We announce a public beta of panel version 4, with several new features, two new actions, and support for Photoshop CC2014. The first beta was posted in October 2014; version 4.0.5 went up on December 11, 2014, and was declared the official version, replacing version 3.3, on January 1, 2015. Click here to download it (universal installer for CS6/CC/CC2014, Mac/Windows). Users of Photoshop CS5 must download a different installer; see link at bottom of this blog post. The panel is not compatible with Photoshop CS4 and previous.
The PPW Tools panel for Photoshop CC2014, version 4.
The Sharpen action, renamed Sharpen 2015, allows two new options. One prevents sharpening of blue objects, useful for those whose work commonly involves skies. The second, called Soften Shadows, does what it says. The two come as layers, so it’s easy to limit their effects to certain areas.
The user has to implement these new options, as we wanted the revised action’s default behavior to resemble that of previous versions. They can be activated either on a case-by-case basis or as permanent preferences, by Option-clicking the action in the panel or by going to the Preferences sub-panel in the upper right corner of the main panel.
Personally I have used Exclude Blues as my default throughout the beta period. The documentation recommends not implementing Soften Shadows as default because it sometimes is counterproductive, but I’ve changed my mind. It’s easy enough to toggle the Soften Shadows layer on and off to find out whether it’s friend or foe, so I now have made it my preference. I find Soften Shadows particularly useful in dealing with dark-haired subjects.
The PPW panel has always had lengthy documentation, not just of every action, but of the workflow as a whole, plus a generalized user manual and a version history that gives an idea of how complex a product it is. This PDF documentation is fully up to date in the beta version; to access it choose HELP in the top right corner of the main panel.
If you have a problem installing, or if certain features of the panel aren’t working for you, please go to our panel troubleshooting page so that you can give us the information we need in your report.
The new panel maintains the PPW ability to work very rapidly when time is a major constraint, while adding several tempting new options when time permits experimentation. Giuliana Abbiati did the complicated scripting and development, and deserves all of our thanks.
Click here to download Version 4.0.5 of the panel (universal installer for CS6/CC/CC2014), or click here to download Version 4.0.5 for Photoshop CS5.
{ 144 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Dan,
I would like to thank you and the Team for the meticulous work.
This will be used and showcased a lot.
Hugs,
DDS
Didn’t realize mine was different until I saw the screenshot above. When mine is set to Dark Background, the top part of the panel (above Shadow & Highlight) stays light. No big deal for me, purely cosmetic, I kinda’ like the two-tone look.
Photoshop CC 14.2.1, OS X 10.6.8
George, as the caption indicates, that’s a screen grab from the CC2014 version, which indeed has a different look from the CS5-CS6-CC version that you are using.
That’s a great news Dan, and would like to thank Giuliana for the incredible amount of work she did for this new great release.
Thanks a lot to you all for giving us such a great tool for image processing and color correction even outside the PPW.
Alessandro
grazie!!!
Daniele, Alessandro, and Sandro,
It is great to hear from my Italian friends about this. I note elsewhere that already we have introduced a new verb into the Italian language: velvethammerire. Enjoy the new tools!
Where can I find a download link for just the actions themselves (not the PPW panel)?
Barbara, we set up a link a few days ago on the Resources page of this site.
Thanks, Dan. Got it.
Thanks a lot to Giuliana for the hard work! I was waiting for the panel to come to cc2014 to actually start on the book and refresh my workflow (still based in your old Kelly videos)
Dear Dan
Thank you and Giuliana for making this happen. When CPT will be released as well, I will start using the latest version of PS.
Best,
Werner
Hello,
I just downloaded PPW_4_beta… and there is no installer in the package how do I install it on creative cloud?
thankx
Ant
Antoine, the download consists of a single .zip file that contains only the installer and a Read Me file. It is therefore impossible to download anything without downloading the installer. It is a file with the suffix .zxp and it must be somewhere on your computer, or you should try downloading again and expanding the .zip file manually.
Great work. Thank you very much to Mr Dan and Mrs Giuliana.
All my best
Francesco
Dan,
I just installed the PPW 4 and all works fine but the Opt+MMM or Opt+MMM+CB; as I mark for a second area, nothing happens. Or rather, the communication window disappears. No big deal – I just do it manually, but automation is better.
Do you have a tip for solving this?
John
Could it be that the latest CC update has broken the panel?
I just got a new mac and updated photoshop to the latest version and now I do not see the panel (on the older mac without update I see it) but only two sharpen filters at the end of the sharpen menu
Hi Francesco,
I just got the perfect solution; I re-installed the whole thing, and there it was.
I’m grateful for the PPW and for what Dan Margulis and his friends have concocted. I used to think that what I needed was some sort of a recipe book for handling colors and light. What I got, was the beginning of learning of how colors are put together and what to do with them. That’s better than any recipe book. Now I’m concentrating on shooting better images.
John
Francesco,
Further to John’s comment, I’m not sure that I understand your question, but it sounds like you may have updated Photoshop CC to Photoshop CC2014 and expected that the panel would continue to work. This is not the case. The only version of the panel that runs in Photoshop CC2014 is the beta of v.4, which is a separate download. So if you are saying that something that worked in, say, Photoshop CC, now doesn’t work in Photoshop CC2014, you’re right. If so, you need to uninstall the old panel, download the v.4 beta, and reinstall. Be sure to read the Read Me file that goes with the beta installation as the procedure can be tricky.
Actually i installed the cc 2014 panel and it worked fine. But adobed pusbed a nee update that broke the panel. I wil try to reinstall.
Ciao Francesco
Quale versione di PS era installata? Quale è la versione dell’ aggiornamento di PS?
Controlla anche per favore la versione di AEM che stai utilizzando.
Giuliana
Ciao Giuliana
lo faccio in giornata appena sono di nuovi davanti al Mac.
Grazie in anticipo!
Photoshop e CC 2014.2.1. Non solo quale c era prima, ma normalmente io ho sempre l ultima perché si aggiorna da sola.
Per AEM la versione e 7.3.2.39 e anche questa si e aggiornata da sola.
Ok, anche io ho la stessa versione quindi non dovrebbero esserci problemi.
Prova a disinstallare completamente sia da CC che da CC2014 e re-installare il pannello.
non ho CC …. ora provo
niente. Mi compaiono solo due filtri bigger hammer and sharpen 2015 alla fine del menu filters.
For those interested in the conversation between Francesco and Giuliana, it was taken offline and a resolution was reached. Francesco had recently updated both his version of Photoshop and AEM. The order in which they were installed may have made a difference. Francesco had previously tried re-installing the panel and it did not solve his problem. However, when he first re-installed the same version of AEM that he was already using, and then re-installed the PPW panel, all problems were resolved. Reminder, the link to the most current version of AEM is here.
Hi Dan,
I have installed the PPW Beta 4 onto my CS5. It works perfectly, but for the Darken Sky SC; the whole image gets darker – quite a lot, and I spend some time erasing the parts I don’t want in. I follow the standard procedure with “color, contrast, light” before applying the Darken Sky SC procedure. Often the Darken Sky B gives a better result, but I used to prefer the SC in the PPW 3. Can you point at anything I have missed out?
John, I am not able to replicate this, the action works normally on my system and we have had no other reports of any problems with it. The only way it should be darkening overall is if almost the entire picture is blue.
We have just today posted a new beta so there is no further point in discussing what may have been wrong with the old one. If after installing it you still have this problem, then we would need to see a sample file where the action is darkening something that is not blue (i.e. where the equivalent B value in LAB is not negative).
Where is the new beta?
Francesco, it is right on this same page (final line of text).
Thanks!
PPW_Tools_4.05_EN
When attempting to open any of the panels under the Window > Extensions menu, I get the error message, “Cannot complete command because the extension could not be loaded,” and a blank panel window.
Photoshop 14.2.1 x64
Adobe Extension Manager CC.app 7.3.2.39
Mac OS X 10.6.8
I am running Photoshop under the trial demo, which in the past you’ve said may be problematic, but I had no problems with PPW_4_CS5-6-CC_beta_100314 and PPW_4_beta_CS5-6-CC_101514, and I just went back to 4.0.0 101514 again and it works fine. (I will understand completely if you nevertheless do not wish to deal with a Photoshop trial demo installation such as mine, or with my old Snow Leopard OS.)
In all cases, I removed the existing version in Adobe Extension Manager CC before installing in a separate step.
The only other version of Photoshop I have on my hard disk is CS3, which presumably is a moot point.
(Oh drat, I should be on the Troubleshooting page, shouldn’t I? Sorry.)
When studying your Lab Bible I tried to communicate with you but you were unattainable, at least to me. Couple of years afterwards, by pure chance I stop in front the information of an Action by you to sharpen images through Lab, I intended to find it and, finally, reached this page. Since I have CS5 version I clicked on ” here to download the installer for Photoshop CS5″ but that link seems to be wrongly defined. What about that! You again unattainable to me, two guys from almost similar generations, living in same continent, one in Northern one, the orther in opposite direction. Please handle me the proper link to my email.
Sincerly,
Sergio, thanks for letting us know. The link is now fixed.
Just a quick note of thanks for making these tools available. I’ve been following Mr. Margulis for a number of years, beginning way back when I was trying to figure out how to survive my first foray into CMYK. Dan continues to surprise and delight me with his ability to refine and reinvent processing techniques and he surely deserves a place in the Printing and Processing Hall of Fame.
Dear Dan and team!
Thank you very much for updating the panel to CC2014. It works like a charm. It has helped me a lot to save a huge amount of hours when dealing with images myself.
Kind regards,
René
Dear Dan and team,
Since Photoshop cc 2015 has just been released, I’m sure your aware of the compatibility issues. Do you have a time frame for making changes to panel 4, so it will be compatible with cc 2015?
Thanks Ahead of Time,
John R. Murphy
John,
The situation is fluid so to stay up to date you should regularly check out the Free Resources page.
At present we are waiting on fixes for two bugs. One, which prevents an orderly installation and affects many other plug-ins too, has been designated as a high-priority fix by Adobe. The other, which disables certain scripting, in our case the entire options panel structure, has not been given a time frame for a fix by Adobe AFAIK.
We will definitely not release a new installer until the first bug is fixed and possibly not until the second is. Meanwhile, some people are using a workaround that allows them to work with the panel in CC2015, although without the options panels. We are not encouraging this; the advice as of today is that if the panel is critical to your workflow, stay with CC2014 for the time being.
Wish I had seen the update about the release of Photoshop CC 2015 prior to installing it. Fortunately I was able to re-install Photoshop 2014 CC and then re-install the panel and all is back to normal now. Thank you Dan and your team for all the work you do. The PPW has become a priceless tool in my photography workflow.
For anyone encountering problems with the PPW Panel and its functions in CC2014 if CC2015 was installed alongside it.
I did not remove CC2014 on installing the new version but some of the functions in the panel stopped working as soon as PS CC2015 was on my system. I deinstalled the latest version of Photoshop redownloaded v 4.0.5 of the panel, installed it again and everything is back to normal.
I too made the mistake of installing CC 2015 right when released (MAC 2011 running Yosemite), which promptly wiped out all of my plug-ins, so I fortunately was able to uninstall CC2015 and revert to CC 2014 where mostly everything is still working as before. Unfortunately, several features of the PPW panel (MM and MM+CB) seem to have been corrupted and open Photoshop CS6 when I click on those buttons in PPW when working on an image in CC 2014. Most of the other button, including Darken Sky and CB continue to work normally. Sharpen 2015 does not work at all. I’ve tried removing the PPW extension, downloading it again, and reinstalling it with Adobe Extension Manager, but that hasn’t solved the MM or MM+CB or Sharpen problem. If anyone has any ideas, would love to know. The PPW panel is indispensible to my workflow (thanks Dan). For the time being, I’m using an old MM action.
Gary,
Have you tried resetting all preferences in the Help panel? This has normally cleared up problems with the Sharpen 2015 action.
If this does not help, then we need all the information requested on the page
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-installation
from those who have what appear to be a successful installation, but the panel is not working properly.
We have no other reports of the panel opening a different version of Photoshop, so I would have three further specific questions if resetting the preferences doesn’t solve the problem.
1) Did you ever install any version of the panel into Photoshop CS6?
2) You have stated that Sharpen 2015 doesn’t work. What about Bigger Hammer? And what about if you open them from the Filter menu, where they are found at the bottom of the stack?
3) Please search for a folder named Cromaline_Software; tell me each place on the system in which it is located, and also the Created/modified date for each.
Hello everyone,
When Photoshop CC (2015) was released, Dan’s PPW Panel did not work. I am running Photoshop on Windows 7, 64 bit. I was so upset. I really love the PPW. So, I uninstalled all the Photoshop versions on my system. Then, I reinstalled Photoshop CC and 2015. When I need to use the latest version, 4.0.5, of the PPW panel, I just run it in Photoshop CC. This is the only fix I could come up with, until the panel gets fixed for the 2015 version of Photoshop. Just when everyone is enjoying using this, then Adobe will create Photoshop CC (2016). Dan, this is a great product. Are you going to create a PPW Panel for videos – too? You could call it – Video Postcard Workflow (VPW)
Renee,
Many of the actions in the PPW panel require fixed masks, which don’t work in video. The new LAB book has a whole chapter on video that discusses how to use LAB techniques without them. (The Color Boost action *does* work, but not MMM + CB).
Hi Dan,
Thank you for your reply. Where can I obtain a copy of the new LAB book? I shall experiment with using the Color Boost action with my video – in Photoshop. Thank you for creating the PPW Panel.
Dan,
I just found and purchased a copy of your new LAB book. I’m sure it will be as interesting as your Modern Photoshop Color Workflow book. I enjoy reading your books.
Thanks
Is there a new book? Newer than the PPC flow? Does it make sense to look at it (I have the older LAB book and the PPC one)?
I have not used the plug in since the upgrade of Photoshop … but based on the comments so far, I guess it will not work.
Francesco,
You can find information about this new book here: http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/blog/photoshop-lab-color-tenth-anniversary-edition. This book can be purchased at Amazon.
Even though the PPW panel does not work with the latest version of Photoshop, yet, it can still be used in earlier versions.
Hope this helps.
I do not have the older versions.
Is there any difference between this version the the previous one?
Dan,
You mentioned, within the Ledet site, that the update to the PPW Panel for Photoshop CC 2015 will be limited. Why are you making it limited and what are you taking away or changing from version 4.0.5? If I would like to run both versions – 4.0.5 and the new one, will it be possible? I love the PPW Panel. Thank you for your interest in keeping it up to date. I use it a lot for my photo editing – before choosing Lightroom or Camera RAW.
Thank you, Dan, for your hard work on the PPW.
This would be a pity, it would make the workflow very difficult to keep without the panel.
I would to mind having to pay for it, honestly.
Renee, we haven’t limited the panel in any way. Rather, Photoshop CC2015 has bugs that have disabled certain functionality. Some have been corrected but the latest build apparently made matters even worse. There are more details, which we try to keep up to date, on the free resources page. Meanwhile, we advise those who need the panel to stick with Photoshop CC2014.
Thank you Dan,
I read the updated information within the free resources page. In the meantime, to make matters simple, I am, also, running Photoshop CC – so I can run the PPW Panel with full functionality. When I installed Photoshop CC 2015, little did I know that it would uninstall Photoshop CC 2014 and that there was an option to not allow it to uninstall Photoshop CC 2014. I figured, since the PPW Panel version 4 works with Photoshop CC, also, why install Photoshop CC 2014?
PPW Panel – A great tool.
not certain if this is the right place to ask, however, I am running Photoshop CC the latest version. When I try to load the latest version of the PPW panel, the extension manager reads that the the extension requires Photoshop 13 or greater. Any ideas?
Robert,
This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. If you are on v. 4.0.5 of the panel (for Photoshops CS5-CS6-CC-CC2014) go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-installation
If you are on v 4.0.8 (Photoshop CC2015 or CC2015-CC2014 combination) go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-for-cc2015-v-4-0-6
In either case, if reading the troubleshooting guide does not solve the problem, go to the section on “if you still cannot install the panel”, give us all the details requested about your system, and an exact description of what is happening, including the text of any error messages.
I updated Photoshop CC 2015.5. When I click on BIGGER HAMMER, LESSER HAMMER or VELVET HAMMER I get the error message “Exception: TypeError: undefined is not an object. S/H+OK has no effect. Sharpen 2015 does not work.
Robert,
Photoshop 2015.5 is the fourth consecutive “upgrade” that has broken many important plugins, including ours. There already is a workaround way to get it to work but we expect a new installer shortly. Check out the up-to-date details here.
Hi Robert, Dan,
This has happened to me as well. Some of the PS CC upgrades are harmless while others wipe out everything and I have to reinstall. Adobe CC doesn’t give any hint as to which is going to happen. Last time there was a major upgrade in order to get the PPW panel to work I had to go into the libraries folder somewhere and manually delete the old plugins etc for PPW as well as some others. I didn’t actually do that myself but had to get (pay) a third party to access my computer remotely to figure it out and I couldn’t really follow what they did. So if the new installer alone doesn’t do the trick it might help others if Dan could post all of the places where the various program components are installed in case manual removal is necessary. Wish that PS would give us an option when the creative cloud installer launches to let us know when its a minor fix or a major upgrade that wipes out many (but oddly, not all) plugins. Now that I’ve gotten used to it, PPW is my go-to plugin for most of my routine processing so I feel lost without it!
Gary, Robert,
The installer has now been released.
Hi Gary
you can read the “What is installed” section at page 5 of the pdf “PPW_Installation” pdf that is within the download package of the PPW installer.
Wish that PS would give us an option when the creative cloud installer launches to let us know when its a minor fix or a major upgrade that wipes out many (but oddly, not all) plugins
Alas you should always pay attention if the “Advanced option” section is available in the CC window. If so, and you want to keep previous versions installed, be sure to click on “Advanced Options” and uncheck “Remove old versions” as shown here: http://blogs.adobe.com/crawlspace/2016/06/faq-photoshop-cc-2015-5-now-available.html#important.
Unluckily the default behaviour when upgrading every Adobe’s application is set to delete all previous versions. IMHO this should be the very opposite!
Kind regards
Thanks Dan
The installer worked perfectly! Glad to have my PPW panel up and running again.
Thank you again, amazing work.
4.1.0 installed smoothly on 2015.5
A bit of feedback: “Darken Sky SC” should appear in the history panel as a single entry?
Luigi
Thank you Luigi for the feedback.
Yes it should! I will fix it for the next release.
At the moment the single history step happens only when the file is not an RGB.
Regards Giuliana
Good to know.
Thank you very much, Giuliana.
Shame on me, but I just didn’t remember…
I am running the latest version of the panel on PS2015.5
None of the key that have options are working for me.
Try to copy the folder Presets/Scripts/Cromaline_Software from 2015 to 2015.5
It works on my windows10.
Robert,
This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. Go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-for-cc2015-v-4-0-6
and locate the section on installation successful but problems with functionality, give us all the details requested about your system, and an exact description of what is happening, including the text of any error messages.
I am running Photoshop 2015.5. On previous versions of the PPW panel, there some of the buttons have a blue corner indicating options. I am not seeing these, nor am I able to access the options. I am referring to: Bigger Hammer, MMM + CB, Sharpen 2015 and others.
What version of the PPW panel download should I use?
Thanks
Robert
install the PPW panel v 4.0.1 you can download here:
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/free-resources
Follow pdf or video instructions you find in the download.
Regards
Giuliana
Hi, I’m a rank amateur who decided to learn the PPW this summer. I’ve seen all the KelbyOne videos and half way thru chapter 9 in the PPW book and videos. Enjoying it thoroughly but my biggest difficulty is still cheaper 4. I’ve read it several times and trying to go thru some of the examples. I’m trying to get some sense of what to blend with what and how to curve properly. There is no “panel” for chapter 4 ( I love the PPW panel). Each one seems a bit different enough that it is hard to generalize. Any more material I can utilize or is it just practice?
Ron, Some people do find luminosity blending difficult, while others say that the harder part is getting the initial color right with curves.
There would be two directions to go in. Once or twice a year I teach four-day hands-on classes. The last one for this year begins in ten days in San Diego. If you’re looking for a less stressful experience, the web site of Gerald Bakker has some excellent discussions of many aspects of PPW. This might be a good place for you because Gerald, like you, feels that the blending is the most difficult part of the workflow.
Thanx Dan
I’ll try Bakker’s site; Philly to SanDiego in 10 days ain’t working but maybe another time. Meanwhile. I’ll keep trying and I may ask a question or two or two
Ron
Dear Dan,
I followed all the advice for having the panel in CC2015 and CC2014 but the “Sharpen2015”-action does not work in 2015.5. Luckily all actions work in CC2014. So I will keep working with the PPW-panel in the previous version because I use the Sharpen-action on a regular basis.
It’s great to work with the PPW-panel. Thanks a lot!
René
System: Mac OS 10.11.6
Hi
I am using the latest photoshop cc 2015 but when installing ppw 4.0.9 I have error message ” The installer requires Photoshop Version CC or later.
What is the problem?
Thanks
I have problem installing PPW-4.0.9-installer.jsx
Error message as follows:
This installer requires Photoshop Version CC or later.
For previous Photoshop version use the zxp installer and install via Adobe Extension Manager.
After pushing enter another error message like this:
Error: Bad Photoshop version.
17 not in the range [14, 16]
Please inform me what to do .
My Photoshop version cc 2015.05 the lates version.
Thanks
Habib, the current version of the panel is 4.1.0. Version 4.0.9 is not compatible with Photoshop CC2015.5. Please go here to download and install the correct version.
Morning
You had a nifty tip on replacing skies (around a Roman arch) in one of your videos (either here or on KelbOne and now I cannot find it. Could you illuminate?
Thanx
Ron
Ron, I don’t recall that Roman arch example appearing in a video. It is found over several pages in MPCW. Skies are almost always easy to select (and often Blend If gets very close) and because skies are at a distance, the viewer accepts almost any replacement. Much easier to throw a new sky into an image undetectably than to, say, introduce a new person in the foreground.
What I remember seeing was a neat trick using Apply Image and the Fade command to correct a halo at the margin of the transposed sky. But I’ve absorbed so much in the last two months, some of it is leaking back out.
Wonderful stuff the PPW. Makes me regret some the money I’ve spent on plugins; working my way through the Hammers now.
Thanx
Ron
Thanx
Ron
Dan,
What do you consider the pre-press ‘bible’ ? (In addition to your books of course.) A book that would have all the tech specs etc. Thank you.
Robert
Back in the day, I used Digital Prepress Complete by Donnie O’Quinn, Matt LeClair, Steve Kurth, and Tim Plumer
—
Another famous name in the field was Professional Prepress, Printing, and Publishing by Frank Romano
—
And, of course, the inimitable Makeready: A Prepress Resource by Dan Margulis
—
George Machen
On Sep 1, 2016, at 2:06 AM, Robert wrote:
> Dan,
> What do you consider the pre-press
> ‘bible’ ? (In addition to your books of
> course.) A book that would have all the
> tech specs etc.
Oh drat, the website stripped-out my links in the previous message, presumably because I had them enclosed in the canonical angle brackets — and we can’t edit our posts, so let me try again. Here they are, respectively:
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Prepress-Complete-Donnie-OQuinn/dp/1568303289/
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Prepress-Printing-Publishing-Romano/dp/0130997447/
https://www.amazon.com/Makeready-Prepress-Resource-Dan-Margulis/dp/1558285083/
Robert, I haven’t looked in a few years, but the basic sources were at one time either Pocket Pal or the various standard-settings organizations manuals: SWOP (web offset), GRACOL (sheetfed), and SNAP (newspapers). Note that none of these sources are about technique, such information as they give about it is generally wrong. But for technical specifications they are OK.
Hi. Not sure if anyone can help an ageing brain but I’ve tried every suggestion above and still my CS6 does not show up under Adobe Extension Manager, and that makes it impossible to install PPW 4.0.5. The only thing I have not tried yet is reinstalling CS6 – something I’m very reluctant to do knowing Adobe will “coerce” me again to go CC. Is it possible to install the Panel manually? Please help. Thanks.
Tony,
This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. If you are on v. 4.0.5 of the panel (for Photoshops CS5-CS6-CC-CC2014) go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-installation
If you are on v 4.0.8 (Photoshop CC2015 or CC2015-CC2014 combination) go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-for-cc2015-v-4-0-6
In either case, if reading the troubleshooting guide does not solve the problem, go to the section on “if you still cannot install the panel”, give us all the details requested about your system, and an exact description of what is happening, including the text of any error messages.
Thank you for responding.
OSX El Capitan 10.11.6
PPW_Tools_4.05_EN
Adobe Extension Manager CS6 Version 6.0.8.2
Also tried with the CC Ext Manager as suggested somewhere above and it does not show
my Photoshop version (13.0.6 x64).
The usual message when I try to install the PPW is “This extension can not be installed,
it requires Photoshop version 13 or greater”
The GuideGuide workaround made no difference.
Thank you.
Tony, I would try reinstalling AEM before reinstalling Photoshop, less danger of some kind of foulup.
Hi Dan. Success! I did as you suggested above and it all works fine now. THANK YOU.
I do hope that my experience may help others with similar issues.
Ciao.
Tony
Hi Dan… I have just tried installing PPW 4.1.0 on Mac OS 10.11.6 for Photoshop 2015.5.1, however getting the “Exception: TypeError: undefined is not an object” that Robert mentioned some comments previous, i.e., when I click on BIGGER HAMMER, LESSER HAMMER or VELVET HAMMER I get the error message, and S/H+OK has no effect. I do not have a previous version of Photoshop on this computer. Wondering what I need to do to get this working. Hope you can help. Thank you.
Boyd, instructions on how to deal with this problem are found on our troubleshooting page.
Tony, I hope so too, I’m glad that you didn’t have to reinstall Photoshop.
Good afternoon, Dan!
Tell me, when will the panel version for cc2017 ?
Vitally,
It is too early for us to predict when we will have something for CC2017. Every new version of Photoshop breaks either the panel or its installer. Sometimes the solution is quick and easy, sometimes not. Please monitor our free resources page, which we update whenever we have better information.
Margulies Hello: I am a Chinese user, your PPW version can be a Chinese version of it? I am looking forward to your reply.
时间去那儿了, yes, the book is available on amazon.cn. See announcement here.
Margulies Hello: I mean that the PPW version can be a Chinese version of you expect your early reply, thank you
Margulies: Hello I mean PPW version can be a Chinese version? It is really good for your PPW version, is a Chinese version of it, I’m not a book, but said that the PPW version developed by you, can be a Chinese it?
PPW tools 4 can be a Chinese version of it?
时间去那儿了, the panel works in any version of Photoshop regardless of language. The interface and its documentation are available in English only (some of the documentation is available in Italian)
Hope that a Chinese version of the PPW panel, so that your books and ideas will speed up the pace, looking forward to the Chinese version of the PPW panel.
Click 1.4gamme, how to appear this does not match the options window.PhotoshopCC2017
时间去那儿了,
This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. Please go to our troubleshooting page, which offers solutions to many common problems. If you are not able to resolve the issue with what is found there, we need information about the specifics of your system and an exact description of the problems you are having. The questions we would need responses to to are found under
“If you have what appears to be a successful installation and can open the panel, but certain features aren’t working properly”
Teacher Hello: the third chapter is a deep study of the color of the blue behind the response method: figure 3.25D will be replaced by a red channel with the blue channel, showing why not use the normal mode. Thus, in figure 3.25E, the mixed mode becomes luminous. It’s a little pink, not blue. Which of the two modes is the mixed mode?
PPW Chinese version of the book, there is a luminous mode, the translation is wrong?
Hi
I am afraid that there are many translation errors in the Chinese version of this excellent book. For example, figure 14.4 is described as “柠檬”, which is “lemon” in English, and I guess this is a mistranslation. Maybe the translator mistaked “melon” as “lemon”?
Hope this kind of error can be solved in the reprint version!
时间去那儿了,
Our two languages are so different that it is hard to know what you are seeing. Plus, the naming of Photoshop layer modes can cause confusion.
Luminosity (in English) mode means that darkness may change, but color may not.
The word “luminous” in English means bright, light, brilliant. No mode in Photoshop corresponds to this description.
I can accept that someone might have translated “Lighten” mode (English) into “luminous” mode (Chinese). However, that meaning is not correct. It would be better if the English name were “Do Not Darken” or “Lighten only”. This would make it clear that “Lighten” mode is in fact “Normal” mode except that darkening is not permitted.
In the figure you refer to, the problem is that the stripes in the shirt, which we expect to be white, are instead somewhat blue. The solution is to make a duplicate layer and replace the red channel with the blue.
The result of this blend is that the stripes become lighter and whiter (less blue) and that the face and the background trees become darker and change color.
When the mode of the changed layer is changed from Normal to Lighten (Do Not Darken) the changes to the face and the background trees are disallowed, but the change to the stripes is permitted.
Wilson, your guess is a good one. I can help out with translations into Italian, Spanish, and German but I’m afraid that Chinese is above my pay grade.
Yes, the pictured fruits are melons, not lemons.
Hi
I wonder what is the difference between MMM+CB action and the old method (merely adjusting curves in lab mode), except for that MMM+CB action is faster?
Wilson,
CB=increase color without changing hue.
MMM=add color variation by changing hues to make objects more distinct.
CB + MMM=a little of both, adjustable by user.
I am not sure what the old method is that you refer to.
Photoshop CC 2017 installed PPW4.1.1 click gamma1.4 appears:Options *Always add curves adjustment layer in Multiply mode.To change this behaveior,open the Preferences menu.
How to set up, please teacher pointing.
Also appear: Icc Profile at this gamma is not installed
Embedded in the profile of the picture click on 1.4/1.0gamma, PPW, please use the method under the guidance of teachers?
Is not my color set is not right, ask the teacher to give a correct color settings. Photoshop CC 2017
Sincerely hope that the teacher to write a Chinese version of the PPW
时间去那儿了,
1) The PPW panel works in all languages. The PPW book is available in Chinese at amazon.com.
2) For problems with the panel, we have a troubleshooting page.
3) Photoshop Color Settings are independent of the PPW.
4) The behavior of many commands can be changed by opening the preferences panel that corresponds to them. Most people prefer to have the false profile actions generate an automatic multiply layer, but it can be changed if you wish.
I am working to learn a loot from your books and videos. In video on Applied Image -i at 14:33 the speaker takes the b channel of the LAB copy and fills with 50% Grey in Darken mode – then he improves the process and makes a black and white mask with one click and says something like, by simply using Ultralevels – (clicks on Image) and a mask is created – and the model and motorcycle are cut out in white. How is that done? I have listened that video at least 20 times and tried to slow it down and I cannot figure it out. I really would like to know how to do this technique for photographing my fabulous hummingbird photo mugs. Thank you very much. Christina Freeman, Tucson, AZ
Christina, the trick is to apply Auto Levels – not Ultralevels.
Applying Auto Levels on an image that is 50% gray or darker everywhere, forces the 50% gray parts to white. That’s what you see happening.
Hi, I am on my second reading of Dan’s MPCW book and and getting a much more deeper understanding of the PPW panel and actions. I am interested in understanding Sharpen 2015 better.
I have 3 questions that I am unsure about.
1) my main question is how to adjust Sharpen 2015 for the output media. For example I currently use Nik Output sharpener and I sharpen more for matt paper than glossy paper. Are there any thoughts on how to tune Sharpen 2015 for the type of paper? Similairly how would you adjust Sharpen 2015 if sharpening for screen? I think Sharpen 2015 would make an excellent replacement for Nik if I can figure out how to adjust for the output media.
2) The exclude blues layer. Have I understood correctly that this is a merged layer of all the sharpening layers with a blend-if on the blue channel? If so if I want to change something on one of the sharpening layers e.g. opacity this will not be reflected in the exclude blues layer. If this is correct can I regenerate the exclude blues layer?
3) Soften Shadows, I wondered if there was an action version for this feature? I would interested for any pointers on how I could add this into the action provided. My reasoning is that if the panel stops working due to a Photoshop upgrade at least I can fall back on the action.
Many thanks for the free panel, the generosity is much apprepriated.
Hi Dan,
What’s the status on the beta version of the PPW that will update version 4.11?
When are you planning on releasing the final version?
Christina,
Gerald’s note is correct but there is a terminology issue caused by a foolish decision by the Photoshop designers.
From the beginning of time, Photoshop had a command called Auto Levels. It sets automatic black points and white points in each channel, which occasionally, as below, is useful. Marco refers to it by that name (not ultralevels) and so does Gerald. Unfortunately, a few years back Adobe changed the name to Auto Tone, which caused (and causes) unnecessary confusion.
To recap what was shown in the video.
1) Marco wants a mask for the foreground object.
2) He notes that the background is more blue than it is yellow, and that the foreground is either neutral or more yellow than it is blue.
3) He therefore makes a duplicate file and converts it to LAB.
4) The B channel of this copy now runs, from lightest to darkest, from much more yellow than blue (the face) to neutral (the clothing) to much more blue than yellow (the background)
5) He now fills, 50% gray, Darken mode. The background is unaffected because in the B channel it is already darker than 50% gray, that’s why it’s blue. The foreground, however, all becomes 50% gray. A slightly orange off-white and a fleshtone and a lemon would all now the same, at 50% gray, because even though these objects are very different, none is more blue than yellow, which is all that matters.
6) Now Image: Auto Tone applied to this modified B channel, forcing the lightest part of the channel to become pure white and the darkest pure black. As the lightest part of the channel is currently 50% gray (see #5), the command makes it white. In this particular channel there is now a big distinction between the foreground (all white) and the background (very dark).
7) Marco did not show this, but I would always (with the B channel still the open one, so that the L and A will be discarded) Mode: Grayscale at this point, to avoid the confusion of having a full LAB file around when my only use for it is as a mask. Another advantage: only a grayscale file can be loaded directly as a selection into the other file, as well as copied into a layer mask.
8) In this particular image the mask is almost perfect already, but in most images some mild touchup will be needed. It still saves a huge amount of time.
Renee,
As with previous versions, we will announce the new version a few days before we intend to post it. It serves no purpose for us to guess at when that time might come, because too many things can go wrong between now and then.
David,
These three questions have in common that you would be better off studying the PDF documentation of the action rather than looking for rote answers.
1) The question of sharpening for specific output conditions is not as important as sharpening for specific images. You should imagine that I client has told you “This image is too sharp.” Unfortunately, in the context of the action, you may not know what is meant by “too sharp” because clients are not sophisticated about these matters and several types of sharpening go on in the action. To satisfy this client you need to read minds to a certain extent and be able to reduce a certain kind of sharpening without touching the others. Same way with your output conditions. If you feel that it’s too sharp, the easy solution is to activate the unsharpened layer at the top of the stack and reduce its opacity/add a layer mask as needed. But it may be better to attack one of the other layers.
2a) You can look at the Blend If for the exclude layers yourself by double-clicking the layer icon. Really, though, it would be better for understanding for you to attempt to derive it yourself. Put a new layer on top of an existing image and fill it with white. Then use a Blend If to exclude everything that isn’t blue. You will find that it isn’t possible in RGB, because even if the blue channel is light, if either the red or the green is lighter then the resulting color is not blue. There isn’t any way to Blend If for the case where the green channel is lighter than the blue.
2b) Therefore you must use LAB, because you can exclude anything that isn’t B-positive AND also is somewhat close to 0A so that the resulting color is neither purple nor green. But some tweaking is needed to find settings that give good results in the large majority of images.
2c) Never any need to regenerate the Exclude Blues layer. If you don’t like what it’s doing, turn it off, reduce its opacity, or use a layer mask. If your decision is the wrong one you can thus reverse it.
3) Soften Shadows. I’m on the road now and don’t have access to the action. However, you should be able to figure out what’s going on by looking at the layer itself and also at its Layer Mask. It doesn’t look too challenging to me even though I don’t recall the exact steps. If the full action is unavailable at some time in the future, hopefully you’ll know enough then to be able to make a better Soften Shadows than I can today!
Hello, teacher: you can send me a Channels Power Tool (1.1.6) file, I can not find the way to download. This is my email address: 1871180590@qq.com
时间去那儿了, unlike the panel, Channels Power Tool is not free. It must be purchased online. There are several sites like this one where you can buy it.
Dan
I’ve been using your books in my color correction classes for close to two decades now. Normally I just do the demonstrations myself, but I love the videos that go along with the MPCW book.
I’ve been asked to develop my color correction class for online delivery. Rather than duplicate your work I’d like to refer students to your videos for items covered in your book. But in order to do that I need to have transcripts or closed captioning available for students who request ADA accommodations. Are there transcripts or closed caption versions of the videos I can find somewhere?
Christopher, we don’t have any kind of transcripts, sorry. As long as you don’t make the videos a required part of your curriculum I do not believe ADA applies, otherwise you would be legally constrained from offering links to the 99% of the web that isn’t ADA-compliant.
I’m also sending you a private message, please make sure it doesn’t go into your spam folder.
Hi Dan!
Your site has low activity these last months… Are there any news? Development of a new workflow / book?
Your panel has been such an immense help to me and saved me so many hours! But even after using them for such a long time, I like to take your books for a re-read and follow your videos. BTW: Is there a possibility to download your instruction videos?
Just an inspiration for the future: For reproductions of art work, I like to use color charts (the most I like is the Spydercheckr with 48 fields). But I know, you don’t like those charts in many circumstances… But for a 1:1 reproduction of original colors (e.g. a Marc Chagall), I use the chart and print with 12 colors. Back in the museum, my eyes tell me a 99,9% accuracy of the colors. (Expensice) Colorimeters are never at 100% (neither are printing devices), but the astonishing accuracy of the human eye when judging colors side-by-side, tells me, that the charts are a good device for a start. Back in the museum, I note on the back of the printed (cotton paper) 12-color prints, what I think is not yet perfect. That’s only necessary for very few pictures. That’s why I also want to create my own color charts – perhaps with italian earth pigments 😉 , a lot of trying and custom electronic colorchart tools as there are (officially) for Photoshop.
So your tools – for me – are for a PPW, with the whish of pleasing and believable colors. But for artwork reproduction, I can’t go / shouldn’t go further than the calibration by colorchart.
Thanks for any news!
Hallo Dan,
I have purchased your book a few months ago and I am a user of your PPW panel. Today I have downloaded the update from Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 to Adobe Photoshop CC 2018. Unfortunately the panel doesn’t work anymore in CC 2018. Do you have a solution for this problem? Or alternatively will you create a new download version of your panel to meet the requirements for the new Photoshop version? Best regards from Germany, Peter
Hallo Dan,
I purchased your book “Modern Photoshop Color Workflow” a few months ago and was happy, to use your PPW Tools 4 panel. Yesterday I updated my Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 to the new version 2018. Unfortunately the panel doesn´t work anymore. So my question is, is there any workaround to reactivate the panel or do you develop a new download version for PS CC 2018 in the near future which would solve the problem for all users araound the world?
Thanks in advance for your response, sincerely Peter
Peter,
As has been the case with every major update since Photoshop CS6, Adobe has once again done things that break panel/plug-in behavior. We will update the situation here; please monitor it. Meanwhile, we would appreciate knowing at least what your system is, what you have done to try to make the panel work, and what specific behavior you are seeing (“it doesn’t work”) is not specific enough.
Mathias, Thanks for the kind note. I do a lot of traveling because I don’t know how much longer the world will be healthy enough for me to see it, not to mention the question of whether I will be healthy enough to enjoy it. So my color activities are limited. Right now I am busy analyzing the results of testing I have been doing with files found in an MIT study of color correction; I will post about this later as it is too difficult to explain here. Also I am working on a new edition of the greatest color book ever written, Chevreul’s On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colors. I hope to have that out next year.
With respect to your Chagall work, I agree that the approach is a good one given you specify a 1:1 relationship. I assume you are also talking about museum-like viewing conditions. I hope you would agree that if the reproduction was at a smaller size, or if it is appearing on, say, a printed or web page right next to works by Warhol and Kandinsky, then a different approach would be indicated.
We have not made videos available for download, sorry.
Thanks for the kind comments!
Thank you Dan for your quick response. I am working with Windows 7. I haven´t done anything so far to get rid of the problem. First of all I wanted to ask you for a professional solution. I`m not a crack in computer technologies and want to be sure that I don`t destroy something in case of a deinstallation or whatelse.
On the PPW panel the upper portion buttons like e.g. Curves Layer, Convert to RGB or Lab etc. are still working. All buttons below that don`t react in any way including the usage of the “Alt”-button to get the options-panels for instance in conjunction with the Bigger Hammer action.
On the other hand I can use the Margulis PPW actions V 4.3 in the action panel of PS, but not as convenient as the PPW panel, because some steps within the action structure have to be confirmed several times. Additionally I cannot opt for the options-panel via clicking the “Alt”-button as it is so easily possible with your PPW panel.
I hope I could clarify my problem a little bit more in detail. If this is not the case or not enough for you please don´t hesitate to ask for more description.
Thank you in advance, Peter
Hallo Dan, thanx for your second update. The whole panel is working again. I really appreciate your thoughts and work to solve my problem.
Best regards
Peter
Yes, Dan, I agree with you about my Chagall example.
The purpose was to have an paper a 1:1 reproduction of the colors. When I went back to the museum, I held the (expensive) 12-color printed cotton paper in my outstretched arm to get it to the same size as the original paiting behinde (with one eye closed) and the colors often matched 100%, even though our eye would have spotted the slightest difference. To spot any difference, I moved the printing in my hand OVER the original painting (within a permitted distance) to get the original color and the printed color next to each other. – Goal achieved!
What for? -> a) (nearly) perfect reproductions (I’d like to get printers to print with oil and 3-dimensionally… probably some can already) and b) to BRING BACK lost colors
That’s where your LAB lessons come in handy! – Let’s say, one specific yellow tone from van Gogh has changed within the years (or the famous blue of Vermeer). Then I just need the AB-values of the original (e.g. by mixing it with van Gogh’s receipe today or by discovering a similar painting that was less exposed to UV / heat etc.) and adapt just that color tone by leaving the others.
I did that on egyptian wall paintings that had been covered by beeswax some millenia ago and 99,9% have lost it. With LAB you can reproduce the color state of 3000 years ago. Not 100%, but much closer than it is today.
So, besides the reproduction, I’m interested in RESTORATION of lost colors. Conservators do that with chemicals on the original canvases…. I do it ‘losless’ on the reproduction and that way I can go as far as I like (-> layer transparency 😉 ) and never do any harm…
As for the book of Michel Eugène Chevreul: I’m gonna order a book he wrote about color harmony (300 pg., before 1923) for our schools library. I just LOVE this subject!
And about travelling: During my studies at Basel University and my marriage, I had 100 journeys to other countries (best: French Polynesia – 1 year, divided on 5 times). And the purpose often was the same as for you. I LOVE iconic photography (iconic Venice, iconic Santorini, Giant’s Causeway, Jerusalem etc.) and so many places CHANGE or get lost. That makes me wanna travel even more often. I was at the pyramids between egyptian wars, because I was afraid, some fundamentalists are going to blow them up, as they did with Palmyra…. I HAD to see them, before they’re gone (as are some artifacts from Tut Anch Amun after terrorists robberies). I missed the beautiful West Pier in Brighton (burnt down 1 year before I got there – didn’t have a clue…). And I missed other places that are gone now… Covered bazaar & Egyptian bazaar in Istanbul: Getting equipped by ugly red LED advertisement screens. Absolutely anti-photogenic! – No oriental feeling any more… And the souk in Marrakech is next
Babylon, Ninive, Yemen, … so many places out there to see, but impossible to visit.
And as a lover of iconic photography, your PPW was the best that could happen to me
.
Mathias, if you are talking about getting the book entitled The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors, save your francs. It is the 1855 translation of Chevreul, done by a person with no ear for language and no knowledge of color. So it’s basically unreadable. My version of it is under Chevreul’s original title, On the Law of Simultaneous Contrast of Colors, and it has a large amount of commentary and graphics by me to bring it up to date.
Agreed about the use of PPW in travel photography.
Thanks for your advice for the book! – I’m gonna order it for our school’s library as soon as it appears and meanwhile, I’m gonna read some writings of Chevreul in french. Our university has more than 10 books of Chevreul in french and I hope, even though they mostly derive from the 1960s, they still represent his original words:
https://baselbern.swissbib.ch/Search/Results?lookfor=chevreul&type=AllFields
Did he write the “On the Law of (…)” in english or in french? – On the german Wikipedia, this title is listed in english, although all (?) his other books seem to be written in french.
I’m a language teacher – that’s why I always want to read books in their original language. I can understand your concern about translations that are either no joy to read or that change the original meanings (as for Aristoteles: At university I prooved that his work on rhetorics is fully appliable on modern movies if you consider the artistic instruments (diaphragm, cutting rhythm, scene lighting, …) as speech figures. Aristoteles did – IMHO – not limit the SPEECH figures on speeches but intended to explain the power of language – that also contents the work of a DOP today).
I’m looking forward to seeing the result of your work and still hope to see one day another book on colors in photography.
btw.: Yesterday I got a brochure of Kremer (european leader company for pigments/paints etc.) and they provide color samples of unspoiled pigments – drawn as fields of 2x5cm on papersheets, in hundreds of samples…. So everybody can very cheaply (some dollars only) have created his/her own colorchart that won’t fade within time. Together with Adobe’s DNG creator you got yourself your personal colorchart! With hundreds of sample fields, that brings me closer to the LAB-values of Vermeer, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Gaugin etc. . I know that’s not your main goal, but your explanations on LAB also help for 1:1 reproduction of given colors. Especially if one has the reference sample to compare (chart vs. painting).
And as a philolog, of course I also studied the etymology and psychology of colors. Indoeuropean languages share their origins also for their denominations of colors and e.g. ‘black’ with the same origin like ‘blank’ (supposingly the opposite) is one of the reasons why you can get stuck in this subject for …. years! 😉
Mathias, Chevreul wrote in French. But, although he was a great scientist, he was a poor writer. Not in the sense of many scientists who bury their readers in holier-than-thou jargon; the words he used were simple and commonplace except when he had to invent them himself. But he thought nothing of putting 200 words into a single sentence. Also, he was so concerned that his readers should capture every nuance of his thinking that he would often change the subject in the middle of a sentence to refer back to something he had said previously, leaving even a careful reader baffled. Plus, there are some outright errors, as when he wrote darker when he meant lighter.
Of course modern writers, including me, have similar faults, but we have the enormous advantage that he did not: professional editors, or our technical peers, get to read the manuscript before publication and point out the necessary changes. That’s the role I am assuming with Chevreul. About 75 percent of the manuscript is left approximately as he wrote it, but if I find a change that I believe he would agree with, I make that change. Plus, he did not have the technical ability to produce the color graphics that his text needs. And I have made extensive commentary, including five full chapters of my own.
I am a devout user of the PPW and use it and mis-use it all that I can. I just love it. It has saved me so much time, and most important, I have learned and keep learning about color.
My problem today is that the “option+MMM” windows lingers after it is closed, and I have to close PS to get rid of it. I assume, something went wrong on the installation. I run Mac 10.13.1 and PS CC 2018.
Help anybody?
John, This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. Please go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-for-cc2015-v-4-0-6
which offers solutions to many common problems. If you are not able to resolve the issue with what is found there, we need information about the specifics of your system, an exact description of the problems you are having, and which of the suggested solutions have you tried. The questions we would need responses to to are found under
“If you have what appears to be a successful installation and can open the panel, but certain features aren’t working properly”
Hi, Thanks for the answer. Re-installing the latest version did the trick.
John
Dan, I have installed version 4.1.1 of the PPW directly into Photoshop CC 2018. I deleted 2017 when installing 2018 so no option to follow your recommendation to copy the files from 2017. I’m using a Mac.
All the actions seem to work fine if used from the panel without ‘options’. When using the alt key to bring up the options for the MMM or the Hammer actions the computer freezes totally, nothing responds at all, and the only course of action is to force the machine to shut down and restart it.
I’m enjoying learning to use the PPW from both the book and the videos but it would be great to have access to the ‘options’ to extend its use. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Look forward to hearing from you.
Roy,
This does not provide enough information for us to be able to assist. Please go to
http://www.moderncolorworkflow.com/troubleshooting-ppw-panel-for-cc2015-v-4-0-6
which offers solutions to many common problems. If you are not able to resolve the issue with what is found there, we need information about the specifics of your system, an exact description of the problems you are having, and which of the suggested solutions have you tried. The questions we would need responses to to are found under
“If you have what appears to be a successful installation and can open the panel, but certain features aren’t working properly”