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I am trying to batch process images that need to be cut into multiple smaller images. I have an action that opens an image, then selects a portion of it, copies, creates a new image, pastes, then saves that new image, closes it, goes back to the original, copies a new portion...and so on It properly cuts the original image into multiple smaller parts (9 each).

Now I want to batch process multiple original images and cut them in the same way. When I override the save command and use a serial number, expecting to get a unique name for each saved image, Photoshop updates the serial number only for each ORIGINAL image that it opens, so the 9 smaller images all get the same names and therefore overwrite each other.

How Can I get Photoshop to save each new image with a new unique name? I was thinking that a timestamp would also work, but the batch naming only allows dates and not time.

Is there any way to achieve what I need? (Seems like a pretty common thing to cut an image into multiple parts, I would think.)

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    This kind of sounds like a situation where you could use the Slice tool and then use Save for web to save each slice as a separate image.
    – Joonas
    Jun 1, 2014 at 17:57
  • Hmmm...that might be the better tool. But it still leaves me with the problem: How do I automate this so I can get about 50 images all sliced the same way and the resulting slices all saved with unique names (without me having to manually intervene)
    – Markus B
    Jun 1, 2014 at 18:09
  • Take the slice tool and right click your document, then select Divide slice. The Save for web takes care of saving those slices as separate images.
    – Joonas
    Jun 1, 2014 at 18:18
  • Thank you, Joonas. I tried it, but it produces the same problem: When I create an action, so I can slice many images the same way and then use the Batch command to go through all the images in a folder, it does correctly slice all images. But, because it saves the resulting images in a folder called "images" and then names them the same way, at the end of the action, only the last 9 slices (from the last original image) are still there. All the other ones got overwritten. (The "override 'save as' option of the Batch command does not work with the 'save for web' command apparently)
    – Markus B
    Jun 1, 2014 at 18:35
  • Again: I have about 50 original images. They all need to be sliced in the same way into 9 images each. I am trying to avoid having to manually open each of the 50 images and slice them. The "Batch" command works and creates all the images I need but gives them the same names and therefore overwrites them before I can move or rename them.
    – Markus B
    Jun 1, 2014 at 18:35

1 Answer 1

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Using slices and Save for Web as joonas suggests will get you 99% of the way there. To allow you to create unique filenames (and/or save to unique folders), toggle on the SfW dialog at that step in the Action you create by clicking in the blank square next to it in the Action steps.

When the action reaches that point it will pause and open the dialog, at which point you can specify where the slices will be saved and/or change the default slice naming. (That said, the Photoshop default is to use the existing filename as the first part of the slice name, which would give you unique filenames automatically unless all your originals have the same name.)

The Comprehensive Guide to Saving Images for the Web

Photoshop Help / Slicing web pages

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