11 Replies Latest reply: Nov 5, 2014 1:14 PM by mecastro

Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

photodrawken Oct 15, 2011 1:56 AM

PSE doesn't show the user all the text formatting capabilities available in PhotoShop, but this script can alter the tracking (character spacing) of the text on a layer.

Here are the steps to use the script:

Open Notepad.
Copy this text and paste it into Notepad:

/*
<javascriptresource>
<name>Character Tracking</name>
<enableinfo>true</enableinfo>
<menu>automate</menu>
<about>Adjust the kerning.</about>
<category>Typography</category>
</javascriptresource>
*/

var targettext = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textItem
targettext.tracking = 30

Use "Save As" with the File Type of "All Files" to save it as
Character tracking.jsx
in the
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 10\Presets\Scripts
directory.
Keep the .JSX file open in Notepad.
Start PSE. You'll have a new menu item: File...Automation Tools...Character Tracking.
Create a document in PSE with some text on a text layer.
With a text layer selected, run the Character Tracking script.
To adjust the tracking, simply switch to Notepad and change the numeric value after the equals sign, save the file and re-run it in PSE. (No need to close and re-open PSE.)

You can use negative values, too -- any number between -1000 and 10000 is OK.

For example, here's the original:

Here the tracking was set to -50:

And here the value was 300:

It works on paragraph text as well.

Enjoy!

Ken

1. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

devioustree Feb 28, 2013 6:46 AM (in response to photodrawken)

I've made a slight adjustment to this script. Instead of changing the file every time it will display a prompt where you enter the tracking value.

/*
<javascriptresource>
<name>Character Tracking...</name>
<enableinfo>true</enableinfo>
<menu>automate</menu>
<about>Adjust the kerning.</about>
<category>Typography</category>
</javascriptresource>
*/

if (app.documents.length > 0) {
var targettext = app.activeDocument.activeLayer.textItem;
targettext.tracking = parseInt(prompt("Select the tracking value", 0));
}
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2. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

JoPo-Go May 18, 2013 5:22 AM (in response to devioustree)

I've tried this on my mac with Elements 11. It works if you run the script through a piece of external scripting software, but not from the menus in Elements.

As soon as the text is selected, the menu option is greyed out to access the Character Tracking script. Any idea how to change the behaviour or script to be accepted in Elements on the Mac?
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3. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

Bittergal Jul 19, 2013 1:49 PM (in response to photodrawken)

I've also tried this on my Mac with Elements 11, saving the script from TextEdit, then opening the PSE package in the Applications folder with "Show package contents" and copying it in the folder as mentioned above. However when I run the script from within PSE, I get the following message:
Error 8: Syntax error.
Line: 1
-> {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\cocoartf1187\cocoasubrtf390

Does anybody know what this means and how to fix it?
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4. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

devioustree Jul 20, 2013 2:24 AM (in response to Bittergal)

By default TextEdit saves files as "rich text" (so it can support things like bold and italic. That causes Elements to get confused. To fix this, open TextEdit, then choose Format -> Make Plain Text. Now copy and paste in the script above and save the file.
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5. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

Bittergal Aug 8, 2013 12:42 PM (in response to devioustree)

Wonderful, works perfectly! Thanks!
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6. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

Victor Nawrocki Oct 22, 2013 7:15 AM (in response to Bittergal)

are these MAC or PC instructions.
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7. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

Barbara B. Oct 22, 2013 8:13 AM (in response to Victor Nawrocki)

Read the whole thred, Victor. Post #3 from Bittergal explains how to adapt it for macs.
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8. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

Victor Nawrocki Oct 22, 2013 8:44 AM (in response to Barbara B.)

when I get my degree in computer science I'll understand all this.
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9. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

DerekMPTR Dec 12, 2013 2:20 PM (in response to photodrawken)

In case this is helpful to anyone.... Similar to the Mac user, (although I am using a Windows PC) I too do not seem to have the option to select this new Character Tracking script in the Automation Tools list when I select & "highlight the actual words" in a Text Layer that I wished to "track". If you are having trouble you can tell if you have done this incorrectly if you look on the left PSE side-menu and you see that you are actively using PSE's Horizontal Type Tool.

The remedy for me was simply to use PSE's Move Tool, then click once to select the text layer field (as if to move it)- now the Character Tracking script functionality under the Automation Tools menu was available for me to use.

Oh and a big THANKS to the programmers of the script!
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10. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

allybally Jun 19, 2014 11:17 AM (in response to DerekMPTR)

Automation tools is greyed out to me
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11. Re: Script: Adjust tracking (character spacing) of text

mecastro Nov 5, 2014 1:14 PM (in response to photodrawken)

I'm new to the iMac world . . . as of last week. Anyways, I went to work on a Christmas card for a client and the type is all spaced out!
I've read through this . . . but, to be perfectly honest I have NO IDEA what it's saying . .. is there anyone who could give me the PSE for DUMMIES version on this issue?
I'm working with PSE 13
Thanks!!!!
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