Process multiple files - subfolders all written to one directory

[conveyor-belts]

I'm finding Adobe support to be (literally) non-existent when it comes to product useage, and was hoping someone here might be able to assist ?

This question has been asked before, but never answered.

Photoshop Elements 14 - process multiple files.

I am reducing the file size of multiple files in a deep sub-folder structure. I intended to reduce the size of EACH file, whilst LEAVING IT IN PLACE.

As 'source', I have selected the root folder which contains all the sub (and sub-sub etc) folders.

I have selected "include all subfolders"

I have selected "same as source" as the destination. (YES, I understand this will over-write the original files.).

I assumed this would read all of the files in the subfolders, and write them back INTO THE SAME SUBFOLDERS.

In other words, the files would be processed and replaced with the processed version, BUT IN THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATIONS. (e.g. overwritten).

But it doesn't. Instead it READS files from all subfolders, but then WRITES them all back to the root of the folder, all jumbled together.

Would I be right in thinking that this is a limitation of the Photoshop "process multiple files" function ? E.g. it cannot understand the concept of writing a file back to its original location, if that location is in a subfolder ?

Many thanks for any of your insights on this.

[MichelBParis]

conveyor-belts  wrote

I'm finding Adobe support to be (literally) non-existent when it comes to product useage, and was hoping someone here might be able to assist ?

This question has been asked before, but never answered.

That's the first time I read such a question. Do you mind giving a link?

Would I be right in thinking that this is a limitation of the Photoshop "process multiple files" function ? E.g. it cannot understand the concept of writing a file back to its original location, if that location is in a subfolder ?

It's not the purpose of the 'process multiple files'. That has nothing to do with 'understanding a concept'.

You have to understand that Elements is a 'consumer' application targeted at general public which means a few things things:

- it does not have all the flexibility of more 'pro' applications such as Lightroom

- it should not provide options which can be dangerous to that target audience

- its normal use for organizing is to use the organizer and mainly its powerful keywording abilility and less the ability to manage a library by folders.

If I were Adobe , I would not provide such a feature. Mainly because overwriting original files would automatically create a number of disasters, and because creating variants of edited files in a folder tree would be unproductive. That's why the two solutions provided by Elements are to use either the 'process multiple' files of the editor or the 'export as new files' function of the organizer. In both cases, you export to a new single folder and you never get a flood of complaints about disasters.

That said, I understand your problem and I once had a similar need.

My solution was to use the free FastStone Photo Resizer for that pupose. Of course, I ran that batch on a copy of the folder tree I made before from the Explorer.

Edit:

The only discussion I found to be related to the topic was:

Re: Sub folders and Process multiple files in Photoshop Elements 10

[conveyor-belts]

Hi there Michel, and thanks for taking the time to respond.

I guess my confusion is that Photoshop CS2 - which I had previously used - does INDEED re-write files back into their original location when the "same as source" option is used for file destination.

Photoshop Elements 14 has an entirely different behavior. When you select "same as source", in tandem with "include subfolders", it traverses the subfolder structure and process all of the files, but in THIS context, "same as source" simply means "the root selected folder". So ALL of the processed files are dumped there.

It is both counter-intuitive, and a change from earlier versions of Photoshop. Notwithstanding, I take your point about it being dangerous, but so are angle-grinders and chain saws; they are intended to be used by knowledgeable people.

Kind regards,

Nic "seven fingers" Wright

[conveyor-belts · Accepted solution]

I think we can just say... ".. this is a feature of Photoshop Elements 14.. this is how it works.. regardless of previous versions. "

[MichelBParis]

I would like the ability to export the files from the organizer keeping the same hierarchy structure, but not on the same location.

Funnily, I just had to do this yesterday.

I am keeping selected folders in my Dropbox directory in my computer. I realized that the purpose is not to backup my photos, it's only to share them, to have them available everywhere and possibly to print some 4" x 6" photos.

The purpose was to resize all those files to max 2048 pixels in largest dimension, while keeping the structure in a single batch.

As explained above, I did use FastStone resizer (free). That works well, even with overwriting files. That saves me a lot of Dropbox space.

Side note:

I also have a separate catalog for that Dropbox folder hierarchy.

Overwriting the files externally from FastStone does not corrupt the catalog, but I have to select all files and 'update thumbnails'.

[jlfreund]

I have the same problem and view this as a bug.  I have a tree of hundreds of bitmaps spread throughout dozens of folders that I need to process.

Why would anyone want or expect "same as source" option to mean "move all output files to a different (root) folder", expecially in the context of the warning that the operation will overwrite the original files (which does NOT happen when it moves the output).

This is a bug.   And it still occurs on the latest 2022 version, on both Win and Mac.  With this behavior, I cannot recursively process folders, and instead have to process folders 1 by 1.

[MichelBParis]

Hi @jlfreund 

The usual definition of a bug is a piece of code (or a feature) which does NOT work as intended.

You say "why would everyone..."

Well, I'll tell you why.

The whole concept of data management based on catalogs, is to use the very powerful power of a database based on keywords hierarchies and albums, not on the klunky folders organization of the Explorer/Finder. The purpose of the organizer (or Lightroom...) is definitely to do without the folders hierarchy .system. So, it's not a bug and the organizer is not a tool to help working with folders.

I agree you may need or prefer to work also with folders, but that's a feature requirement, not "the" ultimate goal, and that would make the program much more complex and prone to contradictions between the two management options.

The hierarchical folders system is not a problem for the organizer at input time, but when "exporting" or "outputting" the results of selections, that's another story. I am not sure I would trust your requirement to be implemented without real bugs in a future version of the Organizer.