Batch Automation Trying to save versions using batch. "Overide save as" saves to the same file?

[VicMG]

Hi,

I have about 100 folders, each with one file in them.

I have an action that when run on a single file saves 10 colour variations of that file.
When I use batch with the "Override save as" unchecked it attempts to save 10 variations to the folder I used when recoding the action.
When run batch with "Override save as" checked, it saves each version over the top of it's self one after the other leaving me with just one file not 10.

I need batch to:

• Go to the first folder.
• Save the ten variations to that folder.
• Repeat for each folder

In short, I need it to override the folder specified in the Save As but not the file names.
Is this possible?

Thanks for any help you can offer.
Francis

 

[colleague]

if in folder 1 is 1 file with the name "ABC"
what are the names of the 10 variations
and where stays the Original ?

 

[VicMG]

if in folder 1 is 1 file with the name "ABC"
what are the names of the 10 variations
and where stays the Original ?

Each folder has a name, Folder1, Folder2 etc
Each folder has one file in it with a similar name eg. File1, File 2.

The action takes the file and makes a hue adjustment and saves it as "Red."
Then adjusts again and saves as "Orange" etc.
If I run it on one folder alone I end up with the original file and 10 colour variations named correctly.

The problem happens when I try to batch all my folders at once.

Batching it with "Override Save As" off generates all the variations but it saves them into the first folder, "Name1"
That works for File1 but when it gets to Folder2 it tries to save the versions of File2 back into Folder1.

If I run it with "Override Save As" on, then each time it saves a variation it over writes the previous save. So first it saves Red over the original file, then Orange over Red then Yellow over that. And so on to the end of the action.
The result is I end up with 100 folders, each with one file, the final variation of the action.

 

[colleague]

I think the only way is to use a photoshop-script that creates the output-file by reading the parent foldername + "red" etc

 

[MrToM]

Remember this:
An action is a 'record' of what you do in PS...or more accurately its a 'list' of actions previously performed by you.
When it is played back it uses exactly the same layers, files, folders, adjustments, whatever each and every time.

If when you recorded your action you only saved to ONE location then that is the location it will use each and every time you run it...via batch or not.

You could, and I stress could, record yourself saving out each and every file to their respective folders but this would rather defeat the object.

You could add a 'stop' into the action at the point of selecting the folder in to which to save each file which, although it would work, does make it less 'automatic' than you would like.

If you need to save to different folders with different filenames then colleague's suggestion of writing a script is probably the way to go.

They can handle variable names, unlike actions, and will probably be much quicker too.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[VicMG]

I think the only way is to use a photoshop-script that creates the output-file by reading the parent foldername + "red" etc

Yeah seems like it. Thanks for trying anyway.

If when you recorded your action you only saved to ONE location then that is the location it will use each and every time you run it...via batch or not.

Seems like being able to save copies back to the location of the source file would be a useful thing.
Like when you do "save as" normally, the dialogue box opens in the folder where the source file comes from.
When you do a save as in an action it should (at least give you the option of) letting you save your changes to that file's source folder not forcing you to save back to the folder used when recorded.
This makes sense when you're batching sub folders and you have a lot of files coming from different places that you want to do the same kind of changes too.

I'm not even sure why you'd want to force an action to always save back to one specific folder.

Oh well, I've finished it now anyway. It only took me six hours to manually run the action on every folder. :neutral:

 

[Tom Mann]

If I fully understand your request, and if you would be happy with the color variations that ACR/Lightroom can produce, I believe you could do this job quite efficiently using just Lightroom (no scripts, no actions, etc.). If this is something you are interested in, I will be happy to describe it further, but, to be honest don't want to bother writing it up if you have no interest in a LR based solution.

Tom M

 

[VicMG]

If I fully understand your request, and if you would be happy with the color variations that ACR/Lightroom can produce, I believe you could do this job quite efficiently using just Lightroom (no scripts, no actions, etc.). If this is something you are interested in, I will be happy to describe it further, but, to be honest don't want to bother writing it up if you have no interest in a LR based solution.

Tom M

What a surprise, Adobe move a simple but very useful function into another program you have to buy separately
Thanks for the tip, alas, I don't own Lightroom. :\

 

[Tom Mann]

Hi Vic -

I understand.

FWIW, from my memory and from the responses in this thread, I don't think Adobe "moved it" to LR. Rather, I don't they ever had it in PS. They added that, and quite a bit of other very useful file related functionality, to LR that had never previously existed in their product line.

If this sort of need comes up often for you, you may want to look into LR. It's a very useful adjunct to PS. In fact, for some photographers who don't do a lot of graphics, text, compositing, etc., has even replaced PS for them.

Tom M

 

[VicMG]

Hi Vic -

I understand.

FWIW, from my memory and from the responses in this thread, I don't think Adobe "moved it" to LR. Rather, I don't they ever had it in PS. They added that, and quite a bit of other very useful file related functionality, to LR that had never previously existed in their product line.

If this sort of need comes up often for you, you may want to look into LR. It's a very useful adjunct to PS. In fact, for some photographers who don't do a lot of graphics, text, compositing, etc., has even replaced PS for them.

Tom M

Yeah, I've seen it used and it does look good. I just don't want to have to buy another whole package just for one useful tool.
Doesn't matter now, jobs done.
Thanks for the help too, I posted this same question on the official Adobe forum and still haven't gotten one reply.

 

[Tom Mann]

Sorry you didn't get any useful answers on the official Adobe forum. Sometimes we can't answer a question, either, but at least we usually go down trying, LOL.

Anyway, please drop back in if you have other questions, or, for that matter, just to say, "hi", or to show off some of your own work.

Best regards,

Tom