Complex text effects action + csv = possible?

[Das Boomer]

Hello,

I have a complex text effect made up of many layers which at some point get rasterized.

I also happen to have a nice csv file filled with first names I want to use that effect with.

Now, I can likely create a few lengthy photoshop actions to do the work up to the point I type in a first name, and to take up the completion of the effect from there.

That would be really painful as you can see if I had 1500 first names to do.

So, I'm hoping and searching still, all day, for a way to script the use of actions and datasets to output highly personalized documents.

Please let me know, if you can, where I need to look to start finding an answer...

Thank you very much!

[Stephen_A_Marsh · Accepted solution]

I have not tested, however it sounds like the best “out of the box” approach would be:

1. Setup a master dynamic “text replacement” variable file using styles (image/variables).

2. Export out the datasets so that they contain the style already applied (file/export/data sets as files).

or

1. Record the action to apply the complex effects to a text layer or a rasterized text layer.

2. Setup a variable text layer, then have Photoshop export the data sets to 1500 files to an output folder.

3. Run a batch action against the output folder to apply the effects. Variables are “latent” and don’t exist until they are exported, so you would have to have the variable merge create the files first for the action to work on if you could not pre apply a style before the merge.

[Das Boomer]

Thank you, I will look into it. I'll post back some results if successful!

Cheers,

Antoine

[JJMack]

I agree with Stephen you should look for some tutorials on Photoshop Data Driven Graphics.

[Das Boomer]

Thank you, I will look into it. I'll post back some results if successful!

Cheers,

Antoine