7 – Macros and batch processing

Macros are stored instructions that are to be repeated several times. By storing them and having Better JPEG carry them out for you saves time. When a macro is run on a batch of image files, it is called batch processing.

For example you run an online gallery. You wish to create a set of thumbnails that will fit into a square 100×100. First you need to create the macro.

1. Click the edit menu.
2. Click Macro Actions.
3. Click Edit Macro Actions. A dialog box should pop up.
4. Click on new. A new dialog box should pop up.
5. Type in a name for the macro that you will remember.
6. Select Resize/Resample from the Available Actions.
7. Click on the add button.
8. Enter the desired maximum width and height.
9. Select Save from the Available Actions.
10. Click Add to add the Save step. This step is to save the image after the resize is made.
11. Click OK.
12. Click OK again.

You now have a macro you can reuse again and again.

Now we need to apply this to the pictures in your gallery.

1. Copy all the images you wish to a single directory. (It is assumed that you know how to do this on Windows.)
2. Click on browse to directory (fig 9). A new dialog should come up.
3. Select the directory
4. Click OK
5. The directory and the images within that you copied into will be shown on the left hand side.
6. Right click anywhere on box on the left. A menu should pop up.
7. Click Select All Items. All the item should be selected.
   
8. Right click one of the images.
9. Click Macro Actions
10. Click Resize 100. This is the macro to resize all image down to within 100×100. A dialog box should pop up.
11. Click All Selected.

Now all images have been resized down to within 100×100.