combine front & back scans to a single image

[Fred32635443e485]

I am preserving scanned family photos with writing on the back. I want to combine these into a single image that shows the front on the left and the back on the right. Can someone help with a Photoshop action to do this?

[Stephen Marsh]

@Fred32635443e485 

This is most likely going to require scripting, not an action.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/script-or-automate-two-photos-into-on...

Are the scans in one folder? Or a separate folder for the front and a separate folder for the back? Can you provide examples of the filenames? How should they "pair up" with the filename indicating which is left and which is right? 

Is each scan exactly the same pixel width and height?

Where should the combined result to saved relative to the input folders? What filename would be used? What file format and options should be used for saving?

[Fred32635443e485]

I am thinking that I would open two files in Photoshop, perhaps scan009 and scan010. They are exactly the same dimensions. The result should be an image showing scan009 on the left and scan010 on the right. The result could be named image new009.  I am thinking of choosing these input pairs in real time, not as a list of filenames handled in bulk.

[Stephen Marsh]

I am thinking that I would open two files in Photoshop, perhaps scan009 and scan010. They are exactly the same dimensions. The result should be an image showing scan009 on the left and scan010 on the right.

Is it that the odd-numbered files are always on the left and the even-numbered files are always on the right?

And that scan001 & scan002  or scan009 and scan 010 are always the matching pair etc?

I am thinking of choosing these input pairs in real time, not as a list of filenames handled in bulk.

By @Fred32635443e485

Why do it manually when it could be fully automated? Is it that the scan names are not consistent and an automated process based on sequential filename sorting can't match the pairs correctly?

[Fred32635443e485]

The file names are inconsistent, since the backs are scanned only when they are not blank, misfeeds in the scanner, restarts, etc.   When I am reviewing the scans in Lightroom, sometimes the comment from the back image is a short phrase or date or something. I manually type that small bit into the comment or title field for the image.  Then I delete the original "back" image from lightroom.

But sometimes the info on the back is noteworthy for another reason, or is longer.  For these I would like to select a pair of front/back images and combine them so the 'front' image shows onthe left and 'back' image/info is the the right. Perhaps assume that the front image is opened first in photoshop, then the back image.  The result image could be saved back to lightroom with  a variant of the original front image (the first opened in Photoshop).

[Stephen Marsh]

Perhaps assume that the front image is opened first in photoshop, then the back image.  The result image could be saved back to lightroom with  a variant of the original front image (the first opened in Photoshop).

By @Fred32635443e485

Thanks for the explanation, it helps to formulate my reply...

You probably only need an action then, presuming that you have both files open as described, and only the two files open, with the back image being the active/targeted document.