How to open a file in Photoshop with javascript

[photogyulai]

HI!

I want to open a file/image with a button click in an extension, in photoshop >> javascript. 

Possibly with relative path  to the extension file (it have to work on several different computers)

I tried several scripts:

===================================================================================

function somename(){

#target photoshop

var fileRef = "C:\\Users\\Username\\Desktop\\scripting\\image.png"     // I tried several differnet syntay about the path >> / \  \\ etc. etc.

var doc = open(fileRef);
}

================  OR  ==================================================================

function somename2(){

#target photoshop

var fileRef = new File( ~/desktop/scripting/image.png )     // I tried several differnet syntay about the path >> / \  \\ etc. etc.

app.open(fileRef)
}

======================================================

I know these paths are absolute but >> None of them had work so far

Any ideas?

ps: im new to this >> please be specific or provide some example 🙂  thanks!

[nvkzNemo]

var fileRef = "C:/myImage.jpg";
app.open( new File( fileRef ) );

or

var fileRef = new File("C:/myImage.jpg");
app.open( fileRef );  

[photogyulai]

thanks for that Nemo! it works!
any ideas to make it relative path to the .jsx file ?!

[nvkzNemo]

// path to current JSX file
alert( $.fileName );

// path to folder of this JSX file
alert( (new File($.fileName)).parent );

[photogyulai]

sorry maybe a wasnt specific enough:
I wanted to open the image with a relative path (relative to the jsx file and/or the extension) not an absolute >> becose it have to work in different computers

so instead of:

var myDoc = app.open(File("/c/Users/username/Desktop/scripting/image.png"));

something like this:

var myDoc = app.open(File("../../folder1/image.png"));

[gradclif99]

I just came here searching for the same thing. I'll try to post back here if I figure it out.

[photogyulai]

Okay we got result! 🙂 Please let me know if You strugle, now maybe i can help You out if my description is not understandable!

[nvkzNemo]

// Relative to the current JSX file

// works for ALL computers
var relativePath = $.fileName + "/../../folder1/image.png";

app.open( new File( relativePath ) );

[photogyulai]

I found another script what is working. It is very specific about the path ( and " and / characters!

So here another working version:

function soemthing(){

#target photoshop

var myDoc = app.open(File("/c/Users/username/Desktop/scripting/image.png"));

}

still strugeling about the make it relative the jsx file

[xbytor2]

Here are a couple more to ponder.

File(Folder.desktop + "/image.png");

File(File($.fileName).parent.parent + "/image.png");

[photogyulai]

okay thanks! didnt have luck yet!

see the file structure:

im using this code:

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

var relativePath = $.fileName + "../image/picture.png";    // (but i tried + "/../image/etc. also)

app.open( new File( relativePath ) ); 

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

not working yet, im guess i do something wrong ?!?!?

ps: inside the "content" folder there is a example.html file >> this html contains the button, wich trigger the javascript.... im guess the code  should be relative to the jsx, but i tried relative to the html and did not work either.

(works fine with absolute path)

[DBarranca]

Hi,

If you are working in an HTML Panel, I'm afraid that $.fileName won't work (at least in Photoshop, possibly it's different in InDesign).

You need to pass down to the JSX the extension's path from the JS.

// JS
var csInterface = new CSInterface();
var extensionPath = csInterface.getSystemPath(SystemPath.EXTENSION);
var imagePath = extensionPath + "/img/myImage.png";
csInterface.evalScript("openFile('" + imagePath + "')");

//JSX
function openFile(imagePath) {
app.open(File(imagePath));
}

The path is relative to the Extension's root, and please note the extra quotes.

Hope this helps.

Davide Barranca

---

www.davidebarranca.com

www.cs-extensions.com

[photogyulai]

Thanks!
I had put Your code into the jsx file, but still nothing....

i tried every version of the path relative to the jsx,to the extension(s), to the index.html, to the content folder... html's... come out empty

i should put the code above into the called javascript .jsx file right?!?! (so i mean into one single file)   or?!?!

the absolute path are still working.
please let me know if anybody see what im doing wrong!?

thanks

[photogyulai · Accepted solution]

okay a little update!
Thanks Davide!

this works >> just i was a little to beginner to correctly interpret Davide answer.

So i put these code to the main.js file inside the JS folder:

(function () {
    'use strict';
    var csInterface = new CSInterface();  
    function init() {

        themeManager.init();

        $("#something_1").click(function () {
  var csInterface = new CSInterface();
  var extensionPath = csInterface.getSystemPath(SystemPath.EXTENSION);
  var imagePath = extensionPath + "/image/samplepicture.jpg";
  csInterface.evalScript("openFile('" + imagePath + "')");
        });
    }    
    init();
}());

And this is the hostscript.jsx, inside JSX folder:

function openFile(imagePath) {
app.open(File(imagePath));
}

And the index.html call this whole thing like this:

<body class="hostElt">

  <table width="200" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="5">

      <tr>

        <td><button class="button_css" id="something_1">Button Text</button></td>

      </tr>

    </table>

    <script src="js/libs/CSInterface.js"></script>

    <script src="js/libs/jquery-2.0.2.min.js"></script>

    <script src="js/themeManager.js"></script>

    <script src="js/main.js"></script>

    <script src="jsx/hostscript.jsx"></script>
</body>

A very big thanks for everybody who helped!!! Take Care!

Ben

[rachellep93463543]

Is there any option to open the file in "Preview" app in Mac and same for Windows?

The above code is opening the file in photoshop and I want to open the file in OS image preview app from cc extension PHXP and ILST

[photogyulai]

Davide! Thanks Again! Sorry to not mark your answer as correct!
Clearly the Glory is Yours!! 
ps: I provide my own answer with a description and marked that with correct.

[DBarranca]

Hi,

for some reason the forum software didn't let me post a further explanation after your response, nice to hear you've been able to get there anyway 🙂

Cheers

Davide

---

www.davidebarranca.com

www.cs-extensions.com

[Łukasz Markowski]

I did exactly the same and it doesn't work. Any suggestion what's going wrong?

[photogyulai]

do You use the multi or single jsx version?!?!
(one or more jsx file contains the extendscript codes?!?

[xbytor2]

var sfile = File($.fileName);

var imageFolder = Folder(sfile.parent.parent + "/image");

var image = File(imageFolder + "/image.png");

This should work. If it doesn't, step through it with the ESTK debugger and check the intermediate values

to see if you can make sense of what's going on.

[wipharatw46990280]

I try this from upper. when click index for run. debugger chrome show error below.

I don't know. I ' m wrong.

Please helps.

[thejoed1]

Hello and thanks for your time beforehand,

I'm new to Javascript and scripting for Photoshop. I'm trying to understand how to open a psd file using Javascript and cannot figure it out.

The code I'm working with is below:

=============================

//OPEN A FILE ON A MAC

//Not clear on the correct syntax structure to target a file

var fileRef = File(app.path + "/file.psd")

//Open the file at the path specified above

if (fileRef.exists){ 

    var docRef = app.open(fileRef); 

}

//If the file above does not exsist show this

else{alert("File does not exsist.");}

=============================

The "/file.psd" part is my snag, I think.

What is the correct way to target the file?

Is it best to use a relative or absolute path?

Is a relative path based on the location of the script?

I know that with html one can target using"../../directory/file.jpg" and is that how Javascript works? I can't find any documentation that addresses this.

Any help is appreciated,

~ Joe D

[JJMack]

Joe

alert(app.path);

You will see app.path is Photoshop path  did you put a "file.psd" in it? I use CC 2014

also not the encoding / and %20 file coding is a bit strange consult the manuals

Adobe Photoshop Scripting

TOOL Guide

Absolute and relative path names

An absolute path name in URI notation describes the full path from a root directory down to a specific file

or folder. It starts with one or two slashes (/), and a slash separates path elements. For example, the

following describes an absolute location for the file myFile.jsx:

Int the Definitive JavaScript look up  decodeURI(

JavaScript decodeURI() Function

so then

alert(decodeURI(app.path));

[thejoed1]

Hello,

Yes, I did. Does your response mean that app,path is only looking for a

Photoshop file, or any valid file?

Thanks

[thejoed1]

Hi JJMack and thanks for getting back to me.

The File(app.path + "/file.psd") comes directly from the example given on page 29 of the Photoshop CC Scripting Guide. I changed the name of the file in order to make it target an actual file on my hard drive.

In one of my previous tests I was able to create a folder using a "~" to begin the path to my desired directory. But when I put that exact path into the script above, with file.psd added, I still received an error. Perhaps I should be asking, "What is the simplest method for opening a Photoshop file from within Photoshop?" or "What is the propper way to target a file when scripting for Photoshop?"

Thanks for your time

~ Joe D