshop ships with the documentation, just check out the Folder »Scripting« beside the application.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I don't want to give scripting a try. That's the point of the post (YMMV).

[p-guell]

I would rather not try scripting either...but if I do try, is there a way to STOP duplicating ONLY locked layers or groups - but not selections/unlocked layers/groups with the (command-)option-drag keyboard shortcut?? I can't envision how that could possibly work.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I think PSD people should listen and listen carefully to what is being said here and in many other topic discussions. And I think they do. After all, we are the people buying their product - their future is in our hands. We provide invaluable feedback through this forum. Simply put, without us - their product would not be in stores and without our feedback it would not be as good as it is today, as I believe most 'bugs' are caught right here. A simple functionality such as allowing a layer set to be duplicated by pressing command J should be one of PSD's basic features - no question, and I trust the next releases will have it included. While we all appreciate input from all those out there finding pleasure writing customs scripts, most of PSD users rely on it's basic functionality. PSD, despite it's monopoly, proven worth the money and our trust over many years. I continue to believe that Adobe is taking our feedback seriously, because the day they stop, it'll to be the day they loose the right to call Photoshop the most intuitive, user friendly and complete image editing program in the World.

Jeffrey?

[J453]

As I said above, the point of this site is for folks to make feature requests for improvements directly to the Photoshop team - and this idea is a good one that's under consideration. A side benefit is that cool users like David Jensen and Shangara are posting helpful scripts to help improve users workflows in the meantime.

The other aspect is, we can't implement everyone's pet feature request. Some changes that are requested are so esoteric that scripting really is the best answer to some users custom workflows.

[Edward Caruso Photography]

to who ever is complaining about scripts - this one and others from David work so well that it solves many issues for me. The other ones involve modal adjustment layers. scripting is really powerful, while i haven't put the time aside to learn to make them for myself, i've used ones made already and they make a tremendous difference in my workflow. not every feature request will get addressed by adobe (b/c many are not useful to many users) so scripting can fill in the pieces quite well.

[davep61284792]

The scripting is not an issue, but not every one CAN or WANTS to script- especially something as basic as this. Programmers script. Artists do not. I agree the script is a solution that works. The issue is that Photoshop already has the duplication functionality that works with layers, and it should automatically work with anything within the layers panel. Hardly a pet feature. Scripting something like this is really just a band-aid for functionality that isn't a complete thought. I guess this is a common result of working ON the program- not in the program.

"Photoshop the most intuitive, user friendly and complete image editing program in the World" - not sure where that came from, but this is NOT entirely accurate.

[Edward Caruso Photography]

i agree with you. command-j should dupe a layer. it always annoyed me that it didn't. but for awhile, maybe 6 months ago i loaded a script, assigned command-j to it and now it dupes a layer or a group. so i dont think about it anymore. i didn't have to make the script but i can enjoy the workflow productivity it brings. there are bigger issues to me that i'd like addressed - so if his can be solved by a workaround that ends up being the same key command as the ideal behavior - i'm ready to let it be.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

»Programmers script. Artists do not.«
If certain artists don’t feel like learning to use and maintain their tools they may have high brush-related-expenses ...

»"Photoshop the most intuitive, user friendly and complete image editing program in the World" - not sure where that came from, but this is NOT entirely accurate.«
Then please do tell, which program is?

[davep61284792]

Certain programmers don't feel like learning how to paint either because they are busy thinking they are smarter than everyone else...one can maintain their tools just fine without scripting.

There is NO one program that is the best at anything or does everything perfectly. Some functions are intuitive, but there are many features that are completely unintuitive. Photoshop has a Legacy of being the first, but like many other software packages is getting bloated with useless features and not refining its current workflows. It's like saying Microsoft Word is the best word processing software.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

»There is NO one program that is the best at anything«
While it is certainly possible for other programs to be the equal or superior in any one or all aspects it would seem to me that that does not at all rule out the possibility for relative superiority at all.
Comparison can be used to arrive at a ranking of the objects of said comparison, so your statement seems peculiar.

Edit: But maybe I misunderstand ...

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I guess I’m just being cantankerous, so please ignore the last post.

[Yelnats1]

try{}catch(e){}
^ that's the extent of the code I wrote. The rest I just copied from a Photoshop plugin that spits out a chunk of code every time something.is done in Photoshop.

That doesn't make me a programmer any more than painting a few brush strokes makes me an artist.

Scripting is just another tool, and it can be used by an artist. I'm sure there are some who think artists shouldn't use a computer at all.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

DaveP - out of curiosity - would you name one professional image editing program that is in the same league with Photoshop today? No challenge intended here - just wondering.

[Reynolds__Mark_]

This has been asked for many times. The fact that Command J on a Layer Group does nothing is not consistent. There is also no practical or technical reason why this couldn't be implemented as art of the app.

Why was this left out? The command J shortcut was available from the very early versions of Photoshop to duplicate layers, it's not a recent addition. Layer "Sets" (layer called Groups) were introduced first of all I believe in Photoshop version 6. At this point it probably didn't occur to anyone to extend this functionality to Groups. And it's never been added. Just an oversight as far as I can see.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Very good idea and solution. But i have a problem, I added it its directory but it doesn't appear in File > Scripts menu.

[J453]

Did you restart Photoshop?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

sure

[J453]

And it didn't show up after restart?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

unfortunately. i also tried restart again after your comment but it didn't make any sense.

[Yelnats1]

did you save it as a ".jsx" ?

Here is as a file:
http://sites.google.com/site/davidjen...

[chrisdpage]

I'm excited to see this in CS6

:)

Thank you everyone for requesting and coming up with a solution for the meantime

[D.A.R]

Has this been officially announced?