[Update: 19 Jan 2007. New Version issued - CS , CS2, CS3 compatible. Includes an additional Step Back option in the Settings script that allows you to backtrack images when something goes wrong. Also improved Bridge selection process. Please report and bugs here.
AH Batch with Stop is a set of three scripts for Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3 which allow you to run actions containing any number of Stop's in Batch Mode. The actions may also contain scripts.
AH Batch with Stop is for situations where you are processing images using actions but where you also want to be able to apply manual changes to the images at some stage.
A while back I was processing many 1000's of images where 90% of the work was done by actions but the final step before saving was a last minute check and touch-up which needed to be done manually. This script would have saved me a lot of heartache - and I find these days it often comes in handy.
AH Batch with Stop does the following:
- works with Photoshop CS, CS2, and, CS3
- uses selections from the File Browser or Adobe Bridge
- alternatively targets folders
- can scan subfolders
- will filter images by filename or extension
- will process images to a range of formats eg tif, jpg etc
- will save to different folders if required
- will rename your images if required
This is how you set it up in your Actions Palette.
[Note the actions target the previous version of Batch with stop which had different script names but the overall structure is identical].
It works via three scripts which control the three stages of batch processing:
1 Run ah-bws1-pro.js to select images and set processing parameters.
2. Run ah-bws2-pro.js to open your images one at a time, into Photoshop. The trick here is to attach an F Key to the action from which you run the script (see above, where F4 has been used).
2b. In your actions palette, run actions as steps that directly follow the ah-batchwithstop2.js script. These actions most probably target larger more complex action groups eg a noise reduction action then a sharpening action. For any particular run, just tick (enable) those actions that you are wanting to use that time.
Include your STOP steps within each action wherever it suits. (The actions may also contain scripts.) Obviously you can turn stop steps on and off, and you can also decide whether to open dialogs using the usual Actions Palette controls.
Press your F Key (F4 in the example) to open your images from the image list one at a time.
(You might think, 'this doesn't sound much like batch' but remember the only reason you are using this script is because you want to STOP each action along the way - so using the F Key is not going to slow you down appreciably at all).
3. If you have specified any save options, destination folder options or rename options, you should run ah-bws3-pro.js last to finish the process off - just put it as the final step in your F3 triggered action list.
If your actions are dealing with all the saving etc themselves, then you do not need to run ah-bws3-pro3.js - just toggle it off in the actions palette.
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This is much harder to explain than to use. Just have a go and you'll get there.
This is what the ah-bws1-pro.js dialog looks like:
Yes it is just the same as my Advanced Script Launch Dialog. Soooo, for information on how to use the settings have a look at the help file for Script Launch 2 (script Launch 2 has also been superseded but the help file is still there and covers the appropriate ground):
bb/files/scriptlaunch-help.htm ... h-help.htm
Any problems, feature requests etc let me know here. For installation unzip the files and drop them into your Photoshop Scripts folder, restart Photoshop and set up a new action-set along the lines of the top image.
Andrew
AH Batch with Stop Pro - Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3
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Skrippy
AH Batch with Stop Pro - Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3
Awesome script and the main thing I was looking for, TYVM!
However...
I've defined a function key for the actions play button, but I still have to press that twice (to continue, which continues and then jumps the selection to script two, where I can press play again)
Since it seems script 2 is keeping track of how many images are left, can't script 3 be made to hook into that, so that as long there are images left, it will automatically play script 2 again? Then I only have to press play once
(If it didn't hook into what script 2 is keeping track of, you could probably easily add that 3 would play 2, but might get an error at the end.)
However...
I've defined a function key for the actions play button, but I still have to press that twice (to continue, which continues and then jumps the selection to script two, where I can press play again)
Since it seems script 2 is keeping track of how many images are left, can't script 3 be made to hook into that, so that as long there are images left, it will automatically play script 2 again? Then I only have to press play once
(If it didn't hook into what script 2 is keeping track of, you could probably easily add that 3 would play 2, but might get an error at the end.)
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Andrew
AH Batch with Stop Pro - Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3
I've released a new CS3 compatible version today, see first post.
Andrew
Andrew