User Guide

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Chapter 16: Automating Tasks
dobe Photoshop lets you automate tasks
by grouping a series of commands into a
single action. For example, you can create
an action that applies a series of filters to
reproduce a favorite effect or combine commands
to prepare images for online publishing. Actions
can be grouped into sets to help you better
organize your actions. Using the example above,
you could create a set of actions, where each action
applied a different series of filters. You can use an
action on a single file or on a batch (multiple files
in the same folder).
You use the Actions palette to record, play, edit,
and delete actions. It also lets you save, load, and
replace action sets.
To display the Actions palette:
Choose Window > Show Actions.
A. Toggles command on or off B. Toggles modal
control on or off C. Set D. Action E. Recorded
command F. Stop Playing/Recording G. Record
H. Play I. New Set J. New Action K. Trash
You can display actions in the Actions palette in
either list view or button view. In list view, sets can
be expanded to display actions, which in turn can
be expanded to display individual commands.
Commands can then be expanded to display
recorded values.
To display actions as buttons:
Choose Button Mode from the Actions palette
menu. Choose Button Mode again to return to the
list view.
To expand and collapse sets and commands:
Click the triangle to the left of the set or command
in the Actions palette.
Creating and recording actions
When you create an action, Photoshop records the
commands (including any specified values) and
tools you use, in the order you use them.
The following guidelines can help you in designing
actions:
• Most, but not all, commands can be recorded.
However, you can allow for commands that
cannot be recorded. (For more information, see
“Inserting nonrecordable commands” on
page 349.)
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