Batch conversions

I have 60 *.psd files that I need to convert to .jpg (uniform size, colorspace and quality). They must be higher resolution than is used for standard display (usually 72 or 96 ppi), so save for WEB not a good option.

Does either CS3 or Lightroom have the capability for batch conversions? I took a quick look thru and didn't find anything that appeared obvious to me.


Any help would be appreciated. Thx

I usually use LR for such conversions. You can go to the File menu and select Export and from there make your selection regarding size, color space, file format etc.

In Photoshop, go to the Help menu and type in "batch processing" and you'll get instructions on exactly how to do this via Photoshop.

Depending on how much you want to do, going the batch process route is probably better. I am just going to add the actions method since that was my first thought and I am not sure if you know about it. It never hurts to have a second plan of attack.

With CS(n), you can also write an action. Go to Window and check "Action". A new window should open.

Open one of the files you want to do something with.

Go to the Actions window. On the bottom row, there is an icon that is square, with a little square in the lower left. The explanatory yellow box should pop-up on rolloever that says "crate new action" . Click that.

Another window should open. Give it a new name (top box) and hit record.

Do everything you want to the file you opened.

When you are done, hit the black box on the left at the bottom of the actions window.

Save the file you opened and worked on.

Now, for the rest of the files, you can open them, run the action (the right arrow that brings up a box that says "play"), save the files and close them.



Some things I have learned dong this.

Copy all of the files you are starting with to a second folder, so now you have two copies of the files. It is way to easy to overwrite the original files, especially once you have reached autopilot stage around file #47. Also, copying to a second folder will allow you to add "save" or "save as" to the action you created without having to worry about the action blindly overwriting the original files (yes, I have done that, at least twice )

Its possible to run an action as a batch process - I do this for things like interpolating batches of files and saving as JPEGs for uploading to libraries. For this, you need to follow Dan's instructions, but continue recording the action while you save your file and close. Then press the stop button to stop recording your action. Now, go to file>automate>batch process. Your action should already be selected. Choose the folder you want to run the process on. You can choose a different folder to send the modified images to by checking "override save as commands" and choosing a folder to send them to. Now click OK and watch photoshop do your hard work for you!

You can also run an action as part of the Lightroom export, i've written how to do this on my website right here

Every time I have something like this to do, I usually use the Image Processor that comes with Photoshop.
To get to it from Photoshop go to File>Scripts>Image Processor. Pick a folder or use Open Images, select a destination for processed images, choose file type, quality, resizing parameters, and, with JPG, the option to convert to sRGB.
You can even choose an action to run and to include Copyright info.
All in all, Image Processor is much easier to use than setting up an action and running a batch.

To get to it from Bridge, highlight all the images you want to process and go to Tools>Photoshop>Image Processor.

My thanks to all of you who responded. I had worked all night and finally posted for suggestions around 4:45 a.m. Really, it was the sleep that helped me make sense out of the info you all sent me. Again - Big THANKS !!