At the bottom of the batch dialog box are six (IIRC) boxes. If they are all empty, that is probably the cause of your problem.
the first one should say filename and the second one should say extension (there are pop-up menus to change them). It’s OK if the subsequent ones are empty.
Can’t be more specific as I have no copy of PS where I am right now…
Mark, if I interpret your question correctly, you cannot convert file formats simply by changing the name. You need to open the files and save them in the correct format. This process will add .jpg to the file name. You can easily record an action to do this.
Thanks for your reply.
I am getting hung up on the boxes at the bottom of the batch box. Can you give me an example of what to put in the boxes?
I am trying to convert bmp files to jpg.
The files are have random titles (DS040522180023)for example. I am unsure what to put in the drop down boxes and what to do to run the conversion.
I identified the source and destination folders.
Thanks,
Mark
Sorry. I did misinterpret what you were asking. I thought you were trying to rename in the file browser without recording an action. To convert the files, just record a simple action with no open command and a Save As Jpeg command in the action. Then use Batch to run it on a series of files.
I’ve never used the batch rename facility in the Batch actions dialog so am no help but it explains it in the online help. If you have Win XP, you could just use the renaming facility in Win Explorer which is really easy to use. You just select all the files you want to rename, select File – Rename and name the first one without changing the file extension. All the rest will be automatically given that name with a sequential number appended.
Can you give me an example of what to put in the boxes?
the first one should say filename (and by filename, I mean "filename" not the name of your file) and the second one should say extension (there are pop-up menus to change them). It’s OK if the subsequent ones are empty.
Mark:
You’re getting hung up on two issues here:
1. Converting the files from one format (.bmp) to another (.jpg)
2. The File Naming boxes in the Batch dialog.
Converting the file format
As Mick said, you will need to record a one-step action. To do that: * Open any test .bmp image you want to convert to .jpg
* Press F9 to show the Actions Palette if it’s not visible * From the Actions Palette Menu (black arrow, top right) choose New Set * Give the set a name, e.g., Convert Format. (A set is like a folder. It contains actions.) * From the Actions Palette Menu agin, this time choose New Action. * Give the action a name, e.g., Convert from .bmp to .jpg. * Click the Record button in dialog. This engages "record mode." * File > Save as… From the file format menu, choose .jpg. * Select a location (desktop or folder) to save this file. It makes no difference where it is. * When you click OK, the .jpg options dialog will display. * Choose a compression value and click OK
* At the bottom of the Actions Palette are several shapes. Click the SQUARE. This is the STOP control and it will terminate the recording process. Works kind of like a VCR.
* Close the test .bmp image.
Preparation to convert the files
* The .bmp files you want to be converted should be in a folder. If they don’t, put them in a folder. It’s easier this way until you get the hang of this.
* If you haven’t yet, create a folder for the .jpgs you’re about to create. This is the "destination" folder.
Convert the files
* File > Automate > Batch
* The Action Set (folder) and action you just created should be preselected * Source: Folder. Choose (navigate to the folder of .bmp images) * Destination: Folder. Choose (navigate to the destination folder) * Important: "Override Action ‘save as’ commands" – turn this ON. (It’s a long story. Just trust me on this one.)
Regarding the File Naming boxes at the bottom… You’ll only need to perform the following steps once to clean things up.
* From all six dropdown menus, choose "None".
* Now from the one in the top left, choose "Document" menu * From the one in the top right, choose "extension" from the menu
What you’ve done is reset these fields to their default values.
Click OK… and Photoshop will open each .bmp file in the source folder, convert it to .jpg and place the .jpg in the destination folder.
Rule of thumb: If you DO NOT want to change file names during the batch process, leave the values in the dropdown boxes as "Document" and "extension". There’s no need to change them. This applies if you want something like this to happen:
apple.bmp -> apple.jpg
orange.bmp -> orange.jpg
If you DO want to assign custom names, you can do that by making selections from the dropdown menus or typing in specific characters in a given box. Just be sure in the last box you’ve selected either "EXTENSION" or "extension" from the dropdown menu.
As you type in values or make menu selections, note how the Example file name (just below File Naming) changes.
See if this gets you moving again.
~Danny~
Heck, just use IrfanView.
Piece o’ cake.
Mac
OK Danny,
One out of 6 files converted on my first batch attempt.
On the second attempt, I tried to convert several TIF
files to JPG.
When I went to "save as" I could only select 3 formats (TIF, PSD and RAW). No JPG to "save as".
Any ideas?????
Thanks,
Mark
When I went to "save as" I could only select 3 formats (TIF, PSD and RAW).
Classic symptom of TIFF files being in 16bit instead of 8?
M
Mark:
Did you have any luck with Mac’s suggestion. That’s the only thing that comes to mind.
(Great catch, Mac! :))
I wan to convert a file of jpeg images to NTSC DV format or video format.
The following should get you moving…
Open a .jpg file you want to convert.
Create a new action (name it and click OK)
* File > Save as ….chose format from the dropdown menu (I don’t know what it would be) …..do NOT change the file name in the File Name box
…..choose any folder or Desktop
…..click Save button
…..If there’s a follow-on dialog, pick the options as needed and close the dialog * STOP (to terminate recording)
* Close the test image
Prep:
* Populate your \Source folder with the .jpg files you want to process * Create a \Destination folder as needed
Process: File > Automaate > Batch
* Play (acton set, action)
* Source. Folder, Choose (browse to \Source)
* Suppress color profile warnings = on
* Destination. Folder, Choose (browse to \Destination)
* Override Action ‘save as’ commands = on
* Click OK
You should be good to go…
HTH…
~Danny~
