Background border help please

[drhiii]

Am trying to learn how to do the following:

I have an image that I size down to say 900 x 600. I then select it and copy it to clipboard.

I have a file that I use as a boiler plate background. I open the file up, it is exactly 1024 by 768. I then paste the previously cut image to this boilerplate, the outer edges work nicely as a border, I do any adjustments to the image, than Save As and supply a file name so as to not overwrite the boilerplate file. All is well.

Except what I'd like to do is automate this as an action. Instead of cutting the image from the original file and copying it into the boilerplate file, I'd like to be able to open the original image, size it to say 900 by 600, resize the canvas to to exactly 1024 by 768, then "import" the boilerplate background IN to the original image fle. Then paste the image back and I have a border.

The reason for this is two fold: I need 1024 by 768 for the monitor I am displaying on; and more importantly, so I can just Save the file which will be the original filename. The other way, I have to paste the sized image into a temp file and then must manually name it. A drag.

Is there a way in Photoshop to open an original, and import a background image into the original file? I can create an aciton from there. Am just not getting how to do this tho it should be easy (guess I am not smart enough to figure that out yet).

Any help will be muchly appreciated.
drhiii

[roger_ele]

Hi drhiii

Welcome to RetouchPro

I don't know too much about actions, but since you havn't got a bite yet I thought I might throw in a few ideas...

The File > Automate > Batch command allows for selection of a folder with your source file(s) and a destination folder for the finished processed file(s). This sounds like the easiest way to automate this.

I realize that you have worked out the steps, and have asked how to accomplish those steps. But if you give me an idea of why/what you are trying to do, maybe there is a different sequence of steps that will accomplish the same thing but be easier to automate.

As a note: Transform allows resizing of a layer within an image. With the use of transform you would not need to be so particular about the size of the image you are bringing in...

Anyway, maybe you could automate it this way;

-create a new file
-open background file (specifically named), use apply image or select all copy/paste into new file
-close background file
-open image file
-Apply image or copy/paste into new file
-action completed

Now all you have to do is save and close it,unless you want to automate the naming with the name of the source image file.

These may not be the answers you need, but hopfully it helps give you some ideas where to look.

Roger

[drhiii]

Hello! Thank you for the response.

Let me explain a bit more what I am looking to do. I will also study your recommendations below too. I learned a new technique last eve that may give me the break I need. But in lieu of that, here's the task:

I am developing some technology and techniques for a digital frame. Really cool technology. The requirements are image sizes, if possible, need to be rendered 1024 x 768 in landscape mode. If portrait mode, opposite of course. Because images come in all shapes and flavors, this is not always possible or desirable.

To compensate, it is desirable to create a background border for non 1024 x 768 images. For instance, I shoot with a Sigma SD9 (I love this camera), and the image output does not have this ratio. Some images I crop and conform, others I want to leave as is and hence need a background border.

Ok. So let's say I have an image that I size to 900 x 600 (a random case as this varies a lot). I need to wrap it in a border and the total image comes to 1024 x 768.

I can size the image, 'cut' the image, open a prepared 1024 x 768 background, then paste the image that overlays the background and this all works great. Issue is, I am now dealing with the background template and I can't automate it with this workflow to save with the same or similar filename. Oh, yes, have a functional knowledge of the automate function in Photoshop.

What I would like to do but just don't have the knowledge yet is to open an image that has already been sized and tweaked, aka customized. So after images have been manipulated, they can reside in a directory waiting batch processing. Cool. On opening, integrate the image with a 1024 x 768 background, and saved back out with either the original or variant of the original filename (which automate can do).

What I don't know how to do is to open the image, open the 1024 x 768 background, and merge the background *to* the image. I can go the other way. But I am not versed in how layers work, and how to migrate from one image to the other.

I will study your ideas below (very much appreciate you taking this time to type them out), and also will mess with an idea that I learned on how to migrate a layer from on image to the other. It is easy to open original image, 'cut' it, resize the canvas size to 1024 x 768, and paste the image back. What I can't do yet is before pasting it back, slapping a standarized background that is also 1024 x 768. Logically I can see it, just don't have the skills, yet.

Any thought would be most appreciated.

tx a mil, david

Originally posted by roger_ele
Hi drhiii

Welcome to RetouchPro

I don't know too much about actions, but since you havn't got a bite yet I thought I might throw in a few ideas...

The File > Automate > Batch command allows for selection of a folder with your source file(s) and a destination folder for the finished processed file(s). This sounds like the easiest way to automate this.

I realize that you have worked out the steps, and have asked how to accomplish those steps. But if you give me an idea of why/what you are trying to do, maybe there is a different sequence of steps that will accomplish the same thing but be easier to automate.

As a note: Transform allows resizing of a layer within an image. With the use of transform you would not need to be so particular about the size of the image you are bringing in...

Anyway, maybe you could automate it this way;

-create a new file
-open background file (specifically named), use apply image or select all copy/paste into new file
-close background file
-open image file
-Apply image or copy/paste into new file
-action completed

Now all you have to do is save and close it,unless you want to automate the naming with the name of the source image file.

These may not be the answers you need, but hopfully it helps give you some ideas where to look.

Roger

[Vikki]

Hi,
I'm not entirely clear about the background/template you want to use. Do you have a specific background, or just want to frame the smaller file?
Here's something to try, which can be written into an action.
Open the border file, then open your picture file. Both image files should be open, side by side.
On the picture file, duplicate it's background layer.
Resize the Canvas size to 1024x768. You should now have a transparent border around the picture on the top layer.

Select your border image. Ctrl A (to select all) and Ctrl C (to copy). Now select your picture file, and it's background layer.
Press Ctrl V (to paste). This will paste your border into the bottom layer, and because the top layer is transparent around the picture, the border will show through.
Flatten the layers, and save.
This will work in an action nicely (I've done it), but it's important that the border is opened first while you're recording this.
Hope this helps.
Vikki