Sequential Batch-runs

[tomczak]

Here is a job that I was faced with last night: I needed to batch process lots of files. I needed 3 different workflows to be applied (to different sets o files). Since each of them takes hours to complete, I was trying to set the job so that once I set it, it would work away overnight by itself. I couldn't figure out how to run the workflows in a sequence automatically. Is there a way? Cheers.

[ksinkel]

Presently, you can cascade workflows. However cascaded workflows have to be started manually. The start would have to be done after the feeding workflow completes in order to include all the images. Still, it may be easier to set up such a cascade initially and then simply kick off each later stage after an earlier stage completes.

However an automatic cascade, something akin to pipes in Unix, does sound like an interestng enhancement for my 'spare' time. Do others think they would have a use for such feature?

Kiril

[den]

Kiril...

My style of post-processing does not usually include large batch processing but does included brief workflows, such as 'local contrast enhancement' followed by 'sharpening'...

...So would appreciate the abilitly to select an un-saved image version from the working space, initiate a workflow with its output dropped back into the working space as a subsequent image version...

I know this is not as easy as linking multiple worklfows and saved image folders... but perhaps something for 'spare time' consideration!!!!... and the future.

[tomczak]

Den,

I'm not sure if this is what you're after: using History, one can almost apply any workflow to an open image and have the result in a new window. The catch is to apply a workflow to an image when you open it, then you can reapply the workflow from history to any other open image.

[den]

Thank you, Maciej...

...this is what I would like to do. I haven't explored History workflows as most of the post-processing for my style of images rely on MiscTools and 'One to One Cloning' for dodge/burn effects that are not recorded in History. I will try your suggestion to execute a two step sharpening workflow [Bilateral Sharpening with LCE settings, then with near default Sharpening settings] from a History workflow. If there is further interest by others, I can detail the setup in another message board thread.

If I understand this suggestion correctly, it has the potenial to be akin to PS 'actions', limited only by the available widgets.

Thank you again.... den

[tomczak]

There is one related functionality that I think would be v. helpful: adding 'skip existing files' on dublicate name to the save widget.

[kkopchynski]

Hi Kiril,

I would use both the OP's cascading request and Den's request to initiate a workflow on an open but unsaved image.
Thanks for offering to consider this.
Kevin Kopchynski

[Bob Walker]

This post is a response to Kiril's question about including a Unix pipe-like widget. Maybe I am transforming his question, but I would love to see a widget that resembles the file-save widget (implementing a pipe as a named file). The widget would have two fields -- (1) the name of the file to write to disk from the workflow, and then (2) the name of a (newer) file to read from disk when it appears with a time stamp newer than the written file.

This would be a very powerful widget, because you could implement plug-ins. Imagine that I write myself a little program that wakes up when the named file is written (maybe PWP would start my program with the named file as input), my program performs a transformation on it, writes out the newer file with the result of my transform, and then PWP wakes up and continues processing.