Clicking a per-display glass Engineering panel button (0x21 on an Eng page) hard-crashed via a wild call through an uninitialised pointer (eip=cdcdcdcd debug / 0x01048748 release), zero btl4 frames above Receiver::Receive. Root cause is the dense message-handler-table gap hazard (reconstruction- gotchas #11), the message-side twin of the attribute-table one -- NOT a /FORCE unresolved external (the glass link log carried only the known-benign mech3.obj CreateStreamedSubsystem set). Receiver::MessageHandlerSet::Find(id) returns messageHandlers[id-1].entryHandler for any id <= entryCount with no populated- check, and Receive() calls it when != NullHandler. The streamed Eng-page .CTL dispatches subsystem msg id 3/0xb to whatever subsystem is shown; a weapon (Emitter) registers only PoweredSubsystem 4-8 + MechWeapon 9-10, so id 3 is a gap below entryCount 10. Build did new HandlerEntry[entryCount] and left gaps uninitialised -> (this->*garbage)(msg). The 1995 binary has the identical non- zeroing new[] (part_002.c Build) and survived only on fresh-heap-zero luck: a weapon receiving id 3 was always meant to IGNORE it (id 3 = a Condenser/ Reservoir action in a different subsystem branch; the uniform Eng-page button template makes buttons for unimplemented actions authentically inert). The new per-display windows just made the id reachable live. Fix (engine, class-wide, faithful): Build now null-inits every slot (entryID=0/entryName=""/entryHandler=NullHandler) before copying inherited / placing supplied, so a gap is deterministically NullHandler -> Receive drops it (the authentic "Receiver ignores unhandled messages"), with an empty never-NULL name so the name-based Find() strcmp can't deref a gap. Correct dispatch contract, not a glass-path guard -> protects the whole dead-button class (#14). Also lands the [glasswin] CLICK crash-forensics log (names the button before dispatch). Verified under cdb: click-soaked every MFD bank (Engineering/L+R Weapons/Heat/ Comm, ~130 clicks through Quad<->Eng page cycles) -> zero AVs, reconstructed mapper preset selects still fire ([mode] preset (1,1)/(2,1)...); pod build + solo mission un-regressed. Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
163 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
163 lines
12 KiB
Markdown
---
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id: glass-cockpit
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title: "Glass Cockpit — the desktop developer layer (BT_GLASS / BT_STEAM)"
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status: living
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source_sections: "plan 2026-07-17; CMakeLists.txt gates; BT412 prior art (reference only)"
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related_topics: [pod-hardware, build-and-run, multiplayer, gauges-hud]
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key_terms: [PadRIO, miniconsole, glass-cockpit]
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open_questions: []
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---
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# Glass Cockpit — the desktop developer layer
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**Purpose:** developer tooling so game developers can test their work WITHOUT booting a Tesla II
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pod — and stay far enough out of the game that nothing a real pod requires can break. NOT a
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consumer product (GDI-grade UI is the ceiling). Pod fidelity outranks desktop convenience in
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every trade-off.
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## The compile gates (the ONLY compile-time feature gates in the tree)
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| Gate | Default | Adds |
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|---|---|---|
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| `BT_GLASS` | OFF | PadRIO input (XInput+keyboard), per-display cockpit windows (or the legacy single button panel), desktop plasma window, `glass` platform preset, miniconsole mission launcher |
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| `BT_STEAM` | OFF (requires `BT_GLASS`) | Steam transport (`ISteamNetworkingSockets`) + `ISteamMatchmaking` lobby |
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- A **no-flags configure is the pure pod game** — the build of record. `cmake` options are
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cached, so a developer configures a `build/` with `-DBT_GLASS=ON` once.
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- Build dirs: `build-pod/` (defaults, purity), `build/` (dev, glass ON), `build-steam/` (ON/ON).
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- **Convention:** `BT_GLASS`/`BT_STEAM` are compile gates; every other `BT_*` name is a RUNTIME
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env gate (`BTEnvOn`) — do not add compile gates without updating this file.
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- No weak-linkage/optional symbols — `/FORCE` turns unresolved externals into runtime AVs
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([[reconstruction-gotchas]]); gated calls must be structurally present-or-absent at compile time.
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## Plan of record (2026-07-17)
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Working branch `glass-cockpit` (from master `e2c21c4`). Steps: (1) gates+scaffolding [THIS],
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(2) PadRIO glass cockpit, (3) miniconsole self-launch, (4) Steam transport+lobby. Full plan:
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the approved plan file; running detail: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md`. The retired BT412 trees
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(`C:\VWE\BT412`; local branch `local-abandoned-20260717`) are read-only reference — no code is
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copied from them.
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## Status
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- **Step 1 (gates + scaffolding): DONE 2026-07-17.** CMake options + defines; 3-config
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configure matrix + negative test + defaults build verified.
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- **Step 2a (.CTL id audit): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2].** The streamed `.CTL` positional ids landed
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every `MechControlsMapper` record ONE MEMBER LATE (our chain starts at 2, the binary's at 3)
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— a latent REAL-POD bug (RIO throttle would drive pedalsPosition), masked on dev boxes by the
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keyboard bridge. Fixed ungated: ids pinned to binary numbering + id-2 pad + static_assert
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locks (`mechmppr.hpp/.cpp`); torso/weapon chains were already aligned. Permanent env-gated
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diagnostic: `BT_CTRLMAP_LOG=1` dumps every streamed record's resolved member offset
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(`L4CTRL.cpp CreateStreamedMappings`). Full evidence: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md` §2a.
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- **Step 2 (PadRIO glass cockpit): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2].** `RIOBase` seam (`L4RIO.h`,
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unconditional) + gated `L4CONTROLS=PAD` → `PadRIO` (`L4PADRIO.*` XInput+keyboard,
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`L4PADBINDINGS.*` `content\bindings.txt`); bridge stand-downs auto-yield to a live device
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(`BTRIODevicePresent`, `BT_KEY_BRIDGE` unset=auto/0=off/1=on); on-screen panel `L4PADPANEL.*`
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follows **vRIO** (`C:\VWE\vrio` CockpitLayout/PanelCanvas — 104 controls incl. the two hex
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keypads → real KeyEvents; right-click latch); desktop plasma `L4PLASMAWIN.*`
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(`L4PLASMA=SCREEN`, buffer is top-down); `-platform glass` preset + run.cmd token. Secondary
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displays reuse the EXISTING dev-gauge modes (dock / `BT_DEV_GAUGES_WINDOW=1` window /
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`_DOCK=1` overlay — [[gauges-hud]]); no new MFD code, no `L4VB16.cpp` exposure.
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**Button-trap guard:** base `ConfigureMappableMessageHandler` no longer `abort()`s by default
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(`BT_BUTTON_TRAP=1` restores) — each `[FAIL]` log = a missing L4 override to reconstruct.
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Verified: authentic-path input (engine push → streamed `.CTL` → mapper), panel-click
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survival, 2-node loopback MP un-regressed on the pod build. Detail: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md`.
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- **Step 3 (miniconsole): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2].** `game/glass/btl4fe.*` (menu + console-shape
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egg writer, golden-tested vs MP.EGG) + `btl4console.*` (the marshal: a worker-thread console
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CLIENT speaking the btconsole.py wire verbatim; `content\marshal.log`). ZERO engine hooks —
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the engine runs the stock console ladder. Per-mission process relaunch; `BT_FE_*` env arms the
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marshal (menu relaunches clear it). Verified: solo cycle (menu→mission→60s clock→stop→menu)
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and menu-hosted 2-node LAN.
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- **Step 4 (Steam): CODE COMPLETE 2026-07-18 [T2 single-machine].** See [[steam-networking]] —
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the wire seam + `L4STEAMNET` identity-token transport + `btl4lobby`. Live 2-account
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cross-machine session pending (`docs/STEAM_TEST.md`).
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- **Input-coverage audit + keyboard reconciliation: DONE 2026-07-20 [T2].** Root cause of the
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dead panel: `MechRIOMapper`'s message ids were chained one enum too high (0x19-0x2a) — the
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binary RIO table @0051dd30 re-registers the BASE aux/zoom ids 3..0x13 (Hotbox 0x1a); fixed
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ungated + static_assert-locked (`btl4mppr.hpp`) → all 24 MFD-bank + 2 zoom buttons live
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(52/72 panel buttons now work; 8 dead await handler reconstruction — Gitea backlog issue;
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12 have no streamed mapping authored, authentically inert). **Keyboard = the ~20 core
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gameplay actions on the CONTROLS.MAP keys; the PANEL covers every pod address by click**
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(right-click = hold latch) — the merged default profile lives in `L4PADBINDINGS.cpp`
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(auto-writes `content\bindings.txt`; W/S/A/D/Q/E/R/F/X drive, 1-4/Space/Ctrl fire, M/N/H/C =
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pod buttons 0x18/0x15/0x2C/0x2F, `/V view toggle + J/K/L preset cycles hardcoded in PadRIO).
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Bound keys are SUPPRESSED from the typed 1995 channel (`PadRIO::SuppressKey`, the btinput
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pattern — ended the glass double-dispatch: 'w'=pilot-select, numpad/F-key key-up aliases);
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unbound keys keep their authentic meanings (5/z presets, t-o pilot select, +/- zoom).
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In BAS control mode the pod turns with the STICK (Q/E) and pedals are inactive — authentic;
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A/D turn in MID/ADV. Arrow keys mirror the drive cluster (UP/DOWN = the W/S throttle lever,
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LEFT/RIGHT = the A/D pedals). Full audit + census: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md` §2026-07-20.
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- **2026-07-20 live "keymap regression" report: STALE EXE [T2].** The human-reported glass
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regressions (arrows/lever/detent dead, V/J/K/L/N inert, ground-fire) were a
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`build-glass/Release/btl4.exe` built BEFORE 5dd3536 landed — relaunched without rebuilding.
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No input-code change was needed; a clean rebuild + full SendInput re-verification (lever
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holds + zero stop, MID turns, V toggle shot-pair, level boresight, pod smoke) closed every
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symptom, and V's edge is now [T2]. `BT_MPPR_TRACE` now prints mode/pedals/stick/turn/elev.
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Procedural rule: rebuild every live build dir after landing an input/engine commit.
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Detail: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md` §2026-07-20 (later).
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- **2026-07-20 human re-test: GAIT DETENT ported to the PadRIO lever [T2].** The remaining
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"our detent is missing" (mixed walk/run mode + repeated accel sample) was the gait DEAD BAND
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([[locomotion]]): the pod-build keyboard lever snaps out of the walk/run hysteresis band at
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key-rest (mech4.cpp GAIT DETENT), and the PadRIO throttle slew lacked it. Ported faithfully:
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mech4.cpp publishes the band in lever units (`gBTGaitDetentLo/Hi` seam, +0.002 engage
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margin), `L4PADRIO.cpp` applies the identical nearer-edge snap when no throttle slew key/pad
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axis is active. Verified: parks at 0.414/0.465 snap to 0.358/0.504 (band = demand
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22.02-30.87), no at-rest sample in-band, exactly ONE up-shift + ONE down-shift clip across a
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full graduated sweep, zero-stop + pod build unaffected. Detail: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md`
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§2026-07-20 (later still).
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A/D turn in MID/ADV. Full audit + census: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md` §2026-07-20.
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- **Per-display cockpit windows (`BT_GLASS_PANELS`): DONE 2026-07-20 [T2 startup-verified].**
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The `-platform glass` preset now breaks the secondary displays out of the single combined
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panel/strip into ONE desktop window PER pod display, each carrying that display's surface
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WITH its RIO button bank placed around it, arranged pod-faithfully around the main view
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(`engine/MUNGA_L4/L4GLASSWIN.*`, new TU). Windows: **Heat (UL) / Mfd2 (UC) / Comm (UR) /
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Mfd1 (LL) / Mfd3 (LR)** each with 8 RED MFD buttons split 4 above / 4 below the surface;
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**Secondary/Radar** (portrait `sec`) with the 12 YELLOW Secondary buttons split left/right;
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a **Flight Controls** window for the no-display banks (throttle 0x38-3F, joystick/fire
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0x40-47, panic). Each window is a GDI window (like [[gauges-hud]]'s pad panel + the plasma
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window) — the surface is CPU-expanded from the shared gauge buffer
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(`SVGA16::ExpandPlaneToBGRA`, no D3D) and `StretchDIBits`'d in, so the **whole D3D
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dev-composite path (dock / separate window / overlay) stands down** while these are up
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(`BTDrawGaugeInset`/`BTGaugeWindowRenderAndPresent` early-return; no `gBTGaugeDockBottom`
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strip). Runtime gate **`BT_GLASS_PANELS`** (default ON under `-platform glass`, `=0` falls
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back to the single pad panel + docked gauges) — read by `L4PADRIO` (which panel to create),
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`L4VB16` (suppress compositing), and `btl4main` (skip the world-window dock strip). The
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display↔bank map (spine of the feature): Heat 0x28-2F, Mfd2 0x20-27, Comm 0x30-37,
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Mfd1 0x08-0F, Mfd3 0x00-07, sec 0x10-1B ([[pod-hardware]] §Bank→MFD). Verified: build +
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bounded glass launch — `[glasswin] per-display cockpit up (7 windows…)`, no crash, full
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mission loop un-regressed; surfaces carry LIVE gauge content (`BT_GLASS_LOG` = per-surface
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resolve/pixel diagnostic). Layout constants (surface sizes, exact button sub-positions,
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yellow left/right split) are marked tunable in `L4GLASSWIN.cpp`. Detail: `docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md`.
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⚠ **Bug found + fixed during bring-up:** surfaces were blank because `application`/`ghWnd` are
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duplicate-defined globals that bind non-deterministically under `/FORCE` — the fresh
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`L4GLASSWIN` TU read `application == NULL` → gauge renderer NULL. Fix: reach the
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renderer/window via `BTResolveGaugeRenderer()`/`BTResolveMainWindow()`, DEFINED in
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`game/btl4main.cpp` off its real `btl4App`/`hWnd` pointers (never the globals directly). See
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[[reconstruction-gotchas]] §6 duplicate-GLOBAL corollary.
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- **Glass per-display panel button click-crash (Gitea #18): FIXED 2026-07-20 [T2].** Clicking a
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per-display Engineering panel button (0x21 reported) on an **Eng page** hard-crashed — cdb: a
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wild call through an uninitialised pointer (`eip=cdcdcdcd` debug / `0x01048748` release) with
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**zero btl4 frames above `Receiver::Receive`**. Root cause was NOT a `/FORCE` unresolved
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external (the glass link log carried only the known-benign `mech3.obj` `CreateStreamedSubsystem`
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set) but a **dense message-handler-table GAP slot** ([[reconstruction-gotchas]] §11): the
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streamed Eng-page `.CTL` dispatches subsystem msg **id 3 / 0xb** to whatever subsystem is shown,
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and a **weapon (Emitter)** registers only PoweredSubsystem 4-8 + MechWeapon 9-10 — so id 3 is a
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gap below `entryCount`, and `Receiver::MessageHandlerSet::Build`'s `new HandlerEntry[]` left it
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as heap garbage → `(this->*garbage)(msg)`. The 1995 binary has the identical non-zeroing
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`new[]` and survived only on fresh-heap-zero luck (id 3 on a weapon was always meant to be
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IGNORED — it's a Condenser/Reservoir action in a different subsystem branch; the uniform
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Eng-page button template makes buttons for unimplemented actions authentically inert). The new
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per-display windows just made the id reachable live. **Fix (engine, class-wide, faithful):**
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`Build` null-inits every slot (`entryID=0/entryName=""/entryHandler=NullHandler`) before
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copying inherited / placing supplied, so a gap is deterministically NullHandler → `Receive`
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drops it — the authentic "Receiver ignores unhandled messages", not a glass-path guard. Fixes
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the entire dead-button class (#14) at once. Verified: click-soaked every MFD bank
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(Engineering/L+R Weapons/Heat/Comm, ~130 clicks through Quad↔Eng page cycles) under cdb — ZERO
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AVs, and the reconstructed mapper preset selects still fire (`[mode] preset (1,1)/(2,1)…`); pod
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build + solo un-regressed. The `[glasswin] CLICK` forensics log (names the button before
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dispatch) landed with this. Detail: `engine/MUNGA/RECEIVER.cpp` Build.
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## Key Relationships
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- Extends: [[pod-hardware]] (RIO input path) · Uses: [[gauges-hud]] dev-gauge modes ·
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Feeds: [[multiplayer]] (miniconsole hosting, Steam transport) · Build: [[build-and-run]]
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