Function: Extensive Suite of Photoshop CS Actions.
Author: Complete Digital Photography
Notes: The download contains only the CS2 version; for the CS1 version and other updates, check here.
Updates:
Version 3.0 of the Action Pack includes 11 new actions - Add Layer, Add Empty Adjustment Layer, Add Graphic Watermark, Channel Mixer, Duplicate Current Layer, Paint Daubs, Photo Filter, Resize to File Size, Scale to X by 10%, Swap Colors, Exposure, and Reduce Noise. In addition, Version 3 now allows you to open any Camera Raw files supported by the version of Photoshop that you’re using. When opening Raw files using the Action Pack, Photoshop will automatically read any previously stored conversion settings and convert your document accordingly. This means you can now use an Automator workflow to batch process raw files that you’ve already configured in Camera Raw. Version 3 of the Action Pack also includes many new features to facilitate non-destructive editing, such as the creation of Adjustment Layers. CS2 users now have access to Photoshop’s Save for Web feature from the Action Pack, for creating highly optimized JPEG and GIF files.
May 31, 2006: Version 2.2 adds full compatibility with Intel-based Macs (with version 2, roughly a dozen actions were unfunctional on Intel Macs) as well as 2 new actions and more. A full list of bug fixes and feature changes is included here, and you’ll also find a copy in the included 61-page manual.
March 10, 2006: Version 2.0 of the Action Pack includes a dozen new actions and an entirely new architecture that completely eliminates several shortcomings of the first version.
Version 2 also packs a number of bug fixes, and many existing actions sport new features. A full list of bug fixes and feature changes is included, and you’ll also find a copy in the included 61-page manual.
These are Photoshop Actions … they are not Automator Actions.
They probably don’t belong on this Web site.
Although a great feature of AppleScript is that you can go:
tell application “Photoshop” do action “Action Name” from “Action Set Name” end tell
… so it is easy to trigger Photoshop Actions with Automator Actions or plain AppleScripts. The Photoshop Actions are sort of subroutines.
Photoshop Actions are stored in Action Sets, which are stored in a subfolder of the Photoshop folder, and can be loaded into Photoshop using the Actions panel (Window > Actions). They’re essentially recordings of somebody working in Photoshop that you can playback in order to combine multiple steps into one for efficiency and accuracy and consistency. They can’t do any kind of logic so if you want that you control Photoshop with AppleScript or JavaScript.
Comment by Simon — May 28, 2006 @ 1:23 am
Hi Again Steve I’ve just noticed in the Photoshop package, Photoshop/Presets/Photoshop Actions/(6 Actions) What are these then? Are these a differance kind of action?
Molly
Comment by molly — May 20, 2006 @ 2:53 pm
Thank you Steve I have somebody promising to get something to me by tomorrow. He is having the same problem; ie, Photoshop does not show up on Automator and he thinks it could have something to do with the Intel chips. Watch this space!
Molly
Comment by molly — May 20, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
Photoshop has no native actions. If you installed these actions correctly, you should be seeing “Photoshop CS” appear in the list, however. Honestly, I don’t know how further to help you; downloading and installing this action pack is very simple. You might want to contact the author, at http://www.completedigitalphotography.com/
Comment by Steve — May 20, 2006 @ 1:09 pm
Hi, just a thought. Would Photoshop show up in Automator without the Action Pack. Does Photoshop contain native actions?
Molly
Comment by molly — May 20, 2006 @ 12:47 pm