P: Shape properties (made with pen tool) only showing density and feather

[trysenga]

Photoshop for Windows v 26.6 (updated today)

Expected behavoir: Create any shape using pen tool. Click that layer when completed and be able to see and adjust shape properties such as fill and stroke.

Current behavior: Use pen tool but the only properties shown are masks (density and feather). Standard shapes seem to show the properties correctly (oval, rectangle, etc)

Steps to reproduce:

• New file - web large
•  Select Pen tool
• Plot some points and close the shape
• Observe the properties panel

[Aleke]

Hi @trysenga! Welcome to the community!

You should see the option to edit the fill and stroke of your shape created with the pen tool in the top bar. Does it look like this for you?

Thanks a bunch!

Alek

[trysenga]

top bar always has those basic items, but the properties would / should have more. For example if the stroke is outside/inside/middle.

[Trevor.Dennis]

top bar always has those basic items, but the properties would / should have more. For example if the stroke is outside/inside/middle.

By @trysenga

I have always thought the path to those functions a bit clunky with the Shape tool, but it is there.

[trysenga]

Ah great, at least I have a work around, but this should still be worked as a bug. Now I have to select the layer AND change to the pen tool in order to navigate to the setting when for other shapes it is right there in the properties.

[Semaphoric]

A couple of observations: If you Define it as a , Custom Shape, and use that to drag out with the Shape tool, the controls do .show up in the Properties panel. Getting the size and placement of the dragged-out Shape right would be a pain.

Also, if you have a "non-pen"Shape, with the controls in the Properties panel, setting the Pen to Combine Shapes will cause the controls to disappear as soon as you lay down the first point.

I can't see any reason for this behavior, so I would agree it's a bug.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Ah great, at least I have a work around, but this should still be worked as a bug. Now I have to select the layer AND change to the pen tool in order to navigate to the setting when for other shapes it is right there in the properties.

By @trysenga

Regards Fill, Stroke, Align, Dashed etc. then selecting any of the Shape tools will place those features in the Options Bar.

[Semaphoric]

Ah great, at least I have a work around, but this should still be worked as a bug. Now I have to select the layer AND change to the pen tool in order to navigate to the setting when for other shapes it is right there in the properties.

By @trysenga

Regards Fill, Stroke, Align, Dashed etc. then selecting any of the Shape tools will place those features in the Options Bar.

By @Trevor.Dennis

But with all the pre-defined shapes, the controls shown in the Properties panel are visible (and can be changed) no matter which tool is selected. Why not Shapes made with the Pen? Saying "Well it's in the Option bar if you are using a vector tool" does not change that they never appear in the Properties panel.

[trysenga]

Not sure if it has 'always been this way' but the behavior is very inconsistant across tools. I can't count how many times I go to create a new shape and change the properties at the top only to realize I've just modified a shape accidentally. Tool bar settings should be for the next shape and properties above layer should be for modifying existing shapes.

[Aleke]

Hi @trysenga and everyone who shared their thoughts — thank you for chiming in!

This behavior has actually been present from the beginning, so it's not a new bug. That said, we completely understand how this can be confusing from a user perspective. I've passed this along to the team, and we'll look into whether we can make things more consistent moving forward.

Thanks again for bringing this up!

Best,
Alek