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Converting paths to selection borders


    You can define any closed path as a selection border. A closed path that overlaps a selected area can be added to, subtracted from, or combined with the current selection.

To convert a path to a selection border using the current Make Selection settings:

  1. Select the path in the Paths palette.
  2. To convert the path, do one of the following:
    • Click the Load Path as a Selection button Load Path as a Selection button at the bottom of the Paths palette.
    • Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the path thumbnail in the Paths palette.

To convert a path to a selection border and specify settings:

  1. Select the path in the Paths palette.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Load Path as a Selection button Load Path as a Selection button at the bottom of the Paths palette.
    • Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) the path to the Load Path as a Selection button.
    • Choose Make Selection from the Paths palette menu.
  3. In the Make Selection dialog box, select a Rendering option:
    • Feather Radius to define how far inside and outside the selection border the feather edge extends. Enter a value in pixels.
    • Anti-aliased to create a finer transition between the pixels in the selection and the surrounding pixels. Make sure the Feather Radius is set to 0.

    For more information on these options, see Softening the edges of a selection.

  4. Select an Operation option:
    • New Selection to select only the area defined by the path.
    • Add to Selection to add the area defined by the path to the original selection.
    • Subtract from Selection to remove the area defined by the path from the original selection.
    • Intersect with Selection to select the area common to both the path and the original selection. If the path and selection do not overlap, nothing is selected.
  5. Click OK.