Installation

CEP Panel

Manual installation

This type of installation is for install unsigned panels or panels in development and to install manually a signed panel.

Step 1

To install the panels copy the folder of the panel to this folder and restart Adobe Photoshop. Maybe you should create the folder CEP and the subfolder. If the folder of the panel is compressed (.zxp, .zip, .rar…) decompress the folder before.

Windows: «C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CEP\extensions»

MacOS: «/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CEP/extensions»

Step 2

Since Photoshop 2021 make sure to enable the option «Load Extension Panels» from «Edit/Preferences/Plugins/Legacy Extensions».

Computers with MacOS and the M1 chip do not support Legacy extensios, in other words only supprt UXP extensions but no CEP extensions. But there is a method to support CEP extensions on this environtment.

Run the terminal an run this command to install Rosetta 2.

/usr/sbin/softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license

Go to Applications folder and do right-click on Photoshop app and select “Show Package Contents” to open the folder app.

Do right-click on Photoshop executable file adn check the “Open with Rosetta 2” option.

Step 3

Enable the Debug Flag to use an unsigned panel to do this you need to know wich version of CSXS uses your Photoshop. Skip this step if the panel is signed. Each Photoshop version uses a specific CSXS version:

• com.adobe.CSXS.11 = CC 2021
• com.adobe.CSXS.10 = CC 2020
• com.adobe.CSXS.9 = CC 2019
• com.adobe.CSXS.8 = CC 2018
• com.adobe.CSXS.7 = CC 2015.5 and CC 2017
• com.adobe.CSXS.6 = CC 2015
• com.adobe.CSXS.5 = CC 2014
• com.adobe.CSXS.4 = CC

Windows

Run Regedit and browser to (change “[version number]” with the desired version):

«HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Adobe\CSXS.[version number]»

Add a new string value witht the name «PlayerDebugMode» and value «1» and restart Adobe Photoshop.

MacOS

Run this command on Teminal (change “[version number]” with the desired version):

defaults write com.adobe.CSXS.[version number] PlayerDebugMode 1

Automatic installation

This type of installation is only for signed panels, files with .zxp extension.

Step 1

Install the UberManager installer, this isntaller allow install or uninstall panels from all Adobe Suite. You can download the installer for Windows or MacOS from GitHub.

After that close Photoshop and open the UberManager installer and browser in your computer for the .zxp file of the panel and install it. 

The next time that you open Photoshop you could open and use the panel.

UXP Plugin

Installation

This type of installation is for install plugins locally.

1. Install Adobe Creative Cloud.
2. Double click on the de file with extension .ccx inside the plugin folder.
3. Follow steps in Adobe Creative Cloud.

Development installation

This type of installation is only for development purpose and debugging. The plugin will be removed from Photoshop after close it.

1. Enable Developer mode in Photoshop «Edit/Preferences/Plugins/Enable Developer Mode».
2. Install Adobe Creative Cloud.
3. Open Install Adobe Creative Cloud and search «UXP Developer Tool» inside the «Apps» section to install it.
4. Open UXP Developer Tool. You can open it from Adobe Creative Cloud or from Start menu.
5. Press «Enable» button from «Enable Developer Mode» modal window.
6. Press «Add plugin» button and load the «manifest.json» file inside the root folder of the plugin.
7. Open Photoshop.
8. Press «Load» button in the plugins list from UXP Developer Tool. You can unload or reload the plugin to see the changes in the source code or press «Watch» button to refresh the plugin automatically after changes in the source code. Use the «Debug» button to inspect the plugin.