Put a layer group inside another layer group

Photoshop UXP Plugin API
1

What is the correct way to put a layer group inside another layer group?

I’ve tried both

await subGroup.moveInside(mainGroup);

and

await subGroup.move(mainGroup, constants.ElementPlacement.PLACEINSIDE);

They both throw this error:

  TypeError: Cannot read property 'id' of undefined
      at _directRef (uxp://uxp-internal:1)
      at Layer.moveInside (uxp://uxp-internal:1)
      at Layer.move (uxp://uxp-internal:1)
      at createGroups (VM14 index.js:238)
      at async _internalExecuteAsModalWrapper (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2022\Required\UXP/common.js:54)
      at async _internalCallbackWrapper (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop 2022\Required\UXP/common.js:35)

This is using API v2 and the code is being run inside a modal scope

Here is the full code:

async function createGroups(executionContext, descriptor)
{
	try {
		let mainGroup = await app.activeDocument.createLayerGroup({ name: "main group" });
		let subGroup = await app.activeDocument.createLayerGroup({ name: "sub group" });
		await subGroup.move(mainGroup, require('photoshop').constants.ElementPlacement.PLACEINSIDE);
	}
	catch (err) {
		console.log(err);
	}
}
	
async function RunClicked()
{
	await require('photoshop').core.executeAsModal(createGroups, {"commandName": "Creating nested groups"});
}

Edit:
I get the same problem when trying to move a normal layer inside a group layer. The only solution I can see at this stage is to move back to API v1 where .moveBelow() acts as moveInside().

5 Likes
2

Bump.

Also experiencing this error with move() and moveInside():

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'id')

Snippet:

(layer 0 is a folder layer, layer 1 is a regular layer)

const ps = require("photoshop");
const d = ps.app.activeDocument;
const fold = d.layers[0];
await ps.core.executeAsModal(
    async () => {
        d.layers[1].moveInside(fold)
    },
    { commandName: "test" }
  );
3

Same here. I was really looking forward to this feature as a means to overcome usage of layer index for moving items. As such I would love to know if there is a work around for this (that doesn’t involve index computations). I hope this is getting some traction :slight_smile:

4

Can you use ID instead of an index?

5

My understanding is that you can use ID as a layer target in the ‘move’ batchPlay command, but that still requires you to specify the insertion point of the move as an index. Is that not the case?

6

You can create new instance of layer using exposed constructor. https://developer.adobe.com/photoshop/uxp/2022/ps_reference/media/prototype/

E.g. const layer = new app.Layer(docID, layerID) or maybe arguments are in oposite order I am not sure now.

7

Here is what I mean: That’s an example of a ‘move’ in batchPlay:

   {
      _obj: "move",
      _target: [
         { _ref: "layer", _id: layer.id}
      ],
      to: {
         _ref: "layer",
         _index: 8
      },
      adjustment: false,
      _options: {
         dialogOptions: "dontDisplay"
      }
   }

“_index” under “to” (i.e. the place you move your layer to, in this example: 8) needs to be an index, does it not?

8

I think that e.g. _id: 1234 is also possible.

9

Interesting! If you specify a layer by ID (under “to”), how does it know whether to insert after that layer (as sibling) vs. inserting inside (as a child of) that layer? In any case I’m gonna try that out… :slight_smile: