Action manager code for selecting layer, ignores layer ID, bug? - select

Question

I'm trying to make an action manager function to select layers.
This can be done by using the dom, but I like to figure out why it doesn't work.
Well, it works when all layers and layerSets have different names. But when there are layers with the same name, it only selects the first one it finds.
In the AM code, recorded from the scriptlistener, there is a layer.id parameter used.
I understand why I need a layer ID, without it, it only has the layer name, that's not enough when there are multiple layers with the same name. But it seems to record correct, but not playback.
The scriptlistener shows this layer.id change.
But when I run the listerner code, it ignorges this parameter, and still selects only the first.
You can put any value in there, and it doesn't make a difference. Why would that be the case? It seems in other AM code, some variables are just not used overall.
var idslct = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
var desc34 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
var ref13 = new ActionReference();
var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
ref13.putName( idLyr, "Group 4" );
desc34.putReference( idnull, ref13 );
var idMkVs = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
desc34.putBoolean( idMkVs, false );
var idLyrI = charIDToTypeID( "LyrI" );
var list5 = new ActionList();
list5.putInteger( 4 );
desc34.putList( idLyrI, list5 );
executeAction( idslct, desc34, DialogModes.NO );
var idslct = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
var desc35 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
var ref14 = new ActionReference();
var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
ref14.putName( idLyr, "Group 4" );
desc35.putReference( idnull, ref14 );
var idMkVs = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
desc35.putBoolean( idMkVs, false );
var idLyrI = charIDToTypeID( "LyrI" );
var list6 = new ActionList();
list6.putInteger( 6 );
desc35.putList( idLyrI, list6 );
executeAction( idslct, desc35, DialogModes.NO );
var idslct = charIDToTypeID( "slct" );
var desc36 = new ActionDescriptor();
var idnull = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
var ref15 = new ActionReference();
var idLyr = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
ref15.putName( idLyr, "Group 4" );
desc36.putReference( idnull, ref15 );
var idMkVs = charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" );
desc36.putBoolean( idMkVs, false );
var idLyrI = charIDToTypeID( "LyrI" );
var list7 = new ActionList();
list7.putInteger( 8 );
desc36.putList( idLyrI, list7 );
executeAction( idslct, desc36, DialogModes.NO );
The code above "should" select 3 layerSets, all with the name "Group 4". The ID's were recorded correctly, 4, 6, and 8. But it will only select one and the same layerSet 3 times.
You could use a script to check for an id match, and use the dome to select the correct layer, but I want to understand what is happening.

Answer 1

The code you've posted selects a layer by name, ID reference is ignored (I believe it's used to retrieve an ID): the important bit here is putReference and I don't know where the ActionList you're creating comes from.
Here's a function to select by ID:
function selectById(data)
{
if (data == undefined) return false;
if (data.id == undefined) return false;
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putIdentifier(charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), data.id);
desc.putReference(charIDToTypeID('null'), ref);
if (data.add) desc.putEnumerated(stringIDToTypeID("selectionModifier"), stringIDToTypeID("selectionModifierType"), stringIDToTypeID("addToSelection"));
if (data.visible) desc.putBoolean(charIDToTypeID('MkVs'), data.visible);
executeAction(charIDToTypeID('slct'), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}
To select several layers you can do something like
selectById({id: 4})
selectById({id: 6, add: true})
selectById({id: 8, add: true})
p.s. if you change ref.putIdentifier() to ref.putIndex() the snippet will select layer by index.