Expert: LizaL - 4/19/2006

Question
Hi there,
I have a job which the client needs to see tomorrow (ulp) and I have 1045 images to make contact sheets out of. Now Adobe PS is happy to do the contact sheets, but it doesn't save the flattened files. I haven't got the time to flatten and save then print 231 A4 contact sheets. Any idea if there is a script to:
1. Create contact sheets, flattened.
2. Save them.
3. Print them.

Please help!
Thanks - Tom Birchell Photographer

Answer
Hi Tom,

I hope I'm correct in assuming you know how to use Photoshop's Automate and Batch functions.

I created a set of Actions, then ran them on a set of PSDs using Batch, and it worked fine. Here are the actions I used:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/actions.jpg

Then when I ran Batch, this is how I set up the dialog box.
http://little-works.com/all_experts/batch.jpg

My steps in creating this setup were like this:

1. I put all the pictures I was using to create the contact sheets into a folder, then ran Contact Sheet II. Of course, as you say, this leaves you with PSDs.

2. I moved those PSDs into a folder on my desktop called PSDs, then set up Batch to locate and process that folder, using the set of Actions I'd created (and didn't bother to name; that's why it's just called Set 1. Notice in the Actions that I do use the Flatten command.

3. After creating and testing those Actions, it was time to use them in the Batch processing. In the Batch dialog box, I made sure to set it to Suppress File Open Options, so that each successive PSD would open without asking me anything, and the Actions would run.

Try this and see if it works for you -- I apologize for sounding abrupt, but I'm on a very tight deadline of my own and am really tied up both today and tomorrow. But if you get stuck, check out this site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/automating....

I'll probably be back answering questions by the weekend. Meanwhile, good luck on *your* deadline!

Hope this helps!

Lisa