I want my script to check the composition if there is a layer with a set name, first in the group, then outside of any, and all groups, then finally if no layer with a set name is found within the selected layer group and in the composition, excluding other layer groups, just save the layer group, understand ?

Yes, I have the script completed that can do this, it is the issue with template layers that I want to get working. I'll post a part of the script code.

Hi, I was going to update, I was getting an error in the script, then I came across your change in the previous post.  Except, I can't find the first part of the code to change it to the second part ?

To execute the error; I created three layer groups.  One layer group labelled 'Group 3' with a red square, another layer group with a green hexegon labelled 'Group 2' and finally a third layer group with a black circle, labelled 'Group 1'. I have a layer that is outside of all of these groups called 'template'.

Selecting the layergroup 'Group 3' that contains the red square, I ran the script, I get an error 'ReferenceError:findTemplate is not a function'. What I was expecting was the layer group would be saved with an option to save to any image format, and including the template layer that exists outside of all of the layergroups.  Lets not forgot, what if the 'template' layer is within a layergroup, and not 'outside' of all the layergroups, it must be included in that layer group and saved specifically with that layer group to a image format. I decided to post the entire script; maybe you will find fault somewhere.

// Custom Saving LayerGroup Productivity Tool

// 2012 - csMotion_Design

#target photoshop

if (app.documents.length > 0) {

////////////////////////////////////

// get document-path and -title;

// 2012, use it at your own risk;

#target photoshop

var myDocument = app.activeDocument;

var theLayerGroup = myDocument.activeLayer;

if (theLayerGroup.typename == "LayerSet") {

var theName = "name";

var theLayers = searchForLayers(theName, theLayerGroup, []);

if (theLayers.length == 1) {alert ("the layerset contains the layer")}

else {

          var theLayers = searchForLayers(theName, myDocument, []);

          switch (theLayers.length) {

                    case 0:

                    alert ("the document contains no layer of that name");

                    break;

                    case 1:

                    alert ("the document contains the layer");

                    break;

                    default:

                    alert ("the document contains more than one layer of that name");

                    break;

                    }

          }

};

////// function collect all layers //////

function searchForLayers (theName, theParent, allLayers) {

          if (!allLayers) {var allLayers = new Array}

          else {};

          for (var m = theParent.layers.length - 1; m >= 0;m--) {

                    var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];

                    if (theLayer.typename == "ArtLayer") {

// check name;

                              if (theLayer.name == theName) {allLayers.push(theLayer)}

                              }

// apply the function to layersets;

                    else {

                              allLayers = (searchForLayers(theName, theLayer, allLayers))

                              }

                    };

          return allLayers

          };

// get template;

var theTemplateName = "template";

var theResults = findTemplate(myDocument, theTemplateName);

switch (theResults.length) {

case 0:

alert ("no layer named »template«");

var myReturn = 1;

break;

case 1:

theTemplate = theResults[0];

var dlg = new Window("dialog", "put template at", [500,300,920,370]);

// buttons for rounded points;

dlg.position = dlg.add('panel', [15,10,105,60], '');

dlg.position.top = dlg.position.add('radiobutton', [13,0,185,25], 'top');

dlg.position.top.value = true;

dlg.position.bottom = dlg.position.add('radiobutton', [13,20,185,50], 'bottom');

// buttons for ok and cancel;

dlg.buttons = dlg.add('panel', [115,10,405,60], '');

dlg.buttons.buildBtn = dlg.buttons.add('button', [145,12,270,34], 'OK', {name:'ok'});

dlg.buttons.cancelBtn = dlg.buttons.add('button', [13,12,135,34], 'Cancel', {name:'cancel'});

// show the dialog;

dlg.center();

var myReturn = dlg.show ();

break;

default:

alert ("more than one layer named »template«")

break;

};

////////////////////////////////////

if (myReturn == 1) {

// psd options;

psdOpts = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();

psdOpts.embedColorProfile = true;

psdOpts.alphaChannels = false;

psdOpts.layers = true;

psdOpts.spotColors = true;

////////////////////////////////////

// create a history state to return to later;

myDocument.quickmaskMode = true;

myDocument.quickmaskMode = false;

var historyState = myDocument.activeHistoryState;

// do the operation;

for (var m = selectedLayerSets.length - 1; m >= 0; m--) {

var theRemove = myDocument.artLayers.add();

theRemove.remove();

// get the layername for the file-name;

var thisSet = selectedLayerSets[m];

hideOthers (thisSet, myDocument);

var aLayerName = thisSet.name;

// remove »/« and »:«;

while (aLayerName.indexOf("/") != -1) {

aLayerName = aLayerName.replace("/", "_")

};

while (aLayerName.indexOf(":") != -1) {

aLayerName = aLayerName.replace(":", "_")

};

// show template;

if (theResults.length == 1) {theTemplate.visible = true};

// duplicate;

var theCopy = myDocument.duplicate ("thecopy", false);

// delete hidden layers;

////// delete hidden layers //////

function deleteHiddenLayers () {

try {

var id26 = charIDToTypeID( "Dlt " );

var desc6 = new ActionDescriptor();

var id27 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

var ref6 = new ActionReference();

var id28 = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );

var id29 = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

var id30 = stringIDToTypeID( "hidden" );

ref6.putEnumerated( id28, id29, id30 );

desc6.putReference( id27, ref6 );

executeAction( id26, desc6, DialogModes.NO );

} catch (e) {}

};

///////////////////////

/// save and close;

//////////////////////

theCopy.saveAs((new File(myPath+"/"+myDocName+"_"+aLayerName+".psd")),psdOpts,true);

theCopy.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES)

// return in history;

myDocument.activeHistoryState = historyState;

}

};

};

else {alert ("no document open")};

////////////////////////////////////

////// buffer number with zeros //////

function bufferNumberWithZeros (number, places) {

var theNumberString = String(number);

for (var o = 0; o < (places - String(number).length); o++) {

theNumberString = String("0" + theNumberString)

};

return theNumberString

};

////// delete hidden layers //////

function deleteHiddenLayers () {

var id26 = charIDToTypeID( "Dlt " );

var desc6 = new ActionDescriptor();

var id27 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

var ref6 = new ActionReference();

var id28 = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );

var id29 = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

var id30 = stringIDToTypeID( "hidden" );

ref6.putEnumerated( id28, id29, id30 );

desc6.putReference( id27, ref6 );

executeAction( id26, desc6, DialogModes.NO );

};

////// toggle visibility of others //////

function hideOthers (theLayer, myDocument) {

myDocument.activeLayer = theLayer;

// =======================================================

var idShw = charIDToTypeID( "Shw " );

    var desc10 = new ActionDescriptor();

    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );

        var list4 = new ActionList();

            var ref7 = new ActionReference();

            var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );

            var idOrdn = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );

            var idTrgt = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );

            ref7.putEnumerated( idLyr, idOrdn, idTrgt );

        list4.putReference( ref7 );

    desc10.putList( idnull, list4 );

    var idTglO = charIDToTypeID( "TglO" );

    desc10.putBoolean( idTglO, true );

executeAction( idShw, desc10, DialogModes.NO );

};

////// by paul mr //////

function GetSelectedLayers() {

var A=[];

    var desc11 = new ActionDescriptor();

        var ref9 = new ActionReference();

        ref9.putClass( stringIDToTypeID('layerSection') );

    desc11.putReference( charIDToTypeID('null'), ref9 );

        var ref10 = new ActionReference();

        ref10.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), charIDToTypeID('Ordn'), charIDToTypeID('Trgt') );

    desc11.putReference( charIDToTypeID('From'), ref10 );

    executeAction( charIDToTypeID('Mk  '), desc11, DialogModes.NO );

var gL = activeDocument.activeLayer.layers;

for(var i=0;i<gL.length;i++){

A.push(gL[i]);

}

executeAction( charIDToTypeID('undo'), undefined, DialogModes.NO );

return A;

};

////// function to find layers of a name //////

function findTemplate (theParent, theTemplateName) {

if (!allLayers) {var allLayers = new Array}

else {};

for (var m = theParent.layers.length - 1; m >= 0;m--) {

var theLayer = theParent.layers[m];

// apply the function to layersets;

if (theLayer.typename == "ArtLayer") {

     if (theLayer.name == theTemplateName) {

          allLayers.push(theLayer)

          }

     }

else {

     allLayers = allLayers.concat(findTemplate(theLayer, theTemplateName))

     }

};

return allLayers

};

I mentioned that I was going to be posting a part of my script related to the problem, I never said I needed a entire new script to solve the issue I need find an fix what the problem is with my script with regards to the layer groups not saving the template layers. You posted a entirly new script, I thought I could take the script you posted and blend it with my complete script to solve the problem, argggh.

Can you verify something for me, the script you posted, did the task I was after ? I just copied and pasted it within my code.  I would greatly appreciate if, even though you are busy, if you could aid in solving this.  The script as it stands is perfect, it is only the template issue that is plaqing me.

c.pfaffenbichler.  I'll pay you if you can explain to me where I went wrong in inserting your code snippet into my script ? I haven't come to grips with scripting, as in how to make it come together logically.

Thank you.

I'm not quite understanding, do I take your script and incorporate it into mine ? As I mentioned my script works as it currently stands, the problem is it doesn't take into account any layer within the layergroup or outside of the layergroup named 'template', remember I'm a newbie at scripting with Ps, if you don't mind ?

When I export a layergroup which the template layer resides outside of any and all layergroups, the script does what it should be doing, except when I load the layergroup that was exported from the script, the template layer is above the exported layergroup of the composition instead of within it, at the very bottom of all other layers, that is the only final bug. 

What do I change;

theTemplate.move(myDocument,ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING) to ? I can't find the function to change in the scripting guide ?

And if you want to treat template Layers differently according to whether they are top level or inside another LayerSet you could add an if-clause that checks for the template Layer’s parent.

if (theTemplate.parent == myDocument) {/*do one thing*/} else {/*do another*/} 

Correct me if I'm wrong, if the template layer is outside of the layer group I can have it "pulled" into the layerGroup upon exporting the specific layerGroup or not, with a dialog ?

How do I do this, just as long as as it always remains at the end of the layergroup or at the end of all the layers in the composition.

I understand, well if I can have that option with a dialog, then why not.  I'd want to see it in practice, although I probably wouldn't be disappointed.

Having a Dialog would be helpful upon exporting the layergroup.