Open multiple images as one layered file

What version?

One way is to out all the files except the target file in a folder. Make an Action consisting of Duplicate Layer using the target file as the Destination. Run that action as a Batch on the folder full of files.

I have Master Collection CS3 so I guess it is CS3 extended or something. Anyway, thanks for the tip! If I understood it correctly, it is then possible to duplicate frames so that they end up on an other file? That’s cool if I understood correctly!

That’s correct…NOTE: The target file needs to be open for the Action to work. Batch opens each file, so the action would go, Duplicate Layer Destination: target file. Close.

You may also have a script that can do this. I am at ver.CS so I don’t have the script in question. It’s called Files to Stack or something like that.

In Photoshop select menu File => Scripts => Load Files into Stack. This creates a layer for each of the files you select. It isn’t necessary to have any files open to run this command.

Grrrreat!!!

Thanks a lot for your help!

This script doesn’t appear in my default list of scripts. Is it available anywhere or is it perhaps part of Photoshop extended?

Are using the drop down menus under File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack?

Well, yes that’s where I’m looking, as mentioned a couple of posts back but that option is not there.

I’m guessing it’s because I’m still using CS2 & I just wanted to confirm that it is indeed something that’s been introduced in CS3 or Extended.

Yes this a CS3 feature, although I remember it being avaiable as a separate download somewhere – it works w/CS2 (and 7 I think).
I’ll copy it below, save it in Notepad, name it "Load Files into Stack.jsx" (no quotes) and put it in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS2\Presets\Scripts\

// (c) Copyright 2006. Adobe Systems, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

/*
@@@@ Load Files into Stack.jsx 1.0.0.0
* /

//
// Load Files into Stack.jsx – does just that.
//

/*

// BEGIN__HARVEST_EXCEPTION_ZSTRING

<javascriptresource>
<name>$$$/JavaScripts/LoadFilesintoStack/Menu=Load Files into Stack…</name> <about>$$$/JavaScripts/LoadFilesintoStack/About=Load Files into Stack ^r^rCopyright 2006-2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.^r^rLoads multiple files into a stack object.</about>
</javascriptresource>

// END__HARVEST_EXCEPTION_ZSTRING

* /

// debug level: 0-2 (0:disable, 1:break on error, 2:break at beginning) //$.level = (Window.version.search("d") != -1) ? 1 : 0; // This chokes bridge $.level = 0;

// debugger; // launch debugger on next line

// on localized builds we pull the $$$/Strings from a .dat file $.localize = true;

// Put header files in a "Stack Scripts Only" folder. The "…Only" tells // PS not to place it in the menu. For that reason, we do -not- localize that // portion of the folder name.
var g_StackScriptFolderPath = app.path + "/"+ localize("$$$/ScriptingSupport/InstalledScripts=Presets/Scripts ") + "/"
+ localize("$$$/Private/LoadStack/StackScriptOnly=Stack Scripts Only/");

$.evalFile(g_StackScriptFolderPath + "LatteUI.jsx");

$.evalFile(g_StackScriptFolderPath + "StackSupport.jsx");

$.evalFile(g_StackScriptFolderPath + "CreateImageStack.jsx");

/*********************************************************** */ // loadLayers routines

loadLayers = new ImageStackCreator( localize("$$$/AdobePlugin/Shared/LoadStack/Process/Name=Load Layers"),
localize(‘$$$/AdobePlugin/Shared/LoadStack/Auto/untitled=Unt itled’ ) );

// LoadLayers is less restrictive than MergeToHDR
loadLayers.mustBeSameSize = false; // Images’ height & width don’t need to match loadLayers.mustBeUnmodifiedRaw = false; // Exposure adjustements in Camera raw are allowed loadLayers.mustNotBe32Bit = false; // 32 bit images
loadLayers.createSmartObject = false; // If true, option to create smart object is checked.

// Add hooks to read the value of the "Create Smart Object" checkbox loadLayers.customDialogSetup = function( w )
{
w.findControl(‘_createSO’).value = loadLayers.createSmartObject; if (! app.featureEnabled( localize( "$$$/private/ExtendedImageStackCreation=ImageStack Creation" ) ))
w.findControl(‘_createSO’).hide();
}

loadLayers.customDialogFunction = function( w )
{
loadLayers.createSmartObject = w.findControl(‘_createSO’).value; }

// Override the default to use "Auto" alignment. loadLayers.alignStack = function( stackDoc )
{
selectAllLayers(stackDoc, 2);
alignLayersByContent( "Auto" );
}

loadLayers.stackLayers = function()
{
var result, i, stackDoc = null;

stackDoc = this.loadStackLayers();
if (! stackDoc)
return;

// Nuke the "destination" layer that got created (M2HDR holdover) stackDoc.layers[this.pluginName].remove();

// Stack ’em up.
if (this.createSmartObject)
{
selectAllLayers( stackDoc );
executeAction( knewPlacedLayerStr, new ActionDescriptor(), DialogModes.NO ); }
}

// "Main" execution of Merge to HDR
loadLayers.doInteractiveLoad = function ()
{
this.getFilesFromBridgeOrDialog( localize("$$$/Private/LoadStack/LoadLayersexv=LoadLayers.exv ") );

if (this.stackElements)
this.stackLayers();
}

loadLayers.intoStack = function(filelist, alignFlag)
{
if (typeof(alignFlag) == ‘boolean’)
loadLayers.useAlignment = alignFlag;

if (filelist.length < 2) { alert(localize("$$$/AdobeScripts/Shared/LoadLayers/AtLeast2=At least two files must be selected to create a stack."), this.pluginName, true ); return; } var j; this.stackElements = new Array(); for (j in filelist) { var f = filelist[j]; this.stackElements.push( new StackElement( (typeof(f) == ‘string’) ? File(f) : f ) ); }

if (this.stackElements.length > 1)
this.mergeStackElements();
}

if (typeof(loadLayersFromScript) == ‘undefined’)
loadLayers.doInteractiveLoad();

Cheers for that.

Unfortunately I can’t seem to get it to work.

I know nothing about scripts so I don’t really know what I’m doing wrong.

At the moment, I’m copying from "// (c) Copyright 2006" right through to the end, pasting it into a plain text document & saving as instructed.

I get the following:

Error 22: ImageStackCreator does not have a constructor. Line: 48
->

I’m on a Mac, by the way. Would that affect anything in the script?

I should’a done this first, go here:

< http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2006/12/handy_new_script_for_cs 3.html >

Mac and Win versions too! I hope this will work in CS2. I’m no scripting genius by a long shot. Thank you to those of you who are!
LUK if it works…