What are Automated actions?

When we automate recurring transactions, we can save time by editing this record and then having it run through Photoshop.
A transaction is a series of tasks that we apply to one or multiple files.
These tasks can include just about every job that we perform in Photoshop.

Creating an Action

Open the palette “Actions”. We are now in lesson 94, so I suppose you know how to open a panel.As you can see, standard Photoshop already has a number of actions.
You wish we could try all this, but this is not what I’m about to explain.

At the bottom of the Actions panel, we find the menu of six buttons:

1. Stop Playing / Recording
2. Begin Recording
3. Play Selection
4. Create New Set
5. Create New Action
6. Trash

First we create a separate folder by clicking on the “Create New Set” button.
In the dialog that appears, you give the new set a name and click OK.
I have called this “my actions”.

Then click the “Create New Action” button.
This opens the “New Action” dialog:

In the first box, enter a name for the action.
In the second box, choose the set in which you want to place the action. In my case the folder “my actions”.

In the third box, you can pick one of the Function keys on your keyboard, so you only have to press the function key on your keyboard to carry out the actions.
I do this because I do not use the function keys on my keyboard for other purposes.
And in the last box you can give a color for this action.

To start recording your actions, click the button “Begin recording”.

As long as you do nothing, I mean as long as you do not have any assignments in Photoshop, nothing is recorded.
So you can relax with a cup of coffee between two commands.
Once you have done all your actions, click the button “Stop Playing / Recording.”

As you notice your set is included in the Actions panel.

Change Actions

If you wish to modify the sequence of different actions, then click and drag the action to the desired location.
If you want to change the action, then double click it and change the action in the dialog.

Change Sequence
Change Action

Play Action

You play these actions when you have a picture you want to perform these actions, of course.
Then select the action panel, and click the “Play Selection” button.
The selected action and all the actions in the action set will be performed.

The Batch function

To play these operations on several pictures, which will be the intention in most cases, we use the “Batch”.

You can do this in Photoshop, and you can do this in the Bridge.

As an example, I go for the later option, I do not get all the photos open in Photoshop.

In Bridge, select all the photos to which you will apply the action (s).

Then click on “Tools” in the menu bar, choose “Photoshop” in the drop-down menu, and click the “Batch”.

This opens the dialog “Batch”.

In the upper section (1) select the action set and the action.

In the second section (2), the “Source” field is already filled in with “Bridge”. If you are performing the “batch” action from

Photoshop, then you select “Folder” in this box and click the “Select” button to select this folder.

As you can see it, it is too much work. The fastest way to do the Batch function is to start from the bridge.

The four checkboxes below in section 2, let me not select them.

The first action would be to ignore “open” action, but as there is no “Open” action yet, this does not need to be selected.

The second checkbox is the same, there are no subfolders for the action in question, so you do not need to select this.

The third box relates to RAW images, which falls outside this course.

The fourth box refers to the colors and profiles of your photos. This is only useful if some of your photos have an ICC profile. This would always open a window that gives you a warning that colors and profiles will be suppressed.

In section three of the dialog box, choose the destination “Folder”, click the “Select” (3) button to select the folder where you want to save the photos or to create a new folder (4).

If you have a “Save as” action added in your action set, then select the box below (5). This will ignore the “Save As” action in your action set.

In the boxes below, you can still enter a name and a specific rule that allows you to save the files. And last, you have the box where you can enter the first serial number.

Click OK when you’re done.

All operations will be performed on all selected photos.

Store Action set

To save an action set, click the downward-pointing arrow at the top right of the panel.
In the drop-down menu choose “Save Actions”. Choose the location on your HDD where you want to save it and click OK.
You can save one action set, not just one action.
Why would you save an action set?
I do not know, maybe you can do someone a favor, you might want to use it on another computer, whatever.

Add or Remove Actions to Action set

Because the order of execution of various operations is important for the result, first select the actions you want to insert in the new action set.
Only then click the “Begin Recording” button in the menu bar of the panel.
Click the “Stop Playing / Recording” button when ready.

If you want to remove an action, select it and drag it to the trash at the bottom of the panel.

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