created an action and it looks like it plays but it doesn’t work

DD
Posted By
Diane Dusek
May 5, 2007
Views
464
Replies
11
Status
Closed
I created an action as follows:

(1) named the action
(2) began to record as follows:
(a) convert RGB to CMYK
(b) changed image size from 300 dpi to 200 dpi
(c) saved it as the same name
(d) closed it

Then I tried the same action on the next jpg, it went through the actions (or so it seemed) and then I opened it to check it and it never changed. What am I doing wrong? Thanks, Diane
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Mathias_Vejerslev
May 5, 2007
Try stripping C, instead recording ‘close’ when asked to save your changes, select ‘yes’.
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Andrei_Doubrovski
May 5, 2007
Diane,
Are you sure that nothing changed?
If the action just converts color mode and changes resolution (without resampling image, right?) the processed picture may look the same…

SimplePhotoshop.com <http://simplephotoshop.com/>
C
chrisjbirchall
May 5, 2007
I would strongly recommend you save the modified file to another folder instead of overwriting the original.

Opening and resaving a file in Jpeg format degrades image quality due to the "lossy" compression. You also lose information going to CMYK because of the smaller gamut and this cannot be restored simply by converting back to RGB.

By saving the file to a different location, you can always go back to the unedited original should the occasion arise.
DD
Diane Dusek
May 5, 2007
What does stripping C mean? Can you briefly walk me through that? Thanks.
DD
Diane Dusek
May 5, 2007
Yes, I am sure it didn’t work. I opened the file again and it was still an RGB and still the same size. Can you walk me through the steps and see if I am doing something wrong? Thanks, Diane
B
Bernie
May 5, 2007
What does stripping C mean?

Strip step C from your action.
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Andrei_Doubrovski
May 5, 2007
Diane,
Most probably your problem is in the step "(c) saved it as the same name". If you defined file name in "Save As" dialog the action saves all the processed images under the same name (i.e. it overwrites the first JPEG you used while recording the action). To avoid this just don’t specify file name when saving. And – chrisjbirchall is absolutely right – it is better to save the edited images to a different folder.

SimplePhotoshop.com <http://simplephotoshop.com/>
DR
Danny_Raphael
May 6, 2007
To further clarify, I’d suggest you start over as follows:

(1) delete previous action
* Open a test RGB file
* Record replacement action

(2) record as follows:
(a) convert RGB to CMYK
(b) changed image size from 300 dpi to 200 dpi
(c) File > Save as
Do NOT change file name
Format: .jpg
Specify any folder at this point. Desktop is fine.
Click Save
Specify a .jpg compression value and click OK
(d) STOP recording (no need to record the File > Close

(3) preparation for batch
(a) Identify or create a source folder; populate w/RGB files (b) Identify or create an empty destination folder. As previously suggested it’s prudent for these folders to be different until one gets familiar with batch processing’s nuances and potholes.

(4) Automate > Batch
(a) Play (set, action)
(b) Source (source folder)
(c) Destination (destination folder)
…..(x) Override action ‘save as’ commands

Click OK … and off you’ll go.
DD
Diane Dusek
May 6, 2007
Thanks for all your time and direction. However, everything was okay until I got to step #3 (preparation for batch). I created a source folder on the desktop called RGB jpgs and I created a destination folder on the desktop called CMYK jpgs. Then I was lost. I have no idea where I find automate>batch. Can you walk me through this? Also, what is the purpose of this part? Thanks again, Diane
JZ
Joe_Zydeco
May 6, 2007
Diane, look under the File menu. When you get to the Batch dialog, you will see that it lets you choose the source and destination folders, but it provides no mechanism for creating them. That’s why you have to create your folders beforehand.

Danny, that is an excellent mini-tutorial that addresses a common problem. That one should be in the FAQ!
DR
Danny_Raphael
May 7, 2007
Thanks for your kind words, Joe…

============

Diane…

1. As Joe noted Automate is among the commands in the File menu.

2. When you execute the Batch command, in effect you’re telling PS to apply the specified action to each file from the source folder and save the files to which the action has been applied in the destination folder. After clicking OK in the Batch dialog this process will happen automatically — one file at a time, one after another in assembly line-like fashion w/o further intervention. This method is a whole lot faster and more efficient than one at a time. 🙂

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