Extracting layers from psd

Question

I am a developer and working on an application whose designs I have received as a PSD file. But I am totally noob in designing. I have installed photoshop in my computer but have no idea about how to save a layer out of that. There are buttons in the PSD which I want and I have hidden all other layers except the one I need. Now I want to save it but I am just not able to do it. I have searched on google but could not find any solution. Can someone please help me?

Thanks Pankaj

Answer 1

Here's how a lot of designers export their image assets from Photoshop.

1. Turn off the layers you don't want.
2. Make a marquee selection that's bigger than the element you want to save.
3. Choose Edit → Copy Merged.
4. Choose File → New and press return The new document will be the correct size to hold the clipboard.
5. Choose Edit → Paste. It'll be in the perfect place, because the document was sized to the clipboard.
6. Choose File → Save for Web.

Steps 3, 4 and 5 are easier than they sound, because you can just hit: Shift Command-C, Command-N, Return, Command-V to do the entire thing. Or even set up an action to do it for you (I have an action for this I can give you, if you'd like).

Repeat the steps for every element you need.

I'm assuming some elements may contain several layers? That's why I'd advise using this method over others. If each element is one layer only, then you could use Photoshop’s Export Layers to Files script.

By choosing File → Scripts → Export Layers to Files each layer of your document will be saved as a separate file with a filename that matches the layer name. This means you’ll probably have to prepare your document by flattening everything down to bitmap layers for the elements you’d like to export — a time consuming process, but often quicker than using Copy Merged. It can also optionally trim the resulting file, if you’d like completely transparent areas to be removed.

Answer 2

This is a very basic step by step. Depending upon your file there may be ways to automate this or make things easier. But without seeing the file it's really difficult to guess.

1. Right-Click (Win) or Control-Click (Mac) on the layer you want to save.
2. Choose "Duplicate Layer" .. a dialog pops up
3. Choose "New" under Document, Destination and click OK.
4. New document opens with only that layer.
5. Choose Image > Trim from the menu. A dialog pops up.
6. Tick "Transparent Pixels" under Based On.
7. Finally choose File > Save for Web and then pick the options of your choosing in that dialog window.

Answer 3

Came here because I googled for 'Extract assets' and woah a whole new world of people wanting this feature :) Anyways, I am the PM for the dialog in Photoshop so I would like to mention that there is a new way to do this through File > Extract Assets in PSD. Please do let me know how that works!