Open command viewing option always reseting to list instead of miniatures

FT
Posted By
francis_tousignant
Nov 16, 2006
Views
504
Replies
8
Status
Closed
I have a template action wich opens a picture file (in fact 4, 5 or 6 pictures to make a composite) then does a serie of actions to it. Before opening the file, the action stops and I have the open dialog box poping up for me to choose the file. To select the picture an easier way, I then choose miniatures as the viewing option. I can then choose the appropriate file and start the action again. Unfortunately, when the next open command arrives and the open dialog box appears again, the viewing option is automatically reset to "list" and I have to change it again to miniatures. Doing it one time is no problem but when there are 5 or 6 pictures, I have to select miniature view 5 or 6 times during the action and it gets very annoying. An intelligent open command wouldn’t reset the option view to "list" until I ask. Does anybody know how to bypass this problem. I looked everywhere in the preferences and could’t find anything. I know there used to be some free softwares that alllowed to view miniatures of files inside softwares with no file browser but cannot find them anymore on the net.

Thanks
Francis
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command list open option view

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C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 16, 2006
The "Open" dialogue is borrowed from the Operating System and therefore will default to the "view" selected as the default via Windows Explorer.

It may not, however, be as simple as that. So far as I can remember, you may have to ensure the images are in a subdirectory of "My Pictures" to get the behavior you require.

Would not a better way be to re-structure the action so you select the images in Bridge then run the action via the Batch command? This may or may not work depending upon the precise nature of the task in hand – but might be worth looking into.

Chris
Y
YrbkMgr
Nov 16, 2006
Francis,

It is likely that the issue is solely related to the OS and how a dialog is called – hard to believe, but Windows can be flaky <smile>.

I use automation a lot, and to my mind, it is just as easy for me to open bridge and locate the images I want to work on, drag them in and run the action on them.

I can’t really see a benefit of having the dialog be the first step of the action especially because it gives me far less space and information than bridge. But your mileage may vary…

The only time I have seen where it makes sense, from an automation standpoint, to include an Open step in the action is when you want to always call a specific file open, say, for a bump map or a logo, or whatever.

Peace,
Tony
FT
francis_tousignant
Nov 16, 2006
Thank you both for your responses.
OK let’s say i didn’t give enough precision to define my problem.

First, I use photoshop CS (file browser) and windows XP pro SP2. My windows default selected windows explorer view is miniatures but it doesn’t extend to the open command of photoshop !!!! and the open command of photoshop reset to "list view" every time it appears (in my opinion it’a a software bug because it should stay to the last view selected until you change your mind). But as you both said, the open command is now rarely used so they probably didn’t put enough efforts to get this command to work properly. The actions have been made before file browser or bridge.

I have over 500 pre made actions (I didn’t make the actions myself) Each action has about 5 or 6 open commands during the action. At each open command, the action stops and the open dialog box appears. I select an image, then the action continues and another open command box pops up so that I can choose another picture and it goes on like that for 5 or 6 images. I could modify the actions but it would be very long and I don’t know exactly how to make that work with file browser if I want to open 5 or 6 images fast one after the other during the same action.

I’ll try to put the folder containing my images in "my pictures folder" of windows xp . I think it might work. I’ll let you know.

Thanks again
Francis
Y
YrbkMgr
Nov 16, 2006
so they probably didn’t put enough efforts to get this command to work properly.

No, the fact is, that Windows is flaky. Adobe can only program according to the standards handed to them by Microsoft. Microsoft breaks its own rules and doesn’t document every behavior well. This is an OS issue, not PS. Just to be clear.

Each action has about 5 or 6 open commands during the action.

Are you always opening the same images? If not, you should rethink your automation methods. Rewrting them isn’t always required, but the idea that you have to go hunt for an image seems to me, to lessen the value of automation.

I don’t know exactly how to make that work with file browser

That would only be an appropriate method if you were batching. In that case, you tell the Batch dialog to use the File Browser as the source and a batch will begin on selected images in the FB. It doesn’t sound like that’s what you’re doing though – batching that is.
C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 16, 2006
I’m guessing here, that Francis has maybe purchased a set of actions and templates to put together multi image wedding album pages. (?)

That being the case – and if you must automate the process – there are much better methods of doing this.

D.G Photo Art (http://www.pxlsoft.com) being one such purpose made product.

In Photoshop however, you can enjoy the freedom of designing without templates by using the "Place" command and by tameing the Styles palette.
FT
francis_tousignant
Nov 17, 2006
OK, thank you both for your answers,

Chris is right nearly all the way.
The actions were written by a friend who is much better at photoshop than I am, but he wrote those actions a few years ago (photoshop 6.5-7). Those were not for wedding but as I looked at the software you mentionned, it looks pretty much the same … In fact, the result look the same but the process seems much more powerful and easy with the software you mentionned. I might look at "the lite version" if I’m not completely satisfied with my friend’s actions.

Chris was also right when he mentionned that the solution was to put image folder in the "XP’s my images folder". As soon as I did that, the open command of photoshop appeared in the miniature view (my windows default). The process is still a little complicated but i’ll try to compose a few pages and see if it can work for me since I’m an amateur and do those composites once in a while and for my and my friends pleasure only.

Thanks again for your help
Francis
C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 17, 2006
You’re welcome Francis
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Nov 18, 2006
By the way, Chris, "place" with "smart objects" isn’t available in CS, which is what Francis is using. I’m glad that moving the files to My Pictures worked, though.

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