Automatic actions when loading an image

[MikeFromMesa]

I am in the process of trying to read the PL manual from front to back assuming that I can avoid some stupid questions if I read before asking.

However I have, so far, been unable to find the answer to this question. I can create an action easily enough but is there some way to automatically run that action when I open an image? That is, is there some way to add an action to the open process so that the action gets run every time an image is opened without my having to do anything else beyond opening the file? I know I can add adjustments to the set of adjustments run at file open time, but can I run an action?

Second question - Photoshop, both CC and Elements, can utilize a java script that allows users to save every file that is currently open in the editor to a specific folder with specific options utilizing a specific file format. That is, if I have 10 files open and am finished editing, I can call this script to save all 10 files as jpgs (or tiffs or psd) to a specified folder with a specific image quality with or without resizing and performing a specific action before doing the save. Is there anything like that in PL? It saves an enormous amount of processing time after all editing is done and I would like to be able to do something like that in PL. I suppose I could write an action to do that if I could find a way to access the currently open files in PL.

Thanks.

[bkh]

However I have, so far, been unable to find the answer to this question. I can create an action easily enough but is there some way to automatically run that action when I open an image?

Currently, this is only possible for digital camera raw images (the action can be set under Preferences -> File -> Raw).

I know I can add adjustments to the set of adjustments run at file open time […]

Not sure what you are referring to. Normally, a file will be opened without any adjustments at all.

Second question - Photoshop, both CC and Elements, can utilize a java script that allows users to save every file that is currently open in the editor to a specific folder with specific options utilizing a specific file format. That is, if I have 10 files open and am finished editing, I can call this script to save all 10 files as jpgs (or tiffs or psd) to a specified folder with a specific image quality with or without resizing and performing a specific action before doing the save. Is there anything like that in PL?

No, PL's scripting abilities are too limited – there are no loops.

If I need different versions of my project files, I usually save the oroginals as plds (or whatever format suits me) and then run PL's Batch Convert … to create the versions I need. You can save these batch settings as presets, because usually you'll need the conversion(s) again as soon as you change one of the originals. The only disadvantage is that this will re-convert all files, regardless if they are updated. Otoh, this makes sure that you don't forget one.

The other possibility is to use "Web export …" for each image (it remembers its previous settings, so not too much overhead if you have to do it image by image), but there are fewer export formats and export options than in "Batch Convert".

Cheers

Burkhard.

[MikeFromMesa]

Not sure what you are referring to. Normally, a file will be opened without any adjustments at all.

Perhaps I am using the wrong terminology.

When I open a raw image I automatically get two layers. One is the background layer containing the actual image. The other seems to be a bundled adjustment layer. When I open that layer I get a series of adjustments that have been added to the layer although they all seem to be at their default value. This is what I was referring to.

Since I often wish to use a plugin as a first step in processing and since that plugin requires a flattened file (I get very strange results if I select the background layer alone when I call the plugin) I wanted to flatten the file automatically and that is why I was asking about automatically applying an action. Your response about adding an action to the Preferences for a raw file allowed me to do exactly what I wanted to do so my concern has been taken care of. But I still have a similar question.

While the action takes care of my concern is there any built-in way in PL to either merge the "adjustment" layer upon opening or to not apply it at all without my having to add the action? Alternately, is there any way to have the raw file flattened upon opening as an automatic step that could be "undone" for those cases when I might want that adjustment layer?

Just wondering since my concern has been taken care of by adding the action to the raw file preferences setting.

Thanks.

[bkh]

Alternately, is there any way to have the raw file flattened upon opening as an automatic step that could be "undone" for those cases when I might want that adjustment layer?

Instead of flattening the image, you could create an action to make a merged copy of the image and paste that merged copy on top of the layer stack. In that way, you have both versions, and optionally delete one or the other version. Merged copies are often the best way to use a plugin on an image stack.

Cheers

Burkhard.

[MikeFromMesa]

Instead of flattening the image, you could create an action to make a merged copy of the image and paste that merged copy on top of the layer stack. In that way, you have both versions, and optionally delete one or the other version. Merged copies are often the best way to use a plugin on an image stack.

PL comes with a pre-defined action called Create Merged Layer. I know this does exactly what I wanted to do myself because I assigned a keyboard shortcut to it and tried after the image was loaded.

My next step was to assign this action to the opening of the raw file (File -> Raw Preferences - I work on a Mac) so it would happen automatically, but unfortunately this cases PL to crash. I assume that is because the action is being applied before the layers are actually available in the UI. I will try again, this time trying to insert some delay, but I am not sure that will work either. I will keep paying around to see if I can get this to work properly.

UPDATE:
Yeah. The addition of a pause did not make any difference. PL just kept crashing every time I tried to assign Create Merged Layer or a variant of it as an action to be done when a raw file was opened. All I could do was assign a keyboard shortcut to do it manually.

I will keep looking into this but I am not very hopeful ...

[bkh]

My next step was to assign this action to the opening of the raw file (File -> Raw Preferences - I work on a Mac) so it would happen automatically, but unfortunately this cases PL to crash. I assume that is because the action is being applied before the layers are actually available in the UI.

I can reproduce the crash here (OS X 10.9.5) as well. This looks like a bug, and will probably be fixed by the developers in the next version.

I've created another action for this particular situation which seems to work on my Mac (see attachment).

Cheers

Burkhard.

[MikeFromMesa]

My next step was to assign this action to the opening of the raw file (File -> Raw Preferences - I work on a Mac) so it would happen automatically, but unfortunately this cases PL to crash. I assume that is because the action is being applied before the layers are actually available in the UI.

I can reproduce the crash here (OS X 10.9.5) as well. This looks like a bug, and will probably be fixed by the developers in the next version.

I've created another action for this particular situation which seems to work on my Mac (see attachment).

Cheers

Burkhard.

The first thing I need to do is thank you for creating this action. It does exactly what I wanted it to do and now, with the action assigned to the raw file, I get a merged layer when the image is opened and I still have the original layers in case I need them. Thank you.

Unfortunately I added the action the way I assumed it should be added - Action menu -> Load. Clearly I should have used Merge instead and now this new action is the only one I have on the system.

Can you tell me how to get my original actions back? I suppose I could reset everything (if I can find a way to do that) but then I will have to redo all of my customization. Alternately I suppose I could reinstall PL but I am not sure that will work. Any suggestions?

[photoken]

Can you tell me how to get my original actions back?

I'm working on Win7, so the directories might be different, but have you tried to Load..., then navigate to the "Defaults" directory under the PL program directory and choose the Actions.actions one?

What I've done here is to create a "Data" directory on my drive to hold all the data and configuration settings, etc., for my programs. I created directories under that, named for the program itself. So, the PhotoLine subdirectory contains this, with all the custom stuff I've created for it:

dirs.png

[MikeFromMesa]

I'm working on Win7, so the directories might be different, but have you tried to Load..., then navigate to the "Defaults" directory under the PL program directory and choose the Actions.actions one?

What I've done here is to create a "Data" directory on my drive to hold all the data and configuration settings, etc., for my programs. I created directories under that, named for the program itself. So, the PhotoLine subdirectory contains this, with all the custom stuff I've created for it:

dirs.png

I tried that on my Mac but found that the Actions.actions file contained only the new action.

But I solved this problem by removing the original preferences folder forcing the app to create a new one (with the original actions), then saving those actions, reseting the preferences folder, restarting PL and then merging the original actions with the new action. Worked like a charm.

I keep getting myself into these messes. There is probably a message in there somewhere ...

[photoken]

I tried that on my Mac but found that the Actions.actions file contained only the new action.

Yeah, it's a difference in the directory structures between the OSes. On Win7, the "Defaults" subdir under the installed program directory contains the Actions.action that is the default set of actions as installed. Under the User/AppData/Roaming/PhotoLine directory is the Actions.action that is the last used one.

[Hoogo]

For Windows the USB-Stick-mode makes backups and resets much more easy. I don't know if there's similar on Mac.

[bkh]

Unfortunately I added the action the way I assumed it should be added - Action menu -> Load. Clearly I should have used Merge instead and now this new action is the only one I have on the system.

Sorry, I should have warned you – but it seems that you've already been able to sort this out. This thread in the forum may also be useful if (when ) this happens again.

Cheers

Burkhard.