Skip to main content
H
here2infinity
Participant
November 4, 2020
Question

Line tool suddenly not working as it always has

  • November 4, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 6258 views

I have been using either the line tool or the pen tool to create property boundary lines for 15 years. Today I went to add some lines to a few images and strange things are happening. Where as I have always just held the control key and clicked the first placement, the second etc till I created all the lines. Now, when I go to click the second line, the the anchor point just moves. If I try to work around by just clicking another area after the first line is created, I have to go to another area, as the first anchor points are still active. If I create all the lines through the workaround (not ideal), the when going to flatten the image, all the lines disapear, and there is no option to bring them to the front. The only way to flatten the image and still have lines is to "set shape layer to stroke"

 

Also, if I try and use the pen tool, that all goes fine till , once again, when I go to flatten the image, all the anchor points are still there. Not a good look . . .

 

Does anyone know what changed? I have tried everything I can think of.

 

Cheers

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    1 reply

    CylenX
    CylenX
    Participating Frequently
    November 4, 2020

    The same happens to me when I go to rasterize the lines. I'm already a bit bitter about them graying out (might as well say "removed") the pixel format, but can work with shapes and path with ease because like you, I've been working with those features for a very long time. Sometimes when I want to thicken the stroke lines, nothing happens.

     

    I haven't dared used the pen tool yet as I've already have issues with the line and shape tool. Goodness, I hope Indesign and Illustrator isn't this nightmarish... yikes.

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 4, 2020

    Adobe remove line weight and changed how you size arrowheads. The only shape layers the Line tool can create are arrowhead shapes.  If you stroke the arrowhead shapes you can get a single stroke or a double stroke line between the Arrowheads however the arrowheads will also be stroke and portraits their intended marks.

    JJMack
    H
    here2infinityAuthor
    Participant
    November 5, 2020

    The Line tool is broken in 2021 and even if it was not you cans not connect lines together like the pen tool. The line tool creates a single line segment.  Connecting line with the line tool is hit or miss. All they need does as you wrote is stroke the path they created  with  the pen tool in the image or into new empty top layer.


    It would be great to use tyhe pen tool to simply create the path. What I don't understand is how to turn that path into a line. I looked at the tutorial Jane linked to, and tryed to understand what Jane said

     

    "A path has no fill or stroke, similar to a selection. You can stroke it in the Paths panel, which will put pixels on the current layer. Those pixels are not connected to the path. If you need to redraw, first erase the pixels and edit the path, then stroke the path again."

     

    But I don't follow how to translate that into practice. I'm and old Photographer now, using Photoshop since it was called photoshack, but not really getting the languge. I've done well enough for all these years, but when things change, I feel like it just goes into the too hard basket.

     

    Cheers

     

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices