Pen Tool on New Layer Keeps Bouncing to Original Layer

I'm on a Win 7 machine using Illustrator CC, using a mouse with the pen tool.
I created some shapes on one layer, and now want totrace just the outside of those shapes on a different layer. It worked well enough on the first two shapes I did this with (both comprised of ellipses layered to create a particular shape) but on this third one, it keeps bouncing me back to the original layer. This is the only shape that includes straight lines but I can't think of a reason that would keep me from being able to trace the outline of shapes on a different layer. Any idea of what I might be doing wrong?

I recreated the file this morning so that you could see. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't be able to reproduce the problem either, but it's still happening. I don't see a way to attach the .ai so I'm including a screen shot, but will happily attach the file if someone tells me how. The screen shot doesn't seem as if it would be of much assistance.
I made the shapes on a single layer (named "Shapes) in red. I then created 3 layers, one for each outline. I outline them using the pen tool and black. The plan is to delete the "Shapes" layer when I'm done since the red shapes are only there to make tracing the heads easy.
The top image was traced with the pen tool on the layer "Outline 1." I didn't trace the middle one this time but if I had, there would be black tracing around the outside of it on "Outline 2". I began the tracing with the pen tool for the bottom image on "Outline 3" but as soon as I continue the line from the circle to the straight line, I'm immediately shifted to the "Shapes" layer and everything I've just traced in black is brought there with me and turned red.

Similar Messages

Pen Tool, add new point keeps previous point selected?

This has bugged me immensely ever since the new versions of inDesign adopted this habit, is there a work-around?
Say I want to make a customly shaped frame around a photo that's imported in the standard rectangle shape and I don't want it to be a circle, rounded rectangle, or polygon that I can simply "convert shape" to. I could try editing the path with the pencil tool but typically that will create 100+ anchor points of vector disaster.
What I used to do in CS2, CS3, CS4 is grab the handy pen tool, add a point and move it where I want with the direct selection tool by simply holding CMD (ctrl).
But now, (not sure if it started in CS5, CS5.5, or CS6) when I add a new point it keeps the previous points selected. Rubbish, now I can't move the new point where I want it without moving the previous however many I created. And there's no simple 1-click method of only selecting the point I just made (that I know of). Re-clicking with the direct selection tool does nothing and clicking other selected points does not deselect them.
So in order to move the point I just made, by itself, I have to deselect all points then reselect the point I want to move, which is really tricky if it's under other objects.
Does anyone know how to have ONLY the new point selected when I add a point? Or even have no points selected so I can easily CMD+click the ones I want to move?

It looks like what is needed is some way to deselect all the points on a selected object, while keeping the object itself selected.
Using the built-in InDesign tools, the way to do that would seem to be: switch to the direct selection white arrow tool (by pressing CMD) as you have been doing. Click anywhere on the path of the object. This clears all selected points while keeping the object selected. Now release CMD to get back to the Pen tool, and add your point.
If this is too fiddly (it can be tricky to click on the path itself, although the white arrow changes subtely to show you that you're over the path), you can alternatively use the following one line script:
try {app.selection[0].select()}catch(_){};
This does the same thing: It deselects all selected points on the current page item.
To use, copy this line to a text editor. Save with the extension .jsx and place in your InDesign scripts folder. You can then assign a keyboard shortcut to the script, so that it should be very easy to deselect all the points.

Pen Tool and New to Pro

What is the purpose of the pen tool in CS5.5?
Also I had Sony Pro and you can slice out a object in it. Can you do this in CS5.5?

Tools
Pen Tool
Select this tool to set or select keyframes, or to adjust connector lines in a Timeline. Drag a connector line vertically to adjust it. Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) on a connector line to set a keyframe. Shift-click noncontiguous keyframes to select them. Drag a marquee over contiguous keyframes to select them. For more information about using the Pen Tool, see Select keyframes.

How do I stop Photoshop CS4 from creating a new layer each time I use the line tool?

How do I stop Photoshop CS4 from creating a new layer each time I use the line tool?
Each time I use the line tool, a new layer is created. How can I stop this? No settings were changed.
Thanks in advance.

Look at the three options in the top bar.

The feature that i need most...do not activate paths with pen tool

If you have to add one thing in illustrator...
Make optional NOT to add new paths to an unselected anchor point with the pen tool.
I never want to activate paths with the pen tool
Arrow tool=select
Pen tool= add new points
If i want to add new segments to a path, i'd select it first a selection tool.
To my knowledge, Illustrator is the only vector application that doesn't follow this convention
In theory,activating the paths with the pen tool should speed the drawing: However when working with illustrations that combine open and closed paths, or if we want to start a new line from an anchor point, we have to lock, unlock or put in layers in order to avoid to activate unselected paths:
That's very slow and frustrating, specially when in other apps, you can create complex illustrations in just one layer and with no lock/unlock due a more precise control over the paths.
I have mentioned this feature before, but every time i face a project with a mix of open and closed paths, is a major problem
Please change this behaviour or at least, make it optional.

Yes, it has to be removed in two places and someone who has the authority might take action upon my mentioning it again.
Here is a link on syncing - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1386nHave a read. Someone who uses the Books tab often might give you a step by step guide. Meanwhile, you can email yourself a PDF to keep you going. If it is a one page PDF it will be shown as opened in the email on your iPad. Press on the centre of it to save it to ibooks.If it is more than one page it will be shown as an icon; press on it for the prompt where to open it and choose iBooks, or whatever. I use Goodreader as it has a superior file management system. It costs very little.
Here is the link fo the iPad User Guide should you not already have it. You can download it to iBooks - http://support.apple.com/manuals/#ipad
Finaly, get more help by clicking on iPad Support at the top of the index page on this forum.

Photoshop CC - Making the Pen Tool on a new layer?

So I've never had this problem in previous versions of PS. When selecting the Pen Tool and drawing on the document usually leads to it making a new shape layer. However for some reason this option is greyed out in CC. As a workaround I've had to draw a shape box, then draw with the pen tool and delete the shape box afterwards. Is there a reason for this, a bug or something I'm missing?
Thanks

It should not be grayed out Pixels are grayed out.

11 Nice Features with New Awesome & easy Magnetic Pen Tool (Updated)

1.      Scale effects during the scaling object, in the control bar there is more space (Empty) that will be the helpful to show you the example of the picture that I have made myself, when you transform any object, you will see these options in the control bar.
2.      Save preset of filters in filter gallery:- will be really powerful, it must be exchangeable so that we could send that preset to any one, it must be applicable on percentage(%) of document size, (depends on document resolution).
3.     Filter gallery must be the (live filter gallery), if this works on any raster object without converting to smart object, this will be helpful for creating live PSD.
4.     History panel:- history panel must save the history of document. It will be helpful and powerful, we could apply that history to any document like actions, and history should not be saved with document itself, it must be separate like actions, create 2 arrows in the bottom of panel like layer combs’ panel, to check the history, if any step is wrong we could be able to remove that step,
                              OR
5. Also create/convert history into action, see the pic as example,
If (to Adobe Photoshop Team) history saving is not a good idea! Then before closing the document you must convert history into actions, when any person saves document and has forgotten converting history into actions and wants to close the document, at that time that dialogue must be opened, (Do you want to convert your history into actions, when you open (that) document again you will miss history, and also must create a CHECK BOX for don’t show again.
6.     Layers Group:- In the group (folder) we move the objects with move tool and it moves all grouped objects that’s much better, but when we open the group (Folder), after opening it moves also all grouped object !!!, that’s not perfect, I suggest you how to do it, double click on grouped any object to open the group then move any object, and double click on any grouped object to close the group (folder). ( like Illustrator )
7.      Photoshop Extended can create powerful creative animation with audio and animation panel support completely the smart object and smart object makes animation really smart. But the problem is that it takes too much time to generate animation of few seconds and generated video file size is very large up to 1.GB.
        Here is solution, like new document dialogue box under the Device Central button it shows the document size, as hint, same way in the render video dialogue box it must show the file size and generating time and reducing file size hints.
        I had created (20 months ago) in Photoshop extend CS3 really awesome animation of earth, from where it starts it ends there, and shadows on earth are really awesome, map that moves to the shadow side, it changes from day to night and in the shadows you can see the roads’ and cities’ lights’ just like real night map photo it happens like naturally cause of smart object, I have two photos of the map day and night used for animation, you can see that creative animation on youtube.
(Link)= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd86xGIkQxM
watch this animation in full screen Mode, b/c Youtube has reduced the Quality of Video.
8.   Welcome Screen:- Why welcome Screen is necessary?
                Adobe’s all products must be linked with Design sequence. (Interface)
Design Standard Suite which itself is a famous printing and publishing suite for design ( creation) layout, must keep same sequence of all products and should not affect the attraction,
                Example for Interface, now if CS6 all programs are created with new interface will you don’t change the Photoshop's interface???
Here are my Design Sequences Examples
These Pictures I have Designed in Illustrator
Photoshop with Welcome Screen Looking like Illustrator & Indesign now it matching with its Family.
Benifits of Welcome Screen for ( New ) user
A.    Many people don't know that Photoshop has free few samples with it these are nice example to understand that what photoshop can do!
B.    Photoshop Exchange : is really Necessary : for to exchange Workspace, color profile, Actions, Key Board Shortcuts, Layer Styles,    Swatches, Filter Gallery Presets & PSDs etc.
C.    This will be helpful for New Users TV.Adobe.com they will watch free teqchniques, as see this welcome screen.
D.     Any older user don't want to see the welcome screen that person can turn on that check box (Don't Show Again).
9. Pen Tool + Magnetic Pen Tool =
In my idea pen tool is the perfect tool for vector drawing it gives us perfect result as we want. but about those people like (Toys-R-Us (One Really Big Pen Tool Shortcoming) or other like him, if they can't understand, although pen tool is very easy to use, & he wants short key without going back for to breatck the handle, (for those people) if you want to create short key then short key should be "c or any easy" press to breat the handle, then press again to get back handle again during the using pen tool, or create a magnetic pen tool it must work like magnetic lasso tool works for selection, it will be the best & easy to use & to understand, during to use this tool if it goes to wrong way simply press back space key to go back to last step same like Magnetic Lasso.
(Awesome Magnetic Pen Tool)
or create pen tool like fireworks its pen tool shows next click's preview (very nice pen tool is in fireworks to understand ( really Awesome )
10. keyboard shortcuts like Illustrator for Blend Modes Next , Previous & Opacity 10 to 90, I had started to learn Illustrator CS3 & since CS3 I use these shortcuts for that, (~)tildi for next blend mode, Shift (~) tildi for previous mode, & opacity 10=1 key 20=2 to 90=9 key
11.PANEL ICONS Should be Attached under or above the tool Bar but not on Right or Left Side only ( like Indeign CS2 ).
Note :-
I shall appreciate your frank comments on the above suggestions.
Message was edited by: Muhammad Amjad Khan Abro
Message was edited by: Muhammad Amjad Khan Abro

OK Here goes my wannahaves...
1) create new table or sheet from a file instead of having to open the file and copy/paste into current document. ie "Insert Sheet from file", "Insert Table from File"
2) show linked data from a data source other than the address book - eg an ODBC data source or Filemaker database
3) Ability to paste a filtered table into a new table with just the found rows.
4) Ability to freeze rows and columns to allow for very wide or deep tables
5) When typing data into a cell, automatically adjust its width as you type. Depending on your enter key config, hitting enter puts a new line in the cell and adjusts the row height to fit.
6) Printer page formats default to regional standard: eg in Australia, UK - A4
7) Popup list or menu contents based on a data range: eg a list of categories
8) Media to be selected from anywhere on the system, not just in iTunes/iPhoto (eg most of my video is on an external hard drive)
9) "Autofilter" based on contents of the column.
10) Vlookup and other reference functions: need to be able to select a table (by name) as your range, a column/row (by name) to look up from and a column/row (by name) to retrieve. All functions should work this way, not just the basic ones.
11) When inserting a table you should be asked how many rows and columns.
12 "Format painter" - copy styles and other formatting from cell to cell and table to table.
13) Outlining based upon repeated cell values

Pen tool: Resize image inside a layer/ stop pen outline / white space after crop

I have 3 noob questions all related to the pen tool.
1. Whenever I use the pen to outline something and drag the image to another psd file I see a grey pen outline around the image.
ex. http://screencast.com/t/GmKWAr5UH
2. Whenever I outline with the pen and then select inverse and then delete the background, the background becomes white. I want to drag my outline into my new file but without a white background. it should be transparent so it appears like a collage.
ex. http://screencast.com/t/Rh4Uvq4xBM
3. how do I select an image inside a layer to resize it. Nothing I do creates handles around the image isnide the layer.

Theres some basic stuff you are not understanding…
1. In Photoshop there is the pen tool for creating abstract vector edges, and selection tools (lasso, magic wand etc). You need to turn the results of the pen tool into a selection. Best way is using the the Command/return shortcut, or command clicking on the path in the paths panel.
2 layers need to be , not - If you want to delete areas (make them transparent). To do this either go to Layer/New/Layer from background - or hold Option and double click the Background layer.
3 See answer 2, and use Free Transform (command T)

Pen Tool - autocreate layer?

I've been using Photoshop for about a decade now and I have yet to experience a problem like I'm having now with the pen tool.
When you place your first node, it makes a layer... but in CS4 (or at least my version) it isn't. I can create the entire shape, but no layer is created. The move tool doesn't show it as being anything that can be moved or modified (layer style anyway, I can use the direct selection tool).
Is anyone else having this issue??
Thanks,
Kristal

Thanks, Scott. I just figured it out and was rushing back here to delete my somewhat dumb post. Hopefully it'll keep my default settings.. that was odd. :)~

When I click "File" and then "New" it keeps opening a new file as a layer and not a background. RGB is selected as the mode.

When I click "File" and then "New" it keeps opening a new file as a layer and not a background. RGB is selected as the mode.
With new files opening as a layer and not a background I'm not able to create multiple layers and it wont let me convert the layer to the background.
How did this happen. I used PS just yesterday and had no problems. Today my computer did mandatory updates and now this.

Yes. You are using the Ellipse Tool's Pixel option. So it is laying down pixels as it is supposed to do without creating a layer.
Choose the Shape option:
Also Layer menu > New Layer creates layers and the curled paper at the bottom of your Layers palette also creates a New Layer. I hope those work.

Layers feature and a layer mask pen tool

Could we see a simple Layers feature and a layer mask pen tool - so that we don't have to go to photoshop for simple cutout etc.

Theres some basic stuff you are not understanding…
1. In Photoshop there is the pen tool for creating abstract vector edges, and selection tools (lasso, magic wand etc). You need to turn the results of the pen tool into a selection. Best way is using the the Command/return shortcut, or command clicking on the path in the paths panel.
2 layers need to be , not - If you want to delete areas (make them transparent). To do this either go to Layer/New/Layer from background - or hold Option and double click the Background layer.
3 See answer 2, and use Free Transform (command T)

New path-layers from every line with pen tool?

Hi! I'm currently using Illustrator CS6 as a test version and when I use the pen tool to make a beaver (school assignment), it all end up in one layer. I want to have a new path-layer from every line with the pen tool, so I can remove lines in the layer panel too. At the moment it's one layer that have a picture of a beaver and I can't see the individual lines I've drawn. When I used CS5 recently I didn't have this problem.
Is it a setting I can change or does it have something to do with the news in CS6?

If you want to see a "layer" for every object change the Layer Panel display by choosing Panel Options from the Layer Panel Menu. In the lower section of the panel options window, make certain Groups and Objects are both checked. You'll then see a "layer" for each object.
I am quoting "layer" here because technically they aren't layers. They look like layers and are in the Layer Panel, but they don't exactly allow the options which actual Layers allow. You will be able to select and move the objects in the panel this way however.

LACK OF FULL PEN TOOL FUNCTIONALITY WHEN CREATING A SHAPE LAYER

Hello, I'm going through Chris Meyer's video course on being an AE apprentice and have spent over an hour on the following issue.
Here is what I know.
I know I am trying to create a shape layer, not a mask, to create a frame to surround the video of the green field on the attached screenshot. Therefore, I pressed "F2" to make sure I am doing so.
I want to define the borders of this picture frame by using the pen tool to draw a path on the layer entitled "Windy Peak".
I have highlighted that layer in my timeline.
This video was pasted on to a placeholder shape that I had created using Command Option "/" on my Mac.
I do have limited use of the pen tool, because it displays properly when I hover it above the borders of the video to be framed.
But I lack access to the toolbar controls I want to complete my assignment.
For example, I would like to create a gradient to define the internal coloration of this frame, but I have no use of the eyedropper when I click on the Color Picker.
Also, I am unable to access or manipulate any of the standard fill or stroke options for use of my pen.
This is what I know.
Thanks for your help! Matt
Message was edited by: Matt Dubuque to add the fact that the video had been pasted on to a placeholder shape image by pressing Command Option "/" on my Mac.

Thanks for pitching in Todd and Rick, I appreciate it very much.
As previously stated, I do have use of the pen tool, but it only has limited functionality as demonstrated by the path I created on the green meadow. My Tools Panel remains activated .
My core problem remains that I am unable to adjust the fill or stroke settings for my pen.
I have tried changing and resetting various work spaces and this has not helped.
I'm scratching my head here.
Matt

Capture with new MBP, plus Pen Tool Question...

Good Day everyone, I've searched the forums but have not been able to find my answer so I thought I'd post.
Question 1...
I've just received my new 17"MBP a few weeks ago. With my old PB, I would connect my camera via FW400 and capture the footage to an external LaCie drive via FW800 out of the computer.
Now with only one FW port on the MBP, it looks as though I need to capture via FW800 (4pin to 9pin) and go out to the LaCie via USB? Is this correct? How are any of you doing this. It bums me out that I can't go out FW800 to the drive. I suppose there is always the option of getting an Express Card 34 with FW800 connections?
Question 2...
Why can I not get my pen tool to work in the timeline? I want to adjust opacity and audio levels but am unable to do this. My old version of FCP (v5) seemed to let me do this. Overlays are 'on'? Any suggestions? I find it easier and faster to be able to do these functions from the timeline, there must be a way?
FYI...
New 17" MBP 2.66 w/4GB RAM
FCP (Studio2)
I'm sure question 2 is just something stupid that I just haven't set up.
Appreciate everyone's help as always!
Rene.

To be honest, nobody but Apple knows what Apple is thinking but usb is not a good alternative. I also don't know of too many professional post houses or broadcast studios that have anything to do with firewire infrastructure at all. You can get firewire 800 to firewire 400 adapter cables for cheap, search the internet. You can then daisy chain your camera/capture device in line with your storage device.
The better alternative is to get a express firewire card for your MacBook pro as you mentioned which would create two firewire buses; one for capturing, one for storage. Again, you can search the internet and here's a place to get you started http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet%20Technology/FW800E34/
I guess I would have thought maybe some research into a product of the expense of the MacBook Pro would have warranted some research about these things.

Why does the pen tool remove previous line when I add new anchor points??

Why does the pen tool remove previous lines??
Video here: http://youtu.be/8AmPUkD88h0
It removes the hairline on the face, when I add more anchor points. Why? And how do I correct it?

The ins and outs of the new and changed behaviors in the re-engineered pen tool have been disussed here on this forum and I'm sure a little detour to the help files will also shed some light on this...
Mylenium

Pen Tool on New Layer Keeps Bouncing to Original Layer

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for