RedShoe

It is for me anyway.

Ok, I just learned, (on my own) how to record actions and play them back to an entire folder of images in PhotoShop6.

It's extremely simple, (my instructions may not be) and it's a powerful tool for any webmaster.

I may over explain, but it's all very simple if you just follw my instructions.


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First put all the photos that you want thumbs for into a file folder, create a sub-folder called thumbs.

Then go into PhotoShop6 and open a single image. click on the actions tab, next to the history tab on the right side of your screen.
Toggle off the default setting.

Next, click on the little tab called "CREATE NEW SET". If you don't know which one it is just put your mouse over those tiny icons and after a second a description appears (kinda like what the 'alt' tag does in html.)

A window opens wanting you to name this new set. I called mine "THUMBNAIL 75 PIXELS"

OK, So far all you have done is opened an image, toggled off the default action, and created a new set.

Next click on "CREATE NEW ACTION" (again just hold your thumb over the tiny icon, if you don't know which icon it is).
Name this action, "CANVAS RESIZE" and hit "RECORD"

You are now recording your actions.

Click on:
Image > image Size
Change the setting to 75 pixels wide and the resoulution to 72 (or less) hit "OK"
Your image will resize, and the actions tab will record the action.

Then click on:
Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen >

This will sharpen your thumb, and the actions will record it.

Next save the file, and close it.
Go to the Actions and click on the black square to stop recording.


CONGRATULATIONS! You just made an action.

Ok, it's pretty much useless unless you apply it to an entire folder.


Ok, so now click on:
File > Automate > Batch
Your set, "Thumbnail 75 pixels" , and action "Canvas Resize" should already be selected. If not, select them from the drop down menus.

Next click on the source folder you want to create the thumbnails from.

Next click on the destination folder you want to save the thumbnails to (remember the "THUMBS" subfolder that you created at the beginnin?). At this point you can choose to save them as lowercase file names.

My settings were:
document name + .jpg

Hit "OK" and sit back and watch as 1000s of thumbnails are created.


Ok some of you are saying, but that's the same as if I just create the thumbnail gallery option of automate in PhotoShop6.

Yes and No.
It creates the thumbs without the pages.

I build my own pages, so I ususlly have to delete all the newly created photo shop pages anyway. PLUS, I can add a shrarpen action, and if I want, I could resize the canvas, so that all my images are square without distortion. The possibilities are endless.

To make them square:
All you would do is (while recording) before you save the file, go into Canvas > Resize > and change the Height to "75". If you build you galleries on white backgrounds, make sure white is your bg color when you resize the canvas.

This will make them 75 by 75 square undistorted, so it will be easier to build your pages.


I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure you could add your watermark to them during the recording stage.

I was pretty excited to discover this, (even though I'm sure I'm not the first) I just thought I would share it with you.

PHOTOSHOP 6 RULES!!!


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[email protected]
LeeannOnline.com

[This message has been edited by RedShoe (edited 04-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by RedShoe (edited 04-10-2001).]

Wizzo

Actually, you can make actions as far back as Photoshop4, if memory serves me right.

However, great tip RedShoe

RedShoe

I saw it in photoshop 5.5 but never knew what it did.



Thanks Wizzo.

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[email protected]
LeeannOnline.com

boneprone

try thumbnailer plus. A good one.

magnatique

the only thing I don't know how to do in photoshop is "ifs"

as if I want to resize to a set size,, and crop the exceeding part...

that becomes a pain..

say I resize to 150X175... then I crop..

step would be
resize to 150 height
crop to 150 width

but what if pic is 175X150... then it is screwed up, it'll add some background colors, instead of cropping the way I want it to... :\..

RedShoe

I know what you mean.

Cropping is tricky, because it's a judgement call.

Do I crop a bit of her head, or his ass? Hmmm...

You might want try this:

Record,
resize to 175 wide,
canvas size to 175 high,
flood fill a bright green in the background,
save as a transparency to remove the green,
save,
close,

What you should end up with is a thumbnail that is 175 x 175 with a transparency instead of different bg colors.

Let me know if that helps. If not, I'll try to work on it some more.


Thanks for the sweatshirt Tanker.

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[email protected]
LeeannOnline.com

ICQ # 114683191

magnatique

no no, what I'M saying is I want 175X175 of PICTURE' all sqare thumbs of the girl

no filling with bg/transparency..

only arles does that.... well, the only one I found out who could resize, crop excedent.