Convert .psd's to .tiff's, keeping layers and original folder structure

[Mines Abeer]

Hello and thank you for reading, all suggestions welcome. I have scattered throughout my catalogue some 600+ .psd files which I would like to convert into .tiff's. I would like to keep the layers intact and have them re-imported into Lightroom in there original folders and stacked next to the psd's. I will then once all is backed up delete the psd's to complete this process. Question is, how to automate this and achieve the outcome I'm after. I have done a lot of trial an error by myself on a single image, parts of which work but I cannot string the whole thing together, export from Lightroom flattens the files not what I want, I have tried to use a droplet within Lightroom which seems to work except stacking the tiff back with the psd, I have looked for plugins which might do what I require but so far no joy there either. It appears to me the way to go is one by one, i.e. open in Photoshop and save, do the next 600+ the same, but life is way to short, so please can anyone suggest how my objectives may be achieved auto magically.
Thanks Mines

 

[Johan Elzenga]

You have to do this in Photoshop. Use 'File - Scripts- Image Processor', that can batch convert an entire folder.

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum.
Lightroom only exports a flattened single layer image. If the original image has layers, LR will not flatten the original but instead will preserve the layers. If you want to convert to TIFF and preserve the layers, then your best workflow would be to use the Edit-In function to edit in PSCC. Then, use "Save As" to save the PSCC image in the original folder as TIFF preserving the layers. Once you have completed the Edit-In round trip, you can use the Lightroom Sync Folder function to import all of the TIFFs alongside your PSDs.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

To do this as easy and fast as possible, here's how I would do it:

1. Select all the PSDs in Lightroom and drag & drop them into a separate folder.
2. Open Photoshop, start the Image Processor, and batch process that folder to make TIFFs of all the PSDs. Save them to the same folder.
3. In Explorer, select all the PSDs and delete them.
4. In Lightroom, use 'Synchronize Folder'. Tell Lightroom to Import the new TIFF's and delete the now missing PSDs from the catalog.

 

[Mines Abeer]

Thanks for replying.
So best way forward is, export psd's to a folder, batch process in photoshop and then import back into lightroom? How would I ensure they all end up back in there original folders?

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Thanks for replying.
So best way forward is, export psd's to a folder, batch process in photoshop and then import back into lightroom? How would I ensure they all end up back in there original folders?

No, not export the PSDs. That will flatten them. You have to move the originals. They won't end up back in their original folders, however. That's something you would have to do manually if that is important to you.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

If keeping the original folder structure is important, you could adapt the suggested workflow by running the Image Processor from Bridge. In Bridge you could select a folder, select the PSDs inside that folder, and then run the Image Processor on the selected images only. The rest is the same: delete the PSDs, then use Synchronize Folder in Lightroom. You would have to do this for each folder that contains PSDs. Depending on how many folders you have, this may become almost as daunting a task as doing it image by image in Photoshop.

 

[Mines Abeer]

Thanks again, I will MOVE them not export, I ment move first time, apologizes. Shall have a play with a couple of images, before setting image processor lose on all 600+ to see if I can return them to there original folders without to much hastle, hopefully my file naming (YY MM DD) may help, then again. I'll decide on the next move after that.
Thank you for all your very helpful replies
Mines

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Come to think of it, you can use a slightly different method that does not involve Bridge. You could use the initial workflow I suggested, but move and process images one folder at a time. Then you can move the TIFFs back to the initial folder before you process the next folder.