P: Ability to delete multiple paths

[jjwithers]

Why can't you delete more than one path at a time? You can do this with Channels and layers... the path palette hasn't changed in ages.

[Yelnats1]

That's also in this thread too 🙂

[Mama Shan]

There are also options for deleting all paths and alphas, and a bunch more bells and whistles in Paul's Picture Processor Script here, which is great for batching-

http://www.scriptsrus.talktalk.net/

[christopherr32352485]

JDI suggestion: I would like to be able to select and delete multiple paths and alpha channels.

[J453]

You can currently delete more than one Alpha channel at a time in Photoshop CS5.

[vaclavfous]

Hello Adobe,

I've got ideas, how to do better Paths control in PS CS6.


1) Path folder.

If there is lots of the Paths, it would be easier to control it with Folders ...


2) Clear Path.

It would be easy way to delete all of Paths in the file, and it will by helpful when run Automate / Batch


what are you thinking about?

See my Idea mockup:

[vaclavfous]

yes, i've got the same issue ... deleting one by one is wasting production time.

[Guest]

I've been waiting for years, decades, eons, to be able to DELETE SELECTED PATHS in one click as you can with layers and finally now, channels as well. Does no one else have an issue with this? I sometimes have 15 to 20 paths which have to be deleted every time I send the client an updated file ( 5 to 10 versions) and "control/click/delete each one at a time cursing under my breath and feeling like I'm back in the 90's. I had a third party action that worked OK for awhile but lost it a few upgrades ago. But why should I have to get a third party app to do such a stupid, basic thing that PS should have been able to do years ago. I was so hopeful when I tried CS6 beta thinking someone at Adobe must have finally added this long over due feature—but no.

[J453]

I had hoped that we'd be able to add this for CS6.

As Paul points out, the workaround is a one line script to delete all paths:

activeDocument.pathItems.removeAll();

[Guest]

Me too! I'm doing the same kind of work as Josh W. It's probably my single most biggest gripe about PS.

[Guest]

Thanks for moving me into this thread!

[Guest]

Which script on this site is the "delete all paths" script? I read through all of them and there didn't appear to be anything for deleting paths.

[jjwithers]

I can't believe there was so little improvement on the Pen tool and Paths panel with the JDI initiative in CS6. It has been almost a decade since I have seen any change with the Pen tool. I have been asking for Path improvements with every Beta testing session.

I have figured out dozens of work arounds but it is frustrating and time consuming. For example, i have been making Vector masks on blank layers (or sometimes color layers) so i can see what i am doing, and so i can organize all my paths into folders, and transform them together, delete them all, etc...

I should be able to do that stuff in the Paths Panel.

Additionally, when you have so many paths that you can't expand your paths panel anymore, and you click on a path, it is very hard to de-activiate it (there is nowhere to click off the path).

Please please please Adobe... realize that nearly every professional retoucher (especially car retouchers) will create a path before using some of the selection tools. The pen tool needs to grow up!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Joshua, to deactivate a path, simply shift-click it's icon in your Path Palette.

At least the multiple path deletion should have been implemented by now. Maybe the Adobe boys here forgot to send our request higher?

I'm not holding my breath tho - see how 'quickly' they respond to this...

[i4colour]

I would like to see this feature added also! I've been waiting for a long time to see this this feature added. I use the pen tool a great deal making lots of working paths. They add up quick in the Paths pallet.

In addition to this proposed idea is to be able to delete all paths except the Clipping Path.

[JeffN3]

I also do a lot of retouching. And paths are the pros way to make a quick and accurate selection. I agree with Mike Lippeth above, with his "In Addition to " suggestion. Be able to delete all paths except the Clipping Path. That is why the delete all paths script won't work for me. I need to keep the clipping path for the clients file. But I need to delete all the rest.

As was also pointed out... the need to organize the paths into groups / folders like in the layers palette is badly needed.

btw.. tho a pain, the click-delete method is what I currently use. It works faster than the alternative.

[Edward Caruso Photography]

make a script that removes all paths except that clipping path - have it named something in the script and exclude it. or find someone who can write one - i think there is a PS scripting exchange online somewhere.

[Paul Riggott]

This should delete all paths except clipping paths..

 


#target Photoshop



main();


function main(){


if(!documents.length) return;


var doc = activeDocument;


for(var a = doc.pathItems.length-1;a>-1;a--){


if(doc.pathItems[a].kind != PathKind.CLIPPINGPATH) doc.pathItems[a].remove();


    }


}

[Edward Caruso Photography]

Hi Paul

If you had a path named Path 1 that you want saved - how would you change the script?

[Paul Riggott]

Like this ...

 


#target Photoshop



main();


function main(){


if(!documents.length) return;


var doc = activeDocument;


for(var a = doc.pathItems.length-1;a>-1;a--){


if(doc.pathItems[a].name  != "Path 1") doc.pathItems[a].remove();


    }


}

[Guest]

I just copy and pasted this code into Apple Script Editor but get a "syntax error." Am I missing something?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

That's not an Applescript, but appears to be a JavaScript (executable from inside Photoshop).

[Paul Riggott]

As Chris has said this is JavaScript.
Open ExtendScript Toolkit (this gets installed with Photoshop) copy and paste the code into a window then save the script to the application presets/scripts folder.
If Photoshop was open close and restart it.
To use: File - Scripts - select the script.
An action could be created to call the script by creating a new action, from the action pallete fly-out menu select Insert Menu Item, then File - Scripts - select the script. Stop recording.
The code could also be put behind a button in a Configurator panel.

[vaclavfous]

why ... scripts etc. i'm understand

i'm using PS from version 4.0 (PC) and i love it.

so. Adobe guys, WAKE UP, please make useful tool for professionals (i mean managing paths) and don't make same useless thinks for amateurs!

[Edward Caruso Photography]

thank you very much Paul. I did this and it couldn't be easier - I guess we can close the thread now? If a simple script can take care of a task like this - I'd rather Adobe engineers spend time on something else (like my bezier curves warp tool idea!)

[JeffN3]

Paul,
Thank you for the explanation and the script!!!
I've never made a script b4 & like Susan, wouldn't have known what to do with it.
I used Edward version only changed the name from Path 1 to Outlined, as the name of the path I need saved is renamed by an action to "Outlined". Your reply to Edward showed me what I needed to do differently in my situation. Thanks!

Paul... seeing that you are knowledgeable in writing scripts. Is it possible to add to your "delete paths" script to also have the same script delete all the extra channels in the channels palette?
If yes, may I ask if you would do that for me (us)?

Paul, it's folks like you that make the Photoshop forum a valuable asset. The exchange of ideas, solutions, helping others.

I'd still like Adobe to integrate this into the Paths fly-out menu, but this is a big help for now.

Noooo... don't close the thread yet,
I'd still like Adobe to integrate the ability to organize path names into sets / groups like the layers palette.

JeffN