How to Make an Action Button in Adobe Photoshop CS3
- 1). Open Adobe Photoshop CS3 and go to "Window" and "Actions" to open the Actions palette. There are a number of preset Actions that come with the program. Some of these are for special effects such as sepia toning---making an image look old fashioned by turning it to a brownish-red color---and others are to cut, copy or paste selections. Other preset Actions are used to add frames to your images.
- 2). Click the little arrow in the upper-right corner of the Actions palette and a drop-down menu will appear. Click the "Button Mode" selection if it has a check mark to the left. When this is checked, it keeps Actions in the Button Mode, meaning if you click on the button or use the keyboard shortcut associated with it, it will perform its function. You need to be out of the Button Mode---unchecked---to create a new Action.
- 3). Click the small arrow again and you will see more options, including "New Action" and "New Set." If you want to make several actions, first select "New Set." When the dialog box appears, type a name for your set.
- 4). Click the small arrow again and select "New Action." A dialog box will appear that allows you to name the Action, choose what Set it will be associated with, add a function key or keyboard shortcut to your Action and assign it a color. These last two are optional. Type "Resize Vertical" as the name of the Action, then click the "Record" button. From this point on, everything you do will be recorded as your Action.
- 5). Go to the "Image" menu and select "Image Size." In the bottom portion of the dialog box, type 8.5 for "Width," 11 for "Height" and 300 in the "Resolution" box. You now have set up a standard size for a vertical print photograph. Go back to the small arrow and click "Stop Recording." To use your new Action, use the small arrow to go back to "Button Mode" and it will appear in the list.
