Can I install action scripts without adding them to the actions palette?

[Mr. Mendelli]

I have some action scripts on backup that I want to add to add to my CS6 installation, but I want to know if I can import or install them without altering my existing actions palette. I've noticed a few different paths that they look like they can go, but they're never detected when placed in these locations:

%APPDATA%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6\Presets\Actions\

%PROGRAMFILES%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6 (64 Bit)\Presets\Actions\

%COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6 (64 Bit)\Presets\Actions\

%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6\Presets\Actions\

%COMMONPROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Adobe\Presets\Actions\

Is there a way to do this? Similarly, you can add fonts without installing them to %WINDIR%\Fonts by placing the fonts in the proper common program files directory.

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

Action and Script are different Photoshop Automations feature,  If You want to be able to be  to use an action the Action set it is in must be loaded into the Actions Palette if not loaded the set must be loaded and the will add the action set and its Actions into the Actions palette. Scripts can be run from any any folder you have it in via menu File>Scripts>Browse where you navigate to the script you want to run. Scripts do not need to be installed into Photoshop's Scripts Path. However if you want them listed as a Script name Item in  Photoshop menu File>Scripts>Scripts Name the script must be in Photoshop's Scripts path.

Photoshop as far as I know can fonts installed in You OS.  I believe if you resolve missing fonts with Adobe TypeKit Sync the font will be installed into your OS. I do not resolve missing fonts for layered files I download.

[Stephen Marsh]

Prepression: Photoshop – Custom Action File Backup & Migration

I believe that you would need a script saved as a droplet to have a script run without being loaded in the Action panel (and to save the droplet, you need the action in the panel, which can then be removed without affecting the run of the droplet).

[JJMack]

You can save and load  you action sets anywhere you want to. I do not keep my action sets in any Adobe created folder, I have my own folder I keep my Actions in.   The only way you can use your actions is by first loading your action sets into your Actions Palette which Adobe saves in you user id Photoshop Preferences folder. File

"Actions Palette.psp"

[Stephen Marsh]

As previously noted by JJMack, action files can be stored and manually loaded from any location using the action panel menu. Or one can double click the .atn file in the Finder to load it into the Action panel in Photoshop. Or .atn files can be stored in specific locations where Photoshop has been programmed to interact with these files in different ways.

Perhaps the following will help to understand the where/why:

Photoshop CC 2018 ATN location	Property/action
Any user defined location	Manually load the action into the Action panel or double click the action to load into the Action panel
/Applications/Adobe Photoshop ???/Presets/Actions C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop ???\Presets\Actions C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop ???\Presets\Actions	Action listed and available in the action palette menu to facilitate loading and reloading into the Action panel (grouped with default actions)
Users/username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop ???/Presets/Actions C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop ???\Presets\Actions	• Make action files available to the built-in migration export/import preset feature • Action listed and available in the action palette menu to facilitate loading and reloading into the Action panel (divided into a separate group from the default actions)
Action saved as Droplet	Drag-n-drop image files onto the Droplet application to process, the original action does not need to be loaded in the Action panel or otherwise installed or available