How Do I Create a Two Command Shortcut? (Hide selection followed by gaussian blur)

[Archie5E55]

I am trying to create a keyboard shortcut where with press of one button, it hides the 'marching ants' of my selection (not deselect) and then it gaussian blurs. How do I do this? Thank you!

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

The easy way  to do this is a with F key action shortcut.

[Archie5E55]

I hit record on my action, pressed ctrl+H to hide my selection and then used gaussian blur but the only thing recorded was the gaussian blur. How do I add "select toggle show extras menu item" to my action as you have shown in your post? Thank you.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

@Archie5E55 

I think that JJMack's reply should be marked as the correct answer.

Are you sure that you want to keep the selection hidden and or active after blurring? Do you do something else with the hidden selection that does not need to be automated?

[Archie5E55]

I have marked his as correct however I don't fully understand the steps he went through. I can get it to record my gaussian blur but not the hiding of the mask. What I want to do is make a selection and then after I have seen my selection's 'marching ants' I would like to press a button that hides the 'marching ants' and then hits gaussian blur. I can't see as properly what my gaussian blur needs to be when my selection is roped off with dotted lines, I want to see the image as it will be shown to gauge how much gaussian blur I need to use.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Just a guess, but when recording the Action, use the menus and not shortcuts.

[JJMack]

insert menu Item all three steps

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I understand the need to hide the marching ants. I was questioning whether it was wise to leave the selection active and hidden after the blur.

The action panel option menu icon (upper right) has an option to insert menu items that either can't be recorded or that you wish to run without a recorded value.

[jane-e]

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@Archie5E55 wrote:

I can't see as properly what my gaussian blur needs to be when my selection is roped off with dotted lines, I want to see the image as it will be shown to gauge how much gaussian blur I need to use.

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If you want to adjust the Gaussian Blur then you might want to add a "Stop" to your Action (the box on the far left).

~ Jane

[JJMack]

When you use insert menu item to add the Gaussian blur step the step or record a Gaussian blur step and then turn on the step dialog  the blur step is interactive there is no need to add a stop the blur preview let you see the results without the marching ants before you commit the blur..