Record "Histogram Correction" "Auto mode" as action?

[SJ9000]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if there is a way to record this as an action? All I get is the values that "Auto mode" produces. i.e. If I record this while correcting an image, when I replay it, it uses the values generated when I originally pressed an "Auto Mode" button for that image. Not what I wanted -- I want it to recalculate the "Auto Mode" each time the action is run. Does that make sense?

If there's no way to record this action I vote for a new menu command, "Auto Histogram", that does what the "Auto mode" buttons do. So, if certain channels are selected, it only applies it to them. Otherwise it's applied to all the channels.

Thoughts?

Thanks - Steve

[photoken]

Instead of using the Auto-Correct tool in the Histogram function, have you tried Filter...Automatic...Brightness Correction?

[SJ9000]

Ken, thanks for your suggestion, but as far as I can tell "Filter...Automatic...Brightness Correction" only analyzes the composite luminance. I need a function that works on a channel by channel basis. Specifically, I do a lot of work in Lab color space and need this applied to the a and b channels also -- your suggestion only modifies the L channel.

Thanks - Steve

[photoken]

Hi Steve,
You can specify that a step in your recorded action will pause for user input:

pause in action.png

Depending on what you're trying to do, that might be something to try.

[Hoogo]

I remember a discussion about this topic loong ago.
Isn't the auto button recorded when the auto button was the last change made to the settings?

[SJ9000]

Hi Ken, yeah know you can force the dialog to open in an action, but I don't want the user to have to do anything but play the action -- otherwise there is much greater chance for user error.

Hi Hoogo, any chance you can point me to the thread that discussed this? It might be helpful. Also, as far as I can tell recording this as an action only records the last computed values. I might be wrong, but if I record the "auto" action and then open a new image and duplicate a new layer. If I play the action on one layer and on the other layer I open the Histogram Correction and press Auto, the 2 layers are different. If the Hubers are listening maybe they could tell us if this is possible or not.

Thanks - Steve

[Hoogo]

Hi Hoogo, any chance you can point me to the thread that discussed this? It might be helpful. Also, as far as I can tell recording this as an action only records the last computed values. I might be wrong, but if I record the "auto" action and then open a new image and duplicate a new layer. If I play the action on one layer and on the other layer I open the Histogram Correction and press Auto, the 2 layers are different. If the Hubers are listening maybe they could tell us if this is possible or not.

I found a discussion about the histogram dialog, March 2009... This won't help at all today

But I have just recorded an action including the histogram correction and the automatic, and nothing else but the press of the button for automatic. I tested with an extremely pale picture to easily spot a difference, and applied the action a few times. It works fine, no changes after the first execution. But the dialog in the action cannot show this behaviour.

[SJ9000]

Hi Hoogo, you're mistaken, I've just finished extensive testing and there is no doubt that if I record just pressing the "Auto mode" button and then "Ok", it only records the computed values. If you play the action again it will use the same values over and over rather than recompute "Auto".

So if you have a gray scale image open when you record this action you'll only record data for the last column of the following table.

This is how it breaks down:

Code: Alles auswählen

C   M   Y   K
R   G   B   C (composite gray) 
L   a   b
            G (gray scale)

Hope that makes sense. The bottom line is that PL *does not* recompute "Auto" each time the action is played.

Thanks - Steve