"Command not available" in written PS Action!!

[Robert_Wayne_Smith@adobeforums.com]

I've been successfully writing and using Photoshop actions for a while, so I'm not new to the process. But I've come across a very unusual and frustrating problem.

Today, I wrote a new action -- a VERY SIMPLE one with only two steps. First, I used a Levels adjustment, and then a Shadow/Highlight adjustment. I recorded both into a single action.

When I tried to play it back (I was trying to batch process about six similar files), a warning came up saying, "The Levels command is not currently available." And it gave me the option to either "Stop" or "Continue." Either way I went, no work was done on the file.

I thought this was odd, so I created another action, but this time, I used the Curves command to perform my first adjustment on the file (instead of the Levels command). When I tried it on another file, it worked! So far, so good (though I was still wondering why in the world the Levels command was "not available".

OK, now I attempted to use this command on multiple files. Now I get "The Curves command is not currently available." When I press "Continue" I then get "The Shadow/Highlight command is not currently available."

OK, maybe it doesn't want to do multiple files (I'm looking for any measure of success here), so I try to play the action on just one file. Nope; same result.

I quit Photoshop and restart the computer. Nope; same thing. I'm mystified!

FWIW, I'm using PS CS on a G5 Dual 1.8. This is the first trouble I've had playing a Photoshop action.

Please help if you can!

Robert

[Ed_Hannigan@adobeforums.com]

I've seen this before. Usually there's nothing wrong with the action, it's the settings in the Batch dialog. Do you have an Open command or is Override Open not checked? Or some variation. Play with those commands and you will probably get it.

[Ed_Hannigan@adobeforums.com]

Oh, and you might change Errors to Log Errors instead of Stop on error. When you open the error log you will probably find that were none.

[Ann_Shelbourne@adobeforums.com]

Open up the Action in the Actions palette and look at each step.

My guess is that the recorded Action is looking for a specifically-named Layer which existed in your original file but which does not exist in your current file.

To get over this, you may need to re-record your Action using the keyboard shortcuts to select the right layer. The action will then record this as something like "Select previous layer" (no name given). Your action should then be able to run on any file.