Photoshop 6,7,CS,CS2 (Not Elements)

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This tutorial will show you how to write your own actions, one of the key skills you need to use Photoshop productively. Ihave used two examples - one for opening your scanner and one for a 'Save As' command which will save you navigating through layer after layer of folders.
To start, the Action Pallette must be in 'Open' mode (see right).

To change from Button to Open mode , access the Actions Menu by clicking the little triangle in the top right-hand corner of the pallette. and click 'Button Mode'. Then click 'New Action'. You can also use the buttons at the bottom of the pallette. They all work on Actions, and from the left are 'Stop', 'Record', 'Play ', 'New Set', 'New' and 'Delete'.

Either way, the 'New Action' box will open. Give the action a name, and you can set the colour of your button, You can also assign an un-used function key to act as a shortcut. Click 'Record' to start..

Next, go through exactly the same steps as you would if the action was not recording - in this case File>Import>Epson Perfection 1670. You have to complete a scan to record it. Close the scanner window, then stop recording by clicking the 'Stop' button, or using the Actions menu.

You can drag the action to any part of the list - I like to have the scanner at the top. When you return to button mode, clicking the button will start the scanner, if it's switched on!

The next action - 'Save As' - is probably the most useful one you will write. If you are work on an image, say a camera file, in one folder and save it in a second , say in your website folder, when you come to open the next file you have to navigate back through all the levels to get to the original location. This becomes annoying after 5 or 6 files, and a real pain if you have to do 50 or 60. A 'Save As' action solves this problem. Start in the same way in 'Open' mode, open an image, click 'New Action ' in the pallette menu, and fill in the Dialog Box.

File>Save As, and navigate to the destination folder. IMPORTANT: do not change the filename, or all your files will be saved on top of each other with the same name - NOT good!. Click 'Save' to save the file. Click File>Close to close the file, then 'Stop Recording' in the pallette menu, and change back to Button Mode. Now, after you have processed your photo click the 'Save As' button, When you go to open the next file, you will still be in the correct folder, saving hours of frustration.

If you want to change the action to point at a different folder, you don't have to record the whole action again. In 'Open Mode' with a file open, expand the 'Save As' action (if necessary) by clicking the little triangle next to the name, then double-click on the 'Save'. Complete the save to the new destination, and the action is re-set.

If you don't want to close the file each time after saving, un-tick the box next to the 'Close' step.