There's the possibility to create a selection clicking on Group/folder in Photoshop?

Question

I would like to know if there's the possibility to create a selection of child layers inside the group/folder in Photoshop.

I have a master folder called DX and I need to create a selection of all the masks inside it. I would like to preserve all the layers and I don't want to merge them.

With a single layer or mask, I can use the Cmd+Leftclick on the thumbnail and the selection is created, but this shortcut doesn't work with folder/group.

I can duplicate the entire folder and then "Merge Group" and then create the selection, but I have many folders and if exist, I prefer a more fast solution

Have you any tricks for speed up the selection?

Thanks!
Marco

Answer 1

Easy Peasy by using Action :D

-> Open Action panel by Hitting Alt + F9.

-> Create a new action and don't forget to assign a shortcut key (currently only functions keys along with Shift/Ctrl is allowed and you can change this anytime btw if you use script then you can assign any keys!)

-> just record following steps like i did while record (red colored dot) is on and stop when you complete following step and you're ready to go!

-> the steps are : Duplicate group; Merge Group; Selection; Delete Current Layer.

or below is the script, if you want to assign another shortcut then save this script.

//duplicates group
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.duplicate(app.activeDocument.activeLayer,ElementPlacement.PLACEAFTER);
// merge
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.merge();
//set selection
var idsetd = charIDToTypeID( "setd" );
    var desc7427 = new ActionDescriptor();
    var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
        var ref1300 = new ActionReference();
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idfsel = charIDToTypeID( "fsel" );
        ref1300.putProperty( idChnl, idfsel );
    desc7427.putReference( idnull, ref1300 );
    var idT = charIDToTypeID( "T   " );
        var ref1301 = new ActionReference();
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idChnl = charIDToTypeID( "Chnl" );
        var idTrsp = charIDToTypeID( "Trsp" );
        ref1301.putEnumerated( idChnl, idChnl, idTrsp );
    desc7427.putReference( idT, ref1301 );
executeAction( idsetd, desc7427, DialogModes.NO );
//remove layer
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.remove();