Chapter №20.

Automation

Action (action) represents the written down sequence of menu commands, the operations executable by means of tools, or functions on image editing. And this sequence can be played back both for one, and for several files. Actions are especially useful, when it is necessary to apply the same edit commands sequentially to several images, for example sequence of filters or commands from submenu Adjustments (Adjustment). Also it is possible to save sequence of short steps and to enclose them in one action, to prepare some images for printing or to transform them to other format or a mode.

Action is normally fulfilled by pushing of one key though can consist of improbably difficult dial-up of commands which affect other actions or process the whole group of images. Actions help to save up from pair seconds till several o'clock your working hours depending on area of their application. Begin with record of several elementary actions. Then it will be possible to program more difficult processes - your operation only will be accelerated.

Actions form in two programs: Photoshop and ImageReady. By means of palette Actions (Action) which are in a mode of the list (or editing), it is possible to eliminate a command to include or ungear a pause for input in a dialog box to change the order of commands to write down additional commands to delete commands and to write down actions and-or dial-ups of actions in a file. On fig. 20.1 it is shown, how palette Actions by default (looks at loading). Palette Actions has also a button mode (fig. 20.2). To include/ungear it, select point Button Mode (the Button mode) from the menu of palette Actions. Colors of buttons and "hot" keys in this mode are displayed how has been specified in dialog box Action Options (the Option of actions).

To each action the key can be compared. Also to get access to action it is possible by means of so-called дроплетов (droplet) - the small applications created from actions. Drag and drop of a file or a folder with files on an icon дроплета activates action.

Council

Make an image picture before to play back action. Thanks to it it will be quickly possible to return the image to an initiating state and it is not necessary to cancel the fulfilled steps.

Council

To tear or contract the complete list of the steps entering into the given action, push ALT key and in palette Actions (Action) which is in a mode of the list, click on an arrow in the form of a triangle (it is turned to the right).

Fig. 20.1. Palette Actions in a list mode

Fig. 20.2. Palette Actions in a button mode

Fig. 20.3. Button Create New Action

Fig. 20.4. A field for input of a name of a dial-up

Fig. 20.5. Button Create New Action

Fig. 20.6. Input of a name of action