Drop-lets

[mbalensiefer]

I am using Windows 7 with PS CS5 and am using droplets. I can only drag about 300 images into the droplets, and any higher number than this and the system will not take any of the images at all.

Is this standard for Photoshop?

Thanks
Michael

[john beardsworth]

It may be something to do with the length of the command line - the total length of all the file paths and the droplet's path. Try putting move than 300 images in a folder with a short path, such as "d:\images\" . Does it make a difference?

John

[mbalensiefer]

Ok. So far I've simply placed my droplet at the root of where the images I am batching lie. I can now drag more files into a droplet. How many remains to be seen.
Are you saying that each file processed has the entire path of the droplet plus each file's path--and so the total length of all commands with any number of files that I drag in must remain under "x" number of characters?

In this case, does Photoshop.exe need to be "close" to the images and droplet as well?

Michael

[john beardsworth]

Yes, that's what I'm pretty well saying. I am guessing but I have seen similar problems when Lightroom sends files to droplets or other apps. There's a limit to the length of the command line that can be passed, and it's lower in Windows than on Mac. The location of the droplet will only be there once, and the location of Photoshop probably doesn't matter, but the paths to the files will be full length. You'll probably be able to run more files if the paths are like this:

  c:\droplet.exe D:\Batch\110327_0001 Cheriton.dng D:\Batch\110327_0002 Cheriton.dng D:\Batch\110327_0003 Cheriton.dng

than like this:

   c:\droplet.exe R:\Landing Zone\DNG_104\110327 Cheriton\110327_0001 Cheriton.dng D:\Batch\110327_0002 Cheriton.dng D:\Batch\110327_0003 Cheriton.dng

So it can make sense to temporarily move the files.

John

[mbalensiefer]

Thanks, John.

 I am wondering technically if another solution would be to extend the length of the command line's executables through some means. I've Googled and tried out a few possibilities but neither of the two I tried seemed to work.

Michael

[john beardsworth]

Did you try symbolic links which could shorten the command line? A somewhat geeky solution, I know, but I suspect that's the kind of workaround you'll need. What are you actually trying to do? Can the task be accomplished using something other than droplets - eg Bridge's Image Processor, Lightroom, scripting Photoshop?

[howardm]

the standard way of doing something like that in the Unix/Linux/OSX world is to use 'xargs'.  Not sure if it's been ported to Win or if there is something like that.

[mbalensiefer]

I am working on a script with someone for such, as we speak. I will keep you in the loop.

Michael

[john beardsworth]

The great thing about scripting is you can build in all sorts of logic - if this, then do that, else etc

John