Actions vs scripting

[_Yani_]

Hello,

I'm working for a company as DTP, photoshop user

my job is to create long complicate actions for automating mass prodaction of graphics

Recently i suggested to my supervisor to start tring scripts (me not him). He doesent know mach about computers, and he asked me why should we do it.
I replied that scripts are more flexible than action and he asked me again in what way this is good and how company is going to be benefit from it. I didn't had a good answer on that, so i told hip that i'll answer later.

I have never wrote scripts for Photoshop, bat I'm familiar in writing scripts in old Languages, GWBASIC, COBOL and PASCAL.

I want to be more prodactive and fast in my work and thats also because my salary is going to be better. I wonder if Scripting is going to help my on this.

What in your opinion, I should say to my chief?
any suggestions are welcomed

Thnak you for your efort, english is not my native language, so i'm not very good, i hope you anderstand though

thanks, Yanis

[Carl_Stawicki]

If all you were planning on doing was to duplicate the functionality of your Actions with a script, then there would not be any benefit to the scripts.

Scripts shine over Actions when you wish to add variables and conditionals to the automation. For instance, you may want to perform a step to a file only if the file is horizontal. Actions require user interaction to make those decisions. Another huge benefit scripts have is the ability to automate an entire workflow process and not just Photoshop. You could write a script that creates directories, finds files on a server and copies to HD, organizes the files, checks for proper naming conventions, then opens the files in Photoshop to do that work, then copies the files back to the server, etc........... I could go on forever.

Its good to identify all the manual steps in a workflow process that are repetitive and redundant, and thus prone to human error. Scripts have the potential to greatly reduce errors. Once you understand what scripts can do, you will find yourself re-thinking your workflows.

Write some sample scripts that demonstrate the capabilities of scripts over Actions. All managers understand time savings and quality, so whatever you develop needs to translate to less time and errors.

Carl.

[_Yani_]

Hello Carl

Thanks for your informative answer
Although almost all that you wrote I can do already without scripts, except of conditions which I never thought I could use.

I can open batch of files, using batch command and
defining variables with data-driven graphics.

Things Ild like to do and cannot, with actions are:

Open specific files in batch (which I guess scripts can do)

Open files by using numeral prefix/suffix in file name (which I dont know if scripts can do)

And the ability to perform specific action(s) many times during the process, without repeating them in the action workflow, which Ild like to know if scripts can help me on this.

Thanks again, yani

[Paul Riggott]

Have a look at this, it might be of interest.

http://www.tranberry.com/photoshop/photoshop_scripting/PS4GeeksOrlando/ps4geeksOrlando.html

[_Yani_]

Thank you Paul, nice site I'll look on it later that i'll have more free time

Ty, Yani

[_Mark_Larsen_]

Yani, scripts certainly can open specific files in batch. If you have applied some conditional logic to your file naming by the use of prefix/suffix naming or numbering then you have already done a lot of the work required a script is able to utilise this in its "if else" conditional logic and open a file then pass specific processing commands to photoshop based on the files name this could be a whole string of options. An easy way to get started would be to have a script perform different actions based on your files names. As for your last question Im not sure what you mean by this.

[_Yani_]

Thanks Mark, I have to start trying it, to see for my self

Thanks for all your replies, was instructive

Yani