Fix #504: Convert corner/smooth for a path selected as a whole with the anchor tools

Reported: Alt-click with the Pen should toggle an anchor between corner and smooth, and the
Control bar had no way to make a corner anchor smooth.

v0.5.0 already has Pen + Alt as the Anchor Point tool (#473) and the Control bar's and the
Properties panel's Convert buttons for direct-selected anchors, the path being drawn included (its
last anchor is selected). The remaining gap: with Direct Selection, the Pen, the Curvature or the
anchor tools, a path selected as a whole shows all its anchors selected, yet the Convert buttons
only appeared once anchors were direct-selected.

- chrome::anchor_controls decides what the Control bar and the Properties panel show: Convert and
  Anchors for direct-selected anchors (as before), Convert alone for paths selected as a whole
  with a tool that edits anchors (path.convertAnchors already converts every anchor of those);
  Remove and Cut still wait for anchors direct-selected, as they act on those only.
- Tests: the Control bar and the Properties panel offer Convert for a whole rectangle with Direct
  Selection and the Pen, not with the Selection tool, and smooth converts every corner; Pen + Alt
  on the path being drawn makes a smooth anchor a corner (click) and a corner smooth (drag), and
  drawing goes on. ROADMAP.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

ROADMAP.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ VectorCraft is a clean-room, open-source, pure-Rust reimplementation of the Adob
 
 This file tracks **how far we are and what's left**. Time estimates are wall-clock hours of continuous Claude Opus 5.5 agent work (including builds and the CI gate), given both for **one agent** and for **4–6 parallel agents** on disjoint crates. They are counted from the remaining work (see [Parity estimate](#parity-estimate)), calibrated against measured throughput, and updated as work lands.
 
-_Last updated: 2026-10-08 (after M4.14–M4.98, M8.1–M8.20, M14.4–M14.7, the MCP prompts, resource templates, completions and logging, the 2026-10-07 issue fixes, the Layers panel rework and the 2026-10-08 community contributions: Pen and shape-tool modifiers, path editing, Layers, Artboards, Swatches/Brushes and dialogs, Japanese composition and PDF text, Hebrew/Arabic type, interface languages (Spanish among them), the font menu, saved selections, MCP and EPS, the missing-font export warning (#319), open paths in the Shape Builder (#374), PDF/`.ai` import keeping strokes live and hidden and nested layers (#372), per-corner Live Corners (#381), SVG type opening at the size it draws at (#396), the Wayland clipboard with copied-file paste (#398), ruler guides that can be selected, moved and deleted (#414), two batches of Preferences options that were stored but unused (#394), skeleton reads with `document.find` for large documents over MCP (#416) and anchors dragged with Direct Selection snapping to points, segments and smart guides, clipped SVG layers opening as clipping layers (#420), PDF/`.ai` layers read on pages of tens of millions of operators (#419), Document Color Mode putting RGB greys on the black plate on request and converting pattern tiles (#421) and movable dialogs with Offset Path's Joins dropdown (#423) and numeric fields scrubbed by dragging their label (#400), stroke weight presets in the stroke unit (#426), the Appearance panel's Opacity popup (#430), type on a path brackets, flip and Type on a Path Options that keep the type in place (#429), Layers rows dragged with a ghost and dropped on the trash or New Layer (#435), tool flyouts opening on a right or corner press (#436), tool flyouts torn off into floating toolbars (#437), the Shape Builder's erase mode deleting edges too (#439), installed fonts registered outside the font folders and fonts installed while the app runs listed in the font menus (#443), alike circular corners on rectangles that aren't square (#442), tool cursors as OS cursors so the pointer no longer trails over the canvas (#444), artboards copied and pasted with their art (#446), guides dragged out of the rulers snapping to the art's side midpoints and the artboards, artboard guides (#451), the toolbar's double arrow and Window › Toolbars › Double Column switching between one and two columns in any window height (#455), the Smart Guides display options and Snapping Tolerance (#394), Font Size and Leading combo boxes with preset lists in the Character and Properties panels and the Control bar (#458), screenshots pasted from the clipboard on macOS, Windows and the web (#457), the Properties panel's Fill and Stroke matching the Control bar's, Illustrator's Window menu panel keys (Shift+F7 for Align…) and Alt-wheel zoom whatever the wheel preference (Discord feedback), the point/area type widget (Discord feedback), groups in legacy Illustrator .ai files (Discord feedback), a rotating desktop log file (#465), image controls in the Control bar and Properties panel: Image Trace with its presets, Mask, Crop Image, Embed/Unembed, and an Image Trace object's preset, Expand and Release (Discord feedback), the Pen working as the Anchor Point tool with Alt held over a selected path's handles and anchors, and anchor buttons that convert, connect and cut paths at the selected anchors (Discord feedback), Japanese hanging punctuation (burasagari, #463), Escape leaving Presentation Mode with no screen mode saved across restarts, documents dropped on the desktop app opening as tabs of their own and a note that an `.ai` file's art off its artboards isn't in the part read (#472), Add/Delete Anchor Point tool icons drawn from the Pen tool's (#479), EPS files from Illustrator 2026, Inkscape/cairo, matplotlib, CorelDRAW, Affinity, LibreOffice and Ghostscript opening as vectors, and a preview that stands in saying why (Discord feedback, #466, #469, #474), chords with modifiers recorded in Edit › Keyboard Shortcuts (#487), Type Object Selection by Path Only (#394), Anti-aliased Artwork (#394), Show Pixel Grid (#394), pen and touch taps pressed and lifted within one frame clicking where they tapped and the Linux/Wayland pen-tablet workaround (#491), bounding-box resizes landing on the other objects' anchors and centres with labels, and the Rotate, Scale, Shear and Reflect tools snapping their drags (#482), Shift-drag marquees that toggle the objects or anchors they reach and a Lasso whose Alt subtraction keeps the rest of the selection (#483), the mouse wheel stepping the focused numeric field, the dialogs' and preferences' drag values made such fields (#485), Show The Home Screen When No Documents Are Open (#394), Numbers Without Units Are Points (#394), Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels (#394), the Contextual Task Bar moved by its handle and its More Options menu pinning and resetting its position, a designed macOS DMG window (#493), panels, panel groups and the Tools panel undocking intLine truncated
+_Last updated: 2026-10-08 (after M4.14–M4.98, M8.1–M8.20, M14.4–M14.7, the MCP prompts, resource templates, completions and logging, the 2026-10-07 issue fixes, the Layers panel rework and the 2026-10-08 community contributions: Pen and shape-tool modifiers, path editing, Layers, Artboards, Swatches/Brushes and dialogs, Japanese composition and PDF text, Hebrew/Arabic type, interface languages (Spanish among them), the font menu, saved selections, MCP and EPS, the missing-font export warning (#319), open paths in the Shape Builder (#374), PDF/`.ai` import keeping strokes live and hidden and nested layers (#372), per-corner Live Corners (#381), SVG type opening at the size it draws at (#396), the Wayland clipboard with copied-file paste (#398), ruler guides that can be selected, moved and deleted (#414), two batches of Preferences options that were stored but unused (#394), skeleton reads with `document.find` for large documents over MCP (#416) and anchors dragged with Direct Selection snapping to points, segments and smart guides, clipped SVG layers opening as clipping layers (#420), PDF/`.ai` layers read on pages of tens of millions of operators (#419), Document Color Mode putting RGB greys on the black plate on request and converting pattern tiles (#421) and movable dialogs with Offset Path's Joins dropdown (#423) and numeric fields scrubbed by dragging their label (#400), stroke weight presets in the stroke unit (#426), the Appearance panel's Opacity popup (#430), type on a path brackets, flip and Type on a Path Options that keep the type in place (#429), Layers rows dragged with a ghost and dropped on the trash or New Layer (#435), tool flyouts opening on a right or corner press (#436), tool flyouts torn off into floating toolbars (#437), the Shape Builder's erase mode deleting edges too (#439), installed fonts registered outside the font folders and fonts installed while the app runs listed in the font menus (#443), alike circular corners on rectangles that aren't square (#442), tool cursors as OS cursors so the pointer no longer trails over the canvas (#444), artboards copied and pasted with their art (#446), guides dragged out of the rulers snapping to the art's side midpoints and the artboards, artboard guides (#451), the toolbar's double arrow and Window › Toolbars › Double Column switching between one and two columns in any window height (#455), the Smart Guides display options and Snapping Tolerance (#394), Font Size and Leading combo boxes with preset lists in the Character and Properties panels and the Control bar (#458), screenshots pasted from the clipboard on macOS, Windows and the web (#457), the Properties panel's Fill and Stroke matching the Control bar's, Illustrator's Window menu panel keys (Shift+F7 for Align…) and Alt-wheel zoom whatever the wheel preference (Discord feedback), the point/area type widget (Discord feedback), groups in legacy Illustrator .ai files (Discord feedback), a rotating desktop log file (#465), image controls in the Control bar and Properties panel: Image Trace with its presets, Mask, Crop Image, Embed/Unembed, and an Image Trace object's preset, Expand and Release (Discord feedback), the Pen working as the Anchor Point tool with Alt held over a selected path's handles and anchors, and anchor buttons that convert, connect and cut paths at the selected anchors (Discord feedback), Japanese hanging punctuation (burasagari, #463), Escape leaving Presentation Mode with no screen mode saved across restarts, documents dropped on the desktop app opening as tabs of their own and a note that an `.ai` file's art off its artboards isn't in the part read (#472), Add/Delete Anchor Point tool icons drawn from the Pen tool's (#479), EPS files from Illustrator 2026, Inkscape/cairo, matplotlib, CorelDRAW, Affinity, LibreOffice and Ghostscript opening as vectors, and a preview that stands in saying why (Discord feedback, #466, #469, #474), chords with modifiers recorded in Edit › Keyboard Shortcuts (#487), Type Object Selection by Path Only (#394), Anti-aliased Artwork (#394), Show Pixel Grid (#394), pen and touch taps pressed and lifted within one frame clicking where they tapped and the Linux/Wayland pen-tablet workaround (#491), bounding-box resizes landing on the other objects' anchors and centres with labels, and the Rotate, Scale, Shear and Reflect tools snapping their drags (#482), Shift-drag marquees that toggle the objects or anchors they reach and a Lasso whose Alt subtraction keeps the rest of the selection (#483), the mouse wheel stepping the focused numeric field, the dialogs' and preferences' drag values made such fields (#485), Show The Home Screen When No Documents Are Open (#394), Numbers Without Units Are Points (#394), Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels (#394), the Contextual Task Bar moved by its handle and its More Options menu pinning and resetting its position, a designed macOS DMG window (#493), panels, panel groups and the Tools panel undocking intLine truncated
 
 ## Where we are
 
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ grade by behaviour against `plan/illustrator/`, not by whether a menu item exist
   - **Cutting:** Eraser, Scissors, Knife, Mirror & Cut, Line Cut and Rectangle Cut (real geometry, compound paths keep their holes).
   - **Transform:** Rotate, Reflect, Scale, Shear (click or Alt-click snaps the reference point to anchors and centres; Alt-click opens the tool's dialog, and a drag with Alt down at the release, from the press or pressed mid-drag, transforms a copy), Reshape, Free Transform (free and perspective distort and shear, switched by the keys held during a handle drag).
   - **Live Corners:** drag a live rectangle's corner widgets (Selection or Direct Selection) to round all corners, with a radius readout; with Direct Selection, select corner anchors to show and round just those corners (#381). Each corner keeps its own radius and kind (Round, Inverted Round, Chamfer): Alt-click a widget to cycle the kind, double-click it for the Corners dialog, and the Properties and Transform radius fields set the selected corners (`object.setLiveShape {corners, radius, kind}`). Corners stay circular when the rectangle is scaled unevenly or along its own sides when rotated (the radius keeps its size, or scales by the mean scale with Scale Corners on); only a shear distorts them. On a rectangle that isn't square every corner is the same circle: a radius past half the shorter side stops there for all of them, the widgets sit on the corners as drawn and turn the edited corners red at that limit, CSS export writes the drawn radii, and rectangles saved stretched by older versions get circular corners when their corners are next set (#442).
-  - **Pen:** Alt pressed in the middle of dragging out an anchor splits its handles and keeps the curve already shaped into it (only the outgoing handle follows the pointer); Space held while dragging out an anchor moves it, handles and all. Clicking the last anchor of the path being drawn retracts its outgoing handle (convert cursor), and dragging from it pulls out a new one on its own. Auto Add/Delete: over a selected path, a click on a segment adds an anchor and a click on an anchor deletes it (add and delete cursors); Shift held, or Preferences › General › Disable Auto Add/Delete, starts a new path instead. Alt held over a handle end or an anchor of a selected path (the one being drawn too) works as the Anchor Point tool, with its convert cursor: dragging a handle moves it alone, clicking a smooth anchor makes it a corner, dragging an anchor pulls out new symmetric handles, dragging a segment reshapes it; drawing then goes on. Cmd (Ctrl) held drags with the selection tool chosen last, Direct Selection until one is (handles, anchors and segments of the path being drawn or another), and the Pen then goes on drawing its path while that stays selected; the pointer shows that tool's while Cmd is held. The same holds for agents (`pointer_gesture` with `mods.cmd`), as the borrowing now lives in the engine (#494).
-  - **Path editing (#494):** the handles shown are the handles that drag: Direct Selection drags those of a path selected as a whole (as the Pen leaves it), the Anchor Point tool and Pen+Alt no longer grab handles that Show handles when multiple anchors are selected hides, a handle shorter than the tolerance leaves its anchor to be picked, and the anchor tools pick within Selection & Anchor Display › Tolerance. A dragged segment keeps a smooth anchor at either end smooth. A handle drag gathers its snap targets once per drag (it took 21 ms per pointer move on a 20,000-path document, now 1 ms; `vectorcraft-cli perf` measures handle and segment drags on a 5,000-anchor path).
+  - **Pen:** Alt pressed in the middle of dragging out an anchor splits its handles and keeps the curve already shaped into it (only the outgoing handle follows the pointer); Space held while dragging out an anchor moves it, handles and all. A press on the first anchor of the path being drawn closes it whatever the drag then does: the drag shapes the closing curve (symmetric handles, Alt breaks them) and the release closes the path wherever it ends (#501). Clicking the last anchor of the path being drawn retracts its outgoing handle (convert cursor), and dragging from it pulls out a new one on its own. Auto Add/Delete: over a selected path, a click on a segment adds an anchor and a click on an anchor deletes it (add and delete cursors); Shift held, or Preferences › General › Disable Auto Add/Delete, starts a new path instead. Alt held over a handle end or an anchor of a selected path (the one being drawn too) works as the Anchor Point tool, with its convert cursor: dragging a handle moves it alone, clicking a smooth anchor makes it a corner, dragging an anchor pulls out new symmetric handles, dragging a segment reshapes it; drawing then goes on. Cmd (Ctrl) held drags with the selection tool chosen last, Direct Selection until one is (handles, anchors and segments of the path being drawn or another), and the Pen then goes on drawing its path while that stays selected; the pointer shows that tool's while Cmd is held. The same holds for agents (`pointer_gesture` with `mods.cmd`), as the borrowing now lives in the engine (#494).
+  - **Path editing (#494):** the handles shown are the handles that drag: Direct Selection drags those of a path selected as a whole (as the Pen leaves it), the Anchor Point tool and Pen+Alt no longer grab handles that Show handles when multiple anchors are selected hides, a handle shorter than the tolerance leaves its anchor to be picked, and the anchor tools pick within Selection & Anchor Display › Tolerance. A dragged segment keeps a smooth anchor at either end smooth. With Direct Selection, the Pen, the Curvature and the anchor tools, a path selected as a whole shows all its anchors selected, and the Control bar and the Properties panel offer Convert (corner, smooth) for them too; Remove and Cut wait for anchors direct-selected (#504). A handle drag gathers its snap targets once per drag (it took 21 ms per pointer move on a 20,000-path document, now 1 ms; `vectorcraft-cli perf` measures handle and segment drags on a 5,000-anchor path).
   - **Graphs:** Column, Stacked Column, Bar, Stacked Bar, Line, Area, Scatter, Pie and Radar graph tools with Graph Data and Graph Type.
   - **Other:** Eyedropper, Gradient annotator, Artboard (Alt-drag duplicates an artboard, and its art with Move/Copy Artwork with Artboard on; Copy, Cut and Paste take the artboard with its art, Paste right of the last artboard, Paste in Place where it was, into this or another document, #446), Measure, Type, Hand, Zoom, Rotate View.
   - **Editing type:** double-clicking type with a selection tool switches to the Type tool with the caret where it was clicked.

crates/engine/src/tests_draw2.rs

@@ -734,3 +734,59 @@ fn reshaping_a_segment_keeps_smooth_anchors_smooth() {
     assert!((a.h_out.distance(a.p) - 40.0).abs() < 1e-9, "its length kept");
     assert!(near(sp.anchors[0].h_out, Point::new(100.0, 260.0)) && !sp.anchors[0].has_in(), "the corner end: {:?}", sp.anchors[0]);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn pen_drag_from_the_first_anchor_closes_the_path() {
+    // #501: closing a path by dragging out of its first anchor flickered between a close and a new
+    // path, and released at the wrong moment left the shape open. The press decides: the drag
+    // shapes the closing curve, symmetric, and the release closes the path wherever it ends.
+    let none = Mods::default();
+    let v = view();
+    let mut s = session();
+    s.select_tool("pen", v).unwrap();
+    for (x, y) in [(100.0, 300.0), (200.0, 300.0), (200.0, 400.0)] {
+        gesture(&mut s, &[(x, y)], none);
+    }
+    let id = s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects[0];
+    let pts: Vec<(f64, f64)> = (0..=12).map(|i| (100.0 + 5.0 * f64::from(i), 300.0 - 4.0 * f64::from(i))).collect();
+    s.pointer(&PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Down, 100.0, 300.0), v).unwrap();
+    for &(x, y) in &pts[1..] {
+        s.pointer(&PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Drag, x, y), v).unwrap();
+        let p = path(&s, id);
+        assert!(p.subpaths[0].closed && paths(&s).len() == 1, "closed throughout the drag, at ({x}, {y})");
+    }
+    s.pointer(&PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Up, 160.0, 252.0), v).unwrap();
+    assert!(!s.in_interaction());
+    let sp = &path(&s, id).subpaths[0];
+    assert!(sp.closed && sp.anchors.len() == 3, "{sp:?}");
+    let a = sp.anchors[0];
+    assert_eq!((a.h_in, a.h_out), (Point::new(40.0, 348.0), Point::new(160.0, 252.0)), "symmetric");
+    assert_eq!(paths(&s).len(), 1);
+    // The next click starts a new path.
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(500.0, 500.0)], none);
+    assert_eq!(paths(&s).len(), 2);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn pen_with_alt_converts_the_anchors_of_the_path_being_drawn() {
+    // #504: while drawing, Alt-click on a smooth anchor of the path makes it a corner and Alt-drag
+    // on a corner one pulls out smooth handles; the next click goes on drawing the path.
+    let (none, alt) = (Mods::default(), Mods { alt: true, ..Mods::default() });
+    let v = view();
+    let mut s = session();
+    s.select_tool("pen", v).unwrap();
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(100.0, 300.0)], none);
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(200.0, 300.0), (240.0, 300.0)], none);
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(300.0, 400.0)], none);
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(400.0, 300.0)], none);
+    let id = s.doc().unwrap().selection.objects[0];
+    assert!(smooth(path(&s, id).subpaths[0].anchors[1]));
+    assert_eq!(gesture(&mut s, &[(200.0, 300.0)], alt), 1);
+    let a = path(&s, id).subpaths[0].anchors[1];
+    assert!(!a.has_in() && !a.has_out(), "a corner: {a:?}");
+    assert_eq!(gesture(&mut s, &[(300.0, 400.0), (320.0, 400.0), (340.0, 400.0)], alt), 1);
+    let a = path(&s, id).subpaths[0].anchors[2];
+    assert!(smooth(a) && a.h_out == Point::new(340.0, 400.0), "smooth: {a:?}");
+    gesture(&mut s, &[(500.0, 400.0)], none);
+    assert_eq!((paths(&s).len(), path(&s, id).subpaths[0].anchors.len()), (1, 5));
+}

crates/mcp/src/tests_pen.rs

@@ -45,3 +45,22 @@ fn cmd_with_the_pen_edits_the_path_being_drawn() {
     text(&call_tool(&mut h, "pointer_gesture", &gesture(&[(300.0, 350.0)])));
     assert_eq!(paths(&h).iter().map(Vec::len).collect::<Vec<_>>(), [3], "the same path, three anchors");
 }
+
+/// #501: a drag out of the first anchor closes the path, shaping the closing curve.
+#[test]
+fn a_drag_from_the_first_anchor_closes_the_path() {
+    let mut h = Headless::new();
+    h.call("engine.execute", json!({"command": "file.new", "params": {"width": 800, "height": 600}})).unwrap();
+    text(&call_tool(&mut h, "select_tool", &json!({"tool": "pen"})));
+    for p in [(100.0, 300.0), (200.0, 300.0), (200.0, 400.0)] {
+        text(&call_tool(&mut h, "pointer_gesture", &gesture(&[p])));
+    }
+    let close: Vec<(f64, f64)> = (0..=12).map(|i| (100.0 + 5.0 * f64::from(i), 300.0 - 4.0 * f64::from(i))).collect();
+    text(&call_tool(&mut h, "pointer_gesture", &gesture(&close)));
+    let d = &h.session.doc().unwrap().doc;
+    let mut closed = vec![];
+    d.walk(|n| closed.extend(n.path_data().map(|p| p.is_closed())));
+    assert_eq!(closed, [true], "one path, closed");
+    let first = paths(&h)[0][0];
+    assert_eq!((first.h_in, first.h_out), (vectorcraft_geom::Point::new(40.0, 348.0), vectorcraft_geom::Point::new(160.0, 252.0)));
+}

crates/tools/src/pen.rs

@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 //! Click adds a corner anchor; click-drag adds a smooth anchor with symmetric handles (Alt breaks
 //! them: the incoming handle stays where it was when Alt went down and only the outgoing one
 //! follows the pointer; Space held moves the anchor, handles and all); Shift constrains to 45°.
-//! Clicking the first anchor closes the path. Clicking the last one retracts its outgoing handle, so
-//! the next segment leaves it as a corner; dragging from it pulls a new one out on its own.
+//! A press on the first anchor closes the path, the drag shaping the closing curve. Clicking the
+//! last one retracts its outgoing handle, so the next segment leaves it as a corner; dragging from
+//! it pulls a new one out on its own.
 //! Alt held over a handle end, an anchor or a segment of a selected path (the one being drawn too)
 //! works as the Anchor Point tool: dragging a handle moves it alone, clicking a smooth anchor makes
 //! it a corner, dragging an anchor pulls out new symmetric handles and dragging a segment reshapes
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ pub struct PenTool {
     drawing: bool,
     /// ...this one, once the engine made it: another path selected meanwhile isn't drawn on.
     path: Option<NodeId>,
-    drag: Option<(Point, bool)>,
+    /// The anchor a press placed, while the drag shapes its handles.
+    drag: Option<Place>,
     hover: Option<Point>,
     /// The incoming handle of the anchor being dragged out, as last previewed.
     in_h: Point,
@@ -43,6 +45,17 @@ pub struct PenTool {
     convert: Option<AnchorTool>,
 }
 
+/// An anchor being placed, as the press decided: where it is, the path it goes on (none: the
+/// first anchor of a new path) and whether it closes that path (the press was on its first
+/// anchor). The drag only shapes its handles, whatever the path looks like meanwhile: a closing
+/// preview leaves the path closed, so no longer one the pen draws on.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+struct Place {
+    at: Point,
+    path: Option<NodeId>,
+    closing: bool,
+}
+
 /// The open path the pen is extending: the single selected open path.
 fn active_path(cx: &ToolContext) -> Option<(NodeId, Point, Point, Point)> {
     if cx.selection.objects.len() != 1 {
@@ -128,7 +141,7 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                     let end = last_anchor(cx, id);
                     // A one-anchor path doesn't close on itself: its anchor is the last one too.
                     if p.distance(first) <= tol && end.is_some_and(|(_, ai)| ai > 0) {
-                        self.drag = Some((first, true));
+                        self.drag = Some(Place { at: first, path: Some(id), closing: true });
                         return vec![Action::Begin("Close Path".into()), Action::Preview("path.close".into(), json!({"id": id.0}))];
                     }
                     if p.distance(last) <= tol
@@ -140,7 +153,7 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                     if let Some(acts) = self.alt_convert(cx, ev) {
                         return acts;
                     }
-                    self.drag = Some((p, false));
+                    self.drag = Some(Place { at: p, path: Some(id), closing: false });
                     self.in_h = p;
                     return vec![Action::Begin("Pen".into()), Action::Preview("path.appendAnchor".into(), json!({"id": id.0, "x": p.x, "y": p.y}))];
                 }
@@ -165,7 +178,7 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                     return vec![act];
                 }
                 (self.drawing, self.path) = (true, None);
-                self.drag = Some((p, false));
+                self.drag = Some(Place { at: p, path: None, closing: false });
                 vec![Action::Begin("Pen".into()), Action::Preview("path.create".into(), json!({"anchors": [{"x": p.x, "y": p.y}]}))]
             }
             PointerKind::Drag => {
@@ -179,13 +192,13 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                     }
                     return vec![set_out_handle(id, si, ai, h)];
                 }
-                let Some((mut a, closing)) = self.drag else { return vec![] };
+                let Some(Place { at: mut a, path, closing }) = self.drag else { return vec![] };
                 // Space held moves the anchor being placed, handles and all.
                 if ev.mods.space && !closing {
                     let d = ev.pos - self.last;
                     a += d;
                     self.in_h += d;
-                    self.drag = Some((a, closing));
+                    self.drag = Some(Place { at: a, path, closing });
                 }
                 self.last = ev.pos;
                 let mut out_h = ev.pos;
@@ -193,7 +206,7 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                     out_h = a + vectorcraft_geom::constrain_angle(ev.pos - a, 45.0);
                 }
                 let alt = ev.mods.alt;
-                let Some((id, ..)) = active else {
+                let Some(id) = path else {
                     // First anchor of a new path: re-issue create with handles.
                     let in_h = a - (out_h - a);
                     return vec![Action::Preview(
@@ -223,8 +236,8 @@ impl Tool for PenTool {
                 if self.handle.take().is_some() {
                     return vec![Action::Commit];
                 }
-                let Some((_, closing)) = self.drag.take() else { return vec![] };
-                if closing {
+                let Some(place) = self.drag.take() else { return vec![] };
+                if place.closing {
                     self.stop();
                 }
                 vec![Action::Commit]
@@ -492,6 +505,32 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(t.cursor(&cx, Point::new(10.0, 300.0), Mods::default()), Cursor::PenClose);
     }
 
+    /// #501: a press on the first anchor closes the path, however far the drag then goes: the
+    /// closing preview leaves the path closed (so not one the pen extends), and each move still
+    /// previews the close with symmetric handles (Alt breaks them), released as a close.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_drag_from_the_first_anchor_always_closes() {
+        let pts = [Point::new(100.0, 300.0), Point::new(200.0, 300.0), Point::new(200.0, 400.0)];
+        let (mut d, id, s) = drawing(vectorcraft_geom::SubPath::polyline(&pts, false));
+        let p = paint();
+        let mut t = PenTool { drawing: true, ..PenTool::default() };
+        let a = t.pointer(&cx(&d, &s, &p), &PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Down, 101.0, 301.0));
+        assert_eq!(a, vec![Action::Begin("Close Path".into()), Action::Preview("path.close".into(), json!({"id": id.0}))]);
+        // What the tool sees once the preview applied: the path closed.
+        d.node_mut(id).unwrap().path_data_mut().unwrap().subpaths[0].closed = true;
+        let c = cx(&d, &s, &p);
+        let close = |x: f64, y: f64, alt: bool| {
+            vec![Action::Preview("path.close".into(), json!({"id": id.0, "in": [200.0 - x, 600.0 - y], "independent": alt}))]
+        };
+        for (x, y) in [(105.0, 290.0), (130.0, 260.0), (160.0, 240.0)] {
+            assert_eq!(t.pointer(&c, &PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Drag, x, y)), close(x, y, false), "at ({x}, {y})");
+        }
+        let alt = Mods { alt: true, ..Mods::default() };
+        assert_eq!(t.pointer(&c, &PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Drag, 170.0, 250.0).with_mods(alt)), close(170.0, 250.0, true));
+        assert_eq!(t.pointer(&c, &PointerEvent::new(PointerKind::Up, 170.0, 250.0)), vec![Action::Commit]);
+        assert!(!t.busy() && t.active(&c).is_none(), "the path is done");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn a_one_anchor_path_does_not_close_on_itself() {
         let (d, id, s) = drawing(vectorcraft_geom::SubPath::polyline(&[Point::new(10.0, 300.0)], false));

crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs

@@ -108,10 +108,32 @@ pub fn app_bar(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
 /// An anchor button: icon, tooltip, command and the convert command's `to`.
 type AnchorButton<'a> = (&'a str, &'a str, &'a str, Option<&'a str>);
 
-/// What the Control bar and the Properties panel offer for direct-selected anchors: "Convert:"
-/// corner or smooth, then "Anchors:" remove, connect (Join) and cut. Each group is a row of its
-/// own: inline in the Control bar, one under the other in a panel.
-pub fn anchor_buttons(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
+/// The anchor controls the Control bar and the Properties panel show.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum AnchorControls {
+    None,
+    /// Paths selected as a whole with a tool that edits anchors (Direct Selection, the Pen…),
+    /// which shows all their anchors selected: "Convert:" only, as removing or cutting at every
+    /// anchor isn't what they're for.
+    Convert,
+    /// Anchors direct-selected: "Convert:" and "Anchors:".
+    All,
+}
+
+/// Which anchor controls show for the selection and the active tool.
+pub fn anchor_controls(app: &VectorcraftApp) -> AnchorControls {
+    let Some(st) = app.session.active() else { return AnchorControls::None };
+    if !st.selection.anchors.is_empty() {
+        return AnchorControls::All;
+    }
+    let paths = st.selection.objects.iter().any(|id| st.doc.node(*id).is_some_and(|n| matches!(n.kind, NodeKind::Path { .. })));
+    if paths && vectorcraft_tools::catalog::edits_anchors(app.session.tool_id()) { AnchorControls::Convert } else { AnchorControls::None }
+}
+
+/// What the Control bar and the Properties panel offer for selected anchors ([`anchor_controls`]):
+/// "Convert:" corner or smooth, then "Anchors:" remove, connect (Join) and cut. Each group is a
+/// row of its own: inline in the Control bar, one under the other in a panel.
+pub fn anchor_buttons(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui, controls: AnchorControls) {
     let t = Tokens::get(ui.ctx());
     let mut run = None;
     let groups: [(&str, &[AnchorButton]); 2] = [
@@ -131,7 +153,12 @@ pub fn anchor_buttons(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
             ],
         ),
     ];
-    for (label, buttons) in groups {
+    let shown = match controls {
+        AnchorControls::None => 0,
+        AnchorControls::Convert => 1,
+        AnchorControls::All => groups.len(),
+    };
+    for (label, buttons) in groups.into_iter().take(shown) {
         ui.horizontal(|ui| {
             ui.label(egui::RichText::new(label).size(12.0).color(t.text));
             for &(icon, tip, id, to) in buttons {
@@ -166,9 +193,9 @@ pub fn control_bar(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
                 let sel = st.selection.objects.clone();
                 let units = app.session.general_unit();
                 let first = sel.first().and_then(|id| st.doc.node(*id)).cloned();
-                let anchor_mode = !st.selection.anchors.is_empty();
+                let anchors = anchor_controls(app);
                 let label = match &first {
-                    Some(_) if sel.len() == 1 && anchor_mode => tl!("Anchor Point"),
+                    Some(_) if sel.len() == 1 && anchors != AnchorControls::None => tl!("Anchor Point"),
                     Some(vectorcraft_doc::Node { kind: NodeKind::Image(im), .. }) if sel.len() == 1 => {
                         if im.link.is_some() {
                             tl!("Linked File")
@@ -180,8 +207,8 @@ pub fn control_bar(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
                     _ => tl!(crate::panels::appearance::object_label(app)),
                 };
                 ui.label(egui::RichText::new(label).font(theme::semibold(12.0)).color(t.text));
-                if anchor_mode {
-                    anchor_buttons(app, ui);
+                if anchors != AnchorControls::None {
+                    anchor_buttons(app, ui, anchors);
                 }
                 ui.add_space(6.0);
                 // An image or an Image Trace object shows its own controls in place of Fill and Stroke.

crates/ui-egui/src/panels/properties.rs

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
         return;
     };
     let n_sel = st.selection.len();
-    let anchor_mode = !st.selection.anchors.is_empty();
+    let anchors = crate::chrome::anchor_controls(app);
     let first = first_selected(app);
     let label = match (&first, n_sel) {
         (None, _) => tl!("Document").to_string(),
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ pub fn show(app: &mut VectorcraftApp, ui: &mut Ui) {
             }
         });
     }
-    if anchor_mode {
+    if anchors != crate::chrome::AnchorControls::None {
         divider(ui);
         section_header(ui, tl!("Anchor Point"));
-        crate::chrome::anchor_buttons(app, ui);
+        crate::chrome::anchor_buttons(app, ui, anchors);
     }
     divider(ui);
     section_header(ui, tl!("Quick Actions"));

crates/ui-egui/src/tests_removeanchors.rs

@@ -205,3 +205,26 @@ fn the_control_bar_converts_connects_and_cuts_selected_anchors() {
     assert!(app.session.active().unwrap().doc.node(id).unwrap().path_data().unwrap().subpaths[0].closed);
     assert_eq!(anchor_count(&app, id), 4, "the coincident ends merge");
 }
+
+/// #504: with a tool that edits anchors (Direct Selection, the Pen…), a path selected as a whole
+/// shows all its anchors selected, and the Control bar and the Properties panel offer to convert
+/// them; removing and cutting wait for anchors direct-selected. The Selection tool shows neither.
+#[test]
+fn a_whole_path_converts_with_the_tools_that_edit_anchors() {
+    let mut app = app();
+    let id = rect(&mut app);
+    let ctx = egui::Context::default();
+    crate::theme::install_fonts(&ctx);
+    app.select_tool("selection");
+    assert!(!has(&control_frame(&mut app, &ctx, vec![]), "Convert:"));
+    for tool in ["directSelection", "pen"] {
+        app.select_tool(tool);
+        let texts = control_frame(&mut app, &ctx, vec![]);
+        assert!(has(&texts, "Convert:") && !has(&texts, "Anchors:"), "{tool}: {texts:?}");
+        let props = crate::tests_labels::painted_text(&mut app, crate::panels::properties::show);
+        assert!(props.contains("Convert:") && !props.contains("Anchors:"), "{tool}: {props}");
+    }
+    click_button(&mut app, &ctx, "Convert:", 1);
+    let sp = app.session.active().unwrap().doc.node(id).unwrap().path_data().unwrap().subpaths[0].clone();
+    assert!(sp.anchors.iter().all(|a| a.has_in() && a.has_out()), "every corner made smooth: {sp:?}");
+}