Move Layer Bug

Photoshop UXP Plugin API
1

Hello,
I’m encountering some strange behavior when moving layers. This happens for me when using batchPlay (as in the example below) and moveAbove().

const move_test = async() =>
{
  const ps = require("photoshop").app;
  let doc = ps.activeDocument;
  const batchPlay = require("photoshop").action.batchPlay;

  //assumes two layers named Layer 1 & Layer 2, respectively.
  //Layer 2 is in front of Layer 1

  const result = await batchPlay(
  [
     {
        "_obj": "select",
        "_target": [
           {
              "_ref": "layer",
              "_name": "Layer 1"
           }
        ],
        "makeVisible": false,
        "_isCommand": true,
        "_options": {
           "dialogOptions": "dontDisplay"
        }
     },
     //duplicate "Layer 1"
     {
       "_obj": "duplicate",
       "_target": [{
         "_ref": "layer",
         "_enum": "ordinal",
         "_value": "targetEnum"
       }],
       "version": 5,
       "_isCommand": true,
       "_options": {
         "dialogOptions": "dontDisplay"
       }
     },
     //move "Layer 1 copy" to front
     {
       "_obj": "move",
       "_target": [{
         "_ref": "layer",
         "_enum": "ordinal",
         "_value": "targetEnum"
       }],
       "to": {
         "_ref": "layer",
         "_enum": "ordinal",
         "_value": "front"
       },
       "_isCommand": true,
       "_options": {
         "dialogOptions": "dontDisplay"
       }
     }
  ],{
     "synchronousExecution": true, //I have tried with true & false
     "modalBehavior": "fail"
  });

  console.log("result",result)
}

The front value is inconsistent.

Perhaps related, other move issues have appeared on this forum. @simonhenke mentioned issues when doc.hasBackgroundLayer is true. moveAbove() & moveBelow() also have issues:
Weird Layer.moveBelow() behavior

Thank you.

2

There’s definitely something weird going on. Your async/await and synchronousExecution code is fine and the background layer isn’t the problem either.

Here’s my observation:

It doesn’t work when

  • the top layer is selected
  • no layer is selected

It does work when:

  • any layer except the top one is selected
  • you split up the code into two batchPlay calls (1: select layer, 2: duplicate & move)

To me this looks like a bug and I’ve also encountered some weird behavior when moving layers in my own plugins. I always just try to work around them and do a lot of testing.

3

I ended up using Batch play
Here’s a descriptor to move layers:

    {
        _obj: 'move',
        _target: [{_ref: 'layer', _enum: 'ordinal', _value: 'targetEnum'}],
        to: {_ref: 'layer', _index: indexToMoveTo},
        adjustment: false,
        layerID: arrayLayerIDsToMove
    }

I think without _target it didn’t work, but it doesn’t really do anything here. Don’t ask, it’s been a while I worked with this :sweat_smile:

4

I think _target is necessary, layerID can be omitted though, if I’m not mistaken.

However, I don’t think it solves this thread’s issue - it’s just moving to a specific index instead of to the front.

5

Is there a way with _target to target multiple IDs?

But it’s easy to get the top layer index

    const doc = getDocById(docId);
    const topLayer = doc.layerTree[0];
    const topIndex = getLayerProperty(topLayer._id, 'itemIndex');

I use this logic in my Pinned Layers plugin and it seems to be working fine. Also, IIRC, this kind of descriptor, using layerID was suggested to me by @kerrishotts when I just had too many issues with renaming, activating, moving layers in the same action.

6

Yes, for example:

export function __selectByIDs(ids: number[]) {
  return {
    _obj: 'select',
    _target: ids.map(_id => ({_ref: 'layer', _id})),
    selectionModifier: {
      _enum: 'selectionModifierType',
      _value: 'addToSelection',
    },
    makeVisible: false,
  }
}

Yes, but in theory the {"_ref": "layer","_enum": "ordinal","_value": "front"} approach should do the same in less LoC.
However, I quickly tested both versions and can confirm, that moving layers to a specific index (for example the top one) is not affected by the bug described above, and therefore a valid workaround.
I think that was also what I did for my plugins, when I realized the “front” moving thing didn’t work.

You can run a simple test: Try to add a valid layerID there and see if it’s actually the one getting moved. I did just that, and as expected, it’s the selected layer getting moved (due to {_ref: 'layer', _enum: 'ordinal', _value: 'targetEnum'}), not the one with the specified ID.

In fact, you can write anything there, for example layerID: ["HELLO"] and it won’t break as it simply gets ignored. That’s just additional info Photoshop adds to the returned descriptor when you listen to events.

7

I’ll revisit my plugin code then (it was way overdue anyway), because it moves the provided IDs to the top no matter what’s selected :thinking: At least it used to :sweat_smile:

8

Are you sure, that the provided IDs weren’t also the selected ones already?
I mean not before running the script, but maybe you selected them during the process.

9

I’m pretty sure, but I’ll get back to you probably tomorrow :slight_smile: Will try to figure out what’s happening :slight_smile: It’s a quite complex logic of that plugin, although it does a pretty simple thing

10

Thank you all for the replies. Combining your feedback, I came up with this…

const move_multiple_above = (tgt_id, ids) => {
  return {
    _obj: 'move',
    _target: ids.map(_id => ({_ref: 'layer',_id})),
    to: {
      _ref: 'layer',
      _index: tgt_id
    },
    adjustment: false
  }
}

let target_index = 3; //where to move the selected layers
let ids = doc.activeLayers.map(x => x._id); //add selected layer ids to 'ids' array 

const result = await batchPlay(
[
  move_multiple_above(target_index,ids) //gets descriptor for moving multiple layers
],{
  "synchronousExecution": true,
  "modalBehavior": "fail"
});

It’s kinda slow, unfortunately. I really wish front worked with the move batchPlay! Does anyone have some suggestions for better performance? Thank you.

11

Simon, you were right. I was looking a bit at the wrong part of flow. Before running that descriptor I select the layers I need. Removed layerID and nothing changed :slight_smile: Thanks for pointing that out

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