Select all of your anchor points (drag an arrow across the entire canvass) and click the "exclude overlapping path areas" button from the menu bar. (last one on the right)
It used to to this automatically when beginning a new path from inside another but does not anymore.
<dunno>
Check out the option bar while you ahev the path selected, there are ways to change the way the paths combine into a selection
You will need to go through the process of marquee selecting all of the points (with the pen tool selected and holding down the command key to get the arrow in order to make the marquee selection) holding down the option key also, to ensure that all of the points are selected. Then choose the right-most options menu selection for path-type. Then re-save the image using ‘save as’ to create a new file overwriting the old. This is the preferred, most ensured method of getting a new file that works the way you want it to.
This should be a sticky at the top of this forum for the number of requests on this, if it isn’t included in FAQ’s already.
Best,
Ken
Sorry about the repeat question then. I did a search before I posted, but didn’t find anything that definitively answered the question. When did this change? I swear I did not have to do these extra steps until very, very recently.
Version 6 was the beginning of this behavior, when the options bar was introduced.
It has been an item to be aware of since then. Simply return to the options bar and check your path choice when things are not working as you planned.
The whole thing is that you need to check the options bar with your new file when you choose the pen tool, but before you begin to use the pen tool, before you begin to draw a path. Then, you won’t need to do the fixes later.
– Ken
Thanks for the help guys. I can’t believe I didn’t run into this before now.
It only hits you when something goes wrong.
That’s when I noticed it, and it was these forums that bailed me out.
