What are Actions?

When we automate recurring transactions, we can save time by recording these edits and then having them 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 can perform in Photoshop.

Creating an Action

Open the palette “Actions”. We are now in lesson 84, so I suppose you know how to open a palette.
As you can see, standard Photoshop already has a number of actions.
If you wish we could try all these, but this is not what I am going to explain.
At the bottom of the Actions palette, we find six buttons:

1. Stop Playing / Recording
2. Start recording
3. Play selection
4. Create new set
5. Create new action
6. Delete

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

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 “my actions” folder.
In the third box, you can enter 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 never do it, because I use the function keys on my keyboard for other purposes.
And in the last box, you can give a color for this action.

To begin recording your action (s), click the “Start Recording” button.
As long as you do nothing, I mean as long as you do not click any commands in Photoshop, nothing is recorded.
So you can relax with a cup of coffee between two commands.
If you have done all your actions, click the “Stop Recording” button.

As you notice, your action set is included in the “Actions” Palette.

Changing 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 the action and change the action in the dialog.

Change Order

Change Action

Playing Actions

For playing actions, open, of course, the picture you want to perform the actions.
Then select the action and click the “Play selection” button.
The selected action and all the actions in the “action set” will be implemented.

Store Action set

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

Add or Remove Actions to Action Set

Because the order of execution of the various actions is important for the result, first select the action you want to insert as the new action in the “action set”.
Only then click the “Start Recording” button in the menu bar of the “Actions” palette.
Click the “Stop Recording” when you’re done.
If you want to remove an action, select the action and drag it to the trash at the bottom of the “Actions” palette.

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