What is GN-Panel, anyway?

GN-Panel is a Photoshop addon that simplifies, expedites, improves and expands the functionality of the specific Adobe piece of software. It currently comes with a five tabbed user interface:

  • Tab "MASK", which provides tools that allow the user to create parametric masks based on image tonality and/or color.
  • Tab "WEQ" (Wavelet EQualizer), which provides tools that allow the user to selectively increase or decrease image areas' lucidness.
  • Tab "EDIT", which provides tools that allow the user to achieve tonal, chromatic as well as advanced image editing.
  • Tab "EXTRA", which provides tools for editing portrait / landscape / astro / IR photography, various image editing technique implementations, selective ACR presets, 3Dluts and Overlays.
  • Tab "EXPORT", which provides tools for automating image export parameters.
In general, GN-Panel allows its user to quickly perform tasks that could have maybe been achieved with the help of Photoshop's integrated tools (or perhaps a different third party addon), as well as tasks that are only achievable via this particular addon. Users that have already had a go with GN-Panel say that it is a very helpful addition to Photoshop. From beginners to advanced, users have found GN-Panel to be very useful and admit that its installation has changed their overall Photoshop experience.


Why has GN-Panel been developed?

You might have noticed that there are a lot of free as well as commercial Photoshop addons (scripts, actions, panels, etc). GN-Panel was not aimed at just entering that longish list; instead it was conceived and initially designed and developed for private use. Its main goal was to allow the user to easily and quickly perform tasks that could have also been accomplished by Photoshop's own tools. During the development of the first version functionality that is not available within Photoshop (some of it is neither available by other third party addons) was desired and implemented. With version v1.0 complete it became obvious that GN-Panel was a very useful Adobe Photoshop addon and it was decided that it would be best for it to be available to all PS users that might show interest in it.


Is there a cost?

Although there are parts of GN-Panel's functionality that could be sold commercially at the same cost (if not higher), the current version is available at the symbolic cost of 40 Euros. Secure and easy payment can be carried out at Paypal, without any additional fees. You can use the email address located at the footer to ask for further information regarding this.


How do I install it?

Prior to Photoshop 2021 GN-Panel installation could be performed with the help of ZXP Installer. A drag and drop of the installation file (GN-Panel_vx.x.zxp) on ZXP Installer's window would be sufficient. With Photoshop 2021 manual installation was required and user had to download and decompress the zip installation file (GN-Panel_vx.x.zip) inside Photoshop's CEP folder. GN-Panel's new version v.2.0.0f has been re-written from scratch as a new UXP extension and requires Photoshop 2022 (or newer), where the installation is carried out by Adobe Creative Cloud with an installation file in ccx format.


Say what? Activation?

Developing GN-Panel required a lot of research and part of its code is unique and not available with other Photoshop addons. It has been decided that the code needs to be encrypted and that an end-user activation will be required prior to usage. After a successful installation, the GN-Panel user will be presented with a unique, personal activation string ("lock") which needs to be sent in, along with the one-time payment verification (email address located at footer). The user will then receive a reply with the unique activation key, which has to be used in the activation "lock's" place to "unlock" GN-Panel.


What about support?

A facebook group has been created where GN-Panel users can discuss features and issues, or request fixes, changes and new features. The majority of the users are currently Greek, but you are welcome to use English if you wish to join in. Welcome aboard the GN-Panel community!