This should work along the lines I mentioned above.

If the Smart Object is selected you are presented with a file selection dialog, the selected files are then switched in for the SO and jpgs are saved next to the container-file.

In case of a SO inside a SO another step (opening the SO, replacing contents, saving and closing SO) would have to be included.

// replace smart object’s content and save jpg;
// 2011, use it at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var thePath = myDocument.path;
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
// jpg options 
var jpgopts = new JPEGSaveOptions();
jpgopts.embedProfile = true;
jpgopts.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
jpgopts.matte = MatteType.NONE;
jpgopts.quality = 10;
// check if layer is smart object;
if (theLayer.kind != "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT") {alert ("selected layer is not a smart object")}
else {
// select files;
if ($.os.search(/windows/i) != -1) {var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", "*.pdf;*.ai", true)} 
else {var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", getFiles, true)};
if (theFiles.length > 0) {
// work through the array;
          for (var m = 0; m < theFiles.length; m++) {
// replace smart object;
                    theLayer = replaceContents (theFiles[m])
//save jpg;
                    myDocument.saveAs((new File(thePath+"/"+theFiles[m].name+".jpg")),jpgopts,true);
                    }
          }
}
};
////// get psds, tifs and jpgs from files //////
function getFiles (theFile) {
    if (theFile.name.match(/\.(pdf|ai)$/i)) {
        return true
        };
          };
////// replace contents //////
function replaceContents (newFile) {
// =======================================================
var idplacedLayerReplaceContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerReplaceContents" );
    var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
    desc3.putPath( idnull, new File( newFile ) );
    var idPgNm = charIDToTypeID( "PgNm" );
    desc3.putInteger( idPgNm, 1 );
executeAction( idplacedLayerReplaceContents, desc3, DialogModes.NO );
return app.activeDocument.activeLayer
};

This Script would work if the selected layer is a Smart Object that contains one other Smart Object.

I accidentally put the Gradient Overlay in there, too – you could do that in the containing document, though.

The screenshot shows the file’s Layers Panel and the Finder window with the pdfs and the resultant jpgs.

// replace smart object’s content and save jpg;
// 2011, use it at your own risk;
#target photoshop
if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var thePath = myDocument.path;
var theLayer = myDocument.activeLayer;
// jpg options 
var jpgopts = new JPEGSaveOptions();
jpgopts.embedProfile = true;
jpgopts.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
jpgopts.matte = MatteType.NONE;
jpgopts.quality = 10;
// check if layer is smart object;
if (theLayer.kind != "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT") {alert ("selected layer is not a smart object")}
else {
// select files;
if ($.os.search(/windows/i) != -1) {var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", "*.pdf;*.ai", true)} 
else {var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", getFiles, true)};
if (theFiles) {
// work through the array;
          for (var m = 0; m < theFiles.length; m++) {
// open smart object;
                    var smartObject = openSmartObject (theLayer);
                    var theLayer2 = smartObject.activeLayer;
// replace smart object;
                    if (theLayer2.kind == "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT") {
                              replaceContents (theFiles[m])
                              };
// close;
                    smartObject.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);
//save jpg;
                    myDocument.saveAs((new File(thePath+"/"+theFiles[m].name+".jpg")),jpgopts,true);
                    }
          }
}
};
////// get psds, tifs and jpgs from files //////
function getFiles (theFile) {
    if (theFile.name.match(/\.(pdf|ai)$/i)) {
        return true
        };
          };
////// replace contents //////
function replaceContents (newFile) {
// =======================================================
var idplacedLayerReplaceContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerReplaceContents" );
    var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
    desc3.putPath( idnull, new File( newFile ) );
    var idPgNm = charIDToTypeID( "PgNm" );
    desc3.putInteger( idPgNm, 1 );
executeAction( idplacedLayerReplaceContents, desc3, DialogModes.NO );
return app.activeDocument.activeLayer
};
////// open smart object //////
function openSmartObject (theLayer) {
if (theLayer.kind == "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT") {
// =======================================================
var idplacedLayerEditContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerEditContents" );
    var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );
};
return app.activeDocument
};

Something like this might work (I have only included the selection for Mac but not the getFiles-function, but you should be able to amend that):

var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var thePath = myDocument.path;
var theName = myDocument.name;
var thePdf = thePath+"/"+theName.slice(0, theName.lastIndexOf("."))+".pdf";
if (File(thePdf).exists == true) {
var theFiles = [thePdf]
}
else {
var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", getFiles, true)
};

Hello.

I've tried to adapt this script I to  update a sprite sheet.

The sprite sheet contains 6 smart objects, which where created by importing PSD containing 1 transparent rasterized layer, converting to SmartObjects, then repositioning and scaling.

The script has two faults. Either it runs and replaces the images, but moves them about vertically.

Or it simply throws an "General Photoshop Error. This method may not be.. etc" error and highlights this line :

executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );


I'm still getting to grips with the completely bonkers API, looking at what looks like assembly language bubbling up through the "baretail" application.

Any tips as to why it's erroring out or coming in in the wrong places vertically (looks OK horizontally) most appreciate.

It's the bizarre intermittent error that bugs me most, sometimes it runs and does it wrong, sometimes I just get a bing  noise.

Script is here :

http://www.charlescrammond.co.uk/downloads/ReplaceContentsOfSmartObjec ts.jsx

Sample PSDs I'm using are  here :

http://www.charlescrammond.co.uk/downloads/spritesheet.zip

any help much appreciated! meanwhile, I guess back to the UI and manually doing it

Charles

/// Script to automate replacing contents of smart layers with selected psds
/// Sometimes it just about works, and replaces the images fine but moves them down vertically.
/// Sometimes it throws an error at :
///  executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0)
{
   var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
   var thePath = myDocument.path;

   var pngopts = new PNGSaveOptions();
   pngopts.interlace = false;

function swapImages()
{
      // select files;
      if ($.os.search(/windows/i) != -1)
      {
         var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", "*.psd;*.psb", true)
      }
      else
      {
         var theFiles = File.openDialog ("please select files", getFiles, true);
      };

      if (theFiles)
      {
         // work through the array;
         for (var m = 0; m < theFiles.length; m++)
         {
            // open smart object; in active document
            var getLayerToChange = app.activeDocument.artLayers[m];
            app.activeDocument.activeLayer = getLayerToChange;
            var smartObject = openSmartObject (getLayerToChange);
                 
            // get a reference to the layer within
            var theLayer2 = smartObject.activeLayer;
            // replace smart object;
            if (theLayer2.kind == "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT")
            {
               replaceContents (theFiles[m]);
               // This closes the current image source file.
               smartObject.close(SaveOptions.SAVECHANGES);  
               // not  sure this is needed but what the hell
               delete smartObject;
            };
         //save png;
         $.writeln("Saving a PNG");
         myDocument.saveAs((new File(thePath+"/"+"spritesheet.png")),pngopts,true);
         };     
      };
   };
};

////// get psds and psb  from files //////
function getFiles (theFile)
{
   if (theFile.name.match(/\.(psd|psb)$/i))
   {
      return true
   };
};

////// replace contents //////
function replaceContents (newFile)
{
   var idplacedLayerReplaceContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerReplaceContents" );
   var desc3 = new ActionDescriptor();
   var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
   desc3.putPath( idnull, new File( newFile ) );
   var idPgNm = charIDToTypeID( "PgNm" );
   desc3.putInteger( idPgNm, 1 );
   executeAction( idplacedLayerReplaceContents, desc3, DialogModes.NO );
   //
   return app.activeDocument.activeLayer
};

////// open smart object //////
function openSmartObject (theLayer)
{
   if (theLayer.kind == "LayerKind.SMARTOBJECT")
   {
      var idplacedLayerEditContents = stringIDToTypeID( "placedLayerEditContents" );
      var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
      // why does this line here throw errors sometimes, and sometimes not.
      executeAction( idplacedLayerEditContents, desc2, DialogModes.NO );

   };
   return app.activeDocument
};


// Call main function
swapImages();