Creating an Action for Clipping Mask for Batch of Files?

[SeraphinaWat]

Hello, I am rather new to Photoshop and am working on creating my first Action. The desired outcome would be:

Open an Image (we'll say a silhoutte of a dog)

Add another image to the document (we'll say a glitter pattern)

Add a clipping mask to the glitter pattern to mask it onto the dog

Save the finished project as a PNG

I've followed a few tutorials and when I follow the steps to create the Action, the clipping mask and saving the file work just fine. However, when I run the Action on several images (via Automate>Batch) , I run into a few errors. One, it repeatedly opens the original design that I used to record the action (IE the dog) and resaves it each time PS opens a new image from the designated Batch folder. Two, It does not add the clipping mask to the new designs that are in the Batch folder; it only resaves them as they already are (so just a silhoutte, no glitter clipping mask). And finally, it saves the design as a PS file, not as a PNG even though I added that to the Action when recording it.

Can anyone point in me in the right direction of how to correct this? I really appreciate your help! 

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

@SeraphinaWat 

Don't include the opening of the dog file in the action, the batch command will take care of opening files. You can include the opening of the glitter pattern in the action if it should apply to all images in the batch.

How is the clipping mask being applied? Does the dog and other images have transparency?

To help diagnose the issue, please insert screenshots into a new post of the following:

* Your layers panel before running the batch

* The layers panel result of the Batch from two PSD files

* Your action settings in list mode (not button mode) with all steps disclosure triangles expanded so that all content is visible with the panel wide enough to view all content

* The batch settings in use to run the action

[SeraphinaWat]

Hello, Stephen and thanks for your response 🙂 

I tried making the Action with and without inlcuding opening the dog file, but Photoshop still opens it. I will try again and see if it helps, though.

I will take screenshots then and upload them here 🙂 I may have to wait until tomorrow, though, as something IRL popped up andIm away from computer for the day

[SeraphinaWat]

I actually had time to do it really quick! So in the screenshots, it is a dinosaur and instead of glitter, it's a rainbow layer that I want to mask onto the dinosaur (so it's the same goal just different images and "textures")

As for how the mask is being applied, I first add the dinosaur image in one layer., then I click Place Embedded to place the rainbow layer, I then right click on the rainbow and hit Create Clipping Mask. I don't mess with the transparency for either of the images

I took screenshots and attached them below 🙂 Thanks againf or your help!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I tried making the Action with and without inlcuding opening the dog file, but Photoshop still opens it.

By @SeraphinaWat

Batch rasterizing the SVG files is problematic. You are best to first batch open/rasterize all of the SVG files and save as raster/pixel format with transparency such as PSD or PNG. This will allow the pre-rasterized files to be opened by the batch command without the rasterize SVG window popping up for each file in the batch.

Your action should only need 3 steps:

1) Place

2) Create clipping mask

3) Save a copy to PNG

You will need to check the box for "override action save commands" in the batch command for the recorded save a copy to png step if it includes an explicitly recorded filename or to remove the appended " copy" from the filename.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/processing-batch-files.html#process_a_batch_of_files

[Bojan Živković]

I have previously created similar actions for batch processing. My approach was to keep one image (the dog, in your case) while running the batch process. After opening the pattern image, you can copy it, switch to the open image with the dog, perform your desired actions, copy the content, delete any extra layers created by the action, switch back to the batch-opened pattern image, paste the copied content, and optionally resize the canvas. Finally, save it with the pattern name or add a prefix or suffix to the file name when using Image Processor Pro for batch operations.

There are certainly other ways to achieve results. Please share the requested screenshots with @Stephen_A_Marsh  so we can investigate and possibly assist you in reaching your goal.