How to turn off the "With Copy" option when saving files in Action?

[mattl48190004]

Hi All,

I'm using the latest version of PS 24.1.0 20221206.r.166 be4691b x64, on Windows 11.

I would like to create a Action that will save my .TIFF files as .JPG, without the word "COPY" attached to the filename, because I save them into a different folder.

When I go into preferences->File-Handling I turn on the option "Do not append "copy" to filename when saving a copy".

This works when setting up the action for the first time, but when you try your second and remaining images, it appears the Action, still has the option "WITH COPY" saved into the action file. Even if you turn on Legacy Save, the WITH COPY option will still show up in both Save options stored into the Action. Is there anyway to fix this?

Thanks,

-Matt

[Bojan Živković]

Check Enable legacy "Save As" in Preferences > File Handling before recording step, it should work. It works for me when using flat version of document to record step using Save As > JPEG. It records step to save JPEG with lower case without Copy. Enable modal control to test and process single file to avoid any mistake.

[mattl48190004]

Thanks for the reply, but I tried that and it still didn't work. 
The only way I see that it will work is if I use a 8bit file, but I use 16 bit files, and my quality is set to 12 because I sell high quality prints online to my clients.
So change your file to 16bit, and see if it still works.

[Bojan Živković]

JPEG does not support 16 bit per channel. It works even if you are saving from 16 bit document in Photoshop. Quality 5 in my example is not important, it works with any quality settings.

[mattl48190004]

I'm not sure what it causing this, but it doesn't matter what settings I use, it still keeps putting the  WITH COPY inside my Action, 8 or 16 bit. 

[Bojan Živković]

When recording step, duplicate original file and flatten it then use Sava As command.

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, indeed, the copy is there to save your b... your back, when all the attributes of the file are not present.

Here I flattened a file, create a save action with multiple save steps, it works.

What are the atributes of the image you are trying to save: only background layer? layer with transparency? 16 bits? LAB, Greyscale?

action panel with save action

[mattl48190004]

When you use "Save As Copy" is your check box for "As a Copy" enabled? Mine is disabled and still checked, which maybe why its still gets saved in my action. This process works fine, if I'm just working on a individual file manually. 

Is it possible to edit the action file outside of Photoshop, to remove that step?

[D Fosse]

There is a very simple answer to this, and it will always work:

Include steps in the action that makes the file comply with the target file format specification.

So in an action to save jpeg, the action should start with Flatten, Convert to 8 bits per channel, and if applicable remove any alpha channels.

The only non-standard component here is remove alpha channels. There should be a menu item for that, but since there isn't, you may need to install a simple one line script and call that from the action. The script looks like this:

activeDocument.channels.removeAll();

[mattl48190004]

Is there a tool or a way, that will tell me what my jpg bit size is, outside of photoshop?
I want to compare to older jpg files I've created in the past 3 years.

[D Fosse]

As has already been pointed out several times, jpeg does not support 16 bit depth. It will always be 8 bit.

[mattl48190004]

I'm not sure why, but since the latest update from Photoshop, my issue is now resolved!

[PECourtejoie]

Maybe because Camera Raw is set to export 8 bits files?