The Paths panel (Window > Paths) lists the name and a thumbnail image of each saved path, the current work path, and the current vector mask. Turning thumbnails off can improve performance. To view a path, you must first select it in the Paths panel.
A. Saved path B. Temporary work path C. Vector mask path (appears only when shape layer is selected)
Choose Panel Options from the Paths panel menu, and select a size, or select None to turn off the display of thumbnails.
You cannot change the order of vector masks or working paths in the Paths panel.
Add To Path Area
Adds the new area to overlapping path areas.
Subtract From Path Area
Removes the new area from the overlapping path area.
Intersect Path Areas
Restricts the path to the intersection of the new area and the existing area.
Exclude Overlapping Path Areas
Excludes the overlap area in the consolidated path.
While drawing with a shape tool, hold down Shift to temporarily select the Add To Path Area option; hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) to temporarily select the Subtract From Path Area option.
You can define the color and thickness of path lines to suit your taste and for easier visibility. While creating a path—using the Pen tool, for example—click the gear icon () in the Options bar. Now specify the color and thickness of path lines. Also, specify whether you want to preview path segments as you move the pointer between clicks (Rubber Band effect).
When you use a pen or shape tool to create a work path, the new path appears as the work path in the Paths panel. The work path is temporary; you must save it to avoid losing its contents. If you deselect the work path without saving it and start drawing again, a new path will replace the existing one.
When you use a pen or shape tool to create a new shape layer, the new path appears as a vector mask in the Paths panel. Vector masks are linked to their parent layer; you must select the parent layer in the Layers panel in order to list the Vector mask in the Paths panel. You can remove a Vector mask from a layer and convert a Vector mask to a rasterized mask. For more information, see Add and edit vector masks.
Paths saved with an image appear when you open it again. In Windows, JPEG, JPEG 2000, DCS, EPS, PDF, and TIFF formats support paths in Photoshop. In Mac OS, all available file formats support paths.
Paths in formats other than those listed here generally don’t survive a transition from Mac OS to Windows and back to Mac OS.
Drag the path to the Delete icon at
the bottom of the Paths panel.
Choose Delete Path from the Paths panel menu.
Click the Delete icon at the bottom of the Paths panel, and click Yes.
To delete a path without being asked to confirm, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Delete icon at the bottom of the Paths panel.
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