Load Files into a Stack - Resolution Loss

[naturescape_peopletecture]

I thought I found a faster way to overlay multiple PDFs in Photoshop via "Load Files into a Stack" from the File > Scripts menu. It does a perfect job aligning the files but I am realizing that I am loosing a lot of resolution when it's finished. Like 300 dpi to 72 dpi.

Is there anyway to maintain the resolution of my PDFs when put into a stack?  The PDFs are 300dpi. I cannot find a way to manage resolution in the process.

Maybe i'm using this for all the wrong purposes.  Any input would be appreciated.

[JJMack]

PDF files can be very complex and the way Photoshop opens a PDF is not a simple open its mora an import. PDF can contain many pages, images and 3d objects.  Photoshop can scale pages when opening(importing)  a pdf into documents.  Different Documents can have different sizes and resolutions.   I have no Idea how the script Load Files into a stack would handle PDF files or what size  and resolution the Document will be that all files are stacked into.  A document has a single resolution and some Canvas size.  Layers can be any size but in a document all layers have the same resolution as the document.   I would think Load files into a stack may have problems dealing with PDF files.  I have onle uses Automate PDF Presentation to save Acrobat PDF fullscreen presentation.  PDF is not a file type I normally process and save with Photoshop. IMO a PDF is not  an image file there more a multi page print document not a Photoshop file more a Acrobat document.   I have never save a PDF using Photoshop  and have no idea of what PDF save options are available.   I look at Adobe documentation.

Wow so many options where does one begin?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I thought I found a faster way to overlay multiple PDFs in Photoshop

What do you need to do this for?

How were the pdfs created originally?

If they were pixel images to begin with what were their pixel dimensions and what are the pixel dimensions of the resulting file?

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

Like 300 dpi to 72 dpi.

A quick test seems to indicate that Load Files into Stack simply uses the resolution set the last time a pdf was imported »manually«.

So try opening a non-Photoshop pdf with Photoshop, setting the intended resolution in the »Import PDF« dialog, OK that and then try Load Files Into Stack again – is the resulting file’s resolution as intended?

An image’s resolution is given in ppi, not dpi.

[naturescape_peopletecture]

Hooray!  That did the trick c.paffenbichler!

Very helpful. Much appreciated!

[JJMack]

Now we know how Load File into stack handles PDF files.  Thanks.   Not a file type I normally use with Photoshop. I would still think there would be a problem opening a PDF that is for example a CS2 manual.Load files into stack seems to get just the cover page. Where Import will open each page as a different pdf document.

[JJMack]

Paul Riggott wrote two PDF processor scripts that can process the first page, a range of page or all pages in a PDF.   I wrote a script to stack all pages in a pdf for someone however the PFD could be just so large for  Photoshop seem to have a limit to how many document you can open at once.  If the PDF had more paged then the number of documents Photoshop will open the script fails. It is also very slow long running.