Photo batch conversion?

[bug_girl]

I now have SIX CDs of photos, all in TIFF format, and all about 35-30 megs.
I'd like to convert them to jpegs of about 100K or so.

I have photoshop, and can easily do this individually...but there are almost 600 photos.

it would be nice to do a batch conversion---any suggestions on a shortcut?

[Terry]

mogrify on a unix box.

[Angus McPresley]

Oops, posting a correction here -- I had orignally suggested this RAV product, but then noticed you were asking about images, not video.

http://www.radgametools.com/binkhlp2.htm

[Chris Haynes]

I went into my Photoshop Elements 2.02 program, clicked on "Help" and then did a search on "batch". I came across these instructions:
To batch-process files using the Batch command:

<LI class=numberstep type=1 value=1>Choose File > Batch Processing. <LI class=numberstep type=1 value=2>For Files to Convert, specify which files you want to process:
<LI class=bullet type=disc>Folder to process files already stored on your computer. Click Source to locate and select the folder. Select Include All Subfolders to process files in subfolders. <LI class=bullet type=disc>Import to import and process images from a PDF file, a digital camera, or a scanner. Select an import option from the From pop-up menu. The available options depend on which plug-in modules are installed on your computer.
Opened Files to process all the open files.<LI class=numberstep type=1 value=3>For Conversion Options, choose the format to which you want to convert files. For more information about file formats, see Saving images in different file formats (file:///C:/Program%20Files/Adobe/Photoshop%20Elements%202/Help/1_14_2_0.html). <LI class=numberstep type=1 value=4>To change the size and/or resolution of processed images, select Convert Image Size. Then do one or both of the following:

<LI class=bullet type=disc>Specify the width and height of the processed images. To keep the aspect ratio (the ration of width to height) of the images the same, select Constrain Aspect Ratio. Then enter a value in either the Width text box or the Height text box. To change the aspect ratio of the images, deselect Constrain Aspect Ratio and enter values in both the Width and Height text boxes.
Choose the resolution to which you want to convert the images from the Resolution pop-up menu.<LI class=numberstep type=1 value=5>To save modified versions of the files with new names (leaving the originals unchanged), select Rename Files and set naming options:

<LI class=bullet type=disc>Select items from the pop-up menus or enter text into the fields to be combined into the default names for all files. Elements include document name, serial number or letter, file creation date, and file extension. The fields let you change the order and formatting of the filename parts. You must include at least one field that is unique for every file (for example, filename, serial number, or serial letter) to prevent files from overwriting each other.
For File Name Compatibility, choose Windows, Mac OS, and UNIX to make filenames compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and UNIX operating systems.<LI class=numberstep type=1 value=6>Click Destination to locate and select a destination folder for the processed files.
Click OK.Good luck.

ETA: AAGH... my cut and paste did not work so well... but I think you get the idea!

[roger]

Bug, this is a couple step process in PS. What you are going to do is record a macro, and then run it on all files in a folder (the cd).

So first, open a representitive photo, go over and click the action tab in the little floating windows to the right. Click the thing that looks like a page to create a new action. Give it a name that makes sense, like resize100k.

Click the record button, then resize the photo using Image..image resize. Now save it as a jpeg with File..File save as.

That's what you want to do for a single photo, so go over and click the stop record button under actions.

Now you just run this in batch mode. File..Automate...batch. Choose the action you just created, the CD as the source folder, and then some folder on your hard drive as the destination folder. run the batch and it'll pull each file off of the CD, do all the actions you did to the sample folder, and save it to the destination folder.

I typed that off the top of my head, based on photoshop CS2, you may have to do a few trials before it all goes okay. I wouldn't run all 600 until you've done test trials on a small handful of photos first, unless you have time to waste.

[bruto]

Check out the freeware program Irfanview. It has a very easy batch conversion option. It's also a very versatile file viewing and conversion program for all sorts of formats. In addition it can be run from a portable drive or CF card, etc. without invading the host computer.

[tygirwulf]

I second Irfanview. I use it to convert and resize my photos to quarter size jpgs for easy viewing, or emailing. I also use it to look through the jpgs to see which pictures I want to edit in PS, as you can run the batch process on the folder without saving over the original files.

[bug_girl]

cool--I have access to photoshop and elements, so i'll give it a try.

I may look at irfanview, since photoshop has a tendency to crash.
(Alas, Unix isn't an option, Terry. I live in a work world of Microsoft :( )

Thanks!

[rustypouch]

Roger's way is what I would do.

Create an action, and let it do it's thing.

[RandFan]

cool--I have access to photoshop and elements, so i'll give it a try.

I may look at irfanview, since photoshop has a tendency to crash.
(Alas, Unix isn't an option, Terry. I live in a work world of Microsoft :( )

Thanks! I used Photos shop for years to do this (from about 1991 to 2002). I found that utility programs could often do the job with less work. I can't remember my favorite one and I don't see it in my favorite site for downloading shareware.

I downloaded Irfanview and played with it and it looks promising.

Good luck,

Alan

[Rat]

I agree with Irfanview. I persuaded my company to buy 100 licences for it (it's free for personal use) because it's so much quicker than Photoshop for many purposes.

Once you've loaded it, just hit 'B' to run a batch process; the options are all very straightforward.

Cheers,
Rat.

[Chris Haynes]

I usually prefer to use Paintshop Pro 9 over PhotoshopElements... So thanks for the pointer to Irfanview. I am going to check it out.

(though I have been using Adobe Album as a photo database).

[Rat]

Unless you really don't need to (i.e. you're using it only for a specific purpose), download the plugins package as well as the main executable. This means you will be able to open almost any image file type. And save to many, if not most, of them.

I find the pngout plugin useful (also available as a command line tool) to generate the smallest possible pngs.

Seriously, if you use it regularly, consider giving the guy his €10. It's not required (for personal users), but I think the app's worth that much.

Cheers,
Rat.

[bug_girl]

The vote for Irfanview thirded. it does a great job.

Thanks guys!

[scribble]

I'm late to the party, but it's a real shame no one suggested:

ImageMagick

http://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php

Gets lots of use in scripting. And it's Free.... none of this "pay for commercial use" garbage.