Section 82. Using the Image Processor in Photoshop

#82. Using the Image Processor in Photoshop

These days our computer hard drives are inundated with an overabundance of images we offload from our digital cameras, download from stock photography services, or create ourselves. Processing all these images into different file formats or image dimensions can be daunting at best. Fortunately, Photoshop CS2 introduces the Image Processor, which processes multiple files. It performs many common image-related tasks so you don't have to create an action and use it within a Batch command.

Applying Settings from the First Image

If you're processing a set of camera raw files taken under the same lighting conditions or your source images' color profiles don't match your working profile, you can select the Open first image to apply settings option. This will give you an opportunity to adjust settings in the first image when it opens and have those adjustments applied to the remaining images being processed.

Here's how to use the Image Processor:

1.	In Photoshop, choose File > Scripts > Image Processor. The Image Processor window appears (Figure 82). Figure 82. The Image Processor is well suited for common image handling needs where creating a Batch action would be overkill.
2.	Select the image files you want to process. If you already have the images that you want to process open in Photoshop, select the Use Open Images option. Otherwise, click the Select Folder button and choose the folder that includes the images ready for processing.
3.	Select the location where you want to save the processed files. You can save the files to the same location or choose a different folder.
4.	Select the file types along with the options that you want the Image Processor to save (e.g., JPEG, PSD, TIFF). You can opt to convert your files into one of these formats or any combination at the same time. Selecting multiple formats at once will result in each type being saved when your images are processed. Selecting the Resize To Fit option will resize the images to best fit within the dimensions you enter while retaining their original proportions.
5.	You can optionally set any of the other processing options. You can select a Photoshop action (see #84) to run or decide to include copyright information or a color profile within each image processed.
6.	Click the Run button and the Image Processor will start working its magic. Your images will be saved to the destination you specified within folders named using the file formats you selected.

Processing Images via Bridge

Many of the Automate commands in Photoshop's File menu are also available from within Bridge. Image Processor just happens to be one of them. Select the images you want to process within Bridge and then choose Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor. The Image Processor window then opens in Photoshop, and the Images to process options area is changed to "Process files from Bridge only {selected count}."