javascript for eyedropper (of colorsampler) tool interaction

[c.pfaffenbichler]

In the Windows Forum a query was posted regarding … well, what it comes down to is: the user wants to paint using colors from across layers, but as the Eyedropper Tool can not disregard the Adjustment Layers positioned above, the colors that get picked up are already adjusted, therefore not useful. Setting the Eyedropper to Current would disregard other pixel-layers, so also not great.

A workaround might be to create a blank Adjustment Layer between the Adjustment - and pixel Layers and measure with that selected (and Eyedropper set to Current).

That would be inconvenient in that one has to switch between the two Layers … so, would it be possible to make a Script that switches the activeLayer to the blank Adjustment Layer, let’s the user make one measurement with the Eyedropper Tool (or Colorsampler) and sets the activeLayer back to the previously selected one after the click/release?

Any help appreciated.

[Michael_L_Hale]

I have never found a way for a script to have the user interact with the eyedropper tool. There is a way to interact with the Adobe color picker but it makes a temp solidfill layer and that layer needs to be the activeLayer and it requires the eyedropper tool to be in 'All Layers' mode.

I guess the script could search for adjustment layers above the current layer. Store those layer's visiblity, turn off those adjustments and call the colorpicker. Then restore everything. But depending on how many layers the doc has and if there are layersets it might be very slow.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Thanks for the reply.

In the meantime I noticed that one can (with Eyedropper set to »Current« at least) simply use the modal dialog of an Adjustment Layer to pick a color, in effect measuring »Current and Below«.

So one can (with some marker layer to signify below which layers to measure to avoid having to evaluate all Layers) Script creating an Adjustment Layer there, opening the modal dialog, on cancel or OK remove the Adjustment Layer again (or go back in History).

Still that would mean hitting a Keyboard Shortcut to trigger the Script, picking the color, hitting enter – so it takes at least two keystrokes, which is not a lot more convenient than manually switching to a blank Adjustment Layer and back to the Layer on which to paint.