Mass contact sheet - is it possible?

[Pawel Kuncewicz]

Hi all.

I use Bridge in my photography workflow.

Basically, for every model in the studio, I would group the photos in a folder with model's name, then I would run the 'batch rename' command (which renames the file to year-folder name - number). Having all files renamed, I'd go to the output module and export photographs as a 4*5 cell contact sheet which I can then send to the client.

I am relatively new to programming hence not sure where to get started, but I was wondering whether it is even possible - to create a script which would execute this command (rename all, create pdf output) for all folders within the folder the script is run in?

I would greatly appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction or advise if something remotely similar has been ever developped, or if it's possible to do at all.

I think it would be super-handy for processing photos, especially when a lot of models are involved.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[SuperMerlin]

Difficult one to answer, it would depend on what version of Photoshop you have and what OS.

First, creating a pdf in Bridge, this is not scriptable in any version or any OS.

Creating contact sheets were scriptable in Photoshop (CS2/3/4) both OS. CS5/CS6(perpetual) is possible on windows only and only after making a few changes.

CS6 (CC) or CC forget it.

[Pawel Kuncewicz]

Hi SuperMerlin,

Thanks for such a prompt reply!

Ah, such sad news!

I have CC on Windows, so I take it's a 'no-no'?

What about some other routes? I read people use Photoshop itself or indesign for making contact sheets. Do you think there is a higher chance this could work in these environments?

Thanks again!

P.

[SuperMerlin]

Photoshop wouldn't work as you can only program CS6 or earlier and then it is very basic., you might have better luck with InDesign, I believe someone wrote a contactsheet for InDesign so it might be best if you asked in the InDesign forum.

Good luck.

[Chuck Uebele]

The batch renumbering should be done in Bridge, but the contact sheets can be done in PS getting all the files in the folder, opening each one and placing them in a new doc (the contact sheet) in a loop. Once you get your four images places, you create a new document and continue the loop to fill that one. Once you have all the files from one folder done (There should be all the previous contact sheets open in PS) you script saving all open docs to a multi page PDF.

[Pawel Kuncewicz]

Chuck,

Thanks for your reply.

Renaming and renumbering in Bridge is fine, that is my current workflow. I am not sure I understood the second part of your reply; what I am after, once I have folders called '01', '02', '03' etc.. and inside them files called '01-001', '01-002', then '02-001' etc, I want to be able to run a script which would create a contact sheet for every folder. So I will end up with 01.pdf, 02.pdf and so and so.

Thanks

[Chuck Uebele]

You need to get all the files/folders from the target location, then separate them into two arrays: one files to process and one for folders. Then you do the same for each subfolder. Then you can write a script to make the contact sheet for each folder and save it based on the name of the folder. Here's a sample of splitting up the files and folders. It's from a much larger script of mine, so the variables won't work as a standalone. You will have to adjust it.

function FindAllFiles( srcFolderStr, destArray ) {
    var fileFolderArray = Folder( srcFolderStr ).getFiles();
    for ( var i = 0; i < fileFolderArray.length; i++ ) {
        var fileFoldObj = fileFolderArray;
        if ( fileFoldObj instanceof File ) {
            destArray.push( fileFoldObj );
        } else { // folder
            folderArray.push(fileFoldObj)
            FindAllFiles( fileFoldObj.toString(), destArray );
            };
        };
    return destArray;
};//end function FindAllFiles

Line 11 is the recursive part that will loop back and find all the subfolders.

[pgelra]

Hi All,

We have released a new version of Adobe Bridge (CC 2018) on 18 Oct 2017. The new version build number is 8.0.0.262. This version is available to install via Adobe Creative Cloud application.

This Bridge update contains Native PDF Output in application to generate PDF contact sheets. Please check the Output workspace after installing new version of Bridge CC.

Please refer https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/output-module-pdf-contact-sheet.html.

You may need to update the Creative Cloud application and restart your computer to see the updated installer.

You can check all new features at https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/whats-new.html (or from Bridge Application -> Help Menu -> What’s New…)

Thanks,

Praveen Gelra

[Deepak_Gupta1]

Hi All,

Please check the Bridge CC 2018 SDK, available at Adobe Bridge SDK & Scripting guides for developers | Adobe I/O

The SDK download link is Adobe I/O Console

The script "SnpExportToPDF.jsx" available in SDK will help to generate the PDF from Bridge using ExtendScript.

Thanks,

Deepak Gupta