Creating an action to open camera raw image files

You can automate opening camera raw image files, editing them, and saving the files in formats like TIFF, PSD, JPEG, Large Document Format (PSB), and PDF. In Photoshop, you can also use the Batch command or Create Droplet command to open one or more camera raw image files.

To create an action to open camera raw image files:

1. In the Actions palette, click the New Action button , or choose New Action from the palette menu. Enter a name for the action.
2. Click Record. Then open a camera raw image file, and perform the operations you want to record. It's recommended to record the action with Selected Image chosen in the Settings menu of the Camera Raw dialog box so that each image's individual settings (from the Camera Raw database or XMP sidecar files) will be used when playing back the action.

If you plan to use the action with the Batch command, you may want to include a Save As operation and choose the file format to which you would like the images converted.

3. To stop recording, click the Stop button.

The action you've created can be used every time you want to open one or more camera raw image files. For more information on creating actions, see About actions.

Important: When you use an action to open a camera raw image file, the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in settings are based on the settings in the dialog box when the action was recorded. You may want to create different actions for opening camera raw image files with specific settings.

To open camera raw image files using the Batch command (Photoshop):

1. From within Photoshop, choose File > Automate > Batch.
2. In the Play area of the Batch dialog box, choose the action you created to open your camera raw image files from the Actions menu.
3. In the Source area, choose from the Source menu:

Folder

Processes the images in a chosen folder. After choosing Folder from the Source menu, click Choose. In the Choose a Batch Folder dialog box, choose a folder of camera raw files.

Import

Imports camera raw image files from a digital camera connected to your computer and opens them. Choose a source in the From menu and then skip to step 8.

File Browser

Opens the camera raw image files that are displayed in the File Browser.

4. Select Override Action "Open" Commands so the Open commands in the action to refer to the batched files rather than the filenames specified in the action.

Deselect Override Action "Open" Commands only if the action is to operate on open files or if the action contains Open commands for specific files that are required by the action.

5. Select Include All Subfolders to process files in subfolders.
6. Select Suppress File Open Options Dialogs. This prevents the Photoshop Camera Raw dialog box from opening for each camera raw image file being processed.
7. Select Suppress Color Profile Warnings to turn off the display of color policy messages.
8. Choose a destination for the opened files from the Destination menu. It's best to choose either None to leave the files open, or Folder to save the opened files to a specific folder. This prevents accidently overwriting files.

Note: Select Override Action "Save As" Commands if you want to use the Save As instructions from the Batch command instead of the Save As instructions in the action. If you select this option, the action must contain a a Save As command because the Batch command will not automatically save the source files. Deselect Override Action "Save As" Commands will save the files processed by the Batch command in the location specified as the destination in the Batch dialog box.

Setting the other options in the Batch dialog box is up to your discretion. For more information about using the Batch command including all the options in the Batch dialog box, see Using the Batch command (Photoshop).

9. Click OK after you've specified all your settings.

To create a droplet to open camera raw image files (Photoshop):

1. From within Photoshop, choose File > Automate > Create Droplet.
2. Click the Choose button in the Create Droplet dialog box and specify a location for the droplet.
3. In the Play area, select Suppress File Open Options Dialogs. This is useful for opening a batch of camera raw image files because it prevents the Camera Raw dialog box from opening for each camera raw image file being processed.
4. Choose a destination for the opened files from the Destination menu. It's best to choose either None to leave the files open or Folder to save the opened files to a specific folder. This prevents accidently overwriting files.

Setting the other options in the Create Droplet dialog box is up to your discretion. For more information about using droplets and all the options in the Create Droplet dialog box, See Using droplets.)

5. Click OK after you've selected all your settings. Later, you can open single or multiple camera raw files by dragging them onto the droplet.