Merging a stacked layer set

I just completed a procedure to merge five images, taken with manual focus at evenly spaced distance intervals, to increase depth of field (DOF). There are two issues
1. Procedure appears to create halos around items of contrasting colors, amounting to about 50 px in thickness. See Halos.jpg, attached.
2. The image is of a daylily having abundant texture on its petals. Near the border of the composite, running parallel to the border, are ~200-px bands of pure color, i.e., washed-out areas, containing pure, featureless color, where there should be texture. Please see defocusbands01.jpg and defocusbands02.jpg, attached
Further details: Photos were made with Leica DMR 10 Mpx sensor. Merged image is 3939 x 2627 px. in size. Extended DOF procedure was as follows:
a. Open 5 raw (DNG) images in ACR | open images (in Photoshop editor);
b. File | Scripts | Load files into stack | Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images;
c. Layers | Select all;
d. Edit | Auto-blend Layers | Stack Images | Seamless tones and Colors;
e. Flatten and save output file as PSD.
Any help appreciated.

Hello Jack,
For what it's worth I've had the same defocus problems as you describe and showed in your upload. This just happened an hour or so ago.
I don't know about you but I've had all kinds of problems with CS4.
Sorry I can't help.
Don Bryant

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Hi fellas. It's been a while!
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<code>
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Photosho CS Problem - Can't drag a layer set from one document to another one

I have two documents open
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I've attached images as well to illustrate
On my target document, I want to have the layer set go where the red text is:
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right now, I can only drag the layer set to this position:
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No Error message is given

Problem with layer sets opening

Hi,
I have a problem open layer sets. In my script I get layers index and then iterate throught this layers.
Here is the script:
function getAllLayersByIndex(){
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var groups = getAllLayersByIndex();
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I think, my problem is in function makeActiveByIndex, because it doesn't make active a folder and doesn't open it.
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Can you help me fix this problem??
Thank you Domaneni

Hi, for the past days I've worked on a script to toogle opening and closing layeSets, I've taken the code that TeddyBear posted here: http://ps-scripts.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=14773 and adjusted it a little bit, and that's what I came up with, I hope it will help you:
<javascriptresource>
<name>BCM> ToogleOpen_CloseGroup...</name>
<category>BCM</category>
</javascriptresource>
//For code readability
// http://ps-scripts.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3235
function getActiveLayerIndex() {
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function cTID(s){return charIDToTypeID(s)}
function sTID(s){return stringIDToTypeID(s)}
// =============================
// The main function
function closeGroup(layerSet) {
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var currINDEX = getActiveLayerIndex();
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   m_Closed.blendMode = m_BlendMode;
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         activeDocument.activeLayer.link(m_LinkedLayers[x]);
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// =============================
// Below are all necessary subroutines for the main function to work
function ungroup() {
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
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   m_Ref01.putEnumerated( cTID( "Lyr " ), cTID( "Ordn" ), cTID( "Trgt" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   try {
      executeAction( sTID( "ungroupLayersEvent" ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {}
function addLayer() {
   var m_ActiveLayer          =    activeDocument.activeLayer;
   var m_NewLayer             =    activeDocument.layerSets.add();
   m_NewLayer.move(m_ActiveLayer, ElementPlacement.PLACEBEFORE);
   return m_NewLayer;
function hasLayerMask() {
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putEnumerated( sTID( "layer" ), cTID( "Ordn" ), cTID( "Trgt" ));
   var m_Dsc01= executeActionGet( m_Ref01 );
   return m_Dsc01.hasKey(cTID('Usrs'));
function activateLayerMask() {
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putEnumerated( cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Msk " ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   try {
      executeAction( cTID( "slct" ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {
      var m_TmpAlpha = new TemporaryAlpha();
      maskFromSelection();
      activateLayerMask();
      m_TmpAlpha.consume();
function deleteMask(makeSelection) {
   if(makeSelection) {
      loadSelectionOfMask();
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putEnumerated( cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Ordn" ), cTID( "Trgt" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   try {
      executeAction( cTID( "Dlt " ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {}
function selectLayerMask() {
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putEnumerated(cTID("Chnl"), cTID("Chnl"), cTID("Msk "));
   m_Dsc01.putReference(cTID("null"), m_Ref01);
   m_Dsc01.putBoolean(cTID("MkVs"), false );
   try {
      executeAction(cTID("slct"), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {}
function loadSelectionOfMask() {
   selectLayerMask();
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putProperty( cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "fsel" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   var m_Ref02 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref02.putEnumerated( cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Ordn" ), cTID( "Trgt" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "T   " ), m_Ref02 );
   try {
      executeAction( cTID( "setd" ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {}
function maskFromSelection() {
   if(!hasLayerMask()) {
      var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
      m_Dsc01.putClass( cTID( "Nw " ), cTID( "Chnl" ) );
      var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
      m_Ref01.putEnumerated( cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Chnl" ), cTID( "Msk " ) );
      m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "At " ), m_Ref01 );
      m_Dsc01.putEnumerated( cTID( "Usng" ), cTID( "UsrM" ), cTID( "RvlS" ) );
      try {
         executeAction( cTID( "Mk " ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
      } catch(e) {
         activeDocument.selection.selectAll();
         maskFromSelection();
   } else {
      if(confirm("Delete existing mask?", true, "Warning")) {
         activateLayerMask();
         deleteMask();
function groupSelected(name) {
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putClass( sTID( "layerSection" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   var m_Ref02 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref02.putEnumerated( cTID( "Lyr " ), cTID( "Ordn" ), cTID( "Trgt" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "From" ), m_Ref02 );
   var m_Dsc02 = new ActionDescriptor();
   m_Dsc02.putString( cTID( "Nm " ), name);
   m_Dsc01.putObject( cTID( "Usng" ), sTID( "layerSection" ), m_Dsc02 );
   executeAction( cTID( "Mk " ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   return activeDocument.activeLayer;
function addToSelection(layerName) {
   var m_Dsc01 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var m_Ref01 = new ActionReference();
   m_Ref01.putName( cTID( "Lyr " ), layerName );
   m_Dsc01.putReference( cTID( "null" ), m_Ref01 );
   m_Dsc01.putEnumerated( sTID( "selectionModifier" ), sTID( "selectionModifierType" ), sTID( "addToSelection" ) );
   m_Dsc01.putBoolean( cTID( "MkVs" ), false );
   try {
      executeAction( cTID( "slct" ), m_Dsc01, DialogModes.NO );
   } catch(e) {}
function TemporaryAlpha() {
   activeDocument.selection.store((this.alpha = activeDocument.channels.add()));
   activeDocument.selection.deselect();
   this.consume = function() {
      activeDocument.selection.load(this.alpha);
      this.alpha.remove();
function makeActiveByIndex( idx, visible ){
     if( idx.constructor != Array ) idx = [ idx ];
     for( var i = 0; i < idx.length; i++ ){
          var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
          var ref = new ActionReference();
          ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), idx[i])
          desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( 'null' ), ref );
          if( i > 0 ) {
               var idselectionModifier = stringIDToTypeID( 'selectionModifier' );
               var idselectionModifierType = stringIDToTypeID( 'selectionModifierType' );
               var idaddToSelection = stringIDToTypeID( 'addToSelection' );
               desc.putEnumerated( idselectionModifier, idselectionModifierType, idaddToSelection );
          desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( 'MkVs' ), visible );
          executeAction( charIDToTypeID( 'slct' ), desc, DialogModes.NO );
function deleteActiveLayer(){
   // =======================================================
   var idDlt = charIDToTypeID( "Dlt " );
       var desc752 = new ActionDescriptor();
       var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
           var ref529 = new ActionReference();
           var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
           var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
           var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );
           ref529.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );
       desc752.putReference( idnull, ref529 );
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function isLayerSet( idx ) {
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     var ref = new ActionReference();
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     ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID ( "Lyr " ), idx );
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     var res = typeIDToStringID( type );
     // alert(res);
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makeActiveByIndex(currSetIDX, false);
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var parId = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
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myALayerIDX = getActiveLayerIndex();
myGroupP = app.activeDocument.activeLayer;
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xx = false;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
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var parId = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
   var Names=[];
    var x = 0;
    var y = 0;
    var r = 0;
   currINDEX = getActiveLayerIndex();
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        ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), i );
        var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
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        var Id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
        var ls = desc.getEnumerationValue(stringIDToTypeID("layerSection"));
        ls = typeIDToStringID(ls);
        var vis = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'visible' ));
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/*        if(desc.hasKey(stringIDToTypeID("visible")))
          alert(desc.getType(stringIDToTypeID("visible")));
        if(ls == "layerSectionStart"){x++};
        if(vis == 1 && Id!=parId && r!=0){
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          xx =true;
          Names.push(theOBj);
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        if(layerName.match(/^<\/Layer group/) )
          y ++;
          r = x - y;
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xx = false;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
   ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt') );
   var count = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID('Cnt '));
var parId = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
   currINDEX = getActiveLayerIndex();
    var i = currINDEX;
    var x = 0;
    var y = 0;
    var r = 0;
    var lastChIdx = 0;
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        ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putIndex( charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), i );
        var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
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        var Id = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'layerID' ));
        var ls = desc.getEnumerationValue(stringIDToTypeID("layerSection"));
        ls = typeIDToStringID(ls);
        var vis = desc.getInteger(stringIDToTypeID( 'visible' ));
        if(ls == "layerSectionStart"){x++};
        if(layerName.match(/^<\/Layer group/) )
          y ++;
          r = x - y;
          if(r == 0 && ls == "layerSectionEnd")
            lastChIdx = i;
            break;
        // alert(x+" _ "+y+" _ "+r+" _ "+layerName);
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function getNbOfChilds(){
xx = false;
   var ref = new ActionReference();
   ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt') );
   var count = executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID('Cnt '));
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        ref = new ActionReference();
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app.activeDocument.activeLayer = group;
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        var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
            var ref63 = new ActionReference();
            var idlayerSection = stringIDToTypeID( "layerSection" );
            ref63.putClass( idlayerSection );
        desc58.putReference( idnull, ref63 );
    executeAction( idMk, desc58, DialogModes.NO );
    // =======================================================rename
    var idsetd = charIDToTypeID( "setd" );
        var desc202 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
            var ref209 = new ActionReference();
            var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
            var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
            var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );
            ref209.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );
        desc202.putReference( idnull, ref209 );
        var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T   " );
            var desc203 = new ActionDescriptor();
            var idNm = charIDToTypeID( "Nm " );
            desc203.putString( idNm, "mb-dummy tempTestLayerSetOpen_Closed" );
        var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
        desc202.putObject( idT, idLyr, desc203 );
    executeAction( idsetd, desc202, DialogModes.NO );
    // =======================================================move
    var idmove = charIDToTypeID( "move" );
        var desc59 = new ActionDescriptor();
        var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
            var ref64 = new ActionReference();
            var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
            var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
            var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );
            ref64.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );
        desc59.putReference( idnull, ref64 );
        var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T   " );
            var ref65 = new ActionReference();
            var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
            ref65.putIndex( idLyr, idxx );
        desc59.putReference( idT, ref65 );
        var idAdjs = charIDToTypeID( "Adjs" );
        desc59.putBoolean( idAdjs, false );
        var idVrsn = charIDToTypeID( "Vrsn" );
        desc59.putInteger( idVrsn, 5 );
    executeAction( idmove, desc59, DialogModes.NO );
function deleteTempLayerSetbyIdx(idxx){
// =======================================================
var idDlt = charIDToTypeID( "Dlt " );
      var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
          var ref = new ActionReference();
          ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), idxx);
          // ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID( 'Lyr ' ), idxx);
          desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( 'null' ), ref );
executeAction( idDlt, desc, DialogModes.NO );
toogleOpenCloseSet();

Control of layer sets in EDA objects

We are using AutoVue in a process to review design library objects, as they are being created. We have a large number (10,000+) of these items to review and would like to make the user experience as simple as possible. One of the more cumbersome pieces of the review process is changing the visibility of layers. All of these objects have a common set of layers (same names and order). We are trying to determine if there is a way to simplify the layer visibility process. Here are a couple of thoughts we have and are looking for suggestions/alternatives.
Option 1
We know that a number of layer sets could be created where each set controls the visibility of a select set of layers. The layers sets could then be stored in a markup file. We know that the markup.map file controls the relationship between the object being viewed and the mark file. We could alter/programmatically update this file to have each of the objects point to the same markup file. This seems to be kind of a kludge and has a number of holes that make it not very desirable.
Option 2
We know that the UI can be altered depending on the user. We are thinking that if we could create menu items or icons that set the visibility for the various views the users need, it would make the process much more elegant and less time consuming. Several questions come to mind in this option. Can the UI be modified to add additional menu selection or icons? Can a menu item or icon be used to set the layer visibility? Can the method by which AutoVue is launched be used to control the ultimate appearance and options available to the user? If we were to pursue this option, is there a recipe already in place that could guide us through the process?
Any and all responses are greatly appreciated.

Hi Charlie,
Thanks for clarifying that each of your EDA files have the same set of layers with the same names in the same order - this is a crucial factor if you want to try to approach this in a programmatic or batch manner.
As we discussed earlier today in a separate thread, Option #1 (creating a single markup file with the saved views and linking that markup to multiple base files) might lead to problems. As you know, when AutoVue is not integrated to a DMS/PLM, the markups are managed on the AutoVue server in the markups.map file... and while that file is ASCII and could be modified (not recommended), remember that the mapping depends on exactly where the base file was opened from and what protocol was used to open that file. As a result, if the same file might be opened in 2 different ways (e.g. one time locally from the user's machine, and one time from a web URL), the markup won't automatically be linked to both. Option #1 might be too unpredictable.
Therefore I'd recommend Option #2. I'll ask the experts to chime in if they disagree, but I think that what you'd like to achieve is possible through the AutoVue API and can be broken down into 3 parts:
1. Writing the core code to enable/disable specific layers
2. Packaging this code as a custom "VueAction" so that it can be called as a custom menu or toolbar item
3. Customizing the GUI to expose this menu or toolbar item
Part 1 (code to enable/disable specific layers) should be relatively easy. The AutoVue API includes a class called "com.cimmetry.core.PAN_LAYER" which represents a layer in a file (including EDA files). With the API you can:
- Get the list of layers from the current file (VueBean.getLayersState)
- Enable/disable the layers as required (PAN_LAYER.setState(PAN_LAYER.STATE_ON) or PAN_LAYER.setState(PAN_LAYER.STATE_OFF))
- Re-apply the updated layer set (VueBean.setLayersState)
Part 2 (building a custom VueAction) is a bit more complex, but is explained quite well in the new API Programmer's Guide (http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E22156_02/otn/pdf/E22092_01.pdf) that shipped with AutoVue 20.1.0. I'd recommend to read pages 20-22 and 30-35. You would want to take the code from Part 1 and package it into your custom VueAction's "perform" method.
Part 3 (customizing the GUI) should also be relatively easy, and is discussed on pages 62-68 of the Installation and Configuration Guide (http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E22156_02/otn/pdf/E22093_01.pdf).
But rather than just saying "read the docs", we also now provide a pre-written example of a custom VueAction with AutoVue 20.1.0 Client/Server Deployment (I think it's an optional component during install). If you've included it during the install, you'll have the folder \examples\VueActionSample in your server installation. You should be able to use that as a reference for adding your own custom VueAction to the applet.
There's one other part I hadn't included. In our separate thread earlier today, I think you mentioned you wanted to only provide this GUI customization for certain users. If you want to control the GUI based on user/group/role/etc, this is possible but will be up to you to determine the user/group/role/etc and script the JVue applet accordingly (i.e. either dynamically script the applet to set the GUIFILE parameter, or use the JVue.setGUI method).
Hope this helps as a start.
Thanks,
Graham
EDIT: If you prefer to automate the layer config as soon as the file is loaded - rather than have it as a custom menu or toolbar item - you can do that as well and in fact it's much easier. In that case you still go through Part 1 and write the code to set the desired layers, and you implement it as a 2nd applet as described in Oracle KM Note 754612.1 (https://support.oracle.com/CSP/main/article?cmd=show&type=NOT&doctype=HOWTO&id=754612.1).
Edited by: user638792 on Apr 5, 2011 8:23 PM

Changing from "Pass Through" as Default in Blend Mode in a Group Folder Layer Set

Hello Forum gurus!
Using a MacBook Pro, 10.5.4. Painting with CS2. My question is two-fold.
When the Group layer folder in a layer set is selected, it is displaying the "Pass Through" blend mode by default. Is there a special convenience to this? (Best use for pass through blend mode)
Also, How may I change the default in this mode to be "Normal" as the setting when creating a Group folder layer set?
Thanks!!
Colene

Matthias, now I understand. We're both right from different perspectives. If you want the adjustment layer (should there be one within the group) to affect all layers below the group (perhaps because that's the way the image looked before you made the group in the first place), then Pass Through is your blend mode. If you want that adjustment layer to affect only those layers within the group (which I often do), then Normal (or some other) is your blend mode.

Merge down keep layer name

When I use the merge layer command the top layer merges into the bottom layer.
Is there a way to merge two layers where the top layer name is retained?
The bottom layer takes the name of the top layer.

boo radley 2013 wrote:
I have 2 scripts:
Script 1: If you want to merge with the layer above, then the top layer name is retained
Script 2: If you want to merge with the layer below, then the bottom layer name is retained
This isn't exactly what you need though. I don't know if what you need actually exists, maybe someone in scripting can help you out
Script 1 is what they're looking for. Isn't Script 2 just a normal merge layer?

Independent layer sets for each artboard

Currently the layer structure is the same over all artboards in a document. I would like to start a new artboard with layers independent of the existing ones. A layer set will depend on the kind of artwork you create on a particular artboard, and is meaningless when you start a new artboard. So I would suggest to start each artboard with its single default layer, and add new layers only for the artboard I'm currently working on.
Extra credit for the option to copy a layer structure from one artboard to another, though I'm not sure I'd use that much.

Great idea/suggestion. It seems so logical and straightforward I am bewildered that this feature is not yet included in Illustrator.

Apply image to layers below target, or merge to new layer

I'd like an option to apply image from source: "layers below the target layer", instead of the current options of merged or choosing a layer.
or
possibly a more flexible and faster method may be to choose a selection of contiguous layers and add a "merge to new layer" menu choice. This would merge the selected layers and flatten to a new layer above the selected layers.
This would be convenient for interim builds of layers and retaining layered work.
...... yes there are many ways to do this currently, this is a feature request.

Hi Chris
Sorry for the delay a bunch of stuff landed on my desk.
>I don’t want to annoy you, but could you be more specific?
no worries, you're a very helpful person around here. There's nothing really specific, a fun new features areas should be exciting, and there's little benefit to anyone posting ( except for egos ) so I think I'll hang around the other areas that are focused on fixing problems.
regards
j

Painting Process Documentation: Stamp Visible, Move to layer Set and hide

I like to capture my screen while painting and when I am done I make an animated GIF from these "process shots". I am trying to automatize the process and I have managed to come up with this which meets my needs:
#target photoshop
app.bringToFront();
// Stamp visible Layers
var idMrgV = charIDToTypeID( "MrgV" );
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idDplc = charIDToTypeID( "Dplc" );
    desc2.putBoolean( idDplc, true );
executeAction( idMrgV, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
// Move Active Layer to the Bottom of LayerSet "process"
var activeLayer = activeDocument.activeLayer;
    var processFolder = activeDocument.layerSets.getByName("process")
    activeDocument.activeLayer.moveToEnd (processFolder);
Now I would like to add a conditional to check, whether or not the "process" layer-set exists and if it does not, create it. This should look something like this:
// Process Image Capture
// V 0.3
// PIC Stamps Visible (creates a new layer that combines all visible information in flattened form) and moves that to a "process" Layer Set.
// Layer is then hidden.
// If Layer Set is not there, it will be created.
#target photoshop
app.bringToFront();
// Check for "Process" Layer-Set on root. Create, in case it is not present.
if (!activeDocument.layerSets.getByName("process")) {
     activeDocument.LayerSets.add();
     activeDocument.LayerSets.name = "process";
/* else {
// Stamp visible Layers
var idMrgV = charIDToTypeID( "MrgV" );
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idDplc = charIDToTypeID( "Dplc" );
    desc2.putBoolean( idDplc, true );
executeAction( idMrgV, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
// Move Active Layer to the Bottom of LayerSet "process"
    var activeLayer = activeDocument.activeLayer;
    var processFolder = activeDocument.layerSets.getByName("process")
    activeDocument.activeLayer.moveToEnd (processFolder);
    activeDocument.activeLayer.visibility = false;
The condition seems to be what causes the problem, but I have no idea how to fix it. Can somebody help?

Ok, here is the script that does the deed, it requires an additional function to catch what getByName() returns.
// Process Image Capture
// V 1.0
// PIC Stamps Visible (creates a new layer that combines all visible information in flattened form) and moves that to a "process" Layer Set.
// Layer is then hidden.
// If Layer Set is not there, it will be created.
#target photoshop
app.bringToFront();
// Check for "Process" Layer-Set on root. Create, in case it is not present.
if (!hasRootLayer("process")) {
    var addedLayer = activeDocument.layerSets.add();
    addedLayer.name = "process";
// Stamp visible Layers
var idMrgV = charIDToTypeID( "MrgV" );
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idDplc = charIDToTypeID( "Dplc" );
    desc2.putBoolean( idDplc, true );
executeAction( idMrgV, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
// Move Active Layer to the Bottom of LayerSet "process"
    var activeLayer = activeDocument.activeLayer;
    var processFolder = activeDocument.layerSets.getByName("process")
    activeDocument.activeLayer.moveToEnd (processFolder);
    activeDocument.activeLayer.visibility = false;
// Function to check whether "process" layer exists, passes result back as a boolean
    function hasRootLayer(layerName){
    var hasProcessLayer = false;
    try{
        hasProcessLayer = (typeof activeDocument.layerSets.getByName(layerName) != "undefined");
    }catch(e){}
    return hasProcessLayer;

Sequentially number layer sets

Great, apparently if I add Tags it wipes out my question and just posts the tags as the message body. Brilliant. Re-typing...
I have a large and growing PSD with many layer sets (folders of layers.) I need to sequentially number the layer sets, but preserve their existing names. For example, layer set named "foo" should be renamed "001 foo", the next layer set "bar" should be renamed "002 bar" and so on.
Doing this manually would take a long time, but more importantly, as I add new layer sets and reorder them I don't want to have to do it all over again.
I am not a programmer so I don't know where to begin writing this script. Google helped me find a few scripts that do something similar, but not exactly what I want. Most of the scripts I found will rename layers, but I need to rename the layer sets (folders.)
If it helps, I'll explain what I'm ultimately trying to do. I want to export each of my layer sets to an image, and have those images numbered sequentially based on the order of the layer sets. I already found a script that will export all of my layer sets to JPG images, so if I can find the script described above, I should be able to do this in two steps (1. rename layer sets, 2. export images.) If there is an easier or better approach, let me know.
I have Photoshop CS5 on Mac OSX Lion.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Could you try this?
// add sequential three places number to beginning of layersets’ names or change existing three places number;
// 2012, use at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var theSets = collectLayerSets(myDocument);
for (var m = 0; m < theSets.length; m++) {
          var thisSet = theSets[m];
          var myRegExp = /^\d{3}/;
          var theNumber = theSets.length - m;
          if (thisSet.name.match(myRegExp) == null) {thisSet.name = bufferNumberWithZeros(theNumber, 3) + " " + thisSet.name}
          else {thisSet.name = thisSet.name.replace(myRegExp, bufferNumberWithZeros(theNumber, 3))}
////// function collect all layersets //////
function collectLayerSets (theParent) {
          if (!allLayerSets) {var allLayerSets = new Array}
          else {};
          for (var m = theParent.layers.length - 1; m >= 0;m--) {
                    var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];
// apply the function to layersets;
                    if (theLayer.typename == "LayerSet") {
                              allLayerSets = allLayerSets.concat(collectLayerSets(theLayer))
                              allLayerSets = allLayerSets.concat(theLayer);
          return allLayerSets
////// buffer number with zeros //////
function bufferNumberWithZeros (number, places) {
          var theNumberString = String(number);
          for (var o = 0; o < (places - String(number).length); o++) {
                    theNumberString = String("0" + theNumberString)
          return theNumberString

Warning: Inconsistent Arg. You cannot have Use Stack Variables set if Generate Serial Only is not set

What does this message mean?
"Warning: Inconsistent Arg. You cannot have Use Stack Variables set if Generate Serial Only is not set."
Where do I set Generate Serial Only?
Thanks,
Derek
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hi Derek,
Not all of the LabVIEW C Generator settings are compatible with one another. In this case, you must set Generate Serial Only (aka "Disable Parallel Execution") if you want to generate code that uses stack variables.
Michael P
National Instruments

PSE 11 Layer Set Question

I receive requests for help in creating Menu Sets for Premiere Elements. Many of the users have Photoshop Elements, which I do not. All of my work is in Photoshop, so I cannot check this out.
To create a Menu Set (special PSD's), one must be able to create a Layer Set, not just edit one that already exists in the PSD. For several past versions of PSE, one could edit an existing Layer Set, but could not create a Layer Set. Has the ability to create a Layer Set been added, as of PSE 11?
Thanks,
Hunt

Thank you.
So this capability has not been added to PSE 11 then?
If so, then what I have been telling the PrE users still holds - a limitation in PSE, even through 11.
Appreciated,
Hunt

Merging a stacked layer set

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