The Batch command lets you play an action on a
folder of files and subfolders. If you have a digital camera or a
scanner with a document feeder, you can also import and process multiple
images with a single action. Your scanner or digital camera may need an
acquire plug-in module that supports
actions. (If the third-party plug-in wasn't written to import multiple
documents at a time, it may not work during batch-processing or if used
as part of an action. Contact the plug-in's manufacturer for further
information.)
You can also import PDF images from Acrobat Capture or other software programs.
When
batch-processing files, you can leave all the files open, close and
save the changes to the original files, or save modified versions of the
files to a new location (leaving the originals unchanged). If you are
saving the processed files to a new location, you may want to create a
new folder for the processed files before starting the batch.
For
better batch performance, reduce the number of saved history states and
deselect the Automatically Create First Snapshot option in the History
palette.
To batch-process files using the Batch command:
- Choose File > Automate > Batch.
- For Play, choose the desired set and action from the Set and Action pop-up menus.
- For Source, choose a source from the pop-up menu:
- Folder to play the action on files already stored on your computer. Click Choose to locate and select the folder.
- Import to import and play the action on images from a digital camera, scanner, or PDF document.
- Opened Files to play the action on all open files.
- File Browser to play the action on the selected files in the File Browser.
- Select
Override Action "Open" Commands if you want Open commands in the action
to refer to the batched files, rather than the filenames specified in
the action. If you select this option, the action must contain an Open
command because the Batch command will not automatically open the source
files.
Deselect Override Action "Open"
Commands if the action was recorded to operate on open files or if the
action contains Open commands for specific files that are required by
the action.
- Select Include All Subfolders to process files in subfolders.
- Select
Suppress File Open Options Dialogs to hide File Open Options dialogs.
This is useful when batching actions on camera raw files. The default or
previously specified settings will be used. For more information on
using the Batch command to open camera raw image files,
- Select Suppress Color Profile Warnings to turn off display of color policy messages.
- Choose a destination for the processed files from the Destination menu:
- None to leave the files open without saving changes (unless the action includes a Save command).
- Save and Close to save the files in their current location, overwriting the original files.
Note:
If you choose the Save and Close option, you can select the Override
Action "Save As" Commands option. This option causes the Batch command
to override any action Save As commands, and saves the file back to its
original filename in its original folder.
- Folder to save the processed files to another location. Click Choose to specify the destination folder.
- Select
Override Action "Save As" Commands if you want the Save As instructions
from the Batch command instead of the Save As instructions in the
action. If you select this option, the action must contain a a Save As
command because the Batch command will not automatically save the source
files. This is useful for saving documents with options not available
in the Batch command (such as JPEG compression or TIFF options, etc.)
Note:
No matter how you've recorded your action's Save As steps (with or
without filename specifications), if this option is selected, the file
is saved to the folder and the filename in the Batch command.
Deselect
Override Action "Save As" Commands will save the files processed by the
Batch command in the location specified as the destination in the Batch
dialog box.
Note: You can
record an action that saves with a specified filename and folder. If
you've done this, and have Override Action "Save As" Commands off, the
same file will be overwritten each time. If you've recorded your Save As
step in the action without specifying a filename, the Batch command
will save it to the same folder each time, but will use the filename of
the document being saved.
- If
you chose Folder as the destination, specify a file-naming convention
and select file compatibility options for the processed files:
- For
File Naming, select elements from the pop-up menus or enter text into
the fields to be combined into the default names for all files. The
fields let you change the order and formatting of the filename parts.
You must include at least one field that is unique for every file (for
example, filename, serial number, or serial letter) to prevent files
from overwriting each other. Starting serial number specifies the
starting number for any serial number fields. Serial letter fields
always start with the letter "A" for the first file.
- For
File Name Compatibility, choose Windows, Mac OS, and UNIX to make
filenames compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and UNIX operating systems.
Saving
files using the Batch command options usually saves the files in the
same format as the original files. To create a batch process that saves
files in a new format, record the Save As command followed by the Close
command as part of your original action. Then choose Override Action
"Save In" Commands for the Destination when setting up the batch
process.
- Select an option for error processing from the Errors pop-up menu:
- Stop for Errors to suspend the process until you confirm the error message.
- Log
Errors to File to record each error in a file without stopping the
process. If errors are logged to a file, a message appears after
processing. To review the error file, open with a text editor after the
batch command has run.
To
batch-process using multiple actions, create a new action that plays
all the other actions, and then batch process that one (you can nest
actions within actions). To batch-process multiple folders, create
aliases within a folder to the other folders you want to process, and
select the Include All Subfolders option.
To batch process files in nested folders into different formats:
- Process your folders as you would normally, until the Destination step.
- Choose "Save and Close" for the destination. You can select the Override Action "Save As" Commands options to do the following:
- If
the "Save As" step in the action contains a filename, this overrides it
with the name of the document being saved; all "Save As" steps are
treated as if they were recorded without a filename.
- The folder you specified in the "Save As" action step is overridden with the document's original folder.
Note: For this to work properly, you must have a "Save As" step in the action; the Batch command does not automatically save files.
This
procedure lets you, for instance, sharpen, resize and save the images
as JPEGs back into their original folders. You create an action that has
a sharpen step, a resize step, and then a "Save As JPEG" step. When you
batch process this action, you set "Include All Subfolders," make the
destination "Save and Close," and you set "Override Action "Save As"
Commands" to on.
from the Optimize palette onto the part of the Actions palette where
you want to add that command. Or click the Insert Step button 
at the bottom of the Actions palette and choose Add Set Optimization Settings.
in Photoshop or 
in ImageReady. You can save a droplet on the desktop or to another location on disk.
, or choose New Set from the palette menu.
on the Actions palette. Click OK to delete the action or command.