Batch processing
The Batch command lets you play an action on a folder of files and subfolders. You can also use the Batch command to populate a template with different sets of data. (See About data-driven graphics.) When batch processing files, you can leave all the files open, close and save the changes to the original files, or save modified versions of the files to a new location (leaving the originals unchanged). If you are saving the processed files to a new location, you may want to create a new folder for the processed files before starting the batch.
To batch process files: - Choose Batch from the Actions palette menu.
- For Set, choose the desired set.
- For Action, choose the desired action.
- For Source, choose an option:
- Folder to play an action on files (including subfolders) already stored on your computer. Click Choose to specify a folder. Select Override Action "Open" Commands to open the files from the specified folder. (Any Open commands recorded as part of the original action are ignored.) Select Include All Subdirectories to process all files and folders within the specified folder.
- Data Sets to play an action once for each data set in the current file. (See Using data sets and Loading and saving variable libraries.)
- For Destination, choose an option:
- None to leave the files open without saving changes (unless the action included a Save command).
- Save and Close to save the files in their current location. This option is only available if you chose Folder for Source.
- Folder to save the altered files to another location. Click Choose to specify the destination folder. This option is only available if you chose Folder for Source.
Saving files using the Batch command options always saves the files in the same format as the original files. To create a batch process that saves files in a new format, record the Save As or Save a Copy command, followed by the Close command, as part of your original action. Then choose None for the Destination when setting up the batch process.
- If the action contains any save or export commands, set override options:
- Override Action "Save" Commands to save the processed files in the specified destination folder and not to a location recorded in the action. Click Choose to specify the destination folder.
- Override Action "Export" Commands to export the processed files to the specified destination folder and not to a location recorded in the action. Click Choose to specify the destination folder.
- If you chose Data Sets for Source, select option for generating file names when overriding save and export commands:
- File + Number to generate the file name by taking the original document's file name, removing any extension, and then appending a three digit number corresponding to the data set.
- File + Data Set Name to generate the file name by taking the original document's file name, removing any extension, and then appending an underscore and the name of the data set.
- Data Set Name to generate the file name by taking the name of the data set.
- For Errors, choose an option:
- Stop for Errors to suspend the batch process until you confirm the error message.
- Log Errors to File to record each error in the file without stopping the batch process. If errors are logged to this file, a message appears after files are processed, alerting you to review the error file. If you select this option, click Save As, and name the error file.
To batch process using multiple actions, create a new action, and record the Batch command for each action you want to use. This technique also lets you process multiple folders in a single batch. To batch process multiple folders, create aliases within a folder to the other folders you want to process.
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