Get vector points out of shape layer

Question

Hi,
I need to write a script which (also) saves the vector paths given as/in shape layers (Photoshop).
What the script should provide is:
1. Loop over all Layers
2. Look if there is a boundary shape layer within that (main) layer with the name "mask"
3. If so, not only save the content of this main layer (within its given rectangular bounds) as an png, but...
4. also so save the anchor points (may not be bezier, only path of strait line segments) of the shape within the sibling shape layer "mask"
(optional:
also:
5. look at a text layer "config", make it invisible before image export of the main layer (in which it is layered)
6. save the text from this text layer in a separate text file (corresponding to the save png file)
Many thanks for any help.
Kind regards
Joe

Answer 1

I had made some mistakes in the Script – more than one »Bitmap X« layers in the LayerSet would have been ignored and if the order of the »Bounding Shape« and »Image« LayerSets were switched it would result in erroneous output …
Hopefully this version is more thorough:
// saves clipped pngs of certain layers and the vector path info of certain other layers;
// bitmap layers have to be named »Bitmap« + number, and reside in »Image« in »Object« + number;
// vector layers have to be named »Form« + number, and reside in »Bounding Shape« in »Object« + number;
// 2011, use it at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
// thanks to xbytor;
var docName = myDocument.name;
if (docName.indexOf(".") != -1) {var basename = docName.match(/(.*)\.[^\.]+$/)[1]}
else {var basename = docName};
try {var docPath = myDocument.path}
catch (e) {var docPath = "~/Desktop"};
// png options;
var webOptions = new ExportOptionsSaveForWeb();
webOptions.format = SaveDocumentType.PNG;
webOptions.PNG8 = false;
webOptions.transparency = true;
webOptions.includeProfile = false;
webOptions.optimized = true;
// duplicate image;
var theCopy = myDocument.duplicate ("copy", false);
// get the layers;
var theLayers = collectSpecialLayersB(theCopy);
// create array for bounds;
var theBoundsArray = new Array;
// process the layers;
for (var m = 0; m < theLayers.length; m++) {
     var theArray = theLayers[m];
// process the bitmap layers;
     for (var n = 0; n < theArray[1].length; n++) {
          var theLayerSet = theArray[0];
          var theBitmapLayer = theArray[1][n];
          var theNumber = theBitmapLayer.name.slice(7, theBitmapLayer.name.length);
          theBoundsArray.push([theBitmapLayer.name, theBitmapLayer.bounds]);
          theBitmapLayer.visible = true;
          var theParent = theBitmapLayer.parent;
          while (theParent != theCopy) {
               theParent.visible = true;
               theParent = theParent.parent
          theCopy.activeLayer = theBitmapLayer;
          hideOtherLayers();
          theCopy.trim();
// save png;
          var theFile = new File(docPath+"/"+basename+"_"+theLayerSet.name+"_"+theBitmapLayer.name+".png");
          theCopy.exportDocument(theFile, ExportType.SAVEFORWEB, webOptions);
// check for a form-layer with the corresponding number;
          for (var p = 0; p < theArray[2].length; p++) {
               try {
                    var pathLayer = theArray[2][p];
                    var thisNumber = pathLayer.name.slice(5, pathLayer.name.length);
                    if (Number(theNumber) == Number(thisNumber)) {
// get the path info;
                         theCopy.activeLayer = pathLayer;
                         var thePath = theCopy.pathItems[theCopy.pathItems.length - 1];
                         var thePathArray = collectPathInfo (theCopy, thePath);
// save path-info;
                         writePref(thePathArray, docPath+"/"+basename+"_"+theLayerSet.name.replace(" ", "-")+"_"+pathLayer.name+"_path.txt");
               catch (e) {};
          theCopy.activeHistoryState = theCopy.historyStates[0];
alert (theBoundsArray.join("\n\n"));
// close the opy;
theCopy.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
////// function to collect path-info as text //////
function collectPathInfo (myDocument, thePath) {
var originalRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.POINTS;
var theArray = [];
for (var b = 0; b < thePath.subPathItems.length; b++) {
     theArray[b] = [];
     for (var c = 0; c < thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints.length; c++) {
          var pointsNumber = thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints.length;
          var theAnchor = thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints[c].anchor;
//          var theLeft = thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints[c].leftDirection;
//          var theRight = thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints[c].rightDirection;
//          var theKind = thePath.subPathItems[b].pathPoints[c].kind;
//          theArray[b][c] = [theAnchor, theLeft, theRight, theKind];
          theArray[b][c] = [theAnchor];
//     var theClose = thePath.subPathItems[b].closed;
//     theArray = theArray.concat(String(theClose))
app.preferences.rulerUnits = originalRulerUnits;
return theArray
////// function to write a preference-file storing a text //////
function writePref (theText, thePath) {
  try {
    var thePrefFile = new File(thePath);
    thePrefFile.open("w");
    for (var m = 0; m < theText.length; m ++) {
      thePrefFile.write(theText[m])
    thePrefFile.close()
  catch (e) {};
////// hide other layers //////
function hideOtherLayers () {
// =======================================================
var idShw = charIDToTypeID( "Shw " );
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var list1 = new ActionList();
            var ref1 = new ActionReference();
            var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
            var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
            var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );
            ref1.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );
        list1.putReference( ref1 );
    desc2.putList( idnull, list1 );
    var idTglO = charIDToTypeID( "TglO" );
    desc2.putBoolean( idTglO, true );
executeAction( idShw, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
////// function to collect special layers //////
function collectSpecialLayersB (theParent, allLayers) {
     if (!allLayers) {var allLayers = new Array};
     for (var m = theParent.layers.length - 1; m >= 0;m--) {
          var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];
// apply the function to layersets;
          if (theLayer.typename == "ArtLayer") {
// get the bitmap-layers;
               if (theLayer.name.match(new RegExp('^bitmap '+'[0-9]{1,3}','i')) && theLayer.parent.name == "Image"  && theLayer.parent.parent.name.match(new RegExp('^object '+'[0-9]{1,3}','i'))) {
                    allLayers[allLayers.length - 1][1].push(theLayer);
// get the form-layers;
               if (theLayer.name.match(new RegExp('^form '+'[0-9]{1,3}','i')) && theLayer.parent.name == "Bounding Shape" && theLayer.parent.parent.name.match(new RegExp('^object '+'[0-9]{1,3}','i'))) {
                    allLayers[allLayers.length - 1][2].push(theLayer);
// process layersets;
          else {
               if (theLayer.name.match(new RegExp('^object '+'[0-9]{1,3}','i'))) {
                    allLayers.push([theLayer, [], []]);
               allLayers = collectSpecialLayersB(theLayer, allLayers)
     return allLayers