We've got a directory of images that we want to batch process to correct the color of the background. How can I reference the top left pixel color in an action (CS3)?

I need to reference it so that I can make the background of each image pure white. There's over 1,000 images to process and going one-by-one sucks.

For instance the pic below has #FCFEFC as the top left pixel color and I need to adjust it to #FFFFFF. BTW all the images are GIF format and have to stay as GIF.

Don't know if this will help but here it is anyway
http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/10.0/help.html?content=WSfd1234e1c4b69f30ea53e41001031ab64-7425.html

I pasted your photo and created a small action.
I set color to white, Quick Selection tool, Bucket Fill and then I saw that the logos partly disappeared. So some selecting prior to the coloring has to take place

Default color to white.
Rectangular select the logo, I'm assuming they are basically in the same place, if not, I suggest you open a beer and it's going to be a long night.
Copy logo to clipboard
Deselect
Magic Wand on background
Fill with Bucket tool
Paste logo from clipboard.



Never did a batch action but the web should have an answer.

Logos are all over depending on the shape of the house. Figured my batch/action would simply adjust the color. Either through levels, hue/sat, selective color, contrast, etc.

The big thing is that i need to get the top left pixel's color value so that I can do the adjustment based on that color value.

@jc... I've used the batch processor before and have recorded actions before. Just never saw anything that would let me reference a specific pixel as my starting point.

Your GIFs are screwed, they seem to have been saved as JPGs sometime in the past. The background is not really a solid color - it looks like light JPG artifacts.

In the image that you posted, the background is FCFEFC with a FCFEF4 (faint yellow) dot pattern

If they all look grayscale and are of similar quality, I would do the following:

1. convert to grayscale
2. Image Adjust Level - pull the white slider (on the right side) to about 250, this should take care of making the faint background white
3. convert to index color
4. save

Re: need action assistance

Dude, talk to your wife..


(Az slinks back into the shadows)

P.S. converting back to index color seems to make the graphic a bit darker, you can offset the effect by adjusting the levels in step 2 above to 0 - 1.2 - 250 (move the middle slider to the left a bit)

Yep. Originally jpegs. The were converted to GIF to save disk space back before we brought the site hosting in-house (provider was local and couldn't give us anymore space in their Podunk operation).

All images are greyscale images like the example above. So I think simply adjusting the levels would do. I just want to ensure that I get them to white. Guess I can only get a closer approximation than what they are now.

I just copied your image and created a new raster layer beneath it as pure white (#ffffff). I then set your image's layer to multiply. It seemed do get the result you want (at least in Paint Shop Photo). I merged the layers then increased the contrast to 100%. The background pixels seemed to stay pure white. Your results may vary, but if they don't can you batch process using the technique?

Not a bad idea at all! Could even try screen on the top layer of white in CS3. I'll give that a shot.

Tried putting a white layer underneath and then setting the greyscale image layer to "luminosity" and that resulted in #fdfdfd so at least it's closer.

I think I can then do a color replace of that value for #ffffff and it should work. Time to experiment....

Edit - Did that and then dropped another white layer on top set to "soft light" merged down and the resulting background is #fefefe. So getting very close to a workable batch action.

Edit #2 - Sliding the levels I do see the speckling artifacts that voks pointed out.

This task is a PITA!

Is there a reasonable explanation why you wouldn't try the steps I outlined above?

Cuz I didn't read it close enough.

Will try on Monday.

For now.... WEEKEND!