Expert: LizaL - 2/22/2005

Question
I created 3D pictures photoshop 7 and need to align all the pictures on a common point.  I use one picture as the reference and copy all other pictures onto it creating a 10 layered file. I then align all pictures and crop.

I now want to make individual files out of all the layers.  

Is there a quick way to do this?  

I presently copy and paste into a new blank document the size of my present image.  This is too slow and requires many key strokes.
 
Thanks
Tom

Answer
Hi Tom,

It sounds like you might benefit from trying the Actions and Batch Processing functions in Photoshop.

In brief, a Photoshop action is kind of like a macro -- in other words, keyboard commands that you store in a certain key, or in this case, in a set of actions. Then when you need to repeat those keyboard commands, all you have to do is call up and play the action, rather than repeat your steps every time. In your case, this would mean your not having to copy and paste into a blank document every time.

The Actions palette is located under the Window pulldown menu. If you open it, you'll see a bunch of pre-defined actions that come with the program -- and some of these are actually pretty useful.

To create your own, in the Actions palette at the bottom, click on the little document icon to create a new set of actions. Then hit the round Record button, also found at the bottom of the Actions palette. What you would be recording are the steps you follow to copy and paste one of your images into a new document.

When you're finished with your recording, hit the square Stop button on the bottom of the Actions palette. To try out your Action, open a file and then press the triangular Play button on the bottom of the Actions palette.

Here's a little movie on creating an Action:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/actions2.mov

In this case, I opened my first photo, began recording an Action, then saved that file, opened another, and stopped the Action. Now I have the option of performing that Action on the currently open file, or using that action in conjunction with Batch Processing for a whole folder of images.

Batch Processing will let you use that Action, or any other pre-recorded action, on a lot of images at once. In other words, it runs Actions automatically.

The Batch command is located under the File pulldown menu -- select Automate from there, and then the submenu Batch. Here's what it looks like:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/batch.png


To use Batch Processing:
In the Play section of the Batch dialog box, choose the Action you created previously.

In the Source section of the Batch dialog box, hit the Choose button to navigate to where that folder's located. You can see in the screenshot that I was using a folder called "pics" which is on my desktop. (It's best if you put all the pictures you want batched into a separate folder.)

It's also best to have your "batched" images be directed to a separate folder. If you look at the screenshot again, you'll see that I've chosen a folder called "new pics" on my desktop. This information is located in the Destination section of the Batch dialog box.

Once you hit OK, the Actions will begin on all the images in the folder.


Now this all sounds very cut and dried, but personally, I've found Batch Processing to be kind of tricky when it comes to saving and opening files automatically. So what I've done, since I don't want to advise you incorrectly, is copy and format the exact instructions from Photoshop Help, and I've put them here:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/actions.html

I think sometimes you just need to work with the Actions process, and also Batch, in order to finesse these commands for your particular needs.

Of course, you can use Actions without Batch Processing, if that's easier for you. In the case of not having many files to process, that might be the best way to go.

Hope this helps! If it doesn't, please post back and I'll be happy to clarify anything, or help walk you through your problem.

Lisa