PNG to CMYK to EPS batch

[WCOHAN]

Hello Helpful Person,
I have a task I need to perform in Photoshop, but I am not sure how to do it, perhaps you can offer some advice. The task: Mass convert several .png files to CMYK and save all the files with .eps extensions. Thanks for any help you may provide on this subject. If possible, please email reply to cohan@rimes.com

[Urban Grafix®]

Okay...open the file in PS then go to >>> image >> mode >> CMYK...after that >> File >> save as >>then select the EPS extention! :)

[Phil_The_Rodent]

I believe if you do a "save as" and just change the file format during the recording of your action, it will work fine in your batch if I recall... I'll double check tonight if I have the time. I remember doing this before...

[WCOHAN]

Lets say I want to skip the save as .eps step, and would simply like to give all my .png files CMYK properties, is that possible?

[torevaal]

why do you need to skip the save as...part?? make an action with the save as..
just make sure the Override action "Save as" commands is unchecked

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Are you asking how to make a batch or how to make something CMYK? I can only assume you want a batch. Here's how to buld one.

First, you need an action. So open a document to make an action on. Take one of your pictures, but work in a different directory as the rest (copy the picture over). Once open, go to your actions palette and press Create New Action, name it, and press record. Now you're going to want to do two things here. First, go to Image>Mode>CMYK, and then File>Save As and change the format to Photoshop EPS, setting up all your EPS Options as normal. Then press stop on your actions palette.

Now you want to batch this action.

Go to File>Automate>Batch

In the play field, go to the Action set, and choose the action you just created. The source should be a folder, choose the folder that contains the pictures you are modifying, and check the appropriate boxes. In Destination leave it as none (your "Save As" is embedded in the action, so leave the source files alone). Press OK and watch the fireworks. :)

[WCOHAN]

Allow me to clarify my objective. I have a framemaker doc that contains many .png images (screen shots). The Print shop says they can make the PDF CMYK compatible, but the quality would be better if the images were also CMYK modeled prior converting the PDF as a whole. I want to make my existing RGB-based PNG images into CMYK-based images, but keep them as .png. If I 'save as' .eps in photoshop, my problem still exists unless I replace every graphic in my 300 page manual, which I prefer to avoid. See my problem? In sum, I need to put my .png images into CMYK mode in photoshop and 'save as' the same type of file, .png. Naturally I would apply the batch process once I understand how to do this. Thanks for any help you may provide, I appreciate it.

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Ooh. I see what you want to do here. Batching will not make this look any better than sending as RGB, because you will still be throwing things out of gamut. But here's a start.

Rather than doing "save as" in your action, just change the colour mode. Then in your batch, instead of doing action "none", go "save and close". Pretty simple, no?

I'd strongly suggest that you run this batch on a copy of your image folder and not the original. Then go through each converted picture, and make sure nothing's blown out, and you have all the depth and stuff that you want. You may have to go back to the originals from time to time, turn on CMYK preview so you can see what detail is being lost during the transition. Heavily saturated areas in RGB often don't make the transition to CMYK, so you can lose detail if you're not careful. Good luck!

[Edited on 6-2-2003 by Phil_The_Rodent]