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Action Manager, The ScriptListener Plug-In, Installing ScriptListener

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4 Action Manager Photoshop CS3 actions allow you to save time by automating repetitive tasks. You create and run actions in the application interface using the Actions palette. You can also manage actions in scripts using a utility called the Action Manager. The Action Manager allows you to write scripts that target Photoshop CS3 functionality that is not otherwise accessible in the scripting interface, such as third party plug-ins and filters. The only requirement for using the Action Manager is that the task that you want to access from the Action Manager is recordable. This chapter describes how to use the Action Manager and the scripting interface objects it includes. The ScriptListener Plug-In Before you use the Action Manager, you must install the ScriptListener plug-in. ScriptListener records a file with scripting code corresponding to the actions you perform in the UI. Tip: Because ScriptListener records most of your actions, install ScriptListener only when you are creating Action Manager scripts. Leaving ScriptListener installed continuously will not only create large files that occupy memory on your hard drive, it can slow Photoshop CS3 performance. When you perform a task or series of tasks in Photoshop CS3, ScriptListener creates several files, which contain code that represents the actions taken in Photoshop: ● ScriptingListenerJS.log, containing JavaScript code, ● ScriptingListenerVB.log, containing VBScript code (Windows only). ScriptListener creates these files on the desktop. Note: There is no AppleScript interface to the Action Manager. However, you can access the Action Manager from an AppleScript by executing a JavaScript from AppleScript. See 'Running JavaScript-based Action Manager code from AppleScript' on page 78. Installing ScriptListener The ScriptListener plug-in is located in the ..\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Scripting Guide\Utilities folder. ➤ To install the ScriptListener: 1. Select the file ScriptListener.8li and then choose Edit > Copy. 2. Paste the file copy to the following location: ..\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Plug-Ins\Automate 3. Open Photoshop CS3. Note: If Photoshop CS3 is already open, close it and then start it again. This will allow Photoshop to load the plug-in. 72

Section	Page
Contents	3
Introduction	5
About this manual	5
Conventions in this guide	5
Photoshop CS3 Scripting Basics	7
Scripting Overview	7
Why use scripts instead of actions?	7
Scripting Support in Photoshop CS3	8
JavaScript Support	8
Executing other scripts	9
Startup Scripts	9
Executing JavaScripts from AS or VBS	9
Photoshop CS3 Object Model	9
Containment Hierarchy	10
Application and Document Classes	10
Layer Classes	11
Layer Comp Class	11
Channel Class	11
Selection Class	11
History State Class	12
Document Info Class	12
Path Item, Sub Path Item, and Path Point Classes	12
Preferences Class	12
Notifier Class	12
Count Item Class	12
Color Sampler Class	12
Measurement Scale Class	12
The Containment Hierarchy and the Photoshop CS3 User Interface	12
Additional Objects	14
Constants	14
Creating a Sample Hello World Script	15
Creating and Running an AppleScript	15
Creating and Running a VBScript	16
Creating and Running a JavaScript	17
Scripting Photoshop CS3	19
Viewing Photoshop CS3 Objects, Commands, and Methods	19
Viewing Photoshop CS3’s AppleScript Dictionary	19
Viewing Photoshop CS3’s Type Library (VBS)	20
Targeting and Referencing the Application Object	20
Creating New Objects in a Script	21
Setting the Active Object	23
Setting the Active Document	24
Setting the Active Layer	25
Setting the Active Channels	25
Opening a Document	26
Opening a File with Default File Format	26
Specifying File Formats to Open	27
Saving a Document	29
Setting Application Preferences	30
Allowing or Preventing Dialogs	31
Working with the Photoshop CS3 Object Model	31
Using the Application Object	31
Using the Document Object	32
Manipulating a Document Object	32
Working with Layer Objects	34
Creating an ArtLayer Object	34
Creating a Layer Set Object	35
Referencing ArtLayer Objects	36
Working with Layer Set Objects	37
Linking Layer Objects	38
AS	38
VBS	38
JS	38
Applying Styles to Layers	38
Using the Text Item Object	39
Determining a Layer’s Kind	40
Adding and Manipulating Text in a Text Item Object	40
Working with Selection Objects	41
Creating and Defining a Selection	41
Stroking the Selection Border	42
Inverting Selections	43
Expanding, Contracting, and Feathering Selections	43
Filling a Selection	43
Loading and Storing Selections	44
Working with Channel Objects	45
Changing Channel Types	45
Using the Document Info Object	46
Using History State Objects	46
Using Notifier Objects	47
Using the PathItem Object	48
Working with Color Objects	50
Solid Color Classes	51
Using Hex Values for RGB Color	51
Getting and Converting Colors	51
Comparing Colors	52
Getting a Web Safe Color	52
Working with Filters	53
AS	53
VBS	53
JS	53
Other Filters	53
Understanding Clipboard Interaction	54
Using the Copy and Paste commands	54
Using the Copy Merged Command/Method	55
Working with Units	55
Unit Values	56
Special Unit Value Types	56
AppleScript Unit Considerations	56
Using Unit Values in Calculations	57
Unit Value Usage	57
Setting Ruler and Type Units in a Script	59
Sample Workflow Automation JavaScripts	59
Advanced Scripting	60
Working with Document Preferences	60
Applying Color to a Text Item	63
Applying a Wave Filter	66
Defining the Area of a Selection Object	66
Applying a MotionBlur Filter	69
Action Manager	72
The ScriptListener Plug-In	72
Installing ScriptListener	72
Action Manager Scripting Objects	73
Recording a Script using ScriptListener	73
Using the Action Manager from JavaScript	74
Using the Action Manager from a VBS Script	75
Running JavaScript-based Action Manager code from VBScript	78
Running JavaScript-based Action Manager code from AppleScript	78
Using ScriptListener to find event IDs and class IDs	79

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Action Manager

Photoshop CS3 actions allow you to save time by automating repetitive tasks. You create and run actions

in the application interface using the Actions palette.

You can also manage actions in scripts using a utility called the

Action Manager

. The Action Manager allows

you to write scripts that target Photoshop CS3 functionality that is not otherwise accessible in the

scripting interface, such as third party plug-ins and filters. The only requirement for using the Action

Manager is that the task that you want to access from the Action Manager is recordable.

This chapter describes how to use the Action Manager and the scripting interface objects it includes.

The ScriptListener Plug-In

Before you use the Action Manager, you must install the ScriptListener plug-in. ScriptListener records a file

with scripting code corresponding to the actions you perform in the UI.

Tip:

Because ScriptListener records most of your actions, install ScriptListener only when you are creating

Action Manager scripts. Leaving ScriptListener installed continuously will not only create large files

that occupy memory on your hard drive, it can slow Photoshop CS3 performance.

When you perform a task or series of tasks in Photoshop CS3, ScriptListener creates several files, which

contain code that represents the actions taken in Photoshop:

●

ScriptingListenerJS.log

, containing JavaScript code,

●

ScriptingListenerVB.log

, containing VBScript code (Windows only).

ScriptListener creates these files on the desktop.

Note:

There is no AppleScript interface to the Action Manager. However, you can access the Action

Manager from an AppleScript by executing a JavaScript from AppleScript. See

‘Running

JavaScript-based Action Manager code from AppleScript’ on page 78

Installing ScriptListener

The ScriptListener plug-in is located in the

..\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Scripting Guide\Utilities

folder.

➤

To install the ScriptListener:

Select the file

ScriptListener.8li

and then choose

Edit

Copy

Paste the file copy to the following location:

..\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Plug-Ins\Automate

Open Photoshop CS3.

Note:

If Photoshop CS3 is already open, close it and then start it again. This will allow Photoshop to

load the plug-in.