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Greetings, gurus!


rehaylock

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Hi all, I'm Richard, a newbie to this site, but not to PS. Been using it, albeit in a fairly basic way from CS2 to CS6. As my photography commitments have increased it has become obvious to me that my workflow needs attention. As a result, I've experimented with actions and am becoming a tad baffled.

I shoot Nikon RAW but publish a fair bit to CD at 300 dpi and for web use at 72 dpi. When doing the action for web use I
1/ open the raw file
2/ alter size and resolution
3/ add copyright notice on another layer
4/ flatten the layers
5/ Save As... jpg max resolution
6/ Close file, open next one

My problem is that if I include the the file name that I'm saving as, every subsequent file is named with the identical file name. How can I get around this? Is it straightforward or seriously tricky?

Someone must have the answer: it must be a fasirly common workflow problem?

Cheers and thanks to anyone who knows the answer! :rolleyes:
 

MrToM

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...How can I get around this?...
You need to set up your action correctly and then use 'Batch...' to run the action and format the output files...as in name and destination.

...Is it straightforward or seriously tricky?...
Straightforward.

Just as a side note, you do not need to concern yourself with 'Resolution' when saving to CD or for use on the internet.
Resolution really only plays a part if you intend to re-sample the image or print it, it has no effect otherwise.

When recording 'Actions' you have to take into consideration that when the 'Action' is played back it is an IDENTICAL copy of what was recorded....that is to say if you introduce any variable element such as a filename then that same filename will be used EVERY time.

Using 'Batch...' allows you to select the 'Action' to run but also to choose a destination and unique filename.....you do need to have all, and ONLY, the images for processing in one single folder but its a small price to pay for the time saved.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

rehaylock

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Thank you MrToM. You're right, it is straightforward, just a question of using the right mechanism. Adding a consecutive number to the filename overcomes the problem I was getting - identical filenames! So thanks again! Just have to get back to the keyboard after dinner! Cheers!
 

MrToM

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No worries...

Its just a case of NOT including in the 'Action' anything that the 'Batch' process handles.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

rehaylock

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Hi, again, Mr ToM,

I'm obviously not programmer material! I've looked at the batch process dialog box and the Override Action "Open" commands, and Override Action "Save As" commands puzzle me. If these are checked, does this mean that the batch process saves the file and then opens the next one in the folder?

I've also looked at the Image Processor dialog box and at the bottom of that is a Run Action option. This predicates that there is an action in existence prior to running the Image Processor. However if I create an action which inserts a copyright notice on a photo, I will have had to open a jpeg by pointing to it, thereby including the specific filename in the action and running into the exact same problem I had before! Help!!

Regards

Richard
 

MrToM

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...If these are checked, does this mean that the batch process saves the file and then opens the next one in the folder?...

Yes, but this is why I suggest to NOT include either of these commands in the 'Action' itself....let the 'Batch' process handle it.....in other words start recording the 'Action' after opening a 'dummy' file to work on and stop before the need to 'Save As...'.

If you leave the 'Open' override OFF you should be able to still open a secondary file for use in the 'Action' if you want to, for instance, copy part of it, but this will of course mean that the same file is used every time.....but, if its because you want to include a 'Copyright' image then this will work as you'll be wanting to use the same file anyway.

If you still cant get it to work then post the action and any associated files and I'll give it a go here...with 'Actions' its sometimes much more productive to work on it than guess what you are trying to do......and how.....and with what....and when....etc etc.

If the 'Copyright' notice is text only, as in typed editable text, there is another way which may be easier.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

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