Optimizing Photoshop Actions

In some cases, a slow production performance, and even a production failure, is caused due to the misuse of the Photoshop actions.

The following are important tips on how to set up the Photoshop actions correctly, in order to decrease the duration of the uImage production and avoid production failures.

Recording Tips

  • Record an action only when it is necessary for achieving a desired design.

  • When recording an action, the first step to take is to select the layer that you wish to manipulate.

  • Minimize the overall duration of the action as much as possible.

  • Verify that the action does not include popup messages (all toggles are off).

  • Test the action after the recording ends.

  • Replace time-consuming effects/filters with ones that can be processed faster.

Loading Tips

  • When loading an action file (*.atn) to Photoshop, verify that it is not already loaded with the same action folder name and action name.

  • Internationalization: when copying a layer in a template, the default name of the copied layer will be "layer_name copy". If you open the template using Photoshop in the German language for example, the name will be "layer_name kopie".

  • An action can fail if it is opened in a language other than the language that was used to record it. Therefore, when an action fails, edit the action and re-record the specific layer/s of the action in which the problem occurred.

  • Test the action after the loading ends.

Design Tips

The size of a template file has a crucial affect on the duration of the production. Therefore, it is recommended to resize the template and reduce its size during the production process (in order to speed it up). In some cases (1), it is possible to resize the action with the "resize-agnostic" option, while in others (2), it is not possible.

  1. Resize-agnostic:

    • Do not use the selection tools (the Marquee, the Lasso or the Magic wand) to make a selection. Instead, use the Path tool; create a path in the Path panel, name it and save it as part of the file. The path will then be resized with the image. When recording an action, right click the path in the Path panel and select "Make selection…" to convert the Path to a marquee selection.

    • For complex selections, (requiring the feather, the gradients, etc.) use the Layer Mask or create an Alpha Channel in the Channels Panel, and draw the selection in Black and White. In the action, press Ctrl+click on the Channel/Layer Mask you have created to mark the required selection. The Layer Masks and the Alpha Channels are resized with the image.

  2. Resize-dependent:

    • Some effects such as Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur, Crystallize etc., record their parameters in pixels. For these effects, re-record the action whenever resizing an image. The change should be proportional, for example: if the image width is 50% of the original width, then the new parameter for the action in pixels would be 50% of the original parameter. Thus, for a Gaussian Blur effect, if the original image size is 3000 pixels, the new image size would be 1500 pixels, and if the original blur is 10 pixels, the new blur would be 5 pixels.

    • In order to re-record an action, you need to have only an image file open. Open any image file or any layer, and double-click the line in the action you wish to re-record. In order to test the action, you will still need to have the original image open, of course.