Managing paths (Photoshop)

When you use a pen or shape tool to create a work path, the new path appears as the Work Path in the Paths palette. The Work Path is temporary; you must save it to avoid losing its contents. If you deselect the Work Path without saving it and start drawing again, a new path will replace the existing one.

When you use a pen or shape tool to create a new shape layer, the new path appears as a vector mask in the Paths palette. Vector masks are linked to their parent layer; you must select the parent layer in the Layers palette in order to list the clipping path in the Paths palette. You can remove a clipping path from a layer and convert a clipping path to a rasterized mask. For more information,

Paths saved with an image appear when you open it again. In Windows, the Photoshop, JPEG, JPEG 2000, DCS, EPS, PDF, and TIFF formats support paths. In Mac OS, all available file formats support paths.

Paths palette A. Saved path B. Temporary Work Path C. Vector mask path (appears only when shape layer is selected)

Note: Paths in formats other than those listed here generally don't survive a transition from Mac OS to Windows and back to Mac OS.