Paths always inverted wrong way

[#1]

Scenerio: I use the pen tool to create a simple path. In the paths palette is shows up as a work path. I select the work path, then at the bottom of the path palette click on the "Load path as a selection" - and the selection is made on the image area. When I fill or paint, it floods the area OUTSIDE my path, to the edges of the image. To work INSIDE the path, I must inverse the selection, every time, over and over, all day long.  It did not used to be that way.

Does anyone know how to make the active area INSIDE the path, like it was a version or two ago ?

Many gracias.

Craig

[#2]

Scenerio: I use the pen tool to create a simple path. In the paths palette is shows up as a work path. I select the work path, then at the bottom of the path palette click on the "Load path as a selection" - and the selection is made on the image area. When I fill or paint, it floods the area OUTSIDE my path, to the edges of the image. To work INSIDE the path, I must inverse the selection, every time, over and over, all day long.  It did not used to be that way.

Does anyone know how to make the active area INSIDE the path, like it was a version or two ago ?

Many gracias.

Craig

[#3]

Sounds glitchy...you may have inadvertently changed a setting. Try quitting and reset your Photoshop Preference File:

To restore preferences quickly using a keyboard shortcut: Press and hold (hold down until you get a dialog box prompt) Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (Mac OS) as you startPhotoshop. You are prompted to delete the current settings. The new preferences files are created the next time you start Photoshop.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Hi Craig

Look at the setting of the pen tool when you create the path - specifically this setting - it sounds like you have it set to subtract.

Dave

[#5]

Thanks Dave, that is extremely helpful. I checked it out as a regular fill, and with painting. Combine Shapes is the correct setting.

Warmly, Craig

[#6]

I had the same problem and same solution. Thanks Dave!

[#7]

You da man Dave, fixed it on mine.

[#8]

The tool Dave mentioned is where I solved this issue myself, except you may have to play around with the different settings of said tool. For my particular situation I found intersecting the shape areas to give me the desired outcome.

[#9]

OMG - I have been sitting here for hours trying to work out why my selection (path made using the Pen Tool) was selecting the outside border of the photo instead of the contents inside the Path.

You have just saved me many more hours - thank you so so much!!!

[#10]

Thanx man. You're breathtaking!

[#11]

Thank you , you are great....

[#12]

not working for me

[#13]

Hi @melhabashy 

"Not working for me" is vague. Please clarify what is happening and post screen shots of:

• the options bar for the Pen tool
• the Layers panel
• the Paths panel

~ Jane

[#14]

Hey, I have a similar problem which has occurred a few times now. There seems to be different seetings for some shapes within the same path. On the small preview box some are coloured in white and behave accordingly, however some are not filled and get ignored, and if I extract them from this path, start a new path and paste them in, they behave inverted.

At this point is it possible to change the settings of these shapes or do I have to delete them and start from scratch (which I have done in the past and has been extremely time consuming). Attached are screens shots of the problem before and after trying to mask the path.