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[ 59 ]Include All Subfolders: Do
you want to include any fold-
ers inside your chosen folder?
Suppress File Open Options Dialogs:
Useful when batching actions on Camera
Raw image files.
Suppress Color Profile Warnings: Turns off display of
color policy messages that would interrupt the action.
Tip: Try running a batch process on one or two images
before you attempt to run it with 100 images.INTERRUPTING AN ACTION
Although, for the most part, actions are intended to run
automatically, it’s possible (and often useful) to run an action
that requires interaction. For example, when you record a
filter as part of an action, the filter settings are recorded,
meaning that each time you run the action, the filter will
be applied with those exact settings. But what if you want
to tweak the filter settings?
This time, we recorded a simple action that converts a
layer to a smart object, applies a Gaussian Blur, lowers the
Opacity of the Gaussian Blur filter, and adds a Drop Shadow
layer style. Each time we run that action, it will blur the
same amount. Since it’s a smart filter, we can always go
back and edit the settings, but it’s also possible to interact
with the action and choose the filter settings “on the fly.”
After you’ve finished recording the action, take a look
in the Actions panel and you’ll see empty boxes to the left
of each step. If you click on a box next to a step that has
a dialog associated with it, a small icon appears. This will
“pause” the action, open the dialog for that step, and wait
for you to enter settings. Once you determine the settings
and click OK, the rest of the action will play. You can eas-
ily toggle this pause on and off, choosing between running
automatically with the recorded settings, or interrupting to
enter your own settings.
BATCH PROCESS
Another advantage of creating an action is the ability to
apply it to multiple files, either to the entire contents of a
folder, or files you select. You can access the Batch com-
mand either from File>Automate>Batch, or in Bridge:
Tools >Photoshop>Batch. In the resulting dialog, you choose
the action you want to run, the source of the images, and
the destination of the resulting files. I recommend that for
safety, you always consider saving into a different after
folder, to avoid the risk of overwriting the original files by
mistake. There are additional settings to consider depending
on the images with which you’re working and your action:
Override Action “Open” Commands: Ignores any
Open command in the action since you’re selecting files
in the Batch command.DROPLET
Another form of batch processing is known as a Droplet,
which creates an icon onto which you can drag a file or a
folder, and the action will run automatically. To create a
Droplet from an action, go to File>Automate>Create Drop-
let. The choices in the Droplet dialog mirror those of the
Batch dialog, with the addition of the location in which you
want to save your Droplet.Whether you dip your toe into the world of Photoshop auto-
mation by tapping a single key to select a tool, or go full
force into batching actions, there are plenty of ways to save
yourself time in Photoshop. n