PS action to save files - problem

[Bryan]

I've just wasted a few hours of work because the PS action that I wrote to save files to a directory included the name of the file used to set up the action, so it saved every  file with that name, i.e. I ended up with only one file saved; the last one to be processed.

 

I've used this type of action hundreds of times before. It flattens the layers, converts to 8 bit and then saves as a JPG in a designated directory using the current file's existing name. 

 

 I don't know why this particular action is including a specific  filename within the save command.  I've tried to rewrite the action (several times) using my normal procedure, but each time it includes the filename in the save (as) command. I must be doing something wrong, but, having searched the web, cannot find the answer. 

 

This is CS4.  Any ideas?

[Bill Brooks]

Make an action the way you are doing, save it to the actions section, and give it a name such as “Alamy JPG-1”. Don’t worry about the test file name.

Quit photoshop to save the action permanently.

Now reopen photoshop and make a second action

In the second action insert first command from Photoshop menu “close”

Second inserted command is “Batch” under the  photoshop file/automate/Batch.

Now fill out the parameters in the batch command, such as folder to find file, suppress file open options dialogs will ignore the test filename in “Alamy JPG-1, play your action “Alamy JPG-1”, folder to save file. Now name and save the second action “Alamy JPG”. Quit photoshop to make action permanent.

I have an action that when first run will tell me there is no image open to close. Tell action to proceed anyway. The action will then go to the folder specified in the batch, open the first file, run “Alamy JPG-1” on the top file in the folder, save it to a different folder, close the file, then do it all over again with the second file in the folder.

Once I give it the first proceed instruction, it will go through a folder of images unattended and work on each image, no matter how many, in the folder . It requires the first folder be full of named images. I use it to make JPGs to agent’s specifications, from a folder full of TIFFs.

I am running Photoshop 6
 

[MDM]

This probably has something to do with the way you are setting up the batch process rather than the action itself - overriding the save as command in the action or the like but difficult to say exactly without seeing it and I am using CC so the dialog has changed a bit. However an easier way to do this nowadays is to use Lightroom export. If you have saved layered PSDs or TIFFs, then the export will automatically flatten them and give the option to export as 8 bit etc. 

[Bryan]

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

 

Not sure that it should be complex or requiring a new process to find a fix, as I have used this method for years without problems. I am now wondering if it is related to the particular directory that I have used to store the photos, rather than the series of choices from within PS . I'll do some testing using a different destination.

 

Another possibility, I guess, is that I have inadvertently changed preferences or settings within the program, although when I look at Preferences Files I can't see anything that might affect this.