Action/Droplet Assistance. Lightroom export to PS CS2?

[In2Photos]

OK I have an issue I would like to resolve to speed up my workflow. I have created an action that simply applies USM to an image. I tried to create a droplet that would use that action and save the files in the same directory. I have a couple problems though:

1. The droplet doesn't run from Lightroom if there is more than about 25 photos being exported.
2. When the droplet does run I have to click ok in the file save window for the quality setting.

When I create the droplet I use the following settings:

196432

What am I doing wrong?

[In2Photos]

OK, I tried another action that I had created for USM and local contrast USM that seems to work so I am just going to create another droplet and see if that fixes my problem. I would still like to know what went wrong though.

[Victoria Bampton]

Hi guys

Sorry I haven't been around much - work is manic!

Mike, had you remembered to include a Save As in the action? I'd assume there was a problem with the save, if it was asking you for quality.

The full instructions are on my website http://www.photoshopservices.co.uk/lightroom/droplets.htm

Victoria

[scot079]

Did you say you had PS CS2? Use the image processor...file>scripts>image processor. you can apply one action to the images you process.

[In2Photos]

Hi guys

Sorry I haven't been around much - work is manic!

Mike, had you remembered to include a Save As in the action? I'd assume there was a problem with the save, if it was asking you for quality.

The full instructions are on my website http://www.photoshopservices.co.uk/lightroom/droplets.htm

Victoria
Thanks Victoria. i will check out your link. I did have a Save step in the action but i tried with and without it checked as well as using the overwrite command in the droplet.
Did you say you had PS CS2? Use the image processor...file>scripts>image processor. you can apply one action to the images you process.
The image processor does what I want but is an extra step. I should be able to call the droplet from LR and have to do nothing. Otherwise I would have to do the export and then open PS and do the Image Processor, which in turn creates new files.

[scot079]

yeah, that's what I have to do too. I just got CS3, and I hear good things about the RAW converter that came with it. Supposed to be real similar to LR.

[Victoria Bampton]

Mike, when you put a Save step into that action, use a Save As rather than a Save to make sure it asks for the Jpeg quality when you're writing the action. If it just does a straight Save without asking then the action doesn't record the quality setting, hence the dialog each time.

[In2Photos]

Mike, when you put a Save step into that action, use a Save As rather than a Save to make sure it asks for the Jpeg quality when you're writing the action. If it just does a straight Save without asking then the action doesn't record the quality setting, hence the dialog each time.
Good to know Victoria. Thanks. Since the other action seems to work fine I have just decided to use it instead for now.

Do you know why LR is having trouble calling the droplet though? If I have more than about 20 images being exported it will not run the droplet (this was before with the old action).

[Victoria Bampton]

Do you know why LR is having trouble calling the droplet though? If I have more than about 20 images being exported it will not run the droplet (this was before with the old action).

No idea - what happens if you export the images to a folder, and then drop the images onto the droplet? That would identify whether the problem is with LR calling the droplet or with the droplet itself.

[In2Photos]

No idea - what happens if you export the images to a folder, and then drop the images onto the droplet? That would identify whether the problem is with LR calling the droplet or with the droplet itself.
OK Victoria I finally got around to trying this again. I had 87 images exported to a folder which were supposed to run a droplet when finished. Didn't happen. So I tried to drag and drop the folder onto the droplet within windows explorer. It seemed like it tried to run but I got an error stating that "The command Unsharp Mask is currently unavailable" WTF??? So then I placed the droplet on my desktop and dropped the folder on it. Same response. What should I do now?

[In2Photos]

OK Victoria I finally got around to trying this again. I had 87 images exported to a folder which were supposed to run a droplet when finished. Didn't happen. So I tried to drag and drop the folder onto the droplet within windows explorer. It seemed like it tried to run but I got an error stating that "The command Unsharp Mask is currently unavailable" WTF??? So then I placed the droplet on my desktop and dropped the folder on it. Same response. What should I do now?
Any ideas Victoria? I am still having this problem. In fact last night I tried exporting some files and just using the Open in PS CS2 after export and it won't even open CS2. :mad: :confused:

[Victoria Bampton]

Hi Mike

Sorry, I must have missed your reply. Feel free to PM to give me a nudge any time I forget! ;)

If the droplet isn't running even when you drop images onto it, then it's a droplet problem not a LR one, which narrows it down a bit.

I'd be inclined to try running the action on a single image, to double check the action works. Then I'd try running it as a standard batch, to double check there's nothing in the action which is falling over as part of the batching process. Then I'd try recreating the droplet and see if it works.

Let me know how you get on.

My inclination, based on your Open in CS2 problem not working properly either, is that there is a problem with the OS recognising your CS2 installation. Had you installed the CS3 beta, or anything like that. I'd hope that a simple reinstall of CS2 might fix any problems, if just recreating the droplet doesn't it.

[In2Photos]

Hi Mike

Sorry, I must have missed your reply. Feel free to PM to give me a nudge any time I forget! ;)

If the droplet isn't running even when you drop images onto it, then it's a droplet problem not a LR one, which narrows it down a bit.

I'd be inclined to try running the action on a single image, to double check the action works. Then I'd try running it as a standard batch, to double check there's nothing in the action which is falling over as part of the batching process. Then I'd try recreating the droplet and see if it works.

Let me know how you get on.

My inclination, based on your Open in CS2 problem not working properly either, is that there is a problem with the OS recognising your CS2 installation. Had you installed the CS3 beta, or anything like that. I'd hope that a simple reinstall of CS2 might fix any problems, if just recreating the droplet doesn't it.
Thanks Victoria. Luckily I don't have to run droplets very often so I only remember it is not working when I have to run one. :mad:

The action runs fine on a single image.
The action runs fine under Automate > Batch including doing the save and close (not steps in the action).

So I created the droplet with the exact same settings as I ran the batch. Nothing. It doesn't even attempt to open CS2. But again it runs fine with a couple images, but not more than around 20 (don't know the exact number).

I did install a Beta Version of CS3 but I have done a complete reinstall since then of XP and all Apps (I think, don't remember the exact itme I used the Beta CS3).

[Victoria Bampton]

Ah, ok, I have heard of someone else having a similar issue, and I'm racking my brains to remember what the solution was.

So let me get this right...

Taking LR out of the equation, the droplet works if you only drop a few images on it, but does absolutely nothing if you drop 30 on it, is that right?

And when you say that Batch works ok including the save and close (NOT STEPS IN THE ACTION), do you mean you don't have a save step in the action?

I'll see if I can figure out where the other person was having the same issue.

Edit: Can you post a screenshot of the action's own steps. I'm just interested to know if there could be something there.

[In2Photos]

Ah, ok, I have heard of someone else having a similar issue, and I'm racking my brains to remember what the solution was.

So let me get this right...

Taking LR out of the equation, the droplet works if you only drop a few images on it, but does absolutely nothing if you drop 30 on it, is that right?

Right, but I will double check dropping on the action again just to make sure.

And when you say that Batch works ok including the save and close (NOT STEPS IN THE ACTION), do you mean you don't have a save step in the action?

I'll see if I can figure out where the other person was having the same issue.

Edit: Can you post a screenshot of the action's own steps. I'm just interested to know if there could be something there.
I will get you a screen shot but it won't be until later.

[In2Photos]

Victoria,
here is the screenshot. As you can see it is just a very basic action.

207417

[Victoria Bampton]

It is interesting though Mike!

You need to add a Save As to the action for a start (don't change the name), and I'd add a Close for good measure. If you're going to use it as a droplet, they get fussy!

Then create the droplet as you did in the first screenshot, and I'd hope it'd work.

(When you ticked 'Override Action Save As Command' and there isn't one, it doesn't do anything at all. And if you put it on Save and Close but don't tick that, it asks for a Jpeg Quality each time, which is why the Save As in the action sets it.)

[In2Photos]

It is interesting though Mike!

You need to add a Save As to the action for a start (don't change the name), and I'd add a Close for good measure. If you're going to use it as a droplet, they get fussy!

Then create the droplet as you did in the first screenshot, and I'd hope it'd work.

(When you ticked 'Override Action Save As Command' and there isn't one, it doesn't do anything at all. And if you put it on Save and Close but don't tick that, it asks for a Jpeg Quality each time, which is why the Save As in the action sets it.)
Victoria, the only problem I have is with the Save As step. How do I tell the action to record over the exisiting file and not to a different folder? I haven't figured that out yet. :(

[Victoria Bampton]

Open any old file, File > Save As, don't change anything in that dialog so that it overwrites the original, hit ok, choose the quality, and ok. That should do the trick.

[In2Photos]

Open any old file, File > Save As, don't change anything in that dialog so that it overwrites the original, hit ok, choose the quality, and ok. That should do the trick.
That easy huh? I could have sworn the Save As dialog box reverts to a different folder than the one the image is stored. :confused: Will try it again. :) Thanks Victoria.

[In2Photos]

Alright Victoria I have another question for you.

I did a large batch last night (197 photos to be exact). I exported them as full size JPEGs and told LR to run a droplet. It exported the files but never ran the droplet.:confused: So I took the droplet and copied it to my desktop. I then dropped the folder containing the 197 files onto the droplet and it ran the droplet just fine.

Now, this was a different droplet but it contains basically two passes of USM and I created it exactly like you see in my first post. There is no Save As or Close steps. But the droplet works, just not from LR.

[Victoria Bampton]

If there is no save and close steps in the action, and you set up the droplet with 'override save as location' ticked, then it's just opening the file, doing its 'stuff' and closing again! Might want to check that one!

I'm not entirely sure why that wouldn't work in LR but does work with the files themselves, as LR should be just doing the equivalent of dropping the files on. Maybe it's a little fussy about having a save available. What happens if you just drop the original files (not contained in a folder) onto the droplet?

I wonder what happens if you leave the droplet in its original location, and drop the files on it there...? There was a weird bug with certain Macs a while back, that a droplet wouldn't work until it had been copied to a different location.... odd!

Sorry, this post is more questions than answers, and droplets work perfectly on my mac! ;)

[In2Photos]

If there is no save and close steps in the action, and you set up the droplet with 'override save as location' ticked, then it's just opening the file, doing its 'stuff' and closing again! Might want to check that one!

But using Save and Close in the drop down saves the file first, correct?


I'm not entirely sure why that wouldn't work in LR but does work with the files themselves, as LR should be just doing the equivalent of dropping the files on. Maybe it's a little fussy about having a save available. What happens if you just drop the original files (not contained in a folder) onto the droplet?


Not sure but I can check.


I wonder what happens if you leave the droplet in its original location, and drop the files on it there...? There was a weird bug with certain Macs a while back, that a droplet wouldn't work until it had been copied to a different location.... odd!

Don't know. But I can try this as well.

Sorry, this post is more questions than answers, and droplets work perfectly on my mac! ;)

mac schmac. :D There are problems with macs too. And this doesn't appear to be a PC problem to me, but a LR one. ;)

[Victoria Bampton]

But using Save and Close in the drop down saves the file first, correct?

Nope, sorry, not if you have 'override' checked.

To use this option, the action must contain a Save As command. Otherwise, the Batch command won't save the processed files.
Quoted from the Adobe Help Files http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/10.0/help.html?content=WS0919E751-BC6D-4cc6-925E-BA18D561A76F.html

[In2Photos]

Nope, sorry, not if you have 'override' checked.


Quoted from the Adobe Help Files http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/10.0/help.html?content=WS0919E751-BC6D-4cc6-925E-BA18D561A76F.html
From that same document:


Save And Close Saves the files in their current location, overwriting the original files.
and

Override Action “Save As” Commands Ensures that processed files are saved to the destination folder specified in the Batch command (or to their original folder if you chose Save and Close), with their original names or the names you specified in the File Naming section of the Batch dialog box.

And I know it works. I have used it before to watermark some images. I would have noticed if that were missing.

[Victoria Bampton]

Hmmmm, I'll investigate further then. Well spotted Mike!

[In2Photos]

From that same document:



and


And I know it works. I have used it before to watermark some images. I would have noticed if that were missing.
Hey Victoria, remember this thread? :) I'm back!

OK, I think you were right about Override command. Over the weekend I had a batch of photos that I ran an action on via the Automate > Batch method and it did not save any of the edits. So I decided to include a Save As step and a close. Now the problem that I have is what I wrote below: the Save As step not saving the file in the correct location. It stores the files in the location I chose during the recording. So if I use this action on a set of images from one folder it will save them in the orginal folder from the recording(if that folder exists I assume). What I would like to do is overwrite the originals if possible. So my action would be something like this.

USM 150/1/0
USM 20/25/1
Save (or Save As)
Close

It should be rather simple but I can't get it to work, either through LR or Automate > Batch. You know, if LR had some output sharpening I wouldn't be having this issue. ;)

That easy huh? I could have sworn the Save As dialog box reverts to a different folder than the one the image is stored. :confused: Will try it again. :) Thanks Victoria.

[Victoria Bampton]

Ok, try this... follow me closely....

Open image
Start recording new action
Filter > UnSharp Mask 150/1/0 > Ok
Filter > UnSharp Mask 20/25/1 > Ok
File > Save As > hit Ok. Do not change anything whatsoever.
Jpeg Quality Box > set Quality and hit Ok.
File > Close
Stop recording

To create droplet:
Fill in dialog exactly as screenshot below, obviously with different named action!
http://www.photoshopservices.co.uk/lightroom/images/createdroplet
Make sure you set the Save to Save and Close and tick Override Action Save As.

Drop a set of images onto that resulting droplet to check if it works. And then let me know!

[In2Photos]

Ok, try this... follow me closely....

Open image
Start recording new action
Filter > UnSharp Mask 150/1/0 > Ok
Filter > UnSharp Mask 20/25/1 > Ok
File > Save As > hit Ok. Do not change anything whatsoever.
Jpeg Quality Box > set Quality and hit Ok.
File > Close
Stop recording

To create droplet:
Fill in dialog exactly as screenshot below, obviously with different named action!
http://www.photoshopservices.co.uk/lightroom/images/createdroplet
Make sure you set the Save to Save and Close and tick Override Action Save As.

Drop a set of images onto that resulting droplet to check if it works. And then let me know!
OK, will do. I am not sure if I had everything set just like that during the batch so that might have been my trouble. During the Save As step I didn't change anything but it still recorded the location of the folder to save the file. Does the Save and Close and Override command alter that in any way?

[Victoria Bampton]

Does the Save and Close and Override command alter that in any way?

Yes - quite crucially actually - it bypasses whatever location and filename you set in the action!!! ;)

[In2Photos]

Yes - quite crucially actually - it bypasses whatever location and filename you set in the action!!! ;)
Oh! :o As you can see, actions are not my strong suit.

[Victoria Bampton]

LOL So did it work?!?!?

[In2Photos]

LOL So did it work?!?!?
Don't know yet. Still at work. ;) Hopefully I get to try it out tonight.

[Victoria Bampton]

Then I will check back in the morning! Night!

[In2Photos]

LOL So did it work?!?!?
OK, the Batch worked great. But the droplet still will not run from LR. Oh well. At least one part works. It isn't that much work to run the batch from within CS2.

[Victoria Bampton]

I'd love to know why it won't work from LR for you though.

Ok, what happens if you drop the files directly onto the new droplet?

[In2Photos]

I'd love to know why it won't work from LR for you though.

Ok, what happens if you drop the files directly onto the new droplet?
It works fine if I drop a folder of images onto the droplet (which is on my desktop). I don't understand. :confused:

[Victoria Bampton]

Hey Mike, sorry, been busy so I missed this thread (how could I miss THIS thread?!?!)

Do you fancy dropping me the action and the droplet by email... I'd love to see if we can get this working for you. Email address is on my website.