Why does the vector selection tool (white arrow) change layer selection to another vector mask?

Question

I have been continually annoyed, when creating a vector mask-heavy document, with trying to select vector mask points by dragging a rectangle only to find that it instead selects a layer higher up which has a larger vector mask.
The only workaround is to manually select the points of my mask or to drag a rectangle from outside the canvas, meaning I have to zoom out or scroll to the edge - sometimes annoying if I am zoomed in quite far.
Does anyone know any resolution for this?
I know that the move tool can be set to automatically select a layer, depending on what part of the image is clicked, but why is there not an option to turn this off for vector editing?

Answer 1

What version of Photoshop are you using????
The White Arrow tool is the direct selection tool and it work best way you point it at a path segment line and click once.  When you do all the control points in a close path segment will be marked with little squares and the two control point adjacent to where you clicked will have handles you can adjust.
You can also drag out a rectangle with the direct selection tool. When you do you may select many closed paths in a path a path may have many sub paths and each has a mode like add, subtract, intersect etc, and each has a stacking order like in a layer stack. So if you drag out a rectangle many paths control points will be marked and control point adjacent to crossing rectangle will have handles. Can be very confusing.
Here are two screen capture the first on shows the layer palette and path palette.  You can see many shapes and path with sub paths and modes. I also targeted layer a vector mask. The selected the direct selection tool and in the image window I pointed at the 45 degree oval path near the top right. You cab see the four control points and two with handles.   The second screen capture  I only captured the image window. I used the direct selection tool and draged out a rectangle and you cab see many segments control points and many have handles. I have no problem selecting what I want to select