Photoshop 21.1.0 Pasting Vector Shapes no longer combines shapes?

[tomw78276202]

Hello all,

I'm a big fan of using vector shapes in Photoshop and I'm unsure if the behaviour has changed or if it's a bug - but I cannot paste a vector shape into an existing layer anymore.

A super simple example would be, make a new vector shape, copy that shape and then paste it.

The expected behaviour is that it would paste into that same layer as another object.
Now it pastes it as a new layer.

I'd understand if that's a behaviour change, but I can't find any method to paste into a layer now. Edit > Paste Special > Paste Into is greyed out, and using the "Path Operations" button in the top toolbar doesn't allow me to combine shapes when no object is selected. I can't think of any other methods.

So basically I'm asking if it's a bug, or has the behavious changed and there's no way to combine shapes by pasting anymore? Merging layers is an option but it's much slower when working with many shape objects in one layer.

This is using Photoshop 21.1.0 on MacOS 10.14.6.
Thanks!

[JJMack]

I'm back on 21.0.3 too many issues ine 21.1.0

I do not understand how one Paste shapes into existing shapes.  I know how to combine and merge shapes but not paste and combine.  What steps do you use to Paste an shape into an existing shape layer.  Paste normally add a layer to a document. When I have a shape on the clipboard on windows the only paste options the seem to be available is Past and Paste in place. Both add an new shape layer.

Combining shapes  and merging  shape layer is posible. If a shape layer is the current target the combine shapes should be an available option in the shape tool option bar.

[tomw78276202]

Hi JJMack, thanks for the reply!

I thought it might be easier to show using an older version of Photoshop (2019, so I can use both on my machine at once) as an example:

If you had a shape, selected it with the Path Selection tool, then copy and paste, in previous versions of Photoshop it would paste into the same layer automatically. It actually pastes the object exactly where it was copied from, so on the example on the left I've nudged it up and to the right to show that it's two objects within one layer.

In Photoshop 21.1.0, it's automatically pasting it into another layer, doing exactly the same technique as above. That may sound useful, but I'm often copying shapes from one layer and wanting to place it into another layer, where the previous behaviour of pasting into the layer was super helpful.

As you mentioned, if there are lots of bugs with 21.1.0, it could be part of that, or potentially a behaviour change that I can't find any documentation on. I may have to roll back to an older version for now!

[JJMack]

As I wrote I.m back on 21.0.3.  I see what you show there. When I try to do that.  It seem to operate consistently. Some times Pastes seems to replace the Shape layer vector path and other the add t o the vector path.  What seem strangest is in the  history Palette I see the step as show as "Paste Path"  In the Edit menu I see

Paste (Ctrl+V),

Paste Special> Paste without Formatting

                        Paste in Place (Shift_Ctrl+V)

                        Paste Into (Alt_Shift+Ctrl+V)

                        Paste Outside

In the History Palette, After I deleted the background Layer the Delete Layer in the History palette Ctll+C did not record Copy I guess because the state of the document does not change with cop..  Whit I use (Ctrl+V) Paste What shows in the History Palette is "Paste Path"  not Paste.   I do not even see a Paste Path in a Photoshop menu.  I Know I user (Ctrl+V) Paste I dit it 12 times. Not layer were added and the shape path remained the same.  I have also see (Ctrl+V) show as duplicate layer in the history palette, and  I have see Paste Path add to the shape path.  

[JJMack]

I did find some Documentation on Paste Path.  To me this is what you seem to be doing.  As I wrote I back on 21.0.3 ant Paste Path seen to be working there correctly.   What Paste Path seems to let you do is Merge layers vector Layer mask which Are not depicted in the Layers palette other then the Little shape icinin the bottom right of the Shape layers content thumbnails.  Vector Layer mask are shown on some Layer types where fill layers will be converted to shape layers with paste path.  Here is what I found and See I included the history palette. editing paths and paste path 

[JGecek]

Have you solved this? It's driving me insane!

[cmjr98]

I am having this issue as well. I used to be able to select single or multiple layers (text, shape, whatever), and CTRL+V to paste. Not anymore. The history says Paste Path, but I never specified that. I don't want to paste a path. I just want to copy+paste the multiple layers.

[tomw78276202]

This has been fixed (for me at least) with the latest Photoshop update (21.1.2). Hopefully it's the same for everyone else!