Batch of files manually sorted in Bridge - Can I run a PS Action in that manual order?

Question

For some jobs my workflow ideally involves manually sorting the order of a batch of RAW files in Bridge (the RAW file names are as assigned by the camera) and then using a PS Action from Bridge to convert, save, and rename the batch of files. I want to end up with my image files sequentially numbered in the manually sorted order.
However, my PS Action automatically processes the files in ascending order of their RAW file names and therefore my manually assigned file order in Bridge is lost.
Is there a script (or other method) which will allow me to run a PS action from Bridge on a batch of files while keeping the manually sorted order for the purposes of the numbering sequence of the renamed output files?
My current workaround is to Batch Rename in Bridge a copied set of RAW files as an intermediate step to running my PS Action on the renamed RAW file copies. It's not a bad workaround but if there is an easier way, I would much appreciate knowing about it!
Geoff

Answer 1

Geoff, here is an example that works for me. When I test ran the sample script based on some stuff that I do the files are process in the order of the manual sort and only the files in my selection are processed folders etc are ignored… I have NO idea how much people charge for this sort of thing I only do it for the learning process. If you can let me know what the Photoshop process is and your OS I 'may' be able to help but I make NO promises as Im still very much the learner with this stuff…
You can give this a test if you like…
#target bridge
with (app.document) {
     if (sorts[0].type == 'user') {
          if (selections.length == 0) {
               selectAll();
               var userSel = selections;
               deselectAll();
          } else {
               var userSel = selections;
          for (var i = 0; i < userSel.length; i++) {
               if (userSel[i].type == 'file') psProcess(userSel[i].spec);
     } else {
           alert('This window is NOT a manual sort?')
function psProcess(filePath) {
     var psScript = 'while (app.documents.length) app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.PROMPTTOSAVECHANGES);' + '\n';
     psScript += 'var userDialogs = app.displayDialogs; \n';
     psScript += 'var userRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits; \n';
     psScript += 'app.diaplayDialogs = DialogModes.NO; \n';
     psScript += 'app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS; \n';
     psScript += 'app.bringToFront(); \n';
     // Pass File Object as toSource
     psScript += 'var thisFile = ' + filePath.toSource() + '; \n';
     psScript += 'var docRef = app.open(thisFile); \n';
     psScript += 'var baseName = docRef.name.slice(0, -4); \n';
     // Edit the document
     psScript += 'if (docRef.bitsPerChannel == BitsPerChannelType.SIXTEEN) docRef.bitsPerChannel = BitsPerChannelType.EIGHT; \n';
     psScript += 'if (docRef.mode != DocumentMode.RGB) docRef.changeMode(ChangeMode.RGB); \n';
     psScript += 'if (docRef.colorProfileName != "sRGB IEC61966-2.1") docRef.convertProfile("sRGB IEC61966-2.1", Intent.RELATIVECOLORIMETRIC); \n';
     psScript += 'docRef.flatten(); \n';
     // Call some functions
     psScript += 'processChannels(docRef); \n';
     psScript += 'processPaths(docRef); \n';
     psScript += 'if (docRef.pathItems.length >= 1) processSelection(docRef, 0); \n';
     psScript += 'fitImage(docRef, 880, 72); \n';     
     psScript += 'docRef.resizeCanvas(900, 900, AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER); \n';
     // set up new file path to save document
     psScript += 'var newFilePath = new File("~/Desktop/" + baseName + ".jpg"); \n';
     psScript += 'saveFileasJPEG(newFilePath, 9); \n';
     //      Close doc & put back prefs
     psScript += 'app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES); \n';
     psScript += 'app.diaplayDialogs = userDialogs; \n';
     psScript += 'app.preferences.rulerUnits = userRulerUnits; \n';     
     // Use eval & toSource for Photoshop functions
     psScript += 'eval' + processChannels.toSource(); + '; \n';
     psScript += 'eval' + processPaths.toSource(); + '; \n';
     psScript += 'eval' + processSelection.toSource(); + '; \n';
     psScript += 'eval' + fitImage.toSource(); + '; \n';
     //psScript += 'eval' + imageArea.toSource(); + '; \n';
     //psScript += 'eval' + saveFileasTIFF.toSource(); + '; \n';
     psScript += 'eval' + saveFileasJPEG.toSource(); + '; \n';
     // Send script to Photoshop
     btMessaging('photoshop', psScript);
General Functions
function btMessaging(targetApp, script) {
     var bt = new BridgeTalk();
     bt.target = targetApp;
     bt.body = script;
     bt.send();
function createFolder(folderPath) {
     var thisFolder = new Folder(folderPath);
     if (!thisFolder.exists) thisFolder.create();
Photoshop Functions
function processChannels(docRef) {
     for (var i = docRef.channels.length-1; i >= 0; i--) {
          if (docRef.channels[i].kind == ChannelType.MASKEDAREA) {
               docRef.channels[i].remove();
               continue;
          if (docRef.channels[i].kind == ChannelType.SELECTEDAREA) {
               docRef.channels[i].remove();
               continue;
          if (docRef.channels[i].kind == ChannelType.SPOTCOLOR) {
               docRef.channels[i].merge();
function processPaths(docRef) {
     if (docRef.pathItems.length >= 2) {
          for (var i = 0; i < docRef.pathItems.length; i++) {
               if (docRef.pathItems[i].kind == PathKind.CLIPPINGPATH) {
                    docRef.pathItems[i].makeClippingPath(0.5);
                    docRef.pathItems[i].makeSelection(0, true, SelectionType.REPLACE);
                    docRef.pathItems[i].deselect();
  if (docRef.pathItems.length == 1) {
          if      (docRef.pathItems[0].kind == PathKind.WORKPATH) docRef.pathItems[0].name = 'Clipping Path'
          docRef.pathItems[0].makeClippingPath(0.5);
          docRef.pathItems[0].makeSelection(0, true, SelectionType.REPLACE);
          docRef.pathItems[0].deselect();
function processSelection(docRef, offSet) {
     if (docRef.layers[0].isBackgroundLayer) docRef.layers[0].isBackgroundLayer = false;
     docRef.selection.expand(offSet);
     docRef.selection.invert();
     docRef.activeLayer = docRef.layers[0];
     docRef.selection.clear();
     docRef.selection.deselect();
     docRef.trim(TrimType.TRANSPARENT, true, true, true, true);
     docRef.flatten();
function fitImage(docRef, newSize, newRes) {
  if (docRef.width >= docRef.height) {
     docRef.resizeImage(newSize, undefined, newRes, ResampleMethod.BICUBICSMOOTHER);
  else {
     docRef.resizeImage(undefined, newSize, newRes, ResampleMethod.BICUBICSMOOTHER);
function imageArea(docRef, newArea, newRes) {
  var originalArea = docRef.width * docRef.height;
  if (originalArea > newArea) {
     var newWidth = Math.sqrt(docRef.width * newArea / docRef.height);
     var newHeight = (docRef.height * newWidth / docRef.width);
     docRef.resizeImage(newWidth, newHeight, newRes, ResampleMethod.BICUBICSMOOTHER);
  else {
     docRef.resizeImage(undefined, undefined, newRes, ResampleMethod.NONE);
function bitmapOptions(res) {
  bitOptions = new BitmapConversionOptions();
     bitOptions.method = BitmapConversionType.HALFTHRESHOLD;
     bitOptions.resolution = res;
     bitOptions.shape = BitmapHalfToneType.SQUARE;
     return bitOptions;
Photoshop Save As Functions
function saveFileasTIFF(saveFile, aC, iC, la, sC, tr) {
     tiffSaveOptions = new TiffSaveOptions();
     tiffSaveOptions.alphaChannels = aC;
     tiffSaveOptions.byteOrder = ByteOrder.MACOS;
     tiffSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
     tiffSaveOptions.imageCompression = iC;
     tiffSaveOptions.layers = la;
     tiffSaveOptions.spotColors = sC;
     tiffSaveOptions.transparency = tr;
     activeDocument.saveAs(saveFile, tiffSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);
function saveFileasJPEG(saveFile, qL) {
     jpgSaveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
     jpgSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
     jpgSaveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
     jpgSaveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
     jpgSaveOptions.quality = qL;
     activeDocument.saveAs(saveFile, jpgSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);