Photoshop selecting everything EXCEPT the selection

[LagerHead]

When I make a selction using the pen tool, right click and select "Make selection..." it selects evertyhing EXCEPT what is in the path I selected. Of course CTRL Shift I reverses it and I can get what I originally wanted, but this just changed randomly, for no reason that I can discern.

And I'm not sure if I'm alone, but it seems that every day there is some random thing that just changes the way it works. Is there a "Change random setting daily just to piss off Robert" check box that I'm missing? 😉

Here's another one that happens all the time. Photoshop will just stop responding to any input I make with the keyboard. For example, I'm using the pen tool and then want to swtich to the brush tool. I can press the B key 10,000 times and it won't change to the brush tool, but if I Alt-Tab out of the program and back in it starts responding. Anyone else seen this?

[War Unicorn]

It sounds as if it's inverting the selection automatically but I don't know why that would be. Try trashing your preferences yet?

Having to Alt-Tab to be able to switch tools using shortcuts? That doesn't happen to me.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

Check path operations for the pen tool in the options bar.  It sounds like you have it set to "subtract front shape"

Dave

[LagerHead]

That was it. I have no idea how that got changed because I have never been in that box before. I'm thinking it's that random change setting. 😉

[davescm]

You may have hit the - (minus) key with the path selection tool (black arrow) and a path selected. That changes the selected path to subtract, but that subtract path operation remains in place when you switch back to the pen tool.

Dave