I poked around a little (including the Photoshop help) and I can't find the answer to this.

Is there a way to combine, say, three Photoshop (CS3) actions into one new one?

I want to highlight three actions, click some magic "Combine" button and then have one BIG action which includes every step. That way I can use it more easily when I'm exporting from Lightroom.

Thanks.

Sure... just click to record a new action, and as your three steps, play each action you want, then hit stop... That's also good too because if you make any changes to any of those three actions, your new jumbo action will reflect the changes and play them.

Yes yes yes; what Chris said! I do this for a lot of my actions. So helpful.

yes - this is exactly how - BUT make sure that they are all batchable style actions that do not need user feedback.

Good suggestions so far!

I know this may sound unlikely, but I've seen it happen! The only danger in recording a "Play X action" is that if you ever move it to another Action Set and/or computer and the other actions aren't also there, you'll be outta luck!

It's super easy to merge actions this way:

-Create a new action, hit STOP record
-Select the steps from one action you want
-Hold Alt/Option on the keyboard
-Drag and drop to the new action

Rinse and repeat until you have a free-standing action with all the instructions!

merge actions screencast

Hope that helps, Matt!

-Leon

Thanks for the help everyone, and thanks for the screencast Leon. I wonder why that is so difficult to find in the documentation. I just looked again and the closest thing I could find is:

"To move an action to a different set, drag the action to that set. When the highlighted line appears in the desired position, release the mouse button."

Notice there is no mention of using the Alt or Option key. I'll send a collector's edition Edit Bunny maglite to the first person to find this in the Photoshop help file!

WAIT! I am rescinding the offer!!! I just found it:

Duplicate actions, commands, or sets

Do one of the following:
Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the action or command to a new location in the Actions palette. When the highlighted line appears in the desired location, release the mouse button.

Select an action or command. Then choose Duplicate from the Actions palette menu.

Drag an action or command to the Create New Action button at the bottom of the Actions palette.

You can duplicate sets with any of the same methods.

I guess I wasn't thinking of duplicating an existing action, but rather wanted to combine them and "Save as."

Thanks Leon! Want a flashlight anyway?

Dude! Of course- that'd be awesome!

Great job, by the way excavating the doc. Wouldn't it be great if Adobe made a help file that could read your mind? Now THAT would be a time saver!

-Leon