Using the Options Bar when the Pen tools or Path Selection/Direct Selection tools are active in Photoshop

Quite a few options appear in the Options bar when the Pen tools or Path Selection/Direct Selection tools are active. Here is the scoop on those options:

-->The Auto Add/Delete option enables you to add or delete an anchor point with the regular Pen tool.

-->Show Bounding Box places a box around the path, allowing you to transform the path. The bounding box isn’t a path or part of your image. It is merely a visual guide to assist you in transformations. You can scale it by dragging the handles or rotate it by dragging just outside the box. Press Ctrl (Ô on the Mac) and drag a handle or side to distort or skew the path.

-->The path state buttons (add, subtract, intersect, and exclude) combine all visible paths by adding, subtracting, intersecting, or excluding paths. Click your desired button to direct Photoshop on how to control the overlapping portions of the path(s) when you convert it to a selection. For example, clicking the Add button selects all areas whether or not they overlap. Clicking Intersect selects only the overlapping areas.

-->The align and distribute buttons align two or more paths and distribute three or more paths. The icons give you a good visual cue as to how the alignment or distribution will appear.