Photoshop Action To Create Guides From Marquee Selection

[Shan-Dysigns]

I looked around on the forums for this answer, but I couldn't find anything specific.

I would like to be able to use the marquee tool to define an area and then create an action where guidelines will be placed against the marquee selection. I may be overthinking this, but is this even possible?

Thanks.

[pixxxelschubser]

Shan-Dysigns​

Hmmh?

I do not have an action for you but you can try a script snippet:

// regards pixxxel schubser
var aDoc = activeDocument;
var Sel = aDoc.selection.bounds;
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[0].as('px'));
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[1].as('px'));
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[2].as('px'));
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[3].as('px'));

Have fun

[Shan-Dysigns]

I create a blank document, use the marquee tool to draw a selection, enact the script, and receive this error.

[JJMack]

What are your ruler units set to? That script should set the ruler to get the selection bounds in pixels. It does not

// regards pixxxel schubser 

var orig_ruler_units = app.preferences.rulerUnits;

app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS; // Set the ruler units to PIXELS 

var aDoc = activeDocument; 

var Sel = aDoc.selection.bounds; 

aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[0].as('px')); 

aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[1].as('px')); 

aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[2].as('px')); 

aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[3].as('px')); 

app.preferences.rulerUnits = orig_ruler_units; // Reset units to original settings

[Shan-Dysigns]

Ruler units were px when I tested the script. I'm pretty advanced in javascript/jQuery (web development), but I wish I had the time to experiment in Photoshop.

[JJMack]

Shan-Dysigns  wrote

Ruler units were px when I tested the script. I'm pretty advanced in javascript/jQuery (web development), but I wish I had the time to experiment in Photoshop.

What seem strange is you are getting a error on line 13. that statement  was line 6 in the first script and line 7 in the second  script neither scripts had 13 lines the were shorter. Please post the script your using...

[JJMack]

I can not make it fail no matter what selection I create it sets guides for the selections bounds.  Wait are you using CS2 if I remember selection bounds was broken in cs2?

It does fail in CS2 but with a different error than you get What version of Photoshop are you using?

[Shan-Dysigns]

I am still using CS4, so maybe the issue carried over from CS2.

[JJMack]

Post the script your using something is strange.

[Shan-Dysigns]

My notifications must be turned off. I just happened to catch your reply today.

The script I am using is the one supplied above from pixxxel schubser.

​When I tried the script you provided, I received the same error.

[pixxxelschubser]

If you set ruler units to pixels, there is no need to do the same in the code again.

// regards pixxxel schubser
var orig_ruler_units = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS; // Set the ruler units to PIXELS
var aDoc = activeDocument;
var Sel = aDoc.selection.bounds;
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[0]);
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[1]);
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.VERTICAL, Sel[2]);
aDoc.guides.add(Direction.HORIZONTAL, Sel[3]);
app.preferences.rulerUnits = orig_ruler_units; // Reset units to original settings

Have fun

Btw

If I remember right, this will work correct in CS5 and later.

[SuperMerlin]

Untested but should work in CS2 or newer so long as a selection has been made.

var startRulerUnits = preferences.rulerUnits;
preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var bnds = getSelectionBounds();
guideLine(bnds[1],"Hrzn",'#Pxl'); 
guideLine(bnds[3],"Hrzn",'#Pxl'); 
guideLine(bnds[0],"Vrtc",'#Pxl'); 
guideLine(bnds[2],"Vrtc",'#Pxl'); 
preferences.rulerUnits = startRulerUnits;
function guideLine(position, type,unit) { 
    //units '#Pxl' pixel '#Rlt' =Relatiive  '#Prc' = percent
    // types: 'Vrtc' & 'Hrzn' 
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
        var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
        desc2.putUnitDouble( charIDToTypeID('Pstn'), charIDToTypeID(unit), position);
        desc2.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID('Ornt'), charIDToTypeID('Ornt'), charIDToTypeID(type) );
    desc.putObject( charIDToTypeID('Nw  '), charIDToTypeID('Gd  '), desc2 );
    executeAction( charIDToTypeID('Mk  '), desc, DialogModes.NO );
};
function getSelectionBounds() { 
    var doc = activeDocument;
    var l = doc.artLayers.add(); 
    doc.selection.fill(app.foregroundColor); 
    var bnds = l.bounds; 
    var hs = doc.historyStates; 
    if (hs[hs.length-2].name == "Layer Order") { 
      doc.activeHistoryState = hs[hs.length-4]; 
    } else { 
      doc.activeHistoryState = hs[hs.length-3]; 
    } 
    for (var i = 0; i < bnds.length; i++) { 
      bnds = bnds.value; 
    } 
    return bnds; 
};

[JJMack]

Selection Bounds does not work in CS2 I had to code around that bug in CS2

[SuperMerlin]

I am not using selection bounds, I am using Layer bounds and that does work in CS2.

[JJMack]

I did not look at the code I just read the function name Using Layer bounds is how I coded around the selection bounds bug in cs2.

[Shan-Dysigns]

My email notifications must be turned off because I just now noticed your reply.

Your code worked. I know javascript, but not enough when it comes to Photoshop, so I can somewhat understand the code, but not necessarily what makes it work. The code worked in all the ways I would try to apply it, so thanks for providing it.