Photoshop exporting layers as PNG by merging next layers

Question

Hi I have a pretty specific problem to address.

I have Photoshop files with different layer count. Lets say that one of them has 10 layers no I need to export each layer but in this for the bottom most layer is the first file. Then I need to export the first and second merged (all the layers above the first one have a blending mode set to screen), next the first three merged, then four and so on.

I don't know scripting in Photoshop and cannot find anything in Google. Any help would be appreciated. I use Photoshop CS5

Answer 1

As I understand it you have a photoshop file. The background is on the bottom of the stack. The next layer, let's call it layer 1, and then layer 2 etc. Layers 1 & 2 need to be merged and exported. Then layers 1,2 & 3 need to merged and exported. You didn't mention if the background need to be merged with them. Anyway, I'm working on the assumption that the layers need to be merged with the background - it's easy to change, if that is not the case. Here's a script that will do want you want:

app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;

// call the source document
var srcDoc = app.activeDocument;
fileName = app.activeDocument.name;
var myDocName = fileName.substring(0,fileName.length -4)
var numOfLayers = srcDoc.layers.length;

hideEverything(srcDoc)
processLayers (srcDoc)

function processLayers (sourceDocument)
{
  for (var i = numOfLayers -1; i >= 0  ; i--)
  {
  srcDoc.activeLayer = srcDoc.artLayers[i];

  thisLayer = srcDoc.artLayers[i].name;

  // duplicate the document
  var id17396 = charIDToTypeID( "Dplc" );
  var desc3299 = new ActionDescriptor();
  var id17397 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
  var ref2177 = new ActionReference();
  var id17398 = charIDToTypeID( "Dcmn" );
  var id17399 = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
  var id17400 = charIDToTypeID( "Frst" );
  ref2177.putEnumerated( id17398, id17399, id17400 );
  desc3299.putReference( id17397, ref2177 );
  var id17401 = charIDToTypeID( "Nm  " );
  desc3299.putString( id17401, thisLayer ); //change the name of the document
  executeAction( id17396, desc3299, DialogModes.NO );

  // Flatten the image
  app.activeDocument.flatten();

  // Set myFilePath and fileName to source path
  myFilePath = srcDoc.path + '/' + app.activeDocument.name +'.png';

  try
  {
    // save out the image
    var pngFile = new File(myFilePath);
    pngSaveOptions = new PNGSaveOptions();
    pngSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
    pngSaveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
    pngSaveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE; pngSaveOptions.quality = 1;

    activeDocument.saveAs(pngFile, pngSaveOptions, false, Extension.LOWERCASE);
  }
  catch(e)
  {
    alert(e)
  }
  // close that saved png
  app.activeDocument.close()

  // select the document that's been open the longest
  app.activeDocument = srcDoc;
  }
}

function hideEverything(sourceDocument)
{
  for (var i = numOfLayers -2; i >= 0  ; i--) // don't include background
  {
    srcDoc.artLayers[i].visible = false;
  }
}