Can you script using filters and other image manipilation with Photoshop 7?

K
Posted By
kent
Jun 20, 2004
Views
401
Replies
6
Status
Closed
Hi,

I have seen that Photoshop 7 has a scripting download available. I would like to have the ability to generate graphics from a web server. I have a set of 7 steps to apply special effects (filters, etc.) to text, and I would like to automate that and generate the final image. Is this what the scripting will allow with Photoshop 7? If not, is there a way to do what I’m trying to do?

Thanks.

— Kent Iler
———————————————————— ———-

Please CC: all replies via e-mail
Remove .NOSPAM from e-mail address

How to Improve Photoshop Performance

Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!

MR
Mike Russell
Jun 20, 2004
Kent P. Iler wrote:
Hi,

I have seen that Photoshop 7 has a scripting download available. I would like to have the ability to generate graphics from a web server. I have a set of 7 steps to apply special effects (filters, etc.) to text, and I would like to automate that and generate the final image. Is this what the scripting will allow with Photoshop 7? If not, is there a way to do what I’m trying to do?

I haven’t done it, but yes, you could do this in principle using what are called host-side scripts. It’s not easy, though, and there may be a glitch that prevents the whole thing from working. So my recomendation would be to start small and get something trivial to work first.

On a Microsoft web server, normally a VB or JavaScript program would run in a .asp page, perhaps generating a web page with the finished image as content.

Here are some quick thoughts on some of the problems you might run into. Photoshop will start itself spontaneously on the web machine, so you will not be able to use that system for anything else. You will need to give up a license for the server.

Photoshop is not re-entrant, so there may be a serious issue with multiple users queueing up for their images to be done. This could be dealt with using a software interlock in the script itself, but that gets messy in a hurry when user’s get impatient, break out of a request, and re-submit the same request again.

If this is a commercial application, I’d consider accessing Photoshop’s automation interface from a VB or C++ ISAPI module.



Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
www.geigy.2y.net
K
kentiler
Jun 20, 2004
Thank you for the information. I’ve done ASP for the past 6 years, and I’m working with .NET now. Can you elaborate on the automation interface you talked about at the end?

Thanks!

–Kent Iler

"Mike Russell" …
Kent P. Iler wrote:
Hi,

I have seen that Photoshop 7 has a scripting download available. I would like to have the ability to generate graphics from a web server. I have a set of 7 steps to apply special effects (filters, etc.) to text, and I would like to automate that and generate the final image. Is this what the scripting will allow with Photoshop 7? If not, is there a way to do what I’m trying to do?

I haven’t done it, but yes, you could do this in principle using what are called host-side scripts. It’s not easy, though, and there may be a glitch that prevents the whole thing from working. So my recomendation would be to start small and get something trivial to work first.

On a Microsoft web server, normally a VB or JavaScript program would run in a .asp page, perhaps generating a web page with the finished image as content.

Here are some quick thoughts on some of the problems you might run into. Photoshop will start itself spontaneously on the web machine, so you will not be able to use that system for anything else. You will need to give up a license for the server.

Photoshop is not re-entrant, so there may be a serious issue with multiple users queueing up for their images to be done. This could be dealt with using a software interlock in the script itself, but that gets messy in a hurry when user’s get impatient, break out of a request, and re-submit the same request again.

If this is a commercial application, I’d consider accessing Photoshop’s automation interface from a VB or C++ ISAPI module.
O
oneofmany
Jun 20, 2004
In article ,
(Kent P. Iler) wrote:

Thank you for the information. I’ve done ASP for the past 6 years, and I’m working with .NET now. Can you elaborate on the automation interface you talked about at the end?

You might begin with a simpler approach, for example having a simple program watching a public drop-folder. When the contents change, take the new files found and pass them, one at a time, to a Photoshop DROPLET, part of which sends the output to a particular folder, then (optionally) delete the originals to clean up. Pretty simple that way.
K
kentiler
Jun 25, 2004
But what is the automation interface? Can you point me to documentation or examples?

Thanks.

–Kent

(one_of_many) wrote in message news:…
In article ,
(Kent P. Iler) wrote:

Thank you for the information. I’ve done ASP for the past 6 years, and I’m working with .NET now. Can you elaborate on the automation interface you talked about at the end?

You might begin with a simpler approach, for example having a simple program watching a public drop-folder. When the contents change, take the new files found and pass them, one at a time, to a Photoshop DROPLET, part of which sends the output to a particular folder, then (optionally) delete the originals to clean up. Pretty simple that way.
D
dplank
Jun 25, 2004
Automation is done with Actions in Photoshop. If you look at the Index in the Help menu you will see Automation as a category. Basically, you have PS record a series of steps that you go through and then save the list as an Action. When you play the Action, PS repeats all the menu commands and other steps that you took. You can also make Droplets to drop files on and have the actions run on them.

dp

Kent P. Iler wrote:

But what is the automation interface? Can you point me to documentation or examples?

Thanks.

–Kent

(one_of_many) wrote in message news:…

In article ,
(Kent P. Iler) wrote:

Thank you for the information. I’ve done ASP for the past 6 years, and I’m working with .NET now. Can you elaborate on the automation interface you talked about at the end?

You might begin with a simpler approach, for example having a simple program watching a public drop-folder. When the contents change, take the new files found and pass them, one at a time, to a Photoshop DROPLET, part of which sends the output to a particular folder, then (optionally) delete the originals to clean up. Pretty simple that way.
K
kentiler
Jun 28, 2004
Thanks for the info. I’ll have to give it a try!

–Kent

"D.Plank" …
Automation is done with Actions in Photoshop. If you look at the Index in the Help menu you will see Automation as a category. Basically, you have PS record a series of steps that you go through and then save the list as an Action. When you play the Action, PS repeats all the menu commands and other steps that you took. You can also make Droplets to drop files on and have the actions run on them.

dp

Kent P. Iler wrote:

But what is the automation interface? Can you point me to documentation or examples?

Thanks.

–Kent

(one_of_many) wrote in message news:…

In article ,
(Kent P. Iler) wrote:

Thank you for the information. I’ve done ASP for the past 6 years, and I’m working with .NET now. Can you elaborate on the automation interface you talked about at the end?

You might begin with a simpler approach, for example having a simple program watching a public drop-folder. When the contents change, take the new files found and pass them, one at a time, to a Photoshop DROPLET, part of which sends the output to a particular folder, then (optionally) delete the originals to clean up. Pretty simple that way.

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections