Smart Image- Help deconstructing how this was made

[tvshrine]

Hello,

I understand a little about how smart images are made but I am self taught so I've never used them much.  At my job I've come across these and I'm trying to deconstruct how they were made.  The bottles are made with different elements that link to the smart image of the label made in illustrator, the person who made them is no longer here.  I know how to go into the smart image and change the label. 

What I really want to know is how to make all our files the same which they are not.  Some of the bottles are like the image of the eye dropper where you open it and it is the immediate smart image, this is ideal because we often make group shots and I can just drag it or copy it easily from the layers panel.

Some however when you open them they are not "compressed" into the one layer smart image, there are elements outside the smart image. 

How do I get the files where the layers are not "compressed" inside the smart image to be "compressed" inside the smart Image?

I've never known what the little arrows are either so if anyone can enlighten me on that, I would appreciate it.  Thank you.

[JonathanArias]

The little arrows mean things are clipped. as in the only affect the item immediate below the layer stack.

If We go back to the first image you talked about, if you double click the layer it will open a new photoshop file and that photoshop file will have all of the layers that make that one graphic composition.

The photoshop file will now look like the second one. You can take that  file, save as, and save it somewhere. You can start doing this as you find files like the first one so you can now only have the one photoshop file with all of your working layers ready for editing. that is how i work. I personally think you want to work that way since is less clutter and you always have the working file ready for editing.

You make a "smart layer" by placing the photoshop file in a layer of another photoshop file.  Which is what the designer was doing to make you the screenshots you wanted? i guess?

I don't know of an automated way for photoshop to go to every single photoshop file in folder and find and perform the tasks you asked for all automated.

Here is a link to how to work with smart objects if you want to understand better how they work;

Work with Smart Objects in Photoshop

[tvshrine]

I actually want the opposite.  If I click into the first image with the dropper it looks like the second image, I get it that I am going into the smart image.  I want the second file to be like the first where I have to go inside the smart image to make changes.  Since we rarely make changes it's easier for what I need it for to have it like the first image, all compressed into the smart image.  I just need to know how to change it to make it that way.

thanks

[War Unicorn · Accepted solution]

If I'm understanding you correctly: Select the layers, then use Layer > Smart Object > Convert to Smart Object on the menu bar.

More info:

Work with Smart Objects in Photoshop