How do you draw an arrow in Photoshop 22.1 ?

[przone]

Have used Photoshop for almost 25 years and - with the latest UPGRADE - I find that I need to post this question...

Does anyone know how to draw a line?

It used to be, click on line tool, choose width, click for arrow at start or end and off you go

I do that now, and it draws 'something invisible' - normally with a big/bright outline (that makes it look liked it worked) - but as soon as you move off the layer, the line disappears...
Seriously: How do you draw a line in Photoshop?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Channels, Options Bar, …) visible? 

Have you set a Stroke in the Options Bar? 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

[JJMack]

It easy to see your arrow heads  pointing past the end of the line. Photoshop 2020 line tool works correctly,

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Arrowheads still work in Photoshop 2021 … in a way. 

[przone]

Hi JJ,

Just posted a video of it (not) happening - and a screen grab to confirm that I have the same settings as others who CAN draw a line
This definitely works on previous versions - but absolutely does not want to work with 22.1.0

For the previous 24.9 years, you choose line, the thickness, arrows options, click-n-drag and 'Hey Presto!' a line appears
This feels like the time they broke the '[' and ']' as a short cut for changing sizes...   but no one else seems to have the issue...

[Chuck Uebele]

The stroke needs to be set, as the line and line portion of the arrow no longer have a fill all done with the stroke.

[przone]

Thanks Chuck (and everyone else)... I've uploaded a video of it (not) happening 🙂

[JJMack]

Chuck clearly the stroke extends the arrowheads past the target  pixel you point to.  If you do not stroke the arrowheads are fine in the shape layer but there is no line.  If you stroke outside the line is double width and the arrow heads are farther off target.  If you stroke inside the Arrow heads are on target but the is no line.  Line weight  above 0 is required for a line tool to work.  With line weight you do  not even  need to create shape layers and you can change the color  of  lines you as you draw without requiring additional layers. Adobe clearly made a blunder changing the line tool or they trying to make user require additional Adobe applications.

[przone]

This is the process I have used for 25 years - and it has never failed.
With the new version - it simply does not work for me.
Does the old dog need to learn a new trick?
I put a small (30MB) video of 'the problem' here...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dtnv7udv868wt4h/Photoshop-Problem-Drawing-Lines.MOV?dl=0

[c.pfaffenbichler]

You need to set a Stroke (that is not aligned »Inside«, but »Center« or »Outside«). 

[przone]

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

But the Stroke Color is apparently set to white. 

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Your options bar show you have set a white stroke. On a white background you are not going to see much 🙂

Edit : c.pfaffenbichler was quicker than me (he must drink better coffee)

Dave

[przone]

OK... Now I think I get it...  the defaults have changed... and since I've never needed to draw a line/arrow with a different coloured inside/outside, I was fooled into thinking that it had stopped working 🙂
JUST to check the old sanity, reloaded v21 and it worked the way the >20 previous versions had worked, first time.

v22 on the left with the 'same actions, different result' on the right for v21.
Definite old age when the youngsters can trip you up with alternate default settings!

[davescm]

What changes was that the old line tool could draw a path, a shape or draw in pixels. It actually drew a narrow rectangle, not a line,  which confused some people.

The new line tool only draws a path or a shape (no pixel option) and with a shape you have to define the colour of the stroke in order to see it. There is a fill colour option in the options bar but it makes no sense because a line (as opposed to a rectangle) has no inside to fill.

Dave

[przone]

Thanks Dave...   This kind of stuff drives me nuts.

If I wanted to learn illustrator to create drawings, then...

[Chuck Uebele]

Actually, Dave, if the arrowhead is big enough, you need a fill for it. Not the best options, IMO.

[davescm]

True - I'd forgottent about the arrow head

Dave

[jane-e]

"This is the process I have used for 25 years - and it has never failed."

If my memory serves me correctly, what Adobe labeled as "vector" drawing didn't get added to PS until 6.0 — just over 20 years ago 😊.

~ Jane

[JJMack]

Line need not be vectors the line tool could lay down pixels lines and have diffent color lines in a single layer.