Copying layers label colour with scripting

[humble abyss]

Hey there, long ago I made this script with some help but right now I totally forget all about scripting and I need a little update.

What it does is just combining several layers into a smart object, and rename it to the bottom layer. Now, if possible I want to copy the layer's color as well. Can someone help me achieve this?

This is the script

`function main() {
var s2t = stringIDToTypeID;

(tr = new ActionReference).putProperty(s2t('property'), p = s2t('targetLayersIDs'));
tr.putEnumerated(s2t('document'), s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));

(lr = new ActionReference).putProperty(s2t('property'), n = s2t('name'));
lr.putIdentifier(s2t('layer'), executeActionGet(tr).getList(p).getReference(0).getIdentifier(s2t('layerID')));
var nm = executeActionGet(lr).getString(n)

executeAction(s2t('newPlacedLayer'), undefined, DialogModes.NO);

(r = new ActionReference()).putEnumerated(s2t("layer"), s2t("ordinal"), s2t("targetEnum"));
(d = new ActionDescriptor()).putReference(s2t("null"), r);
(d1 = new ActionDescriptor()).putString(s2t("name"), nm);
d.putObject(s2t("to"), s2t("layer"), d1);
executeAction(s2t("set"), d, DialogModes.NO);
}

app.activeDocument.suspendHistory("Smart Obj Script", "main()");`

I also found this post which should help I think but I am unable to apply it on my script.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40972194/how-to-programmatically-access-layer-tag-colour-in-photoshop

Help really appreciated, thanks :)

[slim heron]

Gave links to Photoshop scripts forums in the main forum

[humble abyss]

@boreal forge Thanks for the answer

[fast glade]

Gave +1 Creative Carma to @boreal forge (current: #14 - 227)

[humble abyss]

No wonder it feels alien compared to the JS code in that link

And yeah thats what I mean with label colour

Idk if there is a better name for it or not 😅

[boreal forge]

AM Code is specific to Photoshop and works well with Adobe Extend Script (JavaScript), but it is much more difficult to learn and edit.

I still have a few code snippets for layer colours ‘lying around’ at home, but I'm not sure right now whether they are Illustrator or Photoshop scripts. I'll be home in a few hours. Then I'll take a look and get back to you.

[humble abyss]

Great, I appreciate taking your time :)

As far as I remember we tried to build with JS first but it was much more slog (because it was checking every file or sth like that?) but someone else offered this solution and it was simply perfect.

Its just that lately I am using label colors more and more and it kinda become annoying to manually fix every time.

[boreal forge]

@humble abyss
I could not find it on my current computer. But this snippet that I wrote years ago in the Photoshop scripting forum should help you:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/determine-layer-color-label-from-layer-id/m-p/8708077#M59276

[humble abyss]

Hey thank you. They are definitely working when I try them but I honestly can't even imagine how I can combine them with my script.

I mean from what I can see I should get the color after script determines which layer is the bottom one (since I pick more than one layer) but I am not even sure which part of the script does that.. I haven't seen many coding languages but this is definitely the most alien one.

May I ask your help if its not too much hassle?

[fast glade]

Gave +1 Creative Carma to @boreal forge (current: #14 - 229)

[boreal forge]

Please show me a screenshot of the layers panel before and after executing your script. And which of the layers should get a 'layer label colour. Probably a “simple line of normal javascript code” is enough to define the active layer, or a layer by name.

[humble abyss]

Before and after. Currently what the script does is just combining all layers into a smart object and rename it to bottom layer.

But as you can see it the created smart object has no color. What I would want is simply having the color of Layer1 which is blue.

So, this.

[humble abyss]

From what I understand the script defines the bottom active layer which is layer1 in this case. So while its getting the variable of its name, also getting the color should work in theory.

But I am not confident on where exactly in that code it gets the name variable

[boreal forge]

Add something like that:

[humble abyss]

Are you using this function after the initial renaming function? Because if thats the case you already lose the color information at this point, am I wrong?

[boreal forge]

Use the function at the end. It ‘labels’ the active layer (i.e. your created smart object).

[humble abyss]

Am I on the right path?

I think I should somehow return "col" on the first function but not sure how to do that

And there is also the issue of first function doesn't get the color information if there are more than one layers

[boreal forge]

Does that help a little?
before - after

[humble abyss]

Honestly? No :/

I was looking at the original script again and I am wondering it is possible to just alter a bit instead of creating 2 new functions?

Probably getting a new variable on 1, and somehow using it near 2?

[boreal forge]

Javascript is like a steam engine. AM code, on the other hand, is more like rocket science. I have offered you an easily understandable and editable mixed programming. That's all I can offer you here.
Sorry.

If you are interested in more complex scripts, you'd better turn to the Adobe Photoshop forum.

[humble abyss]

Actually I would be ok with JS as well but honestly I couldn't understand what you are doing.

I mean, last example you sent you manually changed few layers color and I couldn't see how this helps :/

[boreal forge]

That was your original enquiry:

… and I need a little update.

What it does is just combining several layers into a smart object, and rename it to the bottom layer. Now, if possible I want to copy the layer's color as well. Can someone help me achieve this?

And this:

… But as you can see it the created smart object has no color. What I would want is simply having the color of Layer1 which is blue …

The solutions shown fulfil exactly these tasks (and even a little more).

It's time for me to go to bed now. I'm going to retire.
Good luck with the implementation.
🙂

[humble abyss]

Thank you for trying to help, but maybe because I am literally years away from any kind of coding like I said on my first message, I couldn't understand what you are trying to show.

Good night 👋

[fast glade]

Gave +1 Creative Carma to @boreal forge (current: #14 - 231)

[vagrant sky]

In your case u can use Alchemist for Photoshop

Listens all (most of) Photoshop events. Something like actions panel in Photoshop but for scripting. Or ScriptListener plugin for ExtendScript but in panel. Also can inspect PS DOM and show PS AM descriptors from various places.

https://github.com/jardicc/alchemist

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Adobe.extendscript-debug

grabs the selected layer IDs,
2. reads the name and label color from the bottom-most selected layer,
3. converts the selection to a Smart Object,
4. renames the SO,
5. applies the same label color to the SO.

Works with standard label colors: none, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gray.
• If the bottom layer has no label (or Photoshop can’t report it), the SO gets none.
• This keeps their original behavior (naming from the bottom layer) and just adds color copy.
• Tested logic relies on Action Manager (same approach as that StackOverflow thread). No DOM property exists for label color, so AM is the right way.

// PART 1 code here (from "#target photoshop" down to "newPlacedLayer")

#target photoshop
app.activeDocument.suspendHistory("Smart Obj Script (name + color)", "main()");

function main () {
    var s2t = stringIDToTypeID;

    // --- Get selected layers
    var ref = new ActionReference();
    ref.putProperty(s2t('property'), s2t('targetLayersIDs'));
    ref.putEnumerated(s2t('document'), s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));
    var idList = executeActionGet(ref).getList(s2t('targetLayersIDs'));
    if (!idList || idList.count === 0) return;

    // --- Bottom layer ID
    var bottomLayerID = idList.getReference(idList.count - 1).getIdentifier(s2t('layerID'));

    // --- Get bottom name
    var rName = new ActionReference();
    rName.putProperty(s2t('property'), s2t('name'));
    rName.putIdentifier(s2t('layer'), bottomLayerID);
    var bottomName = executeActionGet(rName).getString(s2t('name'));

    // --- Get bottom color
    var rColor = new ActionReference();
    rColor.putProperty(s2t('property'), s2t('color'));
    rColor.putIdentifier(s2t('layer'), bottomLayerID);
    var colorEnum;
    try {
        colorEnum = executeActionGet(rColor).getEnumerationValue(s2t('color'));
    } catch (e) {
        colorEnum = s2t('none');
    }

    // --- Convert to Smart Object
    executeAction(s2t('newPlacedLayer'), undefined, DialogModes.NO);

// PART 2 code here (from "// --- Rename SO" to the closing brace)

    // --- Rename SO
    var refSO = new ActionReference();
    refSO.putEnumerated(s2t('layer'), s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));
    var dSetName = new ActionDescriptor();
    dSetName.putReference(s2t('null'), refSO);
    var dToName = new ActionDescriptor();
    dToName.putString(s2t('name'), bottomName);
    dSetName.putObject(s2t('to'), s2t('layer'), dToName);
    executeAction(s2t('set'), dSetName, DialogModes.NO);

    // --- Apply color
    var refSO2 = new ActionReference();
    refSO2.putEnumerated(s2t('layer'), s2t('ordinal'), s2t('targetEnum'));
    var dSetColor = new ActionDescriptor();
    dSetColor.putReference(s2t('null'), refSO2);
    var dToColor = new ActionDescriptor();
    dToColor.putEnumerated(s2t('color'), s2t('color'), colorEnum);
    dSetColor.putObject(s2t('to'), s2t('layer'), dToColor);
    executeAction(s2t('set'), dSetColor, DialogModes.NO);
}

[humble abyss]

Hmm didn't know about this at all. Thanks