“Parse Gradients File” is a gradients utility script using the JSON Action Manager scripting library.
This stand-alone script written in JavaScript is used to parse a Photoshop gradients file (.grd) into a JSON text file containing a JSON array of gradient objects, each one in Gradient Object Simplified Format, as expected by the function jamHelpers.toGradientObject.
From a technical point of view, it shows how to take advantage of the method ActionDescriptor.fromStream to decode a flattened (serialized) version of an ActionDescriptor object saved in a file.
The utility script Generate Gradients File performs the reverse operation, i.e., converts a JSON text file, containing a JSON array of gradient objects in Gradient Object Simplified Format, into a Photoshop gradients file (.grd).
Please refer to the Photoshop Gradients File Format page for detailed information about the structure of a gradients file.
Parsed gradients file (Metals.json):
[
{
"name": "$$$/Presets/Gradients/Metals_grd/Brass=Brass",
"gradientForm": "customStops",
"interpolation": 4096,
"colors":
[
{
"color":
{
"red": 235,
"green": 219.996108949416,
"blue": 35.0038910505837
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 251.996108949416,
"blue": 193.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 1024,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 233,
"green": 217,
"blue": 28
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 2048,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 251.996108949416,
"blue": 199.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 3072,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 233.996108949416,
"green": 215,
"blue": 32
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
],
"transparency":
[
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
]
},
{
"name": "$$$/Presets/Gradients/Metals_grd/Gold=Gold",
"gradientForm": "customStops",
"interpolation": 4096,
"colors":
[
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 203.996108949416,
"blue": 60
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 245.996108949416,
"blue": 223.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 1024,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 203,
"blue": 56
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 2048,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 247,
"blue": 229
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 3072,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 255,
"green": 203,
"blue": 56
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
],
"transparency":
[
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
]
},
{
"name": "$$$/Presets/Gradients/Metals_grd/Silver=Silver",
"gradientForm": "customStops",
"interpolation": 4096,
"colors":
[
{
"color":
{
"red": 83.0038910505837,
"green": 91.0038910505837,
"blue": 94
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 253.996108949416,
"green": 253.996108949416,
"blue": 253.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 1024,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 74,
"green": 81.0038910505837,
"blue": 84
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 2048,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 253,
"green": 253,
"blue": 253
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 3072,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 83.0038910505837,
"green": 91.0038910505837,
"blue": 94
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
],
"transparency":
[
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
]
},
{
"name": "$$$/Presets/Gradients/Metals_grd/SteelBar=Steel Bar",
"gradientForm": "customStops",
"interpolation": 4096,
"colors":
[
{
"color":
{
"hue": 0,
"saturation": 0,
"brightness": 0
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 253.996108949416,
"green": 253.996108949416,
"blue": 253.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 2867,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 1.00389105058366,
"green": 1.00389105058366,
"blue": 1.00389105058366
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
],
"transparency":
[
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
]
},
{
"name": "$$$/Presets/Gradients/Metals_grd/SteelBlue=Steel Blue",
"gradientForm": "customStops",
"interpolation": 4096,
"colors":
[
{
"color":
{
"red": 30,
"green": 93.0038910505837,
"blue": 177.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 231,
"green": 233,
"blue": 243.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 1024,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 30,
"green": 93.0038910505837,
"blue": 177.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 2048,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 233,
"green": 235,
"blue": 243.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 3072,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"color":
{
"red": 30,
"green": 93.0038910505837,
"blue": 177.996108949416
},
"type": "userStop",
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
],
"transparency":
[
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 0,
"midpoint": 50
},
{
"opacity": 100,
"location": 4096,
"midpoint": 50
}
]
}
]
This script can be used in Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later. It has been successfully tested in CS4 on Mac OS X, but should be platform agnostic.
This Software is copyright © 2011-2015 by Michel MARIANI.
This Software is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v3.
Download the Zip file and unzip it.
Move the script to the Presets/Scripts folder in the default preset location of the Adobe Photoshop application. On next launch, the script will appear in the File>Automate submenu.