: Automating Export Layers to Files I have many .psd files that each contain 2+ layers that I need to export as layers. For a single psd fileD I can use: File > Scripts > Export Layers To

@Reiling762

Hello all and this is my first post.

I thought it should have been a simple comment as I seem to be unable to find the specific code line to resolve this matter in a much more rapid fashion than resolved by built in scripts and previous posters solutions, however, since I am not having reputation 50+ yet I am unable to comment and must thus provide a response instead.

So, my suggestion is simply to employ the above code file, which seems nearly identical to the Adobe PS included template.

One change is encouraged though.



///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: zeroSuppress
// Usage: return a string padded to digit(s)
// Input: num to convert, digit count needed
// Return: string padded to digit length
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function removeAllInvisible(docRef) {

// note the comment below

// removeAllInvisibleArtLayers(docRef);

removeAllEmptyLayerSets(docRef);


}



should be commented out to speed up the execution.

Preferably, if someone can post the most efficient way to flatten the image in this function, we should have a working code that is much more efficient to the above described purpose.

Forgive my newbie input but I study "LEAN production theory" and not "graphical design" at my local college.

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@Kristi927

I hacked together a jsx script to do it based on the Export Layers to Files script. It only supports png24 export and has no dialogue. It assumes you want to trim the layer, and the path to the folder you want to export to is hard-coded into the script itself. To set the folder change the value of exportPath to an absolute path.
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/316978/Permanent/export_layers_to_pngs.jsx
// enable double clicking from the Macintosh Finder or the Windows Explorer #target photoshop

//=================================================================
// Globals
//=================================================================

var exportPath = "/Users/pedr/Documents/Work/Clients/Pathways/Learning_Hub/Source/Comics/export";
exportPath = exportPath + '/layers';
// UI strings to be localized
var strTitle = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Title=X2L");
var strButtonRun = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Run=Run");
var strButtonCancel = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Cancel=Cancel");
var strHelpText = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Help=Please specify the format and location for saving each layer as a file.");
var strLabelDestination = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Destination=Destination:");
var strButtonBrowse = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Browse=&Browse...");
var strLabelFileNamePrefix = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/FileNamePrefix=File Name Prefix:");
var strCheckboxVisibleOnly = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/VisibleOnly=&Visible Layers Only");
var strLabelFileType = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/FileType=File Type:");
var strCheckboxIncludeICCProfile = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/IncludeICC=&Include ICC Profile");
var strJPEGOptions = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/JPEGOptions=JPEG Options:");
var strLabelQuality = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Quality=Quality:");
var strCheckboxMaximizeCompatibility = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Maximize=&Maximize Compatibility");
var strTIFFOptions = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/TIFFOptions=TIFF Options:");
var strLabelImageCompression = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/ImageCompression=Image Compression:");
var strNone = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/None=None");
var strPDFOptions = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/PDFOptions=PDF Options:");
var strLabelEncoding = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Encoding=Encoding:");
var strTargaOptions = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/TargaOptions=Targa Options:");
var strLabelDepth = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Depth=Depth:");
var strRadiobutton16bit = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Bit16=16bit");
var strRadiobutton24bit = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Bit24=24bit");
var strRadiobutton32bit = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Bit32=32bit");
var strBMPOptions = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/BMPOptions=BMP Options:");
var strAlertSpecifyDestination = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/SpecifyDestination=Please specify destination.");
var strAlertDestinationNotExist = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/DestionationDoesNotExist=Destination does not exist.");
var strTitleSelectDestination = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/SelectDestination=Select Destination");
var strAlertDocumentMustBeOpened = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/OneDocument=You must have a document open to export!");
var strAlertNeedMultipleLayers = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/NoLayers=You need a document with multiple layers to export!");
var strAlertWasSuccessful = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Success= was successful.");
var strUnexpectedError = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Unexpected=Unexpected error");
var strMessage = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Message=X2L");
var stretQuality = localize( "$$$/locale_specific/JavaScripts/X2L/ETQualityLength=30" );
var stretDestination = localize( "$$$/locale_specific/JavaScripts/X2L/ETDestinationLength=160" );
var strddFileType = localize( "$$$/locale_specific/JavaScripts/X2L/DDFileType=100" );
var strpnlOptions = localize( "$$$/locale_specific/JavaScripts/X2L/PNLOptions=100" );
var strPNG8Options = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/PNG8Options=PNG-8 Options:");
var strCheckboxPNGTransparency = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Transparency=Transparency");
var strCheckboxPNGInterlaced = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Interlaced=Interlaced");
var strCheckboxPNGTrm = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/Trim=Trim Layers");
var strPNG24Options = localize("$$$/JavaScripts/X2L/PNG24Options=PNG-24 Options:");

// the drop down list indexes for file type
var png24Index = 7;

main();

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Functions
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: main
// Usage: the core routine for this script
// Input: <none>
// Return: <none>
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function main() {
if ( app.documents.length <= 0 ) {
if ( DialogModes.NO != app.playbackDisplayDialogs ) {
alert( strAlertDocumentMustBeOpened );
}
return 'cancel'; // quit, returning 'cancel' (dont localize) makes the actions palette not record our script
}

var exportInfo = new Object();

initExportInfo(exportInfo);

// look for last used params via Photoshop registry, getCustomOptions will throw if none exist
try {

}
catch(e) {
// it's ok if we don't have any options, continue with defaults
}



try {
var docName = app.activeDocument.name; // save the app.activeDocument name before duplicate.

var layerCount = app.documents[docName].layers.length;
var layerSetsCount = app.documents[docName].layerSets.length;

if ((layerCount <= 1)&&(layerSetsCount <= 0)) {
if ( DialogModes.NO != app.playbackDisplayDialogs ) {
alert( strAlertNeedMultipleLayers );
return 'cancel'; // quit, returning 'cancel' (dont localize) makes the actions palette not record our script
}
} else {

var rememberMaximize;
var needMaximize = exportInfo.psdMaxComp ? QueryStateType.ALWAYS : QueryStateType.NEVER;

app.activeDocument = app.documents[docName];
var duppedDocument = app.activeDocument.duplicate();
duppedDocument.activeLayer = duppedDocument.layers[duppedDocument.layers.length-1]; // for removing
setInvisibleAllArtLayers(duppedDocument);

exportChildren(duppedDocument, app.documents[docName], exportInfo, duppedDocument, exportInfo.fileNamePrefix);
duppedDocument.close( SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES );







if ( rememberMaximize != undefined ) {
app.preferences.maximizeCompatibility = rememberMaximize;
}

if ( DialogModes.ALL == app.playbackDisplayDialogs ) {
//alert(strTitle + strAlertWasSuccessful);
}

app.playbackDisplayDialogs = DialogModes.ALL;

}
} catch (e) {
if ( DialogModes.NO != app.playbackDisplayDialogs ) {
alert(e);
}
return 'cancel'; // quit, returning 'cancel' (dont localize) makes the actions palette not record our script
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: settingDialog
// Usage: pop the ui and get user settings
// Input: exportInfo object containing our parameters
// Return: on ok, the dialog info is set to the exportInfo object
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function settingDialog(exportInfo) {
return;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: hideAllFileTypePanel
// Usage: hide all the panels in the common actions
// Input: <none>, dlgMain is a global for this script
// Return: <none>, all panels are now hidden
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function hideAllFileTypePanel() {
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: initExportInfo
// Usage: create our default parameters
// Input: a new Object
// Return: a new object with params set to default
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function initExportInfo(exportInfo) {
//exportInfo.destination = new String(exportPath);
exportInfo.fileNamePrefix = new String("untitled_");
exportInfo.visibleOnly = false;
exportInfo.fileType = png24Index;
exportInfo.icc = true;
exportInfo.png24Transparency = true;
exportInfo.png24Interlaced = false;
exportInfo.png24Trim = true;

try {
exportInfo.destination = Folder(new String(exportPath)).fsName; // destination folder
var tmp = app.activeDocument.fullName.name;
exportInfo.fileNamePrefix = decodeURI(tmp.substring(0, tmp.indexOf("."))); // filename body part
} catch(someError) {
exportInfo.destination = new String(exportPath);
exportInfo.fileNamePrefix = app.activeDocument.name; // filename body part
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: saveFile
// Usage: the worker routine, take our params and save the file accordingly
// Input: reference to the document, the name of the output file,
// export info object containing more information
// Return: <none>, a file on disk
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function saveFile( docRef, fileNameBody, exportInfo) {

saveFile(docRef, fileNameBody, exportInfo, false, true);
function saveFile( docRef, fileNameBody, exportInfo, interlacedValue, transparencyValue) {
var id6 = charIDToTypeID( "Expr" );
var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
var id7 = charIDToTypeID( "Usng" );
var desc4 = new ActionDescriptor();
var id8 = charIDToTypeID( "Op " );
var id9 = charIDToTypeID( "SWOp" );
var id10 = charIDToTypeID( "OpSa" );
desc4.putEnumerated( id8, id9, id10 );
var id11 = charIDToTypeID( "Fmt " );
var id12 = charIDToTypeID( "IRFm" );
var id13 = charIDToTypeID( "PN24" );
desc4.putEnumerated( id11, id12, id13 );
var id14 = charIDToTypeID( "Intr" );
desc4.putBoolean( id14, interlacedValue );
var id15 = charIDToTypeID( "Trns" );
desc4.putBoolean( id15, transparencyValue );
var id16 = charIDToTypeID( "Mtt " );
desc4.putBoolean( id16, true );
var id17 = charIDToTypeID( "MttR" );
desc4.putInteger( id17, 255 );
var id18 = charIDToTypeID( "MttG" );
desc4.putInteger( id18, 255 );
var id19 = charIDToTypeID( "MttB" );
desc4.putInteger( id19, 255 );
var id20 = charIDToTypeID( "SHTM" );
desc4.putBoolean( id20, false );
var id21 = charIDToTypeID( "SImg" );
desc4.putBoolean( id21, true );
var id22 = charIDToTypeID( "SSSO" );
desc4.putBoolean( id22, false );
var id23 = charIDToTypeID( "SSLt" );
var list1 = new ActionList();
desc4.putList( id23, list1 );
var id24 = charIDToTypeID( "DIDr" );
desc4.putBoolean( id24, false );
var id25 = charIDToTypeID( "In " );
desc4.putPath( id25, new File( exportPath + "/" + fileNameBody + ".png") );

var id26 = stringIDToTypeID( "SaveForWeb" );
desc3.putObject( id7, id26, desc4 );
executeAction( id6, desc3, DialogModes.NO );
}

}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: zeroSuppress
// Usage: return a string padded to digit(s)
// Input: num to convert, digit count needed
// Return: string padded to digit length
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function zeroSuppress (num, digit) {
var tmp = num.toString();
while (tmp.length < digit) {
tmp = "0" + tmp;
}
return tmp;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: setInvisibleAllArtLayers
// Usage: unlock and make invisible all art layers, recursively
// Input: document or layerset
// Return: all art layers are unlocked and invisible
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function setInvisibleAllArtLayers(obj) {
for( var i = 0; i < obj.artLayers.length; i++) {
obj.artLayers[i].allLocked = false;
obj.artLayers[i].visible = false;
}
for( var i = 0; i < obj.layerSets.length; i++) {
setInvisibleAllArtLayers(obj.layerSets[i]);
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: removeAllInvisibleArtLayers
// Usage: remove all the invisible art layers, recursively
// Input: document or layer set
// Return: <none>, all layers that were invisible are now gone
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function removeAllInvisibleArtLayers(obj) {
for( var i = obj.artLayers.length-1; 0 <= i; i--) {
try {
if(!obj.artLayers[i].visible) {
obj.artLayers[i].remove();
}
}
catch (e) {
}
}
for( var i = obj.layerSets.length-1; 0 <= i; i--) {
removeAllInvisibleArtLayers(obj.layerSets[i]);
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: removeAllEmptyLayerSets
// Usage: find all empty layer sets and remove them, recursively
// Input: document or layer set
// Return: empty layer sets are now gone
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function removeAllEmptyLayerSets(obj) {
var foundEmpty = true;
for( var i = obj.layerSets.length-1; 0 <= i; i--) {
if( removeAllEmptyLayerSets(obj.layerSets[i])) {
obj.layerSets[i].remove();
} else {
foundEmpty = false;
}
}
if (obj.artLayers.length > 0) {
foundEmpty = false;
}
return foundEmpty;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: zeroSuppress
// Usage: return a string padded to digit(s)
// Input: num to convert, digit count needed
// Return: string padded to digit length
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function removeAllInvisible(docRef) {
removeAllInvisibleArtLayers(docRef);
removeAllEmptyLayerSets(docRef);
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: exportChildren
// Usage: find all the children in this document to save
// Input: duplicate document, original document, export info,
// reference to document, starting file name
// Return: <none>, documents are saved accordingly
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function exportChildren(dupObj, orgObj, exportInfo, dupDocRef, fileNamePrefix) {
for( var i = 0; i < dupObj.artLayers.length; i++) {
if (exportInfo.visibleOnly) { // visible layer only
if (!orgObj.artLayers[i].visible) {
continue;
}
}
dupObj.artLayers[i].visible = true;

var layerName = dupObj.artLayers[i].name; // store layer name before change doc
var duppedDocumentTmp = dupDocRef.duplicate();
if ((png24Index == exportInfo.fileType)||(png8Index == exportInfo.fileType)) { // PSD: Keep transparency
removeAllInvisible(duppedDocumentTmp);

//PNGFileOptions


if (activeDocument.activeLayer.isBackgroundLayer == false) { //is it anything but a background layer?

app.activeDocument.trim(TrimType.TRANSPARENT);


}
} else { // just flatten
duppedDocumentTmp.flatten();
}
// Edit
var docName = app.activeDocument.name;
// For some reason indexOf fails if we include the '-', so we use 'copy' and decrement the index by 1.
docName = docName.slice(0, docName.indexOf('copy')-1);
var fileNameBody = (docName+'_'+layerName).toLowerCase();
fileNameBody = fileNameBody.replace(/[:/*?"<>|]/g, "_"); // '/:*?"<>|' -> '_'
if (fileNameBody.length > 120) {
fileNameBody = fileNameBody.substring(0,120);
}

saveFile(duppedDocumentTmp, fileNameBody, exportInfo);
duppedDocumentTmp.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);

dupObj.artLayers[i].visible = false;
}
for( var i = 0; i < dupObj.layerSets.length; i++) {
if (exportInfo.visibleOnly) { // visible layer only
if (!orgObj.layerSets[i].visible) {
continue;
}
}
var fileNameBody = fileNamePrefix;
fileNameBody += "_" + zeroSuppress(i, 4) + "s";
exportChildren(dupObj.layerSets[i], orgObj.layerSets[i], exportInfo, dupDocRef, fileNameBody); // recursive call
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: objectToDescriptor
// Usage: create an ActionDescriptor from a JavaScript Object
// Input: JavaScript Object (o)
// object unique string (s)
// Pre process converter (f)
// Return: ActionDescriptor
// NOTE: Only boolean, string, number and UnitValue are supported, use a pre processor
// to convert (f) other types to one of these forms.
// REUSE: This routine is used in other scripts. Please update those if you
// modify. I am not using include or eval statements as I want these
// scripts self contained.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function objectToDescriptor (o, s, f) {
o = {};
var d = new ActionDescriptor;
var l = o.reflect.properties.length;
d.putString( app.charIDToTypeID( 'Msge' ), s );
for (var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {
var k = o.reflect.properties[i].toString();
if (k == "__proto__" || k == "__count__" || k == "__class__" || k == "reflect")
continue;
var v = o[ k ];
k = app.stringIDToTypeID(k);
switch ( typeof(v) ) {
case "boolean":
d.putBoolean(k, v);
break;
case "string":
d.putString(k, v);
break;
case "number":
d.putDouble(k, v);
break;
default:
{
if ( v instanceof UnitValue ) {
var uc = new Object;
uc["px"] = charIDToTypeID("#Rlt"); // unitDistance
uc["%"] = charIDToTypeID("#Prc"); // unitPercent
d.putUnitDouble(k, uc[v.type], v.value);
} else {
throw( new Error("Unsupported type in objectToDescriptor " + typeof(v) ) );
}
}
}
}
return d;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: descriptorToObject
// Usage: update a JavaScript Object from an ActionDescriptor
// Input: JavaScript Object (o), current object to update (output)
// Photoshop ActionDescriptor (d), descriptor to pull new params for object from
// object unique string (s)
// JavaScript Function (f), post process converter utility to convert
// Return: Nothing, update is applied to passed in JavaScript Object (o)
// NOTE: Only boolean, string, number and UnitValue are supported, use a post processor
// to convert (f) other types to one of these forms.
// REUSE: This routine is used in other scripts. Please update those if you
// modify. I am not using include or eval statements as I want these
// scripts self contained.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function descriptorToObject (o, d, s, f) {
var l = d.count;
if (l) {
var keyMessage = app.charIDToTypeID( 'Msge' );
if ( d.hasKey(keyMessage) && ( s != d.getString(keyMessage) )) return;
}
for (var i = 0; i < l; i++ ) {
var k = d.getKey(i); // i + 1 ?
var t = d.getType(k);
strk = app.typeIDToStringID(k);
switch (t) {
case DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE:
o[strk] = d.getBoolean(k);
break;
case DescValueType.STRINGTYPE:
o[strk] = d.getString(k);
break;
case DescValueType.DOUBLETYPE:
o[strk] = d.getDouble(k);
break;
case DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE:
{
var uc = new Object;
uc[charIDToTypeID("#Rlt")] = "px"; // unitDistance
uc[charIDToTypeID("#Prc")] = "%"; // unitPercent
uc[charIDToTypeID("#Pxl")] = "px"; // unitPixels
var ut = d.getUnitDoubleType(k);
var uv = d.getUnitDoubleValue(k);
o[strk] = new UnitValue( uv, uc[ut] );
}
break;
case DescValueType.INTEGERTYPE:
case DescValueType.ALIASTYPE:
case DescValueType.CLASSTYPE:
case DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE:
case DescValueType.LISTTYPE:
case DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE:
case DescValueType.RAWTYPE:
case DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE:
default:
throw( new Error("Unsupported type in descriptorToObject " + t ) );
}
}
if (undefined != f) {
o = f(o);
}
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: preProcessExportInfo
// Usage: convert Photoshop enums to strings for storage
// Input: JavaScript Object of my params for this script
// Return: JavaScript Object with objects converted for storage
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function preProcessExportInfo(o) {
o.tiffCompression = o.tiffCompression.toString();
o.pdfEncoding = o.pdfEncoding.toString();
o.targaDepth = o.targaDepth.toString();
o.bmpDepth = o.bmpDepth.toString();
return o;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: postProcessExportInfo
// Usage: convert strings from storage to Photoshop enums
// Input: JavaScript Object of my params in string form
// Return: JavaScript Object with objects in enum form
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function postProcessExportInfo(o) {
o.tiffCompression = eval(o.tiffCompression);
o.pdfEncoding = eval(o.pdfEncoding);
o.targaDepth = eval(o.targaDepth);
o.bmpDepth = eval(o.bmpDepth);
return o;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Function: StrToIntWithDefault
// Usage: convert a string to a number, first stripping all characters
// Input: string and a default number
// Return: a number
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function StrToIntWithDefault( s, n ) {
var onlyNumbers = /[^0-9]/g;
var t = s.replace( onlyNumbers, "" );
t = parseInt( t );
if ( ! isNaN( t ) ) {
n = t;
}
return n;
}
// End X2L.jsx

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