batch export ai files

[davpunk]

what is it that youre trying to do exactly?

[Mr Majestic]

Which version of ps are you using, if its not cs then I can check to see if thats a new feature in cs or not, i would now but I dont have it on the comp im using.

[ernpchan]

Davpunk,
I have images that have alpha channels. I'm converting those alpha channels to a path in photoshop and then exporting that path to an illustrator file. I'm exporting it not becuase I need it in illustrator but I'm using the ai file to create geometry in my 3d program. I have to do this on a considerable amount of images so I wanted to do this via an action.

Mr Majestic,
I'm using CS.

Thanks.

[davpunk]

it should work just fine. I used that technique for some stuff for toon disney. Just make an action that only has:

select alpha channel
create path from selection
export paths to illustrator
stop.

Make a Batch Automation using that action...You will have to confirm the export prompt for the file name, unless you turn off the dialogues icon in the actions palette. Good luck!

[ernpchan]

Hi Davpunk.

Are you using CS?

I found a similar posting on the Adobe forum. The poster had stated that it stopped working in CS.

My actions consists of
Set Selection to channel "alpha 1"
Make Path
Export using Illustrator export

I've even made actions that have the open command in the beginning and close at the end.

I'm still getting the "export unavailable" pop up.

Thanks.

[davpunk]

Ya. Im in CS. How many files are you doing?

It could be that all your images dont share the same channel name?

[ernpchan]

Right now I'm testing it on a 45 frame tga sequence.

[davpunk]

kill the open and close commands in the action. ya dont really need them.

Does it even work for ONE file?

[ernpchan]

Nope, it still gives me the export unavailable pop-up. What I did was load up one of my tga images. Ran my action that doesn't have the open and close command and it still pops up the error.

[davpunk]

hmmm. strange. And youre using CS? Can you shoot me a file? dav@davpunk.com


(dav@davpunk.com)
(dav@davpunk.com)

[ernpchan]

Sorry but I can't give you the sequence I'm working on because it's from a television show here at the studio.

I've made the same action in PS 7 and instead of saying export is unavailable it just puts up the requester of where to save the ai file. So I'm making "some" progress.

[davpunk]

Oh Ok, thats cool. But yeah, if you get the prompt, you should be in good shape.
If you turn off the little icon to the left of the action, in the actions palette, it should bypass the pop ups and use the defaults. Good luck!

[ernpchan]

I'm getting the prompt in PS 7 but the same error in CS.

I'm sorry but what icon are you talking about? I see the arrow and the blocky icon. The arrow disables the command and the blocky one just brings up the requester for each specific command. When I go to export the ai file I just want it to save with the same file name as the original file, just change the extension.

Thanks.

[davpunk]

Ya the blocky icon. That toggles the dialog boxes for each action. However, it doesnt toggle save as commands. So you should just be able to just hit ok when that pops up, itll use the default file name for the .ai file.

[halo]

if your on the mac, theres a bug in export paths that drops the ".ai" extension off the filename randomly...just thought i'd mention it

[ernpchan]

Ah, ok. So in that case the action is "working".

So there's no way to get PS to automatically save the file. I have to just keep hitting the return key for each file?

Thanks.

[davpunk]

unfortunately not really. It should take just a few minutes, that action should be fast.
Yer prolly spending more time waiting for this post rather than just do it. :P

You can override the save as commands in the batch automation, but Im not sure if that will work with the export command.

[ernpchan]

Yeah, the action is fast. Was just hoping it didn't require babysitting. It seems like having to sit here defeats the purpoose of batch automation haha.

I don't know why it won't work in CS though.

Thanks for all your help.

Ernest

[halo]

lead wieght + return key ;)

[*crazycat*]

Pass by, mix a face to familiar with

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