Challenge descriptions

[d_kendal]

If anybody is like me and always forgets what you've done on a challenge, or just don't feel like writing the steps down, here's an easy way to keep track:

Before you start working on your challenge, open up the actions pallete, create a new action called "Challenge Description" and start recording. Now everything you do to the photo will be recorded in the action. when you're finished, go to the menu, hold down Ctrl + Alt and click Save actions. That'll save it as a text file, which you can then edit (add reasons as to why you did something, take out things you undid etc.) and after that, you'll have a very nice and thorough challenge description, which are very helpfull to anybody who's reading and learning from them.

- David

[dcarr]

Great idea David. Never thought of that. There are times I'll have one heck of an actions list. It'll need a lot of trimming!
Debbie

[Ed_L]

Good idea David. That's gotta be a winning way to do it.

Ed

[Mig]

Wow David, that is very cool. I'll have to try that. Never thought it was possible to do it that way. I've copied your instructions because I know I'll lose the thread.

Hope some people try this, thanks again,

Mig

[d_kendal]

Originally posted by dcarr
Great idea David. Never thought of that. There are times I'll have one heck of an actions list. It'll need a lot of trimming!
Debbie

thanks, the idea just popped in my head when I was creating an action, I thought Hey now I can be lazy and not write anything down, but still have a nice detailed description ) I know what you mean about having huge actions! with all the experimenting I do sometimes, it could go on for ages. there is one way around that though, when you're recording the action, just stop it while you're doing something you're not worried about remembering, then start it going again after that. I'm actually writing a tut right now about how to create actions, so that might help anybody who wants to try this out but doesn't know much about actions.

- David

[retpmikl]

As a newbie, always forgetting to note what I did and, so, being unable to reproduce it, I think that's the best tip I found so far. Thanks a lot.

[d_kendal]

no problem!

- David

[LQQKER]

You know David . . . I never thought of that!

Sounds like a plan if completeting a project at one computer sitting "or" you leave your computer on. If working on something that you play with a little every day, I would imagine this could get a little complicated if involving more than one file.

Regardless . . . good idea.

[jeaniesa]

Lqqker, Since you would be recording an action, you can start/stop the recording at any point - and even add steps in between those you've already recorded if you want. Thus, if you create a new action for each "piece" that you work on and only work a little bit over multiple days, then you would stop recording the action when you're done working on it for the day - and the next time you want to work on it, open the file then start recording at the end of the action that you had recorded previously and it will append any new steps that you take. No need for multiple recording files - it can all be in one.

Jeanie

[LQQKER]

Jeaniesa,

Thanks for the information, it's appreciated.

[Flora]

WOW, David!

....I'm no newbie anymore, but I agree with retpmikl

... I think that's the best tip I found so far....

Thank you very, very much for it!

[WideAngle]

Hi,
Further to saving a text file to post of the actions.
Why not save the action to a photoshop action file.
Then any of us can open the original image and then run the action in photoshop step by step to see what was actually happening visually....

Almost like we were sitting right next to eachother.
Maybe this could be an addition of the tutorials section.....

Or can the text file be converted back to an action? I'm not sure....

wideangle

[arcadhia]

Even I asked my Teacher how to record all the steps I've perfomed in a pic... and He didn't knew it! Let me call him!
Once again Thanks!