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Inspiring
November 1, 2014
Question

Read layer structure closed file

  • November 1, 2014
  • 2 replies
  • 615 views

Are there any programing tools that will allow reading the layer structure of a closed photoshop file?

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Inspiring
November 2, 2014

This doc describes all Photoshop file formats.

Adobe Photoshop File Formats Specification

I used a prior version for reading/writing action files in JavaScript. You could use the info in there to scan a psd file.

Here's a library in C that you might find useful.

Photoshop File Format Decode Library | SourceForge.net

JJMack
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 1, 2014

I do not know how many file type formats support layers, I know  of PSD, PSB and Tiff. Many Applications support Tif however some like Lightroom do not support Layers.  Is there a particular layered file format  you have in mind?

JJMack
ojodegatoAuthor
Inspiring
November 1, 2014

Mainly psd and tif formats. I often have work with files that have different files structures.

It would be useful if I could know the files's layer structure without opening the file.

JJMack
Community Expert
Community Expert
November 2, 2014

I could organize the file according to their layer content and apply a specific workflow.

Often I get a set of files with one layer structure, another set of files with a different layer structure.


ojodegato wrote:

I could organize the file according to their layer content and apply a specific workflow.

Often I get a set of files with one layer structure, another set of files with a different layer structure.

I imagine these layered files are saved by Photoshop. If you create then organize them at save time.  I know of no program that is going to import processed image and organize them into some image library based on on Image structure. Lightroom does not even support layers so its image library will not be useful. Images are normally brought into bridge for each photo session.  If you want to organize images on how they were processed. I think the best time to organize then the is at save time.  Photo start as RAW or Jpeg image files there are no layers or even a RBG image except the preview jpeg image in raw files. The Jpeg file formats does not support layers. If you want to organize your saved processed layer files by some structure classification. Do it at save time. Your going to have a problem them if you edit one of you structured layer document and change its structure. You will need to change where you save the asset and remember remove its old structure file in it old location.

If you receive processed layered files in a folder.  You could write a Photoshop script that would batch process the folder of newly received images and move files base on the structure the Photoshop script see looking at the various layers in a document. And output a list of where the files were moved to.

JJMack