Get infos about all selected layers?

[frmorel]

Hello,

Based on the following script found on the net (don't remember where exactly because I made lots of searches), is there a way to add more infos to the selected layers? I would like to know if a layer is a LayerSet or not, and also if it is "movable" (not locked and not background layer).

Please look at the "???" at the end of the script

function getSelectedLayersInfo() {
	var lyrs = [];
	var lyr;
	var ref = new ActionReference();
	var desc;
	var tempIndex = 0;
	var ref2;
	ref.putProperty(stringIDToTypeID("property"), stringIDToTypeID("targetLayers"));
	ref.putEnumerated(charIDToTypeID('Dcmn'), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt'));
	
	var targetLayers = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID("targetLayers"));
	for (var i = 0; i < targetLayers.count; i++) {
		ref2 = new ActionReference();
		// if there's a background layer in the document, AM indices start with 1, without it from 0
		try {
			activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
			ref2.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), targetLayers.getReference(i).getIndex());
			desc = executeActionGet(ref2);
			tempIndex = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("itemIndex")) - 1;
		} catch (o) {
			ref2.putIndex(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), targetLayers.getReference(i).getIndex() + 1);
			desc = executeActionGet(ref2);
			tempIndex = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("itemIndex"));
		}
	
		lyr = {};
		lyr.index = tempIndex;
		lyr.id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID("layerID"));
		lyr.name = desc.getString(charIDToTypeID("Nm  "));
		///// lyr.isLayerSet = ???????
		///// lyr.isLocked = ???????
		///// lyr.isBackground = ???????
		lyrs.push(lyr);
	}
	
	return lyrs;
}

This script works fine on Photoshop CS6, but doesn't return enough informations about selected layers for my use.

Thank you.

[frmorel]

I sometimes get TRUE, and sometimes FALSE... and results are right 🙂

[Kukurykus]

That's right, from now on it should be okey since originally I made script for no background case. When I realised I missed it I updated the code, but then again I didn't notice yet there's no changed background value to boolean result, for which I had finally to edit my post of 😉

[royreddy]

this thread has been both educational and helpful.

@Kukurykus when you say code is updated it sounds like it is posted somewhere.  

True?  if yes, could you please point to that location.

just this week I was thinking a Layer Info Report would be most useful to see what updated other people made in an [Invite to Edit].  More complete much simpler than clicking on all the layers and associated layer styles to reveal the updates.

thanks  Roy

[Kukurykus]

Jun 13, 2021

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Concerning the other posted scripts, they all seem to work with a passed layer reference... And I still don't know how to have a reference to a layer with my bloody original script 😞

By @frmorel

In the case of the script that I created, it is used to plan out a script, the code is just an inspector so that I know what is what before I try to "do something" in the script that I am creating.

The code assumes that the current targeted layer is the one that is being inspected.

var doc = app.activeDocument;
var docLayer = doc.activeLayer;

or

var actLay = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;

[frmorel]

@Stephen_A_Marsh: yes, I understand the use of your script.

Sorry if I was not very clear: my problem was how to have a layer reference (like the one you use with app.activeDocument.activeLayer) from this deep and weird code that look like it was created by the ScriptListener.

By the way, I realised the original script I use doesn't work if only one layer is active, due to this line:

var targetLayers = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID("targetLayers"));

[frmorel]

With your help, and some script found on the net, I wrote two functions to "save" the actual state of selected layer(s), and restore the saved state. As I am very far to be a JSX or AM expert, these scripts could certainly be optimized. At least, they work with Photoshop CS6.

Usage sample:

var arrSavedLayersIDs = saveSelectedLayersIds();
//... perform your actions
restoreSelectedLayersIds(arrSavedLayersIDs);

function saveSelectedLayersIds() {
	var cTID = charIDToTypeID; // shortcut
	var sTID = stringIDToTypeID; // shortcut
	
	var arrSavedLayersIDs = [];
	var thisLayerDesc;
	
	var ref = new ActionReference();
	ref.putProperty(sTID("property"), sTID("targetLayers"));
	ref.putEnumerated(cTID('Dcmn'), cTID('Ordn'), cTID('Trgt'));
	
	if (executeActionGet(ref).count > 0) {
		// ---------------------------------------------- several active layers
		var layersDesc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(sTID("targetLayers"));
		// -------------------------- selected layers loop
		var ref2;
		for (var i = 0; i < layersDesc.count; i++) {
			ref2 = new ActionReference();
			// if there's a background layer in the document, AM indices start with 1, without it from 0
			try {
				activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
				ref2.putIndex(cTID('Lyr '), layersDesc.getReference(i).getIndex());
			} catch (e) {
				ref2.putIndex(cTID('Lyr '), layersDesc.getReference(i).getIndex() + 1);
			}
			thisLayerDesc = executeActionGet(ref2);

			arrSavedLayersIDs.push(thisLayerDesc.getInteger(sTID("layerID")));
		}
	
	}else{
		// ---------------------------------------------- only one layer active
		ref = new ActionReference();
		ref.putEnumerated(cTID('Lyr '), cTID('Ordn'), cTID('Trgt')); // reference is active layer
		thisLayerDesc = executeActionGet(ref);
		
		arrSavedLayersIDs.push(thisLayerDesc.getInteger(sTID("layerID")));
	}
	
	return arrSavedLayersIDs;
}

function restoreSelectedLayersIds(arrSavedLayersIDs) {
	if (Object.prototype.toString.call(arrSavedLayersIDs) === '[object Array]') {
		selectLayerByID(arrSavedLayersIDs[0], false);
		for (i = 1; i < arrSavedLayersIDs.length; i++) {
			selectLayerByID(arrSavedLayersIDs[i], true);
		}
		return '';
	}else{
		return "ERROR: arrSavedLayersIDs is not an array.";
	}
}

function selectLayerByID(idLayer, addToSelection) {
    var addToSelection = addToSelection || false;
    
    var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var ref1 = new ActionReference();
    ref1.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), idLayer);
    desc1.putReference(charIDToTypeID('null'), ref1);
    if (addToSelection) desc1.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("selectionModifier"), stringIDToTypeID("selectionModifierType"), stringIDToTypeID("addToSelection"));
    
    try {
    	executeAction(charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc1, DialogModes.NO);
    	return true;
	} catch (e) {
		return false;
	}
}