Reply To: SPA 9.3.4 with PS 25.0.0 not clipping player or team images

[Damon BellKeymaster]

A better way then clipping to a shape if to add a layer mask to the players and team groups.  This way, you don’t need the extra shape layer, and you don’;t have to clip anything. Clipping to a shape in my opinion in kind of a clunky way to add transparency instead of just using a layer mask.

However, if you really want to clip to a shape then this is how you have to do it to work with SPA…….

What happens is SPA deletes the player and team layers and makes new layers. It only uses the old layers to fid the position the new layers need to go. Since it deletes the layers, the clipping is removed. When it adds the new layers, it has no way to know that the layer is suppose to be clipped.

For team modes, or player modes 9 or 10, you can click on the checkbox in the SPA settings to “use smart objects”. Then it will work because it will edit the existing smart object instead of deleting it and creating a new layer. However, this will use a lot more RAM and scratch disk during the batch. Photoshop is terrible about excessive scratch disk usage when batching to edit smart objects.

If it is player modes 1-6, then the use smart objects setting won’t cause it to keep the clipping. Wit those modes, the old layer is deleted regardless so the clipping is lost. However, there is a trick you can do. You will need to add in an empty layer above the player layer and clip the empty layer and the player layer both to the rectangle.  This will also work with player modes 9/10 or team modes if you don’t click the use smart objects settings.  The when it deletes the layer and adds the new one, it is placing it between the shape layer and the clipped empty layer. This forces Photoshop to clip the new layer when it adds it.

Again, just using a layer mask on the player group to team group with the rectangle in the mask is best instead of clipping to a shape. However, if you really want to clip to a shape then that is how to do it.