Can't create a batch-print action

[Rajirr5]

I can't figure out how to batch-print multiple files.

I create a new Action, select a specific folder as source, then add a Print command.

However, there aren't any settings on it. There is also no ability to set a print destination.

So, what I get is that even when "Prompt user" option is disabled on Print action, each file still gets a prompt to the "Save As" dialogue. This defeats the whole purpose of this process, since it stops after each file and waits for user input.

Any way to define the print destination in the action itself to stop these prompts?

[Bernd Alheit]

Why does you need a print destination when you print PDF files?

[Rajirr5]

Why wouldn't I? If you don't specify a destination, then every single file opens a "Save As" dialogue to select thatd estination.

[try67]

Are you printing to the Adobe PDF printer? If so, it can't be automated, no, and it's also not a good idea.

Please explain why you're doing that and we'll try to help you find alternative solutions.

[Rajirr5]

Yes, to Adobe PDF printer.

Re-printing the files to optimise and greatly reduce file size.

[Rajirr5]

As alternative, I tried to run a preflight fix of "Digital Printing (color)" to optimise the files.

It reduced the file size to about the same as just re-printing, but it also completely butchered the image quality, adding a ton of artifacts to images.

Re-printed files meanwhile look completely fine.

[try67]

Instead of a Preflight Profile you can use the PDF Optimizer, which allows you to control which elements in the file should be optimized, and to what extent. You'll find it under the settings of the Save command in the Action Wizard:

[Rajirr5]

Well this does enable actual batch processing, so this is a solution of sorts, but I found it not reducing file size as much as re-printing.

I have a document 10 MB in size which is just a single A4 page with a bunch of text and images.

Re-printed file with image downsampling set to 300 DPI looks fine and has a size of 1.1 MB

If I optimise it instead, with images set to downsample to 300 DPI and transparency flattening set to off, I get a file around 2.5 MB in size, with about the same image quality. I enabled just about all other optimisation settings.

If I optimise it with transparency flattening enabled, also with images set to downsample to 300 DPI, even with high resolution flattening setting all images become garbage quality with artifacts, no longer usable for print, and I get the file about 900 KB in size.

So while optimisation does work overall, it doesn't seem as efficient.