© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning Chapter 16 Annotating and Automating an Image

Chapter Lessons Add annotations to an image Create an action Modify an action Use a default action and create a droplet © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning

Communicate with the person viewing an image by: –Creating written notes A comment that appears in the image © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Adding Written Notes

Use the Actions feature to automate commonly performed tasks: –Record all the steps required for an action –Play the action An action is a series of tasks that are recorded and saved for future use © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Using Automation

Create actions for frequently used tasks to: –Use them in other Photoshop images –Ensure consistency between related images © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Ensuring Consistency

Use the Notes tool to create notes –Similar to yellow sticky notes Click the Notes tool on the Tools panel Click where the note should appear in the image Type the contents of the note © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Add Annotations

Each note has an icon displayed on the image –This icon does not print Open the note by double-clicking the icon © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Working with Notes

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Note text Viewing a Note

Change the color of the note’s title bar –Click the Notes color box on the options bar Change the author of the note –Select the contents of the Name of author for annotations text box, then enter a new name and press [Enter] (Win) or [return] (Mac) © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Personalizing a Note

Most Photoshop actions that can be performed using a button or menu command can be recorded as an action Each action can contain: –One or more steps –A stop that allows completion of a command that can’t be recorded © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Create an Action

Actions are stored in sets Each set is saved as an.atn file typically named by the category or actions they contain –Example: A multiple type-related action could be stored in a set named Type Actions © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Saving and Storing Actions

Access actions from the Actions panel –Grouped with the History panel View actions in List mode or in Button mode on the Actions panel © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Accessing Actions

List Mode –Default setting –Displays the details within each action Button Mode –Displays each action without details © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Modes

Use media-player buttons to operate an action Buttons include: –Play –Record –Stop –Move Forward –Move Backward © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Operating Actions

When recording takes place, the red Recording button appears on the Actions panel Use the Playback Options dialog box to modify how actions are played back © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Creating Actions

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Playback Options Dialog Box

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Action Playback Options

Take a snapshot of the image Click the Actions panel tab Click the Create new action button on the Actions panel Type the name of the action in the Name text box Assign a color to the action –The action is displayed in this color in Button mode © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Creating an Action

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Create new action button Actions Panel

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning New Action Dialog Box

Perform the steps required for the action Click the Stop playing/recording button on the Actions panel © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Recording an Action

Click the action on the Actions panel Click the History panel tab and click the snapshot taken of the image before performing the action –The image is restored to its original state Click the Actions panel tab Click the Play selection button on the Actions panel © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Playing an Action

Click the step that will come after or before the new steps to add Click the Begin recording button on the Actions panel Record the steps Click the Stop playing/recording button on the Actions panel © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Modifying an Action

Toggle between List mode and Button mode: –Click the Actions panel list arrow –Click Button Mode (or List Mode) © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Switching Modes

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Button Mode List Mode Actions Panel Modes

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Modifications for Actions

Command that interrupts playback to allow performance of another operation To insert a stop: –Click the step just above where the pause should take place –Click the Actions panel list arrow, then click Insert Stop –Enter a text message in the Record Stop dialog box –Select the Allow Continue check box © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Understanding a Stop

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Record Stop Dialog Box

Add a default action to any action already created Default actions are actions included with Photoshop © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Use a Default Action

Vignette Frame Channel Wood Frame Cast Shadow Water Reflection Custom RGB to Grayscale Molten Lead Make Clip Path (selection) Sepia Toning (layer) Quadrant Colors Save as Photoshop PDF Gradient Map © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Default Actions

Select the step in a new action that is above where the default action should occur Click the Begin recording button Scroll through the Actions panel to find the required default action Click the action, then click the Play selection button –All the steps in the default action are performed when the new action is played © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Using Default Actions

Commands Frames Image Effects Production Text Effects Textures © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Default Action Sets

Click the Actions panel options button Click the name of the set to load © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Loading a Default Action Set

Stand-alone action in the form of an icon Drag one or more Photoshop files onto the droplet icon to perform the action on the file Accessing droplets: –Store on the hard drive –Place on the desktop –Distribute to other users © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Understanding a Droplet

© 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Droplet Droplet on the Desktop

Click File on the Application bar Point to Automate, then click Create Droplet Click Choose Enter the name of the droplet Identify the location in which to save the droplet, then click Save © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning Creating a Droplet