Way to bypass Layer Lock when using the Automate>Batch?

[LEFT4LAZY]

So I'm trying to batch crop over 200 photos with the automate option, but every time an image is added, it's automatically locked, causing the system to stop all actions. Is there a way to have it so none of the photos added into the processor will be locked?

Here's how it appears:

1

3

5

2

4

[Stephen Marsh]

@LEFT4LAZY 

How is the action performing the crop? Please post a screenshot of your Action panel with the action steps and options expanded/visible.

Using Canvas Size would be one work-around.

Another work-around would be making the first step in the action to promote the Background into a floating layer (these are JPEG files which don't support layers). You may also wish to add a Flatten Image command as the last step in the action before saving.

The Script Events Manager also has a default script that can automatically promote the Background to a layer on the open event, which might be overkill for this task.

[LEFT4LAZY]

@Stephen Marsh

Well shoot, maybe it is the action itself, I recorded a more rigiours task, which is more of a "custom" crop, also adding some shadowing effect.

Here's the full panel:

I assume the action list takes consideration of all actions when I excute the command, and not the main one? Because the only one I added myself was the 'Reload Icon Crop', which can be found in the first image, at the 21st checkmark. The others seem to be preincluded.

[Stephen Marsh]

Create a new Action Set (folder).

Drag your custom action out of the Default Set into the new Action Set.

Use the Action Panel menu to save the Action as an .atn file.

@LEFT4LAZY 

On a side note... You risk losing the action if left in the Default Actions and if not saved to .atn file.

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2017/01/photoshop-custom-action-file-backup.html

[Bojan Živković]

Can you press Stop when you see error message then take screenshot with Layers panel and Actions panel expanded and visible. When you stop playing action because of error message it will expand action and highlight problematic step so we can see step and situation on screen and Layers panel what will help to determine what exactly causes problem.

[LEFT4LAZY]

Ah, I see @Stephen Marsh, @Bojan Živković. Here's that prompt:

Also Marsh I followed your directive on those .atn files as well, hopefully that clears any future confusions I may have. If it comes down to it, maybe I can send a screen recorded video of what exactly it is I did.

[Stephen Marsh]

1) Does the image have a work path in the paths panel?

2) If it does, why would you attempt to load a selection from the path you deleted in the previous step?

Also, please turn off the interactive modals on various steps control before batching, I'm guessing they are on from troubleshooting?

[LEFT4LAZY]

@Stephen Marsh nope nothing in the paths panel. Hopefully I am not misunderstanding here, but I turned off all the dialog boxes, I also performed the action with just the first two dialog boxes whitened (Delete Work Path & Set Selection) which were the only two that were apart of a modal (I assume the others are Set Slection & Fill). Despite these changes, the same errors presist.

[Stephen Marsh]

@Stephen Marsh nope nothing in the paths panel. Hopefully I am not misunderstanding here, but I turned off all the dialog boxes, I also performed the action with just the first two dialog boxes whitened (Delete Work Path & Set Selection) which were the only two that were apart of a modal (I assume the others are Set Slection & Fill). Despite these changes, the same errors presist.

By @LEFT4LAZY

So if there is nothing in the paths panel, how can you delete a path or load a selection from a path?

What happens if you disable (untick) those two steps in the action?

[LEFT4LAZY]

Hey @Stephen Marsh, ok so same thing applies unfortunaetly. For now I'm scrapping the completed action, I'll start small, and with a still-in-recording action.

Here it is so far:

Even in the simplist state I can get, for what I'm trying to accomplish, there's still errors in the same category, does the curvature pen tool not work in an action sequence?

I neglect to mention but in the three photos after the first, the work panel for the test image has no completed work path; interesting how that works.

[Stephen Marsh]

@LEFT4LAZY 

Do you have a Background layer?

Expand the step where you are loading the selection from the path.

What is the current path name compared to the path name recorded in the action?

[LEFT4LAZY]

@Stephen Marsh, nope no background layer, I added that in to bypass the layer lock for the batch process (it's the only thing I added in, in this version) - is that bad?

The path name in the panel section is just named 'Path 1', the action one reads, 'Set Section [next line] To: Work Path [next line] With vector mask parameters'.

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

If the path is called "work path", how do you expect the action to load a selection from a path named "Path 1"?

Actions are explicit, the file content has to match the action content.

Notice how the action step and the file content match below:

[LEFT4LAZY]

Thanks a ton for making that clear to me @Stephen Marsh, I've added in the work path, now the action qeues as I'd been hoping, without any of the blocks.

Despite the good news, there's still a problem, while the action can sequence to completion, for some reason (and this probably explains the confusion from earlier) the "cut" action doesn't cut the pixels, it cuts the path, as I've seen both in the history bar, and as evident of an empy path panel.

Any way to replace the action>cut for something more along the lines of action>cut pixels. I believe this keeps the path, but will remove the key element, which is the rest of the background within the layer.

[Stephen Marsh]

@LEFT4LAZY 

Before recording cut, record targeting/selecting the layer in the layer panel, rather than the path.

But keep in mind the recorded layer name selection vs. the variable file layer name, they need to be the same.

EDIT:

If you load a selection from the path, the path will be automatically deselected, allowing you to cut pixels from the active layer without needing to select the layer.

[LEFT4LAZY]

Well it's late over here (had other pressing matters to attend to), but I got it to work!! 😄 @Stephen Marsh & @Bojan Živković Thank you both so much! Sorry I was so slow, this was my first execution of an action, that I guess isn't that simple for someone just trying it out. I'm really happy I didn't give up on this endevor, and I am especially glad you two stayed to help me.

If anyone is perhaps curious, this is the list in images:

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Congratulations! Although actions are an accessible form of automation, they are not always easy!

[Bojan Živković · Accepted solution]

Delete path not available warning because you do not have path in the paths panel

Set selection to work path not available because you do not have work path in the Paths panel

It seems all problems are around paths that are not available. If you are not instructed to draw paths before action and after certain step in action then action itself should create paths, otherwise your action will display warnings and fail forever.