Setting Layer style in Actions

I'm using PS CS4 and I've been using actions for years now. However, about a year or two ago they started acting oddly. All my custom actions follow a similar flow: open file, size file, make transparent, add layer style, export to PNG, and, finally, close the file.
Once upon a time, the last time I recall it working flawlessly was in CS 2, I had to do nothing other than start the action on a directory of files. Now I have to click OK when the Layer Styles window pops up. Here is the exported action file.
Any help would be appreciated. After clicking on a directory that may contain up to a 1,000 files; it gets tiresome and finger sore.

Nah, I already tried that one. I think it might be something pecular to CS4. To be honest I don't recall exactly when it stopped working correctly, but I know it worked in CS2.
Nice screen name.

Similar Messages

Get layer style parameters?

How is it possible to set and get layer style parameters? For example read out stroke size, shadow distance, etc...

In case you're still interested about getting and setting layer styles parameters, I've just released a new module jamStyles of my open-source JSON Action Manager scripting library, which provides full support for blending options and layer effects using a fully-documented, simplified JSON object format.
I've also written a quick tutorial showing how to perform a few standard operations, using mainly the two functions jamStyles.getLayerStyle and jamStyles.setLayerStyle.
For instance, the following code sample will set a mildly complex layer style:
var layerStyleObj =
    "blendOptions":
        "fillOpacity": 70,
        "blendInterior": true
    "layerEffects":
        "scale": 100,
        "dropShadow":
            "enabled": true,
            "mode": "multiply",
            "color":
                "red": 0,
                "green": 0,
                "blue": 0
            "opacity": 70,
            "useGlobalAngle": false,
            "localLightingAngle": 90,
            "distance": 6,
            "chokeMatte": 0,
            "blur": 4,
            "noise": 0,
            "antiAlias": false,
            "transparencyShape":
                "name": "Linear",
                "curve":
                        "horizontal": 0,
                        "vertical": 0
                        "horizontal": 255,
                        "vertical": 255
            "layerConceals": true
        "innerShadow":
            "enabled": true,
            "mode": "multiply",
            "color":
                "red": 0,
                "green": 0,
                "blue": 0
            "opacity": 70,
            "useGlobalAngle": false,
            "localLightingAngle": 90,
            "distance": 10,
            "chokeMatte": 15,
            "blur": 20,
            "noise": 0,
            "antiAlias": false,
            "transparencyShape":
                "name": "Linear",
                "curve":
                        "horizontal": 0,
                        "vertical": 0
                        "horizontal": 255,
                        "vertical": 255
        "innerGlow":
            "enabled": true,
            "mode": "linearDodge",
            "color":
                "red": 255,
                "green": 246,
                "blue": 168
            "opacity": 31,
            "glowTechnique": "preciseMatte",
            "chokeMatte": 0,
            "blur": 20,
            "shadingNoise": 0,
            "noise": 0,
            "antiAlias": true,
            "innerGlowSource": "centerGlow",
            "transparencyShape":
                "name": "Half Round",
                "curve":
                        "horizontal": 0,
                        "vertical": 0
                        "horizontal": 29,
                        "vertical": 71
                        "horizontal": 87,
                        "vertical": 167
                        "horizontal": 195,
                        "vertical": 240
                        "horizontal": 255,
                        "vertical": 255
            "inputRange": 43
        "bevelEmboss":
            "enabled": true,
            "highlightMode": "screen",
            "highlightColor":
                "red": 255,
                "green": 255,
                "blue": 255
            "highlightOpacity": 100,
            "shadowMode": "multiply",
            "shadowColor":
                "red": 0,
                "green": 0,
                "blue": 0
            "shadowOpacity": 100,
            "bevelTechnique": "softMatte",
            "bevelStyle": "innerBevel",
            "useGlobalAngle": false,
            "localLightingAngle": 90,
            "localLightingAltitude": 75,
            "strengthRatio": 80,
            "blur": 16,
            "bevelDirection": "stampIn",
            "transparencyShape":
                "name": "Linear",
                "curve":
                        "horizontal": 0,
                        "vertical": 0
                        "horizontal": 255,
                        "vertical": 255
            "antialiasGloss": false,
            "softness": 0,
            "useShape": true,
            "mappingShape":
                "name": "Half Round",
                "curve":
                        "horizontal": 0,
                        "vertical": 0
                        "horizontal": 29,
                        "vertical": 71
                        "horizontal": 87,
                        "vertical": 167
                        "horizontal": 195,
                        "vertical": 240
                        "horizontal": 255,
                        "vertical": 255
            "antiAlias": true,
            "inputRange": 70,
            "useTexture": false
        "solidFill":
            "enabled": true,
            "mode": "normal",
            "opacity": 100,
            "color":
                "red": 0,
                "green": 102,
                "blue": 255
jamStyles.setLayerStyle (layerStyleObj);
And this code will let you read out the drop shadow distance:
var layerStyleObj = jamStyles.getLayerStyle ();
if (layerStyleObj)
    if ("layerEffects" in layerStyleObj)
        var layerEffectsObj = layerStyleObj["layerEffects"];
        if ("dropShadow" in layerEffectsObj)
            var dropShadowObj = layerEffectsObj["dropShadow"];
            alert ("Drop shadow distance: " + dropShadowObj["distance"]);
Actually, if you know for sure that the current layer you're working on has layer effects, including a drop shadow effect, the code can be as short as:
var layerStyleObj = jamStyles.getLayerStyle ();
alert ("Drop shadow distance: " + layerStyleObj["layerEffects"]["dropShadow"]["distance"]);
Or, even shorter, using dot notation:
alert ("Drop shadow distance: " + jamStyles.getLayerStyle ().layerEffects.dropShadow.distance);
HTH,
     --Mikaeru

Layer style screen pops up for each photo in Automate Batch processing

Please HELP! I managed to re-record an existing Action without problem. I double click on <Set Layer style on current layer> and change to a new Layer Style for my Watermark Text. The <Contour> is Linear. The Actions panel turns red during editing.
But when I run > Automate > Batch and select that edited Action, the <Layer Style> screen pops-up for each photo and the only way to finish the batch of photos is to click <OK> for each photo. I’m using Photoshop CS5. I have refresh Photoshop, restart my laptop but the problem remains.
I did another copy of the original Action and just changed the
value in <Text Layer> and it works in the Batch processing. This problem only happens when I changed the value in the <Layer Style>.
I have been looking into many forums and still could not find the solution. I appreciate some advice as soon as possible as this problem has dragged on for two weeks now.
Thank you in advance.

As silly as it sounds to be, I found a way out!
I decided to change the value again in the <Layer Style> on the same Action (ie Main WM Name 70 copy), and RUN <Automate> and on second RUN the <Layer Style> screen doesn't pop-up!
I just couldn't believe my eyes and did some rounds of testing! And it works:
a)Firstly, I will change the <Layer Style> to any value and saved it
(Just to test it, I Run <Automate> and the <Layer Style> screen pops-up at each photo)
b)Then I change again the <Layer Style> to the actual value I want
c)Run <Automate> without the <Layer Style> screen pops-up
To test further, oddly enough, if I change the <Layer Style> value the 3rd time, the pops-up screen appear again! And to overcome the same problem, I have to change the value 4th time, and the problem disappears.
So simple solution (at least for me) and yet I cracked my head for two weeks to overcome it!
Thanks for your time, c.pfaffenbichier.

How about setting default layer styles to 90 degrees by default?

Who ever really uses 120 degrees for anything? If I could count the number of times I've had to change my layer styles to 90 or 180 from the junky 120, I'd reach a number which doesn't exist because it's so damn big.
Fix this, or give users an option to set a default and designers will LOVE YOU.

There's also the "Make Default" button at the bottom of the Layer Styles dialogue box if you tend to use certain settings often.

I'm trying to install a layer style (.asl) in photoshop cc 2014 and I get the error message 'Could not place the document 'filename.asl' because no parser or file format can open the file.' Any suggestions?

I get the same error when trying the same thing with the default styles, so it's not the file.

So, if you click on one on of the layer style sets already on the list, such as Text Effects 2, you get the same message?
Which version of mac os x are you using?
Did you upgrade your mac os with photoshop cc 2014 already installed?
Do you have the lastest version of photoshop cc 2014, which should be 2014.2.1
(listed at the top of Help>System Info from within photoshop)
Do you see the same layer styles as shown above on your list?
Have you moved/copied any plugins from an earlier version of photoshop to the photoshop cc 2014 plugins folder?
The layer styles shown on the list above are the styles that ship with cc 2014 and should be in
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop CC 2014/Presets/Styles
(the mac applications folder where all the other mac applications are installed)
You might try resetting the preferences, but you might need to uninstall photoshop cc 2014 and then reinstall.
(don't drag the cc 2014 to the trash, but use the Uninstall Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 in the photoshop cc 2014 application folder)
To reset the preferences
Press and hold down the Shift+Command+Option keys while starting photoshop cc 2014
Keep holding the keys down until you get a dialog asking if you want to delete the adobe photoshop settings file
Press Yes

Installing new layer styles in PSE 7

What is the correct way to install new layer styles into pse 7? ( I use Vista)
Do I move my extracted style file into the layer styles folder by following this pathway: program data>adobe>photoshop elements>7.0>photo creations>layer styles.
Do I need to create a metafile too?
Thank you for helping me, I have about a dozen styles I need to add, but I am unsure how to get it done properly.

Hello,
You need to create a metadata.xml file too to view it in a specific category of your choioce.
You need to paste the two things :
1) .asl file.
2) metadata.xml,
to the following location:
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\8.0\Photo Creations\layer styles.
Here you need to add the two files and relaunch PSE. This will show you the presets in the layer styles category with.
While creating the metadat.xml file you need to take care of two things:
1) Add a new category name so that you can easily find them.
2) You need to verify that Type value is set "Style as mentioned : <type value="style" />
Hope this helps you.

Need help saving layer styles Photoshop CS6 Extended for Mac (Mountain Lion)

I have been trying to learn Photoshop. I am using Photoshop CS6 Extended on a Macbook Pro (Mountain Lion). My Adobe software has been updated. I have been doing tutorials using a lot of layer styles. In one of these tutorials, it was suggested that if I would possibly want to use the style again that I should save it. At this point I had entered all my layer styles info and was still in the window with the list of layer styles on the left (bevel and emboss, drop shadow, etc., and the "New Style" button on the right. I clicked on the "New Style" button and when another window popped up asking me to name the style, I named it. When I looked at my styles in the styles panel, I saw the little button for the new style. I saved my graphic and closed it. Later I wanted to apply this style to text in another graphic. The style was used on text originally. When I clicked on it though the style didn't look the same. Upon investigation, a couple of setting under Bevel and Emboss had reverted to defaults. They were different numbers when I saved the style. I could go back in and change these two numbers and get the same results, but I don't understand why these numbers changed on their own -- why the style didn't completely "save." Is there something I have done wrong, or is this some kind of bug? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Thank you very much for your reply! Yes, both documents were at 72 resolution. This morning I tried to save yet another style (same resolution document). It worked when I used it the first time. Then I switched to the other style I had saved. That one took some of the bevel and emboss settings from this morning's style. The numbers which will not save are the angle and altitude under the shading section. Just now I made another document (text at 72 resolution) and both styles had changed these numbers to 120 and 30. Is this something I am doing wrong? I am trying to use text of a similar font and size. I updated my software last night in the hopes that that would help. This morning I reset preferences. Don't know what to do! Thanks for helping me!

Layer Styles / Strokes causing lag 64bit PS

Hi There,
I'm a comic artist using Photoshop CC (64 bit, Version: 14.2.1) on a Windows 8.1 machine, with a 4th Gen i7, Nvidia 750M 2GB GFX card and 16Gb RAM. 'Use Graphics Processor' is set to Advanced and Memory Usage is set to 10348Mb (71%).
I'm running a dual screen setup with a Wacom Cintiq 21UX hooked up via HDMI to my Dell XPS 2720.
I typically work on an A4 size document at 400dpi.
The problem I'm having is with tremendous lag when using the transform tool to scale things up and down and when using the standard brush tool for comic art linework.
I have a group of layers with all my speech bubbles and text in. With each white speech bubble on a seperate with a Layer Style / Stroke of 5 pixels around each one.
If I hide all of the speech bubbles (But not the text) then scaling using the Transform tool is nice and smooth and 100% lag free, as it should be on my spec machine.
If I disable Graphics Processor Settings, or scale them down to Normal or Basic the problem is exactly the same.
If I use the 32 bit version of Phtooshop CC scaling and brush storkes are lag free even with the speech bubble layers visible.
I've updated my system bios and GFX card drivers to the latest Dell release.
It's an annoying technical hiccup that I've found a workaround for but I would like and expect to be able to use basic tools like Transform and the Brush without lag, with all layers visible.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, Thanks for replying to my thread.
After posting to a new thread here:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/6263746#6263746
Through my own roundabout way I got to this same conclusion.
So yes, you're completely right, it helps massively. If only you'd been around a few weeks ago.
Thanks again.

Layer Styles Not Saving for Use on Other Computers

I've been trying over and over for the last 6 hours to get the layer styles I save in my custom pallet to work on other computers. I mean, I have a bunch of pallets from other sources and somehow they achieved a way of being able to save theirs, now why can't I do it on mine?
So, here's the story of what I've done. I have a Text layer, I've added a list of FX to it via the Layer Styles menu. Now I save the document. I open up a new document and copy/paste the FX onto a new Text layer in another document window. It works great.
Then, I save the layer styles for use later, but no. When I do everything exactly the same way, my Layer Style that I saved has lost all it coordinates of shadows and stroke widths, bevels, you name it, it's screwed up. Now I've tried this so far on CS4 and CS5, 3 different computers. All 3 computers have different settings for how Photoshop is set up, so I know it's NOT my settings alone. Though, it keeps the colors and custom gradients how they are, everything is bonkers.
I'm ready to stop trusting in Photoshop to be there for me when I need it...or punch a hole in the wall. Whichever comes first.
I need help for this as soon as possible, for I have an assignment I need this for.
Running: Windows 7 64
Adobe Photoshop CS4 & CS5.

SplendidAngst wrote:
<snip>
Then, I save the layer styles for use later, but no. When I do everything exactly the same way, my Layer Style that I saved has lost all it coordinates of shadows and stroke widths, bevels, you name it, it's screwed up.<snip>
Adobe Photoshop CS4 & CS5.
Seems to me you left out the most critical piece of information, that is, HOW did you save the layer style for later use ?
You might read this tutorial to see if you did it correctly.
Paulo

What is going on with Layer styles??

For the last few weeks I have been having problems with my photoshop. One day I opened it and all the layer styles (6 gigs worth) were just gone. No one knew how to restore them here so I did them all over again and saved 3 sets at 2gigs each. Now every single time I open Photoshop I don't have any layer styles and have to load them. I updated just now from CS5 to CS6 and the same thing.. I have opened and closed CS6 4x now and each time all my layer styles vanish upon opening.
What is going on and how do I fix it?
BP

Same old answer: If stuff doesn't stick, you have resource (disk space) or permission problems. The files probably don't auto-load, because they are never copied to the user folders and/or the prefs responsible for them never get written. Anyway, 6GB of presets? That's ridiculously insane and probably one of the reasons they got corrupted in the first place.
Mylenium

Change default settings in Layer Style dialogue

Hi there,
I often use outer glow set to black and with multiply, as opposed to yellow and screen which is the default. Is there any way to change this permanently?
Thanks!
felix

It's not really worth using layer styles for two settings. On the other hand, if all you need to set are those two settings and you plan on using that one type of Outer Glow a lot then you could save a style that contains only those settings but that still doesn't change the defaults so you'll have to modify your workflow. If you plan on doing that then make sure that you have the Styles panel close by because if you Shift+click on one of the styles in the Styles panel then it adds those styles to the current ones instead of replacing them and no, this doesn't work if you select the Styles tab from the big Layer Styles dialog box

BUG: Saving Text with Layer Styles to PDF

I was just able to take the CS6 beta for another test run, and it seems the following ancient, but high-priority bug (at least for me) hasn't been addressed:
When saving large Photoshop documents (composites in resolutions like, say 7000x10000 pixels) to Photoshop PDF, certain layer styles are often not exported correctly when applied to text layers. The layer styles that are affected are those that render pixels that are then clipped inside the text, such as Gradient Overlay, Bevel & Emboss etc.
When output, they usually don't span the entire text in the PDF, but are cut off with a straight line at some point (I can't supply an example image right now, my apologies). Inside of Photoshop, they render correctly at all zoom levels. My guess is that this is somehow related to the raster data being written as individual tiles and for some reason, some of these are then omitted for layer styles.
The problem isn't new to the CS6 Beta, but has existed for many versions. I have run into it in both Mac and Windows versions. The current workaround is to always expand layer styles on the text layers that are affected into layers before exporting, which is tedious and error-prone since there is inevitably something that gets missed (EDIT: I was wrong there, that workaraound doesn't work, the problem persists even if the layer style is expanded into a layer that is then applied as a clipping group).

Two possibilities: Pre-compose everything and fade the comp or use a second layer that has the layer styles, but in its Blending Options for the layer styles has set Fill opacity to zero, so only the styles are rendered, but not the source. Whjat you are seeing is normal behavior based on how styles are supposed to work. Whenever there is a non-zero (non-transparent) pixel, the get applied, where the pixels opacity acts as amultiplier for the style's intensity. Looks good for some, but often causes this popping appearance...
Mylenium

Mimic Photoshop's Bevel & Emboss layer style in Illustrator - how?

Having searched for topics akin to my question, I have only really found tips on how to achieve a bevel and emboss on type.
Here's what I'm trying to create... all using CS4...
I have an artwork, all in Illustrator so far. It has background images of people (as cut-outs), imported from Photoshop, with layer masks, saved as PSD's, to preserve transparency around the figures, which allows me to compose them over each other and other various component graphics, resident in the Illustrator document. This helps me keep all the graphical elements fully editable in the design/layout as only the people come from Photoshop.
The design has been finalised with the addition of a bevel and emboss layer effect, to the whole bounding box area of the design. I.e. the complete 900 x 700 pixel area is affected by the bevel and emboss - all the various underlying pixels of photoshop elements and Illustrator elements.
So far, I have only been able to achieve this by taking the whole thing back into Photoshop, as a single layer and then applying the Bevel&Emboss layer style effect!
Is there a way to keep this all in Illustrator?
It seems daft to have to go back into Photoshop just for the B&E effect... and a little dangerous, in case this step gets overlooked in the future!
My current thoughts involve a couple of shaped blends with a screen and multiply overlay setting for the light and shaded edges... but this is just my mind clicking!
Would love to know if this can be achieved in Illy.

Out of curiosity... and to better understand what Illustrator can do, I'd like to try both of your methods.
However, I'm a little lost with your explanation of the second method...
Can you expand on giving the "L" shaped path (that has been outlined): two fills?
Or the rectangle that has been outlined: four fills?
How do you give a shape more than one fill, gradient or otherwise?
And how do you deal with the light and dark intersections of the two grad styles (as appears in the bottom left and top right corners), did the 45° meeting point just happen or do you have to alter the geometry?
Any chance I could have the .ai file to pull apart?
Another method I found myself, after some experimenting is as follows...
Dotted white line = page/design bounds.
Give 'Shape A' a white drop shadow (Effect > Stylise > Drop shadow) with a "screen" mode and positive values for X and Y offset. This gives a light shadow below and to the right.
Make 'Shape B' a Clipping Mask for 'Shape A' - this leaves nothing but the drop shadow showing.
Give 'Shape D' a black drop shadow (Effect > Stylise > Drop shadow) with a "multiply" mode and negative values for X and Y offset. This gives a dark shadow above and to the left.
Make 'Shape C' a Clipping Mask for 'Shape D' - this leaves nothing but the drop shadow showing.
Here's the result...
Put the new geometry (light and dark bevel shapes) on a layer at the top and, hey presto, they'll influence anything on levels below.
Only downside of this method is that the drop shadows can take a while to render, each time they are adjusted, so it's worth turning them off (or hiding their layer) while working on other areas of the design.
Also, with all of these methods, you don't get quite the same intersections at the bottom left and top right corners, as you do with the bevel and emboss layer style/effect in Photoshop... but that's being really picky!
Thanks for helping with this and hope it helps others.
Still want to work through your methods though.

All Layer styles missing from CS5 Photoshop.

This is the fourth time I have gone through this. i open my photoshop to see all my layer styles are gone. Since I have 1000s and most custom made i don't remember all the creations. I have searched all over and the only place that had anything close was a discussion in Elements, but that solution did not work for me. I know I can't be the only person that has gone through this?? Is there anyone that knows how to retrieve all the styles i had just hours ago?

this has happened before when I left my computer on and MS did an auto update that restarted my computer...
This points me to the additional potential for a video driver issue. Simple OS updates and even some hot-fixes, have been known to render the video driver obsolete. That is one reason that nVidia and ATI/AMD issue updates about once per month.
I have Windows set (on all computers) to ONLY notify me of the availability of an update. That way, I manually download and install it/them, and know to keep an eye on the video driver, should an issue arise. I have all nVidia cards, but do not religiously update drivers (there have been some from both nVidia and ATI/AMD, that have been problematic), as so long as my Adobe programs function perfectly, I will wait until something goes awry. I also have all programs set to NOT auto-update, as I have had two auto-updates really mess things up, and once very badly - one was a simple Logitec Set-Point mouse driver update, and it totally killed my computer, requiring a complete rebuild and low-level reformatting of my system HDD. The other was a Java update, that killed a large PSD file, that was Saving, when it started - that one only cost me a redo from an earlier, previous version of the PSD, and the only time that I have had my Preferences corrupted. I had forgotten to turn those auto-updates OFF - my bad.
Let us know more about your display sub-system with make/model and driver info. That would be my "prime suspect" right now.
As for the Elements material, I recall similar in Premiere Elements Styles going missing, but that was many versions ago, and doubt that anything in the solution to that problem would apply to Photoshop, but will go searching for that thread, just in case.
Good luck,
Hunt

Any way to have an AE layer style applied to a comp NOT effect certain layers inside said comp?

OK... here's my issue.
I have a character AND a cheeseburger made in Photoshop that I then import into AE (two separate .psd files). So I have two compositions in AE... the burger .psd file and the puppet "Burgerman" .psd.
Burgerman needs to hold the cheeseburger, so I have to nest the burger comp WITHIN the "Burgerman" comp so that his hand will go IN FRONT of the cheeseburger. See image:
The problem is... I have a layer style applied to the "Burgerman" composition. It's an Inner Shaodw and it gives the character the pink hue you see outlining him. THE PROBLEM is though... the layer style effects the burger composition because it is nested within the Burgerman comp. As you can see... the burger turns very red, which I do not want.
Is there some way to say.. "DO NOT APPLY the layer style to the burger comp nested within the Burgerman comp"?
running CS5 on Mac OS X 10.7.

Help anyone? I feel like it must be pretty simple and it's something I'm overlooking as a new user.
Here's as short as an explanation for where I'm at....
My master comp is called "Comp1." In this comp, there is one comp called "Puppet Combined." When you double click "Puppet Combined," it takes you to a comp with my original animation, "Puppet," and its duplicate comp "Puppet Duplicate." "Puppet Duplicate" sits on top and is merely the inner shadow (set by making the Fill Opacity to 0%). I created the duplicate by selecting my original animation, "Puppet," and hitting CMD+D to duplicate it. I can tell everything is in order as advised by Mylenium, because if I hide the comp "Puppet," I can see that "Puppet Duplicate" is just the inner shadow.
At this point though... I'm not sure how to handle the comp "Burger" which is the actual cheeseburger. How do I go about adding the "Burger" comp back into my project where it will retain it's original coloring and not be affected by the inner shadow? As I stated above, if I add it back into the comp "Puppet," it also adds it into "Puppet Duplicate," which I don't want as it then applies the inner shadow.

Setting Layer style in Actions

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