I have a somewhat simple problem which I cannot figure out. I need to take a number of pdf's (250 or so) and import them into photoshop, then save for web. I currenty have an action set up to open from a file, save for web, then close the original file without saving. When I use this action on an individual file it works fine, when I try to use a batch, it wants to open all the files in my source folder first. Is there any way I can have the batch just do one file at a time? as in open pdf, save for web, close pdf, open pdf#2, save for web, close pdf#2, etc...
any help is greatly appreciated. Oh, and if it matters, I'm using CS2.

Try the File - Scripts - Image Processor feature

If you want to use the Batch command try this:

With no images open start recording a new action
- File - Open - etc etc
- (processing if any - filters, resize, convert, etc)
- Save as (jpg) ...
- Close
- Stop recording

In the File - Automate - Batch options
- define the action to apply
- Source - folder (Choose...)
- Turn on the checkbox for 'Override Action Open commands'
- Supress File Open Options Dialogs

Destination: Folder (Choose ... different folder)
- override action Save As command
- file naming (3 Digit Serial Number)

---------------
I had some trouble with the Save for web, because it translates to an Export command in the Action.

I used the file naming feature with a serial numbering, because the File - Open (PDF) action kept using the file name from the first PDF for all the others in the batch process, i.e. overwriting the target JPG. I may be mising something. YMMV

would .pdf files go through photoalbum,
file > automate> web album >
choose Source folder and Destination Folder
in the dialog window choose simple, in the options box choose large images, do all your settings in there, size, quality ect ignore other options, press ok,
if it works go to the Destination Folder delete thumbnail, pages folders and index,
good luck

Thanks for the suggestions guys, but I just kinda did it manually with a couple of actions. My customer, for some reason, was able to create pdf files that were 20+ meg each and they were only 8.5"x11" or smaller and in grayscale! I can only image he scanned the images at some ridiculous resolution and then exported them as pdf's. I was having problems dropping the file sizes even by doing a simple save as. The jpg's would still be about 8 or 9 meg. That's when the Save for web idea came in and it worked much better. Those of you wondering why couldn't I optimize the pdf... well acrobat would try to do it, but would encounter errors when processing the images. Anyway, thanks again for the suggestions.

I would recommend IrfanView for batch processing files. Fairly sure it handles PDF compression. It's free too (they ask for $12 donation for commercial use.) http://www.irfanview.com

PS is good at a lot of things but I've had countless headaches trying to get import/export actions to work across formats.

On a related task I have several dozen PDF files that I need to open in CS3 and then drop in a logo layer and a watermark layer and then save-for-the-web in two different sizes. The logo and watermark are literally the same PSD file. The logo is sized smaller and placed in a corner. The watermark copy is stretched to the size of the PDF image and then reduced in opacity to 5%.

Is this something I can do in an Action? I'd like to know before I even attempt.

Try the procedure as outlined above:

1. make a new action, start recording
- File - Open - etc etc
- File - Place - Watermark.psd
- Flatten
- Image size (for size 1)
- Save as (jpg) ...
- Close
- Stop recording

2. use the Batch mode or File - Scripts - Image Processor to process the entire folder to size 1

3. make a new action to resize (size 2) and batch or script the jpgs in "size 1 folder" to a "size 2 folder". Better yet, batch resize using XnView

Thanks voks! I'll see about this. The saving for second size I would just use a batch conversion & rename in IrfanView. I don't want to flatten the image as I have to go in and do some work on each one. Basically they're all floorplans in PDF that I have to go in an make the text larger. So I want to record the action to open the files, drop in the logo and watermark layers, center the watermark vert/horz, and save the file as a PSD. Now the kicker is that I open the PDFs and I need to pull them in as an image at 600 DPI. Otherwise I can't read the text of the measurements.

Anyway I'll give this method a go. I've got a dozen or so of these things left to do and in the next month I'll have several hundred to do. So a macro to do much of the task would be great.