Moving, reshaping, copying, and deleting path components

You can reposition a path component (including a shape in a shape layer) anywhere within an image. You can copy components within an image or between two Photoshop images. Using the path selection tool, you can merge overlapping components into a single component. All vector objects, whether they are described by a saved path, a work path, or a vector mask, can be moved, reshaped, copied, or deleted.

You can also use the Copy and Paste commands to duplicate vector objects between a Photoshop image and an image in another application, such as Adobe Illustrator.

To move a path or path component:

1. Select the path name in the Paths palette, and use the path selection tool to select the path in the image. To select multiple path components, Shift-click each additional path component to add it to the selection.
2. Drag the path to its new location. If you move any part of a path beyond the canvas boundaries, the hidden part of the path is still available.

Note: If you drag a path so that the move pointer is over another open image, the path will be copied to that image.

To reshape a path component:

1. Select the path name in the Paths palette, and use the direct selection tool to select an anchor point in the path.
2. Drag the point or its handles to a new location. (See Adding, deleting, and converting anchor points.)

To merge overlapping path components:

1. Select the path name in the Paths palette, and select the path selection tool .
2. Click Combine in the options bar to create a single component from all overlapping components.

To copy a path component or path:

Do any of the following:

• To copy a path component as you move it, select the path name in the Paths palette, and click a path component with the path selection tool . Then Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the selected path.
• To copy a path without renaming it, drag the path name in the Paths palette to the New Path button  at the bottom of the palette.
• To copy and rename a path, Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the path in the Paths palette to the New Path button at the bottom of the palette. Or select the path to copy, and choose Duplicate Path from the Paths palette menu. Enter a new name for the path in the Duplicate Path dialog box, and click OK.
• To copy a path or path component into another path, select the path or path component you want to copy, and choose Edit > Copy. Then select the destination path, and choose Edit > Paste.

To copy path components between two Adobe Photoshop files:

1. Open both images.
2. Use the path selection tool to select the entire path or the path components in the source image you want to copy.
3. To copy the path component, do any of the following:
• Drag the path component from the source image to the destination image. The path component is copied to the active path in the Paths palette.
• In the source image, select the path's name in the Paths palette and choose Edit > Copy to copy the path. In the destination image, choose Edit > Paste. You can also use this method to combine paths in the same image.
• To paste the path component into the center of the destination image, select the path component in the source image, and choose Edit > Copy. In the destination image, choose Edit > Paste.

To delete a path component:

1. Select the path name in the Paths palette, and click a path component with the path selection tool .
2. Press backspace (Windows) or Delete (Mac OS) to delete the selected path component.