Batch automation from multiple images to multiple outputs

[dominic85772733]

Goal: to automate the generation of multiple composites of a referenced file, that has itself multiple options within in it.

Effectively I have pre-rendered views of a TV from different angles, in different environments.  These are organised as layer groups.   In each layer group there is a Referenced File link that provides the 'content' of the TV.  These are all pointing to the same file.

Current setup:

Master file: multiple different views set as layer groups, with the referenced file pre-distorted and manipulated fore each view

Reference file: lots of different options, organised as 1 screen content per layer.

Goal:

To be able to batch process all the different views in the Master file with all the content options in the reference file.  Including sensible filenaming or organisation on output.

So Far:

I have an Action that cycles through all the view options in the Master File and exports the options.   

In the Reference File I have used the "convert frames / make frames from clip" to turn each layer into a frame within the timeline.

In the Master File I can now use step through the timeline and the screen content changes on each frame.

BUT, I haven't found a way to automate the Action to make it recursive/repeating for each frame in the timeline.

I don't know if I'm heading in the right direction on this, and would be very appreciative of thoughts or tips!  I consider myself a poweruser of Photoshop but this has stumped me and is really bugging me.

[JJMack]

You would need to use Photoshop scripting to do that. An actions can not play itself to be recursive for the recursion would never end. Action can not use logic that would end the recursion the action would forever play itself so recursion is not allowed if you try you will get an error.

[dominic85772733]

Thank you so much for responding.  And you are confirming what I had been thinking, which is it needs a recursive routine but also that this can't be done using Actions. 

is there another workflow process that could be used? I ask only because I don't know photoshop scripting. 

[JJMack]

Photoshop Actions and Photoshop is all the Adobe Photoshop  has  for automating photoshop  processing.