Batch(CS2) : The parameters for command "Open" are not currently valid

KM
Posted By
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 4, 2006
Views
1217
Replies
10
Status
Closed
Hi there,

We’ve recently installed CS2, and now a previously made action(CS) starts complaining. PS reports this error: The parameters for command "Open" are not currently valid.

The short version of the content in the action is this:
On the opened file(usually a pdf-file) create guidelines, open an existing psd-file from a specified folder, copy the content of the first file into the psd-file, save the psd-file as tiff and close first file(pdf).
Before CS2 this worked like a charm, and from what I’ve been able to figure out, then the problem has something to do with the "open"-feature.
Some suggested deleting that specific step, but that’ not an option since it has to be there.

So to put it short – has anyone found a solution that works? We could record a new action, and save the files as psd-file, and then run the first action – but it would be nice to avoid the extra step.

If you need any additional information let me know, and I’ll see if I’m able to answer.

Best regards,
Kenneth Madsen

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Y
YrbkMgr
Sep 4, 2006
from what I’ve been able to figure out, then the problem has something to do with the "open"-feature

As a troubleshooting step, toggle the dialog to ON for the Open Step in the action palette. Then run the action and see if you are able to manually pick the file and open it, and see if the action continues.

That may help isolate where the issue really lies.

Peace,
Tony
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Sep 5, 2006
Have you moved the file you are opening to another directory? I believe the file path becomes part of the actionand if it can’t be found that might cause the problem.

Just a thought

EDIT: Also, let me point out that you can just re-record that particular step and insert it into your action. No need to do the whole action over.
KM
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 5, 2006
Hi,

Thanks for the replies. Sadly none of them had the effect I/we hoped for. I tried to toggle the dialog to on, but it didn’t let me select the file manually, and continue the action from there.

The file name and directory of the psd-file hasn’t changed, and it didn’t have any effect to rerecord the open-step, and insert that into the original action.

Just found out that something weird is going on when running the batch. It seems like PS is opening the files from the specified folder, but it only opens them. It doesn’t run the action it self after having opened the first file. It just opens the next file. That’s a bit weird.
If the action is played on the opened file then everything works like a charm, so it can’t be the open step in the action that’s causing the problem.

If you have more bright ideas let me know…

Best regards,
Kenneth Madsen
Y
YrbkMgr
Sep 5, 2006
Major confusion as I re-read through what’s happening. Help me out here:

The short version of the content in the action is this: On the opened file(usually a pdf-file) create guidelines

So a file is already open when you run the action, and the first thing is create guides.

open an existing psd-file from a specified folder

This is where the trouble is right? It won’t open an explicit file? Look in the steps of the action; does it point to the right file in the steps?

But here’s where the confusion lies; in your last post you say:

It seems like PS is opening the files from the specified folder, but it only opens them.

What files? I thought you were asking Photoshop to open a specific PSD.

Maybe the overview of your action didn’t capture some critical information on what you’re doing. It could be that there’s a stupid glitch to ferret out, or that there’s a far easier and reliable way accomplish what you want.

If you’re opening multiple files from a folder, you should NOT be using an Open command (in general), rather, you should be using a batch process. But it’s impossible to tell since in one instance you suggest that there’s only one, specific file that has to be opened all the time, and in the other instance you suggest that there are multiple files to be opened. It would be important to clarify that.

Peace,
Tony
KM
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 5, 2006
I’ll try to explain a bit more about what the action does:

On an imported file it does the following:
In the imported file(pdf) it creates a few guidelines, and make specific selections based on the guidelines.
This selection is now copied, and a new file is opened(a psd-file with an existing content). In the new file(psd) the copied content is now pasted into, and transformed etc…
Then it shifts back to the imported file(pdf), and does the entire thing over again with a new selection.
Once completed both the imported(pdf) and the opened files(psd) are closed, and the action should do the exact same with the next file(pdf) in the folder(batch).

The trouble is not with the file that is opened in the action itself, but with the imported files. When they’re imported the action doesn’t create the guidelines etc. Instead it opens the next file in the folder specified in the batch-window, and doesn’t play the action.
The action it self works like a charm on opened(imported) files, and the guidelines/open-command also works as expected.
Roughly speaking the Batch-function only opens the files in the folder, and it doesn’t run the action.

The error-code mentioned at the beginning actually only appears when "Suppress File Open Options Dialogs" is selected in the Batch-function.
If "Suppress File Open Options Dialogs" is not selected then the error doesn’t appear but the action is still not played, and the dialog-window that appears when importing a pdf has to be manually clicked.

I’ve even tried opening the pdf-files via the Image Processor, and converting them into psd/tiff-files, and running the action on the converted files.
In theory that trick should work, but the Image Processor also fails. Can’t remember the exact error-code, but should be able to recreate it easily.

Let me know if I forgot to provide any information.

Best regards
Kenneth Madsen
Y
YrbkMgr
Sep 5, 2006
Still having trouble getting my arms around what’s happening.

When they’re imported the action doesn’t create the guidelines etc

So, your action imports a PDF? How are you doing that – File|Open? Batch Dialog?

Tell you what, if you would like, you can post the ATN file and I will have a look at it. Just copy the action to a new set and save that set as an ATN, then post it somewhere and tell us the link.

We’re spinning our wheels because it’s tough to figure out exactly what your trouble is – no offense, but every time I ask for specific information, I get more, new information. It’s not your fault, it’s natural, but it’s muddying the water so to speak.

What’s confusing is you say it’s a problem with the File|Open feature, but then reference the Batch dialog. It is entirely unclear what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. So having a look at the action may help.
KM
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 6, 2006
Hi,

No – the action does not import any pdf-files.
The import(pdf) itself happens using the Batch Dialog, and somewhere in the action there’s a psd-file is opened.

The confusion might appear due to the fact that it’s not 1 problem – more like three. From what I’ve been able to figure out then the original problem occurs when importing pdf-files(using the batch-function).
You could try creating a small action yourself.
The problem should occur pretty fast if you try to run that specific action in a batch, and use it on a folder full of pdf-files.
It will only open the first file, and then the second – it will not play the content of the action on the first file before proceeding to the next file.

If it’s still confusing let me know, and I’ll make the action available somewhere. However the action itself doesn’t seem to be the problem since it works perfectly on an opened file.
The problem only lies with the Batch and importing multiple pdf-files.
KM
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 6, 2006
Did a bit of investigating, and sadly it seems like I’m not the only one with the problem. To make things even worse – there doesn’t seem to be a simple solution to the problem.

<http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?128@@.3bc0c44e> <http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?128@@.3bbda23f> <http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?128@@.3bbd87af>

In one of the mention questions there’s a possible solution: "I had the same thing, here is my work around. Generate the action in CS and export it, load it in CS2, the open as generic pdf command appears in the action."
I have to check that solution once I find a PC/Mac with CS on it.

Still a bit odd that such a minor thing should change, but there probably a good answer why.
Y
YrbkMgr
Sep 6, 2006
Kenneth,

Only through those links did it become clear to me that you are talking about the Import dialog for PDF’s. There’s no way to avoid that dialog box that I know of.

It is likely that when that dialog is displayed, you are accepting the default parameters, like ppi of 72 instead of 150 or 300, which may explain why the grids aren’t being created – the action may not be able to find the proper coordinates, depending on how you recorded the action.

It is for this reason I always try to record positioning and placement actions using Percent in the ruler rather than pixels or inches – that way it’s resolution independant – sort of.

Also, PDFs created with Photoshop (Photoshop PDF) do not have that dialog box.

We’ve bitched about the PDF Import Dialog in the Feature Request forum. Whether it has fallen on deaf ears or not remains to be seen.

This is one of the reasons that I always keep a previous version on my machine (version 7) – that would prevent me from being "down" due to a silly glitch like that Import Dialog.

Peace,
Tony
KM
Kenneth_Madsen
Sep 6, 2006
Tony,

Sorry that the problem was to hard to explain, but along the way I finally figured out what caused the problem in the first place.
I just happened to stumble upon two other problems along the way, before I finally figured out they weren’t related.

Sadly the resolution of the imported pdf doesn’t haven’t anything to say. The grids are the very first part of the action, and the action doesn’t even do those before importing the next file.
Even when I manually accept the parameters the action won’t play the very first step, but instead it imports with the next file in the folder.
But nice trick with the percent instead of pixels/inches. I’ll make a note of that one.

I’ll try the solution mentioned previously. Hopefully it works. If not then we’ll just have to click the ok-button manually a few thousand times(or save the pdf as a jpg using Acrobat 🙂 )

Regards,
Kenneth

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