How to update imported psd layers to reference new file?

[djoly]

I’ve got a character made up of a many-layered psd file that was imported and animated for a project. I now want to use the same character in a new project, but want to have that character reference an identical, but new version of the original psd file.

I do see Moho’s ‘Set Source Image…’ button under the Image tab (layer settings) for each psd layer, but I’d like to have ALL of the layers update with one command (since they all reference the same psd file), rather than have to go through each layer separately to do it.

For example, psd file named ‘A’ is used in Moho file named ‘1’. I make an exact duplicate of file A, named ‘B’, and also duplicate the Moho file and name it ‘2’. When I open Moho file 2, it’s currently referencing psd file ‘A’, but I want it to reference psd file ‘B’ instead. Is there a way that I can simply point Moho file ‘2’ to psd ‘B’, keeping all the layers and rigging in place?

My need is to have the ability to update the psd file of the character for the new project, but I don’t want to make changes to the original psd file and have those changes visible in the original project.

Hope this is understandable!

[Greenlaw]

Sure, there are two ways to do this.

1. Replace Individual Layers. Double-click on the first layer to open the Layer settings. Click on the Image tab then click on Set Source Image. Select the second PSD file and you will be presented with a list of layers. Click the layer you wish to update to, then click Apply. Moho will update the layer to the new art.

This method is good when you only want to update a few layers but not all of them. It can be tedious if you want to update all the layers because you need to update them one at a time.

2. Replace All Layers. For this method you need to be sneaky and trick Moho, but it will allow you to update all the layers at once.

Let's say you have a PSD called 'A.psd' loaded into your Moho project called 'MohoA.moho', and you also have a modified version of the PSD called 'B.psd'.

Close the project file in Moho and temporarily rename the first PSD (e.g., 'Ax.psd' is fine.) Now duplicate 'MohoA.moho' and rename the duplicate 'MohoB.moho'. Launch Moho and open the project 'MohoB.moho'.

Moho will warn you that it can't find 'A.psd' (this is because we renamed it) and it will ask you if you wish to locate it. Click yes but select 'B.psd' instead of the original file. Moho will open the project with all the layers replaced by the ones from 'B.psd'. Now save the 'MohoB.moho'. The next time you open 'MohoB.moho', it will open with this second version of the PSD.

Finally, we need to set things right for the original 'MohoA.moho' project. To do this, simply rename the original PSD file to have its original name--in this case rename it 'A.psd'. Now when you open 'MohoA.moho', it will load the layers from 'A.psd' like before.

It's a little extra work but not too big a deal. Hopefully, we'll get a proper Replace Layered PSD command in a future release.

Hope this helps.

Additional info: naturally, the above methods will only work if the layer names in the A & B .psd files are identical. (It sounds like that's what you did so this info is mainly for anyone else wondering about this.)

[djoly]

Thanks for your thorough explanation! The trick method will suffice, but it would be great to have dedicated ‘replace file…’ method in a future version.

[djoly]

Moho will warn you that it can't find 'A.psd' (this is because we renamed it) and it will ask you if you wish to locate it. Click yes but select 'B.psd' instead of the original file. Moho will open the project with all the layers replaced by the ones from 'B.psd'.

What I found when using this method is that after selecting the ‘B.psd’ to replace the missing file when prompted, Moho kept telling me it was missing a file for each layer of the psd, rather than re-linking ALL missing layers after locating the first one (like After Effects does, and even though ‘B.psd’ was an exact duplicate of ‘A.psd’). So I had to go through the missing file dialogue and manually select the B.psd for every layer prior to the file opening. If I just selected it once and checked ‘don’t show this message again’, the file would open with one layer correct and the rest with red X’s in the layer panel.

Is this the behavior you would expect, or did I miss something?

Thanks for the help!

[Greenlaw]

Hi djoly,

To be sure what I wrote was accurate, I walked through the process a few minutes and, yes, the PSD swap for all layers works here as described.

I can think of a couple of things that might have gone wrong but I would be guessing. After I get home this evening, I'll record and post a walk-through video and we can figure it out from there.

See ya then!

[djoly]

Wow - well I’m glad to hear it worked for you! Gives me hope. Looking forward to your video, and meanwhile I’ll try on another sample file.

[Greenlaw]

Sorry, wasn't able to get it last night...will try tonight after work.

[mmmaarten]

For whoever comes across in the future; I needed this today to replace a PSD link and it worked fine!
Thanks to Greenlaw for the fantastic trick to fool Moho!

[DSisterson]

Thanks, I also found this useful, thought I ended up just changing the artwork in the original psd.. which of course is only useful if you won't be using it again in its original form.
It would be really useful to hav a 'replace psd' feature so that you only have to rig a character once in you're going to use lots of similar characters with a identical rigs, and not just in the same project. Just keep a standard rig and standard psd hand and change the costume, hair etc for each new character. I worked on a production a few years ago with dozens of characters using CelAction and it would have been impossible without this capability.

[Greenlaw]

It would be really useful to hav a 'replace psd' feature...

ae_replace_psd