How to process multiple actions on a image in batch

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
February 11, 2017
4 replies
4728 views

Can I process multiple actions on an image in batch. When I run the batch process or the script image process you can only select one action.

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Correct answer melissapiccone

No. Can you make a new action from the different ones? Or, run 2 batches...

B

BraedonLynn

Participant

You can process multiple actions in Photoshop by the following method!

Create the actions you want (e.g. "Subject Select" Masking actions, HSL Adjustment + Exposure Adjustment Layers above active Layers actions, etc.)
Once done with the Actions you want to "batch" together, create one more new Action and title it how you want (e.g. "All In One Action"). It should automatically start recording.
From here, run the previous Actions you want in the order you want them to process (e.g. starting with a subject selection, then the HSL Adjustment Layers)
Once done with the Actions, stop recording the batch Action, and revert your photo to its initial state (if you want to test the Batch Action)
Go to `File > Automate > Batch...` and select the Action (e.g. "All In One Action"), and using the file currently open, run the Action. It should run through the previous Actions you've created, in the order you want!

This does however mean you cannot delete the previously made Actions, as Photoshop is basing this Batch "Action" on their existence.

I've attached a screenshot for reference, hope this helps!

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

This can also be scripted for much more control and flexibility.

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LITEupDesigns

Participant

I recorded each action eg COLOR1 to do its thing including 'saving as' in specified folder, closing my file with no save in my case, then did one a RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS action to record my individual batches of each action.

(I had 6 different files and I wanted to make an adjustment layer in each of my files to add multiple different colors for each file and save each file with each color separately - file1color1, file1color2, then file2color1, file2color2 etc).

These are the steps:

1. record your individual action eg COLOR1, COLOR2, etc if you haven't got them already

2. Record a new action RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS (for example) and record each of your batches with your chosen actions eg COLOR1, COLOR2, COLOR3, etc.

START recording RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS and repeat the following steps for each batch (so a new batch for action COLOR1, then another batch for action COLOR2, etc)
- Open Automate and Batch

- choose your action eg COLOR1

- choose your source folder (in my case the same for all actions), don't tick any of the boxes below

- Destination: FOLDER

- tick Override Action 'Save as'

- choose your folder for that action eg folderCOLOR1, folderCOLOR2, etc

- edit filenames if you wish (eg I had action COLOR1 in folder COLOR1 and added filename COLOR1; then COLOR2, COLOR3 etc).

REPEAT for each action eg COLOR1, COLOR12, etc!
you will have multiple batches in your action RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS recorded.

3. Run your big batch with your RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS, which includes multiple batches by now.

The settings/steps for this batch is as follows:
- Open Automate and Batch

- choose action RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS
- choose your source folder (in my case the same for all actions), don't tick any of the boxes below

- Destination: None (you should have already recorded the individual folders in each individual action earlier).

Done.

I moved all my files in my source folder temporarily when I recorded the RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS action and recorded each batch, so PS doesn't run through the action and wastes my time 😉 It will give you a warning box, just OK it.

Stop your RECORD MULTIPLE ACTIONS.

josephlavine

Community Expert

This is somewhat of a no and yes answer. You cannot run two actions at one time. However, if you already have the first two actions created, you can easily create a third action that runs the first two and then use the new action for your batch processing.