Application

The Adobe Photoshop application object, which contains all other Adobe Photoshop objects.

This is the root of the object model, and provides access to all other objects. To access the properties and methods, you can use the pre-defined global variable app. For example: var currentDoc = app.activeDocument;

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Objects:

ActionDescriptor, Boolean, DialogModes, Document, Documents, File, MeasurementLog, Notifiers, Number, Preferences, SolidColor, String, TextFonts,

Preferences:

Preferences

Property Listing

Property	Type	Access	Description
activeDocument	Document	read/write	The frontmost document.
backgroundColor	SolidColor	read/write	The default background color (used to paint, fill, and stroke selections).
build	String	readonly	The build number of Adobe Photoshop application.
colorSettings	Varies	read/write	The name of the selected color setting's set.
currentTool	String	read/write	Name of the current tool.
displayDialogs	DialogModes DialogModes.ALL DialogModes.ERROR DialogModes.NO	read/write	The dialog mode for the document, which indicates whether or not Photoshop displays dialogs when the script runs.
documents	Documents Document	readonly	The collection of open documents.
fonts	TextFonts TextFont	readonly	The fonts installed on this system.
foregroundColor	SolidColor	read/write	The default foreground color (used to paint, fill, and stroke selections).
freeMemory	Number	readonly	The amount of unused memory available to Photoshop.
locale	String	readonly	The language locale of the application.
macintoshFileTypes	Array of String	readonly	A list of the image file types Photoshop can open.
measurementLog	MeasurementLog	readonly	The log of measurements taken.
name	String	readonly	The application name.
notifiers	Notifiers Notifier	readonly	The notifiers currently configured (in the Scripts Events Manager menu in the application).
notifiersEnabled	Boolean	read/write	If true, notifiers are enabled.
parent		readonly	The object's container.
path	File	readonly	The full path of the location of the Adobe Photoshop application.
playbackDisplayDialogs	DialogModes DialogModes.ALL DialogModes.ERROR DialogModes.NO	read/write	The dialog mode for playback mode, which indicates whether or not Photoshop displays dialogs in playback mode.
playbackParameters	ActionDescriptor	read/write	The playback options, which indicate the speed at which Photoshop plays actions.
preferences	Preferences	readonly	The application preference settings (equivalent to selecting Edit > Preferences in the Adobe Photoshop application in Windows or Photoshop > Preferences in Mac OS).
preferencesFolder	File	readonly	The full path to the preferences folder.
recentFiles	FileArray	readonly	Files in the Recent Files list.
scriptingBuildDate	String	readonly	The build date of the scripting interface.
scriptingVersion	String	readonly	The version of the Scripting interface.
systemInformation	String	readonly	System information of the host application and machine.
typename	String	readonly	The class name of the object.
version	String	readonly	The version of Adobe Photoshop application that you are running.
windowsFileTypes	Array of String	readonly	A list of the image file extensions Photoshop can open.

Method Listing

undefined applyToolBrushFromFile (file:File)

PRIVATE - set the current tool brush from a file.

Parameter	Type	Description
file	File	Brush file to apply.

String batch (inputFiles:AliasArray, action:String, from:String, [options:BatchOptions])

Runs the batch automation routine; analogous to using the Batch command in Photoshop.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFiles	AliasArray	The files to operate on.
action	String	The name of the action to play (note that the Action name is case-sensitive and must match the name in the Actions palette).
from	String	The name of the action set containing the action being played (note that the Action Set name is case-sensitive and must match the name in the Actions palette).
options	BatchOptions	Options for batch automation.

undefined beep ()

Alerts the user.

undefined bringToFront ()

Makes Photoshop the active application.

undefined changeProgressText (progressString:String)

Changes the text that appears in the progress window.

Parameter	Type	Description
progressString	String	String to show in the progress window.

Int charIDToTypeID (charID:String)

Converts from a four character code to a runtime ID.

Parameter	Type	Description
charID	String	The ID to convert.

undefined doAction (action:String, from:String)

Plays the specified action from the Actions palette.

Parameter	Type	Description
action	String	The name of the action to play. (Note that the action name is case-sensitive and must match the name as it appears in the Actions palette.)
from	String	The name of the action set containing the action being played. (Note that the Action Set name is case-sensitive and must match the name as it appears in the Actions palette.)

undefined doForcedProgress (progressString:String, javaScriptString:String)

Performs a task with a progress bar. Forces progress bar to display, ignoring the normal heuristics that keep it from showing unnecessarily (e.g. during very short tasks). Other progress APIs must be called periodically to update the progress bar and allow cancelling.

Parameter	Type	Description
progressString	String	String to show in the progress window.
javaScriptString	String	JavaScriptString to execute.

undefined doProgress (progressString:String, javaScriptString:String)

Performs a task with a progress bar. Other progress APIs must be called periodically to update the progress bar and allow cancelling.

Parameter	Type	Description
progressString	String	String to show in the progress window.
javaScriptString	String	JavaScriptString to execute.

Boolean doProgressSegmentTask (segmentLength:Int, done:Int, total:Int, javaScriptString:String)

Sections off a portion of the unused progress bar for execution of a subtask. Returns false on cancel. Use when iterating a list of tasks with unequal run times.

Parameter	Type	Description
segmentLength	Int	The length of the current task.
done	Int	The total length of all completed tasks.
total	Int	The total length of all tasks.
javaScriptString	String	JavaScriptString to execute.

Boolean doProgressSubTask (index:Int, limit:Int, javaScriptString:String)

Sections off a portion of the unused progress bar for execution of a subtask. Returns false on cancel. Use when iterating a simple list of tasks with equal run times.

Parameter	Type	Description
index	Int	The 0-based index of the current task.
limit	Int	The total number of tasks.
javaScriptString	String	JavaScriptString to execute.

Boolean doProgressTask (taskLength:Number, javaScriptString:String)

Sections off a portion of the unused progress bar for execution of a subtask. Returns false on cancel.

Parameter	Type	Description
taskLength	Number	Amount of the unused progress bar to section off, between 0.0 and 1.0.
javaScriptString	String	JavaScriptString to execute.

undefined eraseCustomOptions (key:String)

Removes the specified user objects from the Photoshop registry.

Parameter	Type	Description
key	String	The unique string ID for user object(s) to remove.

ActionDescriptor executeAction (eventID:Int, [descriptor:ActionDescriptor], [displayDialogs:DialogModes])

Plays an ActionManager event.

Parameter	Type	Description
eventID	Int	The event to play.
descriptor	ActionDescriptor	The action descriptor to play.
displayDialogs	DialogModes DialogModes.ALL DialogModes.ERROR DialogModes.NO	The display permissions for dialogs and alert messages.

Parameter

Type

Description

eventID

Int

The event to play.

descriptor

ActionDescriptor

The action descriptor to play.

displayDialogs

DialogModes

DialogModes.ALL

DialogModes.ERROR

DialogModes.NO

The display permissions for dialogs and alert messages.

ActionDescriptor executeActionGet (reference:ActionReference)

Obtains an action descriptor.

Parameter	Type	Description
reference	ActionReference	The reference specification of the property.

Boolean featureEnabled (name:String)

If true, the specified feature is enabled.

Parameter	Type	Description
name	String	The name of the feature.

ActionDescriptor getCustomOptions (key:String)

Retrieves user objects from the Photoshop registry for the ID with value key.

Parameter	Type	Description
key	String	The unique string ID for the user object.

Boolean isQuicktimeAvailable ()

Returns true if Quicktime is installed.

undefined load (document:File)

Loads a support document.

Parameter	Type	Description
document	File	The document to load.

String makeContactSheet (inputFiles:AliasArray, [options:ContactSheetOptions])

Creates a contact sheet from multiple files.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFiles	AliasArray	The files to include.
options	ContactSheetOptions	Options for creating the contact sheet.

String makePDFPresentation (inputFiles:AliasArray, outputFile:File, [options:PresentationOptions])

Creates a PDF presentation file.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFiles	AliasArray	The input files to include in the presentation.
outputFile	File	The location of the output file.
options	PresentationOptions	Options for the PDF presentation.

String makePhotoGallery (inputFolder:Varies, outputFolder:File, [options:GalleryOptions])

DEPRECATED. Creates a web photo gallery.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFolder	Varies	Folder to process or an array of files to process.
outputFolder	File	Location for output files.
options	GalleryOptions	Options for the web photo gallery.

String makePhotomerge (inputFiles:AliasArray)

DEPRECATED. Merges multiple files into one, user interaction required.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFiles	AliasArray	List of input files to include.

String makePicturePackage (inputFiles:AliasArray, [options:PicturePackageOptions])

Creates a picture package from multiple files.

Parameter	Type	Description
inputFiles	AliasArray	The files to include.
options	PicturePackageOptions	Options for creating a Picture Package.

Document open (document:File, [as:Varies], [asSmartObject:Boolean=Boolean])

Opens the specified document file(s).

Parameter	Type	Description
document	File	The document(s) to opend.
as	Varies	The document type (The default is to let Photoshop deduce the format).
asSmartObject	Boolean	Creates a smart object around the document. (default: false)

Parameter

Type

Description

document

File

The document(s) to opend.

Varies

The document type (The default is to let Photoshop deduce the format).

asSmartObject

Boolean

Creates a smart object around the document.

(default: false)

FileArray openDialog ()

Uses the Photoshop open dialog to select files.

undefined purge (target:PurgeTarget)

Purges one or more caches.

Parameter	Type	Description
target	PurgeTarget PurgeTarget.UNDOCACHES PurgeTarget.HISTORYCACHES PurgeTarget.CLIPBOARDCACHE PurgeTarget.ALLCACHES	The caches to purge.

Parameter

Type

Description

target

PurgeTarget

PurgeTarget.UNDOCACHES

PurgeTarget.HISTORYCACHES

PurgeTarget.CLIPBOARDCACHE

PurgeTarget.ALLCACHES

The caches to purge.

undefined putCustomOptions (key:String, customObject:ActionDescriptor, [persistent:Boolean=Boolean])

Save user objects in the Photoshop registry.

Parameter

Type

Description

key

String

The unique string ID for the user object.

customObject

ActionDescriptor

The user-defined custom object to save in the registry.

persistent

Boolean

If true, the object persists after the script has finished.

(default: true)

undefined refresh ()

Pauses the script until the application refreshes.

undefined refreshFonts ()

Force the font list to get refreshed.

undefined runMenuItem (menuID:Int)

Run a menu item.

Parameter	Type	Description
menuID	Int	Id of menu to run.

undefined saveToolBrushToFile (file:File)

PRIVATE - save the current tool brush to a file.

Parameter	Type	Description
file	File	File to save the brush to.

Boolean showColorPicker ([pickForeground:Boolean=Boolean])

Display color picker dialog. Returns false if dialog is cancelled, true otherwise.

Parameter	Type	Description
pickForeground	Boolean	If true the foreground color is chosen, if false the background color is chosen. (default: true)

Parameter

Type

Description

pickForeground

Boolean

If true the foreground color is chosen, if false the background color is chosen.

(default: true)

Int stringIDToTypeID (stringID:String)

Converts from a string ID to a runtime ID.

Parameter	Type	Description
stringID	String	The ID to convert.

Int system (callString:String)

Perform a system call.

Parameter	Type	Description
callString	String	System call string.

undefined thumbnailStyleFile (file:File, dest:File, [thumbnailSize:Int], [backgroundValue:Number])

PRIVATE - write out a thumbnail file from a style file.

Parameter	Type	Description
file	File	Style file to read.
dest	File	Thumb file to write.
thumbnailSize	Int	Size of thumbnail to save.
backgroundValue	Number	Background grayvalue.

undefined thumbnailText (dest:File, [text:String], [font:String], [size:Int], [color:SolidColor])

PRIVATE - write out a thumbnail file from text parameters.

Parameter	Type	Description
dest	File	Thumb file to write.
text	String	Text to render.
font	String	PostScript name of font.
size	Int	Size of type.
color	SolidColor	Color of type.

undefined togglePalettes ()

Toggle palette visibility.

Boolean toolSupportsBrushes (tool:String)

Check if the specified tool supports brushes.

Parameter	Type	Description
tool	String	The name of the tool to check.

String typeIDToCharID (typeID:Int)

Converts from a runtime ID to a character ID.

Parameter	Type	Description
typeID	Int	The ID to convert.

String typeIDToStringID (typeID:Int)

Converts from a runtime ID to a string ID.

Parameter	Type	Description
typeID	Int	The ID to convert.

Boolean updateProgress (done:Int, total:Int)

Updates the progress bar started by doProgress. Use for manual non-task based progress updating. Returns false on cancel.

Parameter	Type	Description
done	Int	The number of tasks completed.
total	Int	The total number of tasks.

Application

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