Make Action to Batch process PDF to GIFs

CB
Posted By
Charles_Belov
Aug 8, 2008
Views
607
Replies
6
Status
Closed
Photoshop CS3 Windows

This is similar to <http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3c0599eb/5> Make Action to Batch process PDF to JPEGs saved for the web (archived topic)

I have about 80-100 pdf’s that I want to change from 300dpi to 100dpi indexed color and save as gif.

If I create an action
Convert pdf to gif
with steps
Mode > Indexed Color
Save as gif

running this action as a batch only opens the files. I am left with files open in RGB mode, not indexed color. This means the batch processor did not run any of the steps in my action. (Yes, I did make sure in the batch dialog that I specified my action set.)

Here is my action in the action menu.

pdf to gif

Convert mode
To: indexed color mode
Pallette: adaptive
Colors: 64
Forced: Black and white
Without transparency
Matte: None

Save
As: Compuserve GIF
With Interlace
In: …

Here are my steps, using a test folder with 2 pdf’s:

1. Launch Photoshop
2. File > Automate > Batch
3. Batch dialog:
Set [my set]
Action [pdf to gif]
Source: Folder
Choose: [my test folder with 2 pdf’s]
Destination: Folder
Choose: [my testgif folder, empty]
File naming: Document name + extension
Errors: Log errors to file
File: [my testgif folder, empty]/error.txt
4. OK
5. Set resolution to 100dpi.
6. Click OK for 1st pdf.
7. Click OK for 2nd pdf.

Actual result:
Both files open and stay open.
Both files are still RGB mode.
No gif’s in testgif folder.
errors.txt reads:

Start Batch

End Batch

Expected result:
Files closed (possibly I have to add a Close step)
2 gifs in the testgif folder.

Using an action of Save for Web in place of Mode > Indexed color also did not create any gifs.

I’m wondering whether the PDF dialog on open is throwing a wrench into the works.

Charles Belov
SFMTA Webmaster
<http://www.sfmta.com/webmaster>

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J
jcates
Aug 8, 2008
On first (somewhat thorough) look, it’s because you aren’t telling the action to open any files.

Also, if you don’t want to run into memory issues or the dreaded 400 file limit (or was it 200 or 300?) if you’re doing this to a lot of files, you’ll want to include ‘close’ as part of the action, too.
CB
Charles_Belov
Aug 8, 2008
Thanks, although it didn’t solve the problem.

The action now consists of 4 commands:

Open
As: PDF Generic
Name: [my test file name]
Crop: Bounding Box
Resolution: 100 per inch
Mode: RGB color
Depth: 8
With Anti-Alias
Width: [file width at 100dpi]
Height: [file height at 100dpi]
With Constrain Proportions
Without Suppress Warnings
Selection: Page
Number: 1
[file name]

Convert mode (as before)

Save (as before)

Close

I closed and restarted Photoshop.

1. Launch Photoshop
2. File > Automate > Batch
3. Batch dialog:
Set [my set]
Action [pdf to gif]
Source: Folder
Choose: [my test folder with 2 pdf’s]
Destination: Folder
Choose: [my testgif folder, empty]
File naming: Document name + extension
Errors: Log errors to file
File: [my testgif folder, empty]/error.txt
4. OK

Actual result: Open dialog displays with 300dpi, native size of the pdf file.

Expected result option 1 (preferred): Open dialog doesn’t display. Assumes 100dpi and page 1, since that’s what I stored with the action.

Expected result option 2 (2nd best): Open dialog displays with 100dpi, the resolution I stored with the action, and with page 1.

(By the way, all of the pdf’s in the batch only have 1 page each.)

5. Set resolution to 100dpi.
6. Click OK for 1st pdf.
7. Click OK for 2nd pdf.

Actual result:
Both files open and stay open.
Both files are still RGB mode.
No gif’s in testgif folder.
errors.txt reads:

Start Batch

End Batch

Expected result:
Files closed
2 gifs in the testgif folder.
PR
Paul_R
Aug 9, 2008
You could try using my PDF Processor
The last one will work for CS2 or CS3
http://www.ps-scripts.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1882
PR
Paul_R
Aug 10, 2008
You could try using my PDF Processor
The last one will work for CS2 or CS3
<http://www.ps-scripts.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1882>
CB
Charles_Belov
Aug 13, 2008
Ah, it does appear to be a bug.

1) Open step is not needed. If I specify a source folder, Photoshop will open each file.

2) Close step is not needed. If I specify a destination folder, Photoshop will close each file.

So all I need are the Mode and Save As commands.

3) However, if Photoshop is opening pdf’s, it will only open the pdf’s and not run the commands I’ve specified, so…

4) After all of the files are open, I just re-run the Action, with Open Documents as the source.

5) Photoshop correctly runs the script and closes all the files.

Voila!

Hope this helps,
Charles Belov
SFMTA Webmaster
AP
andrea_paul
Aug 14, 2008
I have a similar situation. I want to make GIFS from Non-PSD PDFs. My Export and Close action/batch runs great for images and PSD-PDFs, just not InDesign exported PDFs. I DON’T want to have to open these all and then run it. Other ideas? Thanks. abp

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