Foolproof Faster way of Automate > Batch JPEGS

SM
Posted By
Suhail_Maqbool
Oct 28, 2005
Views
631
Replies
12
Status
Closed
My Info:
Adobe Photoshop CS2, Windows XP, Dell Inspiron 5160, HP Photosmart 8450, 1GB RAM

My Situation:
I have a lot of JPEGS that I am editing through Automate>Batch. My Automate Batch Action is to simply as follows:

Image Size>Document Size>Resolution>72 (original)>300 (new resolution).

I specify a new folder to save the file in. However, every time a file is done, I get a pop-up which asks me to select an option to save the JPEG. I always want to select:

"Image Option Quality: 12 (large file)" and
"Format Options: Baseline ("Standard")"

However, this box pops up every single time a file is done, and I have thousands of files. It’s a bit tedious, so I tried to put something that holds down the ‘enter’ key.

However, that didn’t solve the problem, because sometimes the Image Option Quality goes back to ‘5’ instead of remaining at ’12’. Is there a way I can set the default JPEG Save Option, so I don’t have to stare at every single image and make sure the options are at Quality: 12 and Baseline: Standard?
Related Tags
auto batch fast

Must-have mockup pack for every graphic designer 🔥🔥🔥

Easy-to-use drag-n-drop Photoshop scene creator with more than 2800 items.

Y
YrbkMgr
Oct 28, 2005
No, what you want to do is go to the actions palette, then find the Save As JPG step. Toggle the dialog to OFF (the little square next to the action name). You are now ready to batch.

File|Automate|Batch:

Action to run: My Resize Action
Source: Folder
Choose: pick the source

Destination: Folder
Choose: pick the destination
Override Save As Information: CHECKED

Optionally choose a naming convention and hit go. Each image will open, one by one from the source folder, the action will perform the prescribed steps, with a Save As step as the final event, then the image will close; rinse and repeat.

Peace,
Tony
EZ
Earl_Zubkoff
Oct 28, 2005
Suhail – if I’m reading you correctly, you haven’t recorded Save As JPG as a step in your action, but have left it for the Batch dialogue. You need to add this step; when you do, the action will include your chosen jpeg quality and format. Then follow Tony’s Batch instructions.
C
chrisjbirchall
Oct 28, 2005
Tony’s explanation is (as always) clear, concise and correct.

However, Suhail, have you considered the fact you shouldn’t be opening and resaving Jpegs due to the cumalutive loss of quality due to the compression process – even at maximum quality.

It would make more sense to save as a TIFF or PSD as the last step in your action. That way if any further edits were needed you would suffer no further losses.

Chris.
SM
Suhail_Maqbool
Oct 29, 2005
Thanks for the replies! I have another question Chris, regarding Editing JPEGs. If this is all the ‘editing’ I’m doing, which is just rotating at 90 degrees CCW, and changing the Resolution to 300 (resample image UNCHECKED), will there be any loss of quality? I didn’t think that the quality of an image would be affected if I unchecked the Resample Image box when I switched the Document Size Resolution to 300 pixels/inch.

Thanks for your replies, you guys are awsome!:)
Y
YrbkMgr
Oct 29, 2005
and changing the Resolution to 300

Why would you do that? I’m curious.
EZ
Earl_Zubkoff
Oct 29, 2005
Suhail – your rotation and resolution change will not degrade the image. But resaving as jpeg will, with the degree of damage varying with the jpeg quality level you select. To avoid degradation you must choose a lossless format — such as tiff or PSD — when you resave.
Y
YrbkMgr
Oct 29, 2005
such as tiff or PSD

Or PNG.

But if you start with JPG’s, and they’re going to the web, and they have to end up as JPGs, you have no choice – you must live with loss.
C
chrisjbirchall
Oct 29, 2005
I didn’t think that the quality of an image would be affected if I unchecked the Resample Image box

You are quite right. All you are doing is applying a "label" which says: "300ppi – therefore the size will be…" the actual pixels remain unchanged.

However, Earl is quite correct too, in his assertion that the very act of SAVING as a Jpeg will bring with it a cumulutive loss of quality.

Chris.
SM
Suhail_Maqbool
Oct 29, 2005
Actually, these images are not going on the web…I have to print them out. I know, many people told me how terrible it would look if I printed out JPEGS, but they look acceptable.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to get the best quality as possible. So, this is what I think I should do, after reading all the info you guys gave me:
1. Open JPEG image
2. Rotate 90 deg CCW
3. Image Size>Document Size>Resolution>72 to 300 pixels/inch (Resample Image unchecked)
4. Save As: .png
5. Insert .png image in Microsoft Publisher 2003
6. Print out with highest quality paper/ink/settings

I didn’t know about the image quality of a jpeg would deteriorate by merely saving it. I actually opened the original and compared it with the saved jpeg, and you guys are right, they did seem different.

If there’s anything else I should know, I’m all ears.

Again, thanks for all your help. Prior to this forum I used to go on Yahoo Chat Web Design Rooms for help. This is worlds better.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Oct 29, 2005
Do an experiment: Open a JPEG, resave it with a different name as a JPEG at the highest quality setting. Now open both the original and resaved version. Drag the resaved one to a new layer on the original and set the blending mode to Difference or XOR. Now add a threshold adjustment layer and set the slider down to 1 or 2. Every pixel that is visible represents a difference between the two images.

Now try the same thing again, but resave it at a lower JPEG quality level.
Y
YrbkMgr
Oct 30, 2005
it would look if I printed out JPEGS, but they look acceptable.

If they’re acceptable for you, that’s all that counts. But keep in mind that as your eyes get better at spotting degredation (if they do), you’ll want a different format. Or not…<shrug>

Peace,
Tony
MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Oct 30, 2005
240 ppi is sufficient for inkjet printing, will allow you to print larger.

Must-have mockup pack for every graphic designer 🔥🔥🔥

Easy-to-use drag-n-drop Photoshop scene creator with more than 2800 items.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections