ptg 366 Chapter 15 Actions are very versatile; in fact, almost anything that can be done to an image can be placed into an action. You might find that as you per- form an action, you need to add an additional command. You can do this with ease; that's why actions are so great to work with. For exam- ple, you might create an action to convert an image from the RGB to the CMYK mode, and after you save the action, you decide it would be great to include a Curves adjustment. You don't have to throw away the previous action and start all over; all you have to do is select where the command will be inserted, restart the action, and perform the new step. The Actions panel is a powerful time-saving tool, and if you forget a step, it's also a breeze to modify. Adding a Command to an Action Add a Command to an Action Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action to which you want to add the command. Click the command directly above where you want to insert the new command. Click the Actions Options button, and then click Start Recording. Add the additional command by selecting a filter, adjustment, or any other Photoshop option. When you're finished adding commands, click the Stop button on the Actions panel. The next time the action is run, the additional command will be performed. 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 4 2 5 1 6 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 15 Automating Your Work with Actions 367 Occasionally, you may want to permanently delete a command from an existing action. If that's the case, Photoshop makes the process quick and easy. An action consists of a group of steps. As the action exe- cutes, each step is completed in the order in which it appears within the action list. No one step is dependent upon another, so if you want to remove a step, it's a simple process of deletion. Once the command is removed, the action will perform as if the deleted command never existed. Deleting a Command from an Action Delete a Command from an Action Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action from which you want to delete the command. IMPORTANT You cannot delete a command from a running action. Click the command you want to delete. Select from three deletion methods: ◆ Drag the command over the Delete button. ◆ Click the command, click the Delete button, and then click OK in the Delete the Selection alert box. ◆ Click the command, and then hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key, and then click the Delete button to delete the command without the alert box message. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 The selected action is removed. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 368 Chapter 15 Modal controls are pauses in an action that allow you to modify a com- mand before proceeding. Modal controls are available for every Photoshop command that utilizes a dialog box, or any command that requires the pressing of the Enter/Return key to process the effect. For example, you create an action that utilizes a Levels adjustment, and you want the option to specify a particular Levels adjustment each time the action is run. Working with Modal Controls in an Action Work with Modal Controls Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action you want to modify. Click the second column from the left to activate the Modal Control button. Click an existing modal control button to deactivate the control. Click the Play button on the Actions panel to run the action. The action stops and lets you control the command. Adjust the image using the Exposure dialog box. Click OK to continue the action. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 3 5 7 6 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 15 Automating Your Work with Actions 369 When an action runs, it performs each command in the order in which it appears in the action list. Since the order in which a filter or adjust- ment is applied to an image determines the document's final appear- ance, it's important to be able to adjust the order in which the commands are executed. For example, if you create an action that con- tains a Curves adjustment followed by a Gaussian Blur filter, and you move the Gaussian Blur filter above the Curves adjustment, it will totally change the look of the final image. The Actions panel gives you the ability to change the order in which commands are executed so that you will be in control of the end result. Changing the Order of Commands in an Action Change the Order of Commands Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action you want to change. Drag the command you want to change up or down in the actions stack. Release the mouse when you see a dark line underneath the command where you want the dragged one to be placed. 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 1 Did You Know? You can choose the speed at which an action executes when you’re playing it. Click the Actions Options button, and then click Playback Options. Click Accelerated, Step By Step, or Pause For a predetermined number of sec- onds. Clicking a slower speed lets you view each step, and is useful when performing editing on an action. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 370 Chapter 15 What if you create an action with several commands, and you need a similar, but not identical, action? Perhaps you have made an action that performs several commands and ends with the Curves adjustment. Then you find you need a new action that performs the same initial commands but ends with the Levels adjustment. If that's the case, there is no need to reinvent the wheel; just create the first action, make a copy, and then modify the copy. Copying an Action Copy an Action Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action you want to change. Select how you want to duplicate the action: ◆ Drag the action over the Create New Action button on the Actions panel. ◆ Select the action, click the Actions Options button, and then click Duplicate. 3 2 1 2 3 Actions Options button 1 Copied action From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 15 Automating Your Work with Actions 371 You can make an action run within another action, thus reducing action complexity. For example, you could create an action that performs a dozen or more commands (it's not unusual), or you could create two simpler actions, and have one action load and run the other action. That way, when it comes time to modify the action, you have a smaller list of commands to deal with. You can also call actions from more than one source, giving you the ability to create small action codes that can be used over and over again. Running an Action Inside an Action Run an Action Inside an Action Open a document, and then select the Actions panel. Click the expand triangle of the action you want to modify. Click the command directly above where you want to insert the run step for the other action. Click the Record button. Click the action to be added. Click the Play button to record the second action into the first action. Click the Stop button. The second action is recorded inside the first action. IMPORTANT When you click the Play button, the action executes on the active document, so you might want to perform this on a duplicate image. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 6 7 The second action is now inside the first. 4 1 5 From the Library of Wow! eBook . Options button, and then click Start Recording. Add the additional command by selecting a filter, adjustment, or any other Photoshop option. When you're finished adding commands, click the. you may want to permanently delete a command from an existing action. If that's the case, Photoshop makes the process quick and easy. An action consists of a group of steps. As the action. that allow you to modify a com- mand before proceeding. Modal controls are available for every Photoshop command that utilizes a dialog box, or any command that requires the pressing of the