Running Nik Silver Efex Pro from an Action

[FitzFoto]

PS CC 20.0.0 on Win10

I just created an Action, using 'Insert Menu Item ...', to run Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

It enters the module OK and everyhing works inside the module.

I click [Go] and it exits back to PS ... but doesn't create the layer containing the edit.

Running Nik Efex Pro through the menu creates the edit layer OK.

Nik is newly reinstalled, as the last PS CC update didn't copy it over.  As the Action is new, I have no idea whether it (might have) worked on previous versions of CC.

Any thoughts?

[JJMack]

Is it Google or DxO collection? If DxO try contacting them.  It sounds like the Insert menu Item step launched Efex Pro and it failed to work like you expected it to.  Did you try recording Efex Pro as a step rather than an insert menu Item. Perhaps the plug-in supports being recorded into an action.  Check the steps dialog box if you want the step to be interactive.  If the check mark is not there the Plug-in may have recorder the setting you used in recording the action step into the step so it will bypass its UI and use those recorded settings.

[FitzFoto]

Thank you.  I know my way around Actions, so have tried everything in my experience.

I will contat DxO with the following analysis..

To test the operating modes I created three Actions:

1) Using Insert Menu Item : Filters>Nik Collection>Silver Efex Pro.

2) Recording the entire calling/editing/exiting process (a single step is recorded, on exit) and then toggling on the dialog box.

3) Using used the code from Script Listener.

All of them enter the add-on.  1 & 2 allow manipulation of the image in the add-on; 3 does not, it plays the full-recorded sequence and exits.  All of them appear to exit properly from the add-on.

None of them create the expected layer and mask.

I then repeated the recording of steps for each of the other programs in the Nik Collection, with the following results:

Analog Efex Pro 2 : ran but did not create new layer with changes on exit (as for Silver Efex Pro 2)

Color Efex Pro 4 : ditto

Define 2 : ditto

Silver Efex Pro 2 : ditto [originally observed failure, as per my other post (having marked this one 'Assumed answered']

Vivenza 2 : ditto

Sharpener Pro 3: (1) RAW Presharpener : ran but made no changes on exit (does not create new layer normally)

Sharpener Pro 3: (2) Output Sharpener : ditto

However, HDR Efex Pro 2 : ran and made changes OK to existing layer on exit - normal behaviour.

So I conclude it is a Nik Collection issue, which affects every programme except HDR Efex Pro 2.

[FitzFoto]

An update:

DxO have responded, indicating that the current version of the Nik Collection software from them behaves in the same manner as the previous version from Google, at least in so far as this behaviour is concerned.

So, for the moment, the question can only be answered as per my previous post.  I'll repeat the findings in a separate post before for posterity ( ) and mark it as the 'Correct' answer.  If the position ever changes, we'll go again.

Thanks to all those who commented and liked.

[FitzFoto · Accepted solution]

The position as at 14 November 2018 with trying to run Nik Collection filters from an PS Action:

Analog Efex Pro 2 : runs but does not create a new layer with changes on exit - failure

Color Efex Pro 4 : runs but does not create a new layer with changes on exit - failure

Dfine 2 : runs but does not create a new layer with changes on exit - failure

HDR Efex Pro 2 : runs and makes changes to existing layer on exit - normal behaviour.

Sharpener Pro 3: (1) RAW Presharpener : runs but makes no changes on exit - failure

Sharpener Pro 3: (2) Output Sharpener : runs but makes no changes on exit - failure

Silver Efex Pro 2 : runs but does not create a new layer with changes on exit - failure

Vivenza 2 : runs but does not create a new layer with changes on exit -  failure

Conclusion: it's a Nik Collection issue, which affects every programme except HDR Efex Pro 2, and DxO have confirmed the failure exists in their current version 5.0.0.0 64x (v1.2.14)..