Make Action to Batch process PDF to JPEGs saved for the web

J2
Posted By
Jane_230_Smith
Dec 18, 2007
Views
464
Replies
6
Status
Closed
I have a few hundred pdfs which I would like to convert to jpegs for a website. No matter what I do I seem to run into troubles doing this. Here is what I think are the correct steps, and the areas where I have the problems:

Step 1: Make an action:
a. Should I open the PDF first and then start the action, or start the action and then open the PDF as part of the action?
b. Then run through the usual operations in PS CS3 such as resizing, etc.
c. Then I want to SAVE FOR WEB. Should I include this step as part of the action (because if I do I have to save the file someplace and that, I think is causing part of the screwup in the process)?
d. Then should I include a close function? ( I think that’s part of SAVE FOR WEB)
e. Stop action

Step 2: Run batch
I’m just not sure whether to just run the batch or if I have to turn on or off any functions or options in that panel.

Any help would be gratefully accepted.

Thx.

Jane
Related Tags
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L
LenHewitt
Dec 19, 2007
Jane,

Open the PDF then record the action.

I want to SAVE FOR WEB. Should I include this step as part of the
action<<

Yes, but the destination folder will then be saved in the action, leaving you to move the files to where ever you really want them if at a future time it is a different location.

should I include a close function?<<

Yes.

Now when you run the batch, select Override Action Save As commands. Destination folder choice will have no effect – the Save for Web settings will always overide any folder selection.
DR
Danny_Raphael
Dec 19, 2007
To expand on Len’s comments when you use Save for Web, as he noted the folder specified in the SFW dialog is "it." You cannot route the files elsewhere regardless of Batch Destination settings.

If you want flexible control over where files are saved in the Batch process, record File > Save as… (.jpg) instead. Resulting files will be larger depending on .jpg compression option setting. There’s a price for location flexibility. Stupid, but this is how it works.

In Batch dialog – Destination:
* Folder
* Choose – browse to folder of choice
* (x) Override action ‘Save as’ commands (trust me; long story)
J2
Jane_230_Smith
Dec 19, 2007
Thank you for your suggestions and help.

I have tried to incorporate all your suggestions. I’m still having troubles. But here’s where things are:

1. I made an action. It did not include an open command.
2. It does all I want it to do and saves the file in the folder I want. I don’t mind if all the files go to a specific folder based on the action because I can just copy them elsewhere afterward.

here’s the rub: the action works properly on one file (ie, I open the file and then apply the action and all is well. The converted file is made and saved. The old file is closed untouched and unchanged.

However, when I try to apply this action in batch form to two files (ie, to test) things go awry.

1. Converted files are not saved in the director–they don’t get saved.
2. Opened files start piling up and don’t get closed and put away.

Can’t figure out why this is happening.

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

Jane
J2
Jane_230_Smith
Dec 19, 2007
Another error message I get is "there were no source files that could be opened by PHotoshop".

Why would I get this when I am just opening a PDF file in PHotoshop?

Jane
DR
Danny_Raphael
Dec 20, 2007
Sanity check: In the Batch dialog you specified a Source folder where the .pdf files resided, true? If not, that would account for "there were no source files that could be opened by PHotoshop."

Another possibility: You turned on option "Override action ‘Open comands’" under SOURCE. If you did that, uncheck this option. You meant to check a similar option under DESTINATION.

You recorded a File > Close as the last step in the action, correct?
AD
Andrei_Doubrovski
Dec 20, 2007
Jane,
I’d suggest such a workaround:

– Load all PDFs into new document (File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack) – Resize the document as needed
– Export layers to files (File > Scripts > Export Layer to Files)

SimplePhotoshop.com <http://simplephotoshop.com/>

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