P: Stroke automatically closes on layer with multiple open subpaths

OK, I got it:
(On Photoshop CS6, didn't tested it in older versions):

1. Select the pen Tool (make sure no shape layer is selected)
2. On the Properties toolbar (the top one) Make sure "Shape" is selected from the dropown menu.
3. Next to the dropdon menu - Fill color should be - NONE.
4. Select any stroke color.
5. Start to create path - notice photoshop will not close your paths.

GoodLuck 🙂

+1 for this fix. Just encountered it today for the first time. Upgraded to PS CS6 two weeks ago. C'mon guys please sort this out soon!

Yeah, it's a new feature of CS6. Photoshop was never really intended for true vector work but it's slowly getting some illustrator features to help workflow. Your method was pretty much the only way in CS5 and below and, as you note, it's a destructive action and cannot easily be undone. This method allows you to edit thickness, alignment, path caps / corners etc. You'll have to upgrade, I'm afraid. 😞

Thanks Brian, I think this may be too hard to understand over the internet. I am using CS5 so maybe it is different.
I can not find any place in photoshop to follow this instruction: "Set the fill to none (white icon with a red line through it)".
That sounds like what i am familiar with in Adobe illustrator, but i can not find it in photoshop for paths or shapes.
I found a (not ideal) way to get a path to draw an "s" shape without filling it, by creating a path with the pen tool, then using "stroke path with brush".
But I was hoping for something more like in illustrator, where the stroke thickness is editable, not committed in pixels onto the layer. ie. more like the interactivity you get when adding a stroke in the layer style.
Sorry that my question is not %100 on the thread topic.
Thanks again for your help above.

Depends entirely on how you're applying the stroke. If you're doing it through the layers panel (Blending Options) or any other way which applies it directly to the *layer*, you'll get this outcome because it's using the fill as a base for that outline.

Instead (and unfortunately only in CS6), you'll want to use the bar along the top with the path selected with the direct selection tool (shortcut A). Set the fill to to none (white icon with a red line through it) and your stroke to whatever you want.

This bug report is for using this method with multiple paths on a single layer so use multiple layers until this bug is fixed. Hopefully soon, it's caused me a few problems already.

Am I blind and stupid?
All I want to do is draw a curved editable line in photoshop (not a closed shape).
I want to draw an "S" shaped curve, but it renders like this :
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19695218/Try...

Sadly, photoshop joins the ends together and I can not see anything that says "make shape open".

Can someone please give me a clear explanation of how to do this simple task.

We have Edit > Stroke, Stroke layer effect, and now shape stroke. Just wait until Photoshop CS7, which will add 3 more stroke features! 🙂

Conroy, you're right. I've tested this a bit more and so basically open paths render closed when there are multiple components.

FINAL DESCRIPTION
----------------------------

Opens paths render stroke as closed paths when there are more than one components in the shape's path (as a result of pasting or starting a new component, doesn't matter).

FINAL REPRODUCE CASE
-----------------------------------

1) Draw a new shape with the pen as an open path consisting of three points A, B, C
2) Add stroke to the shape, notice it strokes the lines A-B, and B-C, but not C-A (properly).
3) With the shape selected, the path deselected, set the Pen tool in "Combine shapes" mode and draw a new similar open path, with three points D, E, F.
4) Notice now both open ends C-A and F-D render strokes.
5) Erasing any path component and leaving just one restores proper rendering of open paths.

EXPECTED
---------------

The line between two end points on an open path should never render a stroke.

ACTUAL
-----------

A stroke is rendered between two end points on open paths when one shape contains two or more path components.

EDIT: I've checked the behavior of multiple open paths in a single "Compound path" in Illustrator, as it's the closest thing to the Shapes behavior in Photoshop. Illustrator handles multiple open paths in a compound path as expected (no open ends get a stroke).

So consistency-wise, Photoshop should fix this (Illustrator users won't expect Photoshop's current behavior), and logic-wise, also (users in general won't expect Photoshop's current behavior).

My original description:

"If I don't close a path, I don't want a stroke drawn between the two open ends,"

Not a big deal 🙂 I don't mind clarifying, but I notice bug handlers in general (in any company) sometimes cast a judgment quickly and may bury a real problem. With a high volume of feedback it tends to happen.

EDIT: Thanks for changing the title again 😉 (this time I don't mind hehe)