The time I feared most has come upon me... Upgrading my computer and software.
It's a wonderful thing that I am finally getting CS5 and saying goodbye to CS3 but I have so many actions linked to scripts.
I have a folder with 70 scripts which are used within about 200 actions/subactions. By moving all the scripts to the Photoshop CS5\Presets\Scripts folder and loading my saved actions the path from all the actions will be lost and I will see only "Script" where the script name once was.
I am going to need to create a "Action Bible" that will show where all scripts are within all my actions and which scripts are used. Is it possible that there is a way to Read all the steps in each of my actions and write them to a text file? Short of this I will have to keep my old computer by my side with a second monitor and go through each action one at a time. I know that I will have to re-link each of the scripts manually anyway but I hoped that I could have a hard copy of the actions to refer to.
I suppose I could create a new folder called Adobe Photoshop CS3 for my scripts but then they will not show when I go to my scripts menu (File>Scripts) in Photoshop. I might as well bite the bullet and make the change.
Saying all that, if anyone has any better ideas on how to do this, please tell!
Limey
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
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Paul MR
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
Hi Paul,
You can print all the steps of the actions to a file...
Press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS) when you choose the Save Actions command to save the actions in a text file.
or you could use a couple of Xbytors scripts
One to convert the atn to xml so that you can edit it, then convert it back to an atn file.
actionFileToXML.jsx
actionFileFromXML.jsx
You can print all the steps of the actions to a file...
Press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS) when you choose the Save Actions command to save the actions in a text file.
or you could use a couple of Xbytors scripts
One to convert the atn to xml so that you can edit it, then convert it back to an atn file.
actionFileToXML.jsx
actionFileFromXML.jsx
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Limey
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
Paul, Beyond awesome! that's a huge help... thanks so much!
It's not going to help the slow process of remapping all the actions to scripts but it will help a lot because I can print out the actions and highlight the scripts.
Many thanks!
Limey
It's not going to help the slow process of remapping all the actions to scripts but it will help a lot because I can print out the actions and highlight the scripts.
Many thanks!
Limey
-
Limey
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
So now I feel stupid... Even though I read the last couple of lines of your reply it didn't sink in till I was in the shower this morning. If I can edit the action, I should be able to change the path to the CS5 folder using Exbytor's scripts and then convert it back to an .atn file for upload to the new machine.
I always heard great ideas came to people in the bath or shower and now I can see how it happens.
I'm going to give it a try once I get the tool and figure out how to use it.
Cheers again Paul!
Limey (Paul)
I always heard great ideas came to people in the bath or shower and now I can see how it happens.
I'm going to give it a try once I get the tool and figure out how to use it.
Cheers again Paul!
Limey (Paul)
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xbytor
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
Limey wrote:If I can edit the action, I should be able to change the path to the CS5 folder using Exbytor's scripts and then convert it back to an .atn file for upload to the new machine.
This is precisely what I do when I move actions and scripts between versions of PSCS. It also happens in the Install script when you install xtools.
-X
This is precisely what I do when I move actions and scripts between versions of PSCS. It also happens in the Install script when you install xtools.
-X
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Limey
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
Hi Xbytor,
I am running into an issue on my MAC with the tools. I can not see a .zip file to extract. Instead the download is showing a folder full of files and subfolders.
xlib - folder
xapps - folder
README - file
prefs - folder
LICENSE - file
INSTALLATION - file
flex-crypto - folder
flex - folder
etc - folder
docs - folder
CVS - folder
COPYRIGHT - file
ChangeLog - file
apps - folder
I placed the actionFileToXML.jsx and actionFileFromXML.jsx files in my scripts folder and run them. I was able to edit the script link but the path to save the end result of the action is not found. I don't understand this because I am running the actionFileToXML.jsx on the original machine which does have the folders. The actions do work and the actions show the full path.
The XML file shows the following. Please note the Path to save at the end. (path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found")
Code: Select all<Action key="32" name="Resize 2 colors_038" expanded="false" count="5">
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="2" identifier="TEXT" event="play" name="Play" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="play" count="1">
<DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null">
<ActionReference key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null" count="2">
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1097036910" id="1097036910" symname="Action" sym="Actn" desiredClassString="Action" desiredClass="Actn" name="2 Color Core-1"/>
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1095984500" id="1095984500" symname="ActionSet" sym="ASet" desiredClassString="ActionSet" desiredClass="ASet" name="Giclee - Resize 2 layer"/>
</ActionReference>
</DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="true" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="imageSize" name="Image Size" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="imageSize" count="4">
<DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE key="1214736500" id="1214736500" symname="Height" sym="Hght" unitDoubleTypeString="Distance" unitDoubleType="#Rlt" unitDoubleValue="720"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="224" id="224" symname="scaleStyles" sym="scaleStyles" boolean="true"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="1131311952" id="1131311952" symname="ConstrainProportions" sym="CnsP" boolean="true"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="1231975538" id="1231975538" symname="Intersect" sym="Intr" enumeratedTypeString="Interpolation" enumeratedType="Intp" enumeratedValueString="Bicubic" enumeratedValue="Bcbc"/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="canvasSize" name="Canvas Size" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="canvasSize" count="3">
<DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE key="1466201192" id="1466201192" symname="Width" sym="Wdth" unitDoubleTypeString="Distance" unitDoubleType="#Rlt" unitDoubleValue="3627"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="1215461998" id="1215461998" symname="Horizontal" sym="Hrzn" enumeratedTypeString="HorizontalLocation" enumeratedType="HrzL" enumeratedValueString="Left" enumeratedValue="Left"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="222" id="222" symname="canvasExtensionColorType" sym="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedTypeString="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedType="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedValueString="White" enumeratedValue="Wht "/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="2" identifier="TEXT" event="play" name="Play" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="play" count="1">
<DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null">
<ActionReference key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null" count="2">
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1097036910" id="1097036910" symname="Action" sym="Actn" desiredClassString="Action" desiredClass="Actn" name="2 Color Core-2"/>
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1095984500" id="1095984500" symname="ActionSet" sym="ASet" desiredClassString="ActionSet" desiredClass="ASet" name="Giclee - Resize 2 layer"/>
</ActionReference>
</DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="save" name="Save" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="save" count="3">
<DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE key="1098063904" id="1098063904" symname="As" sym="As " objectTypeString="Photoshop35Format" objectType="Pht3" count="0">
<ActionDescriptor key="1098063904" id="1098063904" symname="As" sym="As " count="0"/>
</DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE>
<DescValueType.ALIASTYPE key="1231953952" id="1231953952" symname="StampIn" sym="In " path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="1282884467" id="1282884467" symname="LowerCase" sym="LwCs" boolean="true"/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
</Action>
Is it because I am unable to follow the "Full Install" procedure that this is happening?
2. Do a full install (instructions below). This will install the toolkit parallel to your Photoshop
application directory, modify the scripts in xtools/xapps so that their 'includepath' directories point to
the right place, and generate and load a new XToolkit.atn file that is modified to point to the directory
where the toolkit has been installed. You should only do this if you want the atn file or you want to
do script development with the toolkit.
A point to note is that the Path is in the .atn file because if I load it into my CS5 without messing with it in it's .xml format the destination paths all link. Unfortunately the script paths don't. I just need to get both to link and I am golden!
Do the Xtools work on a Mac? Could you please tell me the best way to install them if different from simply placing the scripts in the scripts folder.
Sorry to be a pain but I am so close to being able to get the project completed and the thought of having to manually relink the hundreds of destination paths is a daunting prospect.
Gratefully yours,
Limey (Paul)
I am running into an issue on my MAC with the tools. I can not see a .zip file to extract. Instead the download is showing a folder full of files and subfolders.
xlib - folder
xapps - folder
README - file
prefs - folder
LICENSE - file
INSTALLATION - file
flex-crypto - folder
flex - folder
etc - folder
docs - folder
CVS - folder
COPYRIGHT - file
ChangeLog - file
apps - folder
I placed the actionFileToXML.jsx and actionFileFromXML.jsx files in my scripts folder and run them. I was able to edit the script link but the path to save the end result of the action is not found. I don't understand this because I am running the actionFileToXML.jsx on the original machine which does have the folders. The actions do work and the actions show the full path.
The XML file shows the following. Please note the Path to save at the end. (path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found")
Code: Select all<Action key="32" name="Resize 2 colors_038" expanded="false" count="5">
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="2" identifier="TEXT" event="play" name="Play" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="play" count="1">
<DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null">
<ActionReference key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null" count="2">
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1097036910" id="1097036910" symname="Action" sym="Actn" desiredClassString="Action" desiredClass="Actn" name="2 Color Core-1"/>
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1095984500" id="1095984500" symname="ActionSet" sym="ASet" desiredClassString="ActionSet" desiredClass="ASet" name="Giclee - Resize 2 layer"/>
</ActionReference>
</DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="true" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="imageSize" name="Image Size" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="imageSize" count="4">
<DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE key="1214736500" id="1214736500" symname="Height" sym="Hght" unitDoubleTypeString="Distance" unitDoubleType="#Rlt" unitDoubleValue="720"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="224" id="224" symname="scaleStyles" sym="scaleStyles" boolean="true"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="1131311952" id="1131311952" symname="ConstrainProportions" sym="CnsP" boolean="true"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="1231975538" id="1231975538" symname="Intersect" sym="Intr" enumeratedTypeString="Interpolation" enumeratedType="Intp" enumeratedValueString="Bicubic" enumeratedValue="Bcbc"/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="canvasSize" name="Canvas Size" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="canvasSize" count="3">
<DescValueType.UNITDOUBLE key="1466201192" id="1466201192" symname="Width" sym="Wdth" unitDoubleTypeString="Distance" unitDoubleType="#Rlt" unitDoubleValue="3627"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="1215461998" id="1215461998" symname="Horizontal" sym="Hrzn" enumeratedTypeString="HorizontalLocation" enumeratedType="HrzL" enumeratedValueString="Left" enumeratedValue="Left"/>
<DescValueType.ENUMERATEDTYPE key="222" id="222" symname="canvasExtensionColorType" sym="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedTypeString="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedType="canvasExtensionColorType" enumeratedValueString="White" enumeratedValue="Wht "/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="2" identifier="TEXT" event="play" name="Play" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="play" count="1">
<DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null">
<ActionReference key="1853189228" id="1853189228" symname="Null" sym="null" count="2">
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1097036910" id="1097036910" symname="Action" sym="Actn" desiredClassString="Action" desiredClass="Actn" name="2 Color Core-2"/>
<ReferenceFormType.NAME key="1095984500" id="1095984500" symname="ActionSet" sym="ASet" desiredClassString="ActionSet" desiredClass="ASet" name="Giclee - Resize 2 layer"/>
</ActionReference>
</DescValueType.REFERENCETYPE>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
<ActionItem key="TEXT" expanded="false" enabled="true" withDialog="false" dialogOptions="0" identifier="TEXT" event="save" name="Save" hasDescriptor="true">
<ActionDescriptor key="save" count="3">
<DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE key="1098063904" id="1098063904" symname="As" sym="As " objectTypeString="Photoshop35Format" objectType="Pht3" count="0">
<ActionDescriptor key="1098063904" id="1098063904" symname="As" sym="As " count="0"/>
</DescValueType.OBJECTTYPE>
<DescValueType.ALIASTYPE key="1231953952" id="1231953952" symname="StampIn" sym="In " path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found"/>
<DescValueType.BOOLEANTYPE key="1282884467" id="1282884467" symname="LowerCase" sym="LwCs" boolean="true"/>
</ActionDescriptor>
</ActionItem>
</Action>
Is it because I am unable to follow the "Full Install" procedure that this is happening?
2. Do a full install (instructions below). This will install the toolkit parallel to your Photoshop
application directory, modify the scripts in xtools/xapps so that their 'includepath' directories point to
the right place, and generate and load a new XToolkit.atn file that is modified to point to the directory
where the toolkit has been installed. You should only do this if you want the atn file or you want to
do script development with the toolkit.
A point to note is that the Path is in the .atn file because if I load it into my CS5 without messing with it in it's .xml format the destination paths all link. Unfortunately the script paths don't. I just need to get both to link and I am golden!
Do the Xtools work on a Mac? Could you please tell me the best way to install them if different from simply placing the scripts in the scripts folder.
Sorry to be a pain but I am so close to being able to get the project completed and the thought of having to manually relink the hundreds of destination paths is a daunting prospect.
Gratefully yours,
Limey (Paul)
-
xbytor
Creating an Action Bible- documenting action steps and paths
Is it because I am unable to follow the "Full Install" procedure that this is happening?
No. There are a couple of bugs that I recently fixed that may take care of this.
But this problem
path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found"
is coming about because there are cases when path information is encoded in a .atn file in a format
that I can't parse. I spent a couple of hours try to work it out this weekend and gave up.
Also, if the file/folder does not exist, some of the Action decoding routines will fail.
You need to download the current version of xtools via CVS to get my most recent changes. If that
doesn't fix you up, send me the .atn file and I'll see what I can do.
-X
No. There are a couple of bugs that I recently fixed that may take care of this.
But this problem
path="~/Desktop/File%20or%20Folder%20not%20found"
is coming about because there are cases when path information is encoded in a .atn file in a format
that I can't parse. I spent a couple of hours try to work it out this weekend and gave up.
Also, if the file/folder does not exist, some of the Action decoding routines will fail.
You need to download the current version of xtools via CVS to get my most recent changes. If that
doesn't fix you up, send me the .atn file and I'll see what I can do.
-X