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Batch processing stores and executes multiple tasks while the computer is idle, freeing up memory and increasing productivity. It can be done through batch files or GUI applications, and is used in programs like Adobe® Photoshop®. It saves time by converting multiple files at once and is used for monthly invoices and other transactions.
A handy way to optimize a computer’s performance and save time is batch processing. Unlike interactive processing that prompts the human user for a command, batch processing stores several tasks and executes them while the computer is idle. This frees up memory for fuller programs and speeds up productivity.
Batch processing may not be monitored and only stop when it encounters an error or completes all tasks in the script. It allows the user to redistribute his computer’s resources between the programs he wants and takes full advantage of the processor’s capabilities. The disadvantages are that unwanted commands can be executed without the user’s knowledge.
The name comes from the time when users manually entered programs on punch cards and the system operator sent them in batches to the computer. Computer prices were very high in the 1950s, so this method was one of the main ways of optimizing time and money, making computers cheap. In those days, however, not many systems had the ability to load multiple programs.
Since the development of personal computers, frequently performed tasks have been stored in “batch files” or “scripts” scheduled to be executed at a later time. Command interpreters read these files, but sometimes the process is done by graphical user interface (GUI) applications that define mouse actions. The recorded GUI action sequence is called a “macro” and exists only in memory.
Today the process is used in several ways. A batch processing system is one of the main tools for the Adobe® Photoshop® image editing program. Instead of manually playing with each image, this tool can rotate, resize and rename as many as the user requires at once. The automatic changes that can be made extend to color correction, filter editing, and transformations. This system helped eliminate redundant tasks like repeating the same step over and over again.
Batch file processing can convert several computer files to different formats at the same time. This saves time by eliminating the need for the user to convert each file individually. Updates to a database and transaction processing can also save time by being processed in the same script.
An example of batch processing is monthly invoices. Credit card companies don’t provide customers with a paper bill for every transaction they make, but store the data to be sent in batches at the end of the month. Electricity bills, rent and hourly wages all work on the same principle.
