Batch compression

[Tom]

Whats a good free package for selecting a bunch of big files, automatically resizing them to say 1024x768 with max 100k per image, and saving them all in a folder?

I have a big folder full of stuff that I'd like to upload to my webspace. In the past, I've just emailed them to myself with outlook, and it does the above, but there must be an easier way?

Can photoshop CS do this easily?

 

[Chilly]

Possibly the Web Photo gallery function in photoshop CS, but my install seems to be broken and refuses to load up the window with the blurb for it, give it a poke yourself old chap its in file>automate

 

[Nos]

Unless you know the right people Photoshop CS isn't usually free.

However Picasa is perfectly free. It's a utility that organises your photos by folders and creation dates, and lets you do batch exports.

I don't think you can specify a target file size or compression, but you can choose a target output size (it does 1024 as you request).

I use it to organise all my pics, I'd heartily recommend it.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Well here is a way with PS CS.

First open the actions tab. Then select the New Action button bottom right.

A window will open and you name the action if you like.

Click Record.

Then do what you want to do to all photos levels colour etc.

Then to constrain image size click file>automate>fit image...

Choose the largest dimensions you would like the pics i.e. 1024 wide 768 tall, or more height if you like for the portrait style pics.

After resizing down it is always a good idea to sharpen, just a touch, with unsharp mask. (Just the lightness channel if you're feeling flash)

Then choose save for web and select about 50 as your quality. This won't limit to 100K (I can't find a way to do this) but will keep your file size reasonable.

Create and select a folder to put the result in, the action will always use that folder. Don't rename as the action will call all files the same name else (or seems to)

Then stop recording.

Then go to File>automate>batch and select the action you have just created, the folder with your pics and set it going.

In fact it gives some controls to over ride the save as stuff in the action anyway.

Hope that helps.

RB

 

[Chilly]

Unless you know the right people Photoshop CS isn't usually free.

However Picasa is perfectly free. It's a utility that organises your photos by folders and creation dates, and lets you do batch exports.

I don't think you can specify a target file size or compression, but you can choose a target output size (it does 1024 as you request).

I use it to organise all my pics, I'd heartily recommend it.

yeah but he specifically asked about photoshop, so one assumes he has a copy

 

[Nos]

He asked for a free one first

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Not that he seems to be coming back anyway, and I spent some time on that answer too.

RB

 

[milou]

Much the same in PS Elements 3 - but just choose choose File > Process Multiple Files, set processing options then click OK.

From help file:

The Process Multiple Files dialog box provides access to several Photoshop Elements functions for easy processing of several files at the same time and with the same options. You can use multiple file processing to change the file names of all the photos in a folder, or to save a new version of the files in a different format. You can also resize a folder of images, make simple color corrections, or add labels to photos. The Process Multiple Files command is also a good way to import images from a PDF file and process them with the name and file format you want.

 

[Tom]

Sorry, thanks for the answer RB

 

[WPKenny]

I put pics up using jalbum. It lets you resize all the stuff and puts it into a folder all ready to upload to your webspace. Barring that you can just copy the re-sized images out of the folder it creates and do what you like with them.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Sorry, thanks for the answer RB

No Problem Tom, I hope it was useful.

RB

 

[Escape]

You could try irfanview

 

[Tom]

No Problem Tom, I hope it was useful.

RB

It was, once I figured out that loading the image before recording the action is the correct method