BT411/context/glass-cockpit.md

id, title, status, source_sections, related_topics, key_terms, open_questions

id	title	status	source_sections	related_topics	key_terms	open_questions
glass-cockpit	Glass Cockpit — the desktop developer layer (BT_GLASS / BT_STEAM)	living	plan 2026-07-17; CMakeLists.txt gates; BT412 prior art (reference only)	pod-hardware build-and-run multiplayer gauges-hud	PadRIO miniconsole glass-cockpit

Glass Cockpit — the desktop developer layer

Purpose: developer tooling so game developers can test their work WITHOUT booting a Tesla II pod — and stay far enough out of the game that nothing a real pod requires can break. NOT a consumer product (GDI-grade UI is the ceiling). Pod fidelity outranks desktop convenience in every trade-off.

ONE unified build (2026-07-21; the compile-gate split is RETIRED)

The pod/glass/steam compile split (three build dirs, three exes) is gone — it caused version skew (a stale steam exe shipped 2 days behind), tripled build time, and the "clicks silently dead in the wrong build" incident. Now everything compiles into the one build/ exe and behavior is selected at RUNTIME:

Runtime gate	Arms
BT_PLATFORM=glass	the desktop-cockpit profile: L4CONTROLS=PAD → PadRIO (clickable cockpit buttons, bindings.txt keymap), plasma window, and the miniconsole menu on a zero-arg launch
BT_STEAM_NET=1	the Steam transport (FakeIP/SDR; degrades to Winsock without the Steam client). steam_api.dll is DELAY-LOADED (/DELAYLOAD + delayimp) — machines without the DLL run everything else
(nothing)	the old pod-build behavior byte-for-byte: DEV profile, no menu, waits for the console egg — the cabinet default is unchanged

• The BT_GLASS macro is now ALWAYS defined (a seam marker only — the #ifdef sites remain as documentation of the layer boundary). Every gated code path was audited: all are instance-guarded (PadRIO::activeInstance, steamActive) or env-gated at runtime.
• BT_STEAM stays a COMPILE gate (the LICENSE gate, default OFF, restored 2026-07-21): the Steamworks SDK terms bar a public release with Steam inside, so a release configure must be able to exclude it entirely — no SDK headers, no steam_api.lib, no DLL. The dev checkout configures build/ once with -DBT_STEAM=ON. mkdist.py reads the answer from build/CMakeCache.txt: steam-OFF zips carry no play_steam.bat, no steam_api.dll (including a STALE one from an earlier ON build), a README with the steam section stripped, and a -nosteam name suffix so the two flavors never clobber. Verified both flavors: OFF exe has no steam bits + BT_STEAM_NET=1 is inert; ON exe degrades to Winsock.
• Menu guard (cabinet protection): the miniconsole previously claimed any zero-arg launch; unified, it requires BT_PLATFORM=glass (or BT_FE_MENU=1) — a bare cabinet boot can never land in the menu (btl4main.cpp, platform parse moved above the fe_menu_mode computation).
• Verified matrix (2026-07-21): bare boot ≡ old pod exe (same DEV profile, same egg-load path); glass + scripted click → ConfigureMappables end-to-end; exe runs WITHOUT steam_api.dll present; glass zero-arg → menu; 2-node loopback MP (145 ticks each); BT_STEAM_NET=1 without Steam → "staying on Winsock" + game runs.
• Convention: every BT_* name is a RUNTIME env gate (BTEnvOn) — with the single exception of BT_STEAM, the license compile gate above. Do not add another compile gate without updating this file.
• No weak-linkage/optional symbols — /FORCE turns unresolved externals into runtime AVs (reconstruction-gotchas); everything links always, so this class of trap no longer varies by build flavor.

Plan of record (2026-07-17)

Working branch glass-cockpit (from master e2c21c4). Steps: (1) gates+scaffolding [THIS], (2) PadRIO glass cockpit, (3) miniconsole self-launch, (4) Steam transport+lobby. Full plan: the approved plan file; running detail: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md. The retired BT412 trees (C:\VWE\BT412; local branch local-abandoned-20260717) are read-only reference — no code is copied from them.

Status

• Step 1 (gates + scaffolding): DONE 2026-07-17. CMake options + defines; 3-config configure matrix + negative test + defaults build verified.

• Step 2a (.CTL id audit): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2]. The streamed .CTL positional ids landed every MechControlsMapper record ONE MEMBER LATE (our chain starts at 2, the binary's at 3) — a latent REAL-POD bug (RIO throttle would drive pedalsPosition), masked on dev boxes by the keyboard bridge. Fixed ungated: ids pinned to binary numbering + id-2 pad + static_assert locks (mechmppr.hpp/.cpp); torso/weapon chains were already aligned. Permanent env-gated diagnostic: BT_CTRLMAP_LOG=1 dumps every streamed record's resolved member offset (L4CTRL.cpp CreateStreamedMappings). Full evidence: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md §2a.

• Step 2 (PadRIO glass cockpit): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2]. RIOBase seam (L4RIO.h, unconditional) + gated L4CONTROLS=PAD → PadRIO (L4PADRIO.* XInput+keyboard, L4PADBINDINGS.* content\bindings.txt); bridge stand-downs auto-yield to a live device (BTRIODevicePresent, BT_KEY_BRIDGE unset=auto/0=off/1=on); on-screen panel L4PADPANEL.* follows vRIO (C:\VWE\vrio CockpitLayout/PanelCanvas — 104 controls incl. the two hex keypads → real KeyEvents; right-click latch); desktop plasma L4PLASMAWIN.* (L4PLASMA=SCREEN, buffer is top-down); -platform glass preset + run.cmd token. Secondary displays reuse the EXISTING dev-gauge modes (dock / BT_DEV_GAUGES_WINDOW=1 window / _DOCK=1 overlay — gauges-hud); no new MFD code, no L4VB16.cpp exposure. Button-trap guard: base ConfigureMappableMessageHandler no longer abort()s by default (BT_BUTTON_TRAP=1 restores) — each [FAIL] log = a missing L4 override to reconstruct. Verified: authentic-path input (engine push → streamed .CTL → mapper), panel-click survival, 2-node loopback MP un-regressed on the pod build. Detail: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md.

• Trigger-config + one-keymap (2026-07-21, HUMAN-VERIFIED live). The cockpit-surround clicks only work when a PadRIO exists, and PadRIO only exists under the GLASS platform profile (BT_PLATFORM=glass → L4CONTROLS=PAD); a plain launch falls to the DEV profile (KEYBOARD) and PadRIO::SetScreenButton no-ops — every cockpit click silently discarded (the "held PROGRAM, nothing happened" incident: [cockpit] CLICK addr=0x8 logged but ConfigureMappables id 9 never dispatched). play_solo.bat now sets BT_PLATFORM=glass with the glass exe. The full regroup loop (hold PROGRAM → Mapping-mode flip suppresses fire → fire-key taps toggle the binding → joystick-display dot moves → release commits) is verified live. Diagnostics: [cfgmap] ENTER/EXIT (BT_FIRE_LOG, mechweap.cpp) + BT_BTNTEST="addr,on,off" scripted screen-button harness (L4PADRIO.cpp Poll). Keymap: which binding engine runs follows the same profile split — GLASS = PadRIO/bindings.txt, DEV/pod = btinput/CONTROLS.MAP — which made the felt keymap flip with the boot flavor. Settled 2026-07-21 (commit babf5b1): CONTROLS.MAP + the compiled-in default now mirror the bindings.txt layout (numpad aim cluster, arrows=throttle/pedals, Alt=reverse 0x3F, NumPad5=AllStop, Shift=throttle) so every boot flavor feels identical.

• Step 3 (miniconsole): DONE 2026-07-17 [T2]. game/glass/btl4fe.* (menu + console-shape egg writer, golden-tested vs MP.EGG) + btl4console.* (the marshal: a worker-thread console CLIENT speaking the btconsole.py wire verbatim; content\marshal.log). ZERO engine hooks — the engine runs the stock console ladder. Per-mission process relaunch; BT_FE_* env arms the marshal (menu relaunches clear it). Verified: solo cycle (menu→mission→60s clock→stop→menu) and menu-hosted 2-node LAN.

• Step 4 (Steam): CODE COMPLETE 2026-07-18 [T2 single-machine]. See steam-networking — the wire seam + L4STEAMNET identity-token transport + btl4lobby. Live 2-account cross-machine session pending (docs/STEAM_TEST.md).

• Input-coverage audit + keyboard reconciliation: DONE 2026-07-20 [T2]. Root cause of the dead panel: MechRIOMapper's message ids were chained one enum too high (0x19-0x2a) — the binary RIO table @0051dd30 re-registers the BASE aux/zoom ids 3..0x13 (Hotbox 0x1a); fixed ungated + static_assert-locked (btl4mppr.hpp) → all 24 MFD-bank + 2 zoom buttons live (52/72 panel buttons now work; 8 dead await handler reconstruction — Gitea backlog issue; 12 have no streamed mapping authored, authentically inert). Keyboard = the ~20 core gameplay actions on the CONTROLS.MAP keys; the PANEL covers every pod address by click (right-click = hold latch) — the merged default profile lives in L4PADBINDINGS.cpp (auto-writes content\bindings.txt; W/S/A/D/Q/E/R/F/X drive, 1-4/Space/Ctrl fire, M/N/H/C = pod buttons 0x18/0x15/0x2C/0x2F, /V view toggle + J/K/L preset cycles hardcoded in PadRIO). Bound keys are SUPPRESSED from the typed 1995 channel (PadRIO::SuppressKey, the btinput pattern — ended the glass double-dispatch: 'w'=pilot-select, numpad/F-key key-up aliases); unbound keys keep their authentic meanings (5/z presets, t-o pilot select, +/- zoom). In BAS control mode the pod turns with the STICK (Q/E) and pedals are inactive — authentic; A/D turn in MID/ADV. Arrow keys mirror the drive cluster (UP/DOWN = the W/S throttle lever, LEFT/RIGHT = the A/D pedals). Full audit + census: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md` §2026-07-20.

• 2026-07-20 live "keymap regression" report: STALE EXE [T2]. The human-reported glass regressions (arrows/lever/detent dead, V/J/K/L/N inert, ground-fire) were a build-glass/Release/btl4.exe built BEFORE 5dd3536 landed — relaunched without rebuilding. No input-code change was needed; a clean rebuild + full SendInput re-verification (lever holds + zero stop, MID turns, V toggle shot-pair, level boresight, pod smoke) closed every symptom, and V's edge is now [T2]. BT_MPPR_TRACE now prints mode/pedals/stick/turn/elev. Procedural rule: rebuild every live build dir after landing an input/engine commit. Detail: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md §2026-07-20 (later).

• 2026-07-20 human re-test: GAIT DETENT ported to the PadRIO lever [T2]. The remaining "our detent is missing" (mixed walk/run mode + repeated accel sample) was the gait DEAD BAND (locomotion): the pod-build keyboard lever snaps out of the walk/run hysteresis band at key-rest (mech4.cpp GAIT DETENT), and the PadRIO throttle slew lacked it. Ported faithfully: mech4.cpp publishes the band in lever units (gBTGaitDetentLo/Hi seam, +0.002 engage margin), L4PADRIO.cpp applies the identical nearer-edge snap when no throttle slew key/pad axis is active. Verified: parks at 0.414/0.465 snap to 0.358/0.504 (band = demand 22.02-30.87), no at-rest sample in-band, exactly ONE up-shift + ONE down-shift clip across a full graduated sweep, zero-stop + pod build unaffected. Detail: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md §2026-07-20 (later still). A/D turn in MID/ADV. Full audit + census: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md §2026-07-20.

• Per-display cockpit windows (BT_GLASS_PANELS): DONE 2026-07-20 [T2 startup-verified]. The -platform glass preset now breaks the secondary displays out of the single combined panel/strip into ONE desktop window PER pod display, each carrying that display's surface WITH its RIO button bank placed around it, arranged pod-faithfully around the main view (engine/MUNGA_L4/L4GLASSWIN.*, new TU). Windows: Heat (UL) / Mfd2 (UC) / Comm (UR) / Mfd1 (LL) / Mfd3 (LR) each with 8 RED MFD buttons split 4 above / 4 below the surface; Secondary/Radar (portrait sec) with the 12 YELLOW Secondary buttons split left/right; a Flight Controls window for the no-display banks (throttle 0x38-3F, joystick/fire 0x40-47, panic). Each window is a GDI window (like gauges-hud's pad panel + the plasma window) — the surface is CPU-expanded from the shared gauge buffer (SVGA16::ExpandPlaneToBGRA, no D3D) and StretchDIBits'd in, so the whole D3D dev-composite path (dock / separate window / overlay) stands down while these are up (BTDrawGaugeInset/BTGaugeWindowRenderAndPresent early-return; no gBTGaugeDockBottom strip). Runtime gate BT_GLASS_PANELS (default ON under -platform glass, =0 falls back to the single pad panel + docked gauges) — read by L4PADRIO (which panel to create), L4VB16 (suppress compositing), and btl4main (skip the world-window dock strip). The display↔bank map (spine of the feature): Heat 0x28-2F, Mfd2 0x20-27, Comm 0x30-37, Mfd1 0x08-0F, Mfd3 0x00-07, sec 0x10-1B (pod-hardware §Bank→MFD). Verified: build + bounded glass launch — [glasswin] per-display cockpit up (7 windows…), no crash, full mission loop un-regressed; surfaces carry LIVE gauge content (BT_GLASS_LOG = per-surface resolve/pixel diagnostic). Layout constants (surface sizes, exact button sub-positions, yellow left/right split) are marked tunable in L4GLASSWIN.cpp. Detail: docs/GLASS_COCKPIT.md. ⚠ Bug found + fixed during bring-up: surfaces were blank because application/ghWnd are duplicate-defined globals that bind non-deterministically under /FORCE — the fresh L4GLASSWIN TU read application == NULL → gauge renderer NULL. Fix: reach the renderer/window via BTResolveGaugeRenderer()/BTResolveMainWindow(), DEFINED in game/btl4main.cpp off its real btl4App/hWnd pointers (never the globals directly). See reconstruction-gotchas §6 duplicate-GLOBAL corollary.

• Glass per-display panel button click-crash (Gitea #18): FIXED 2026-07-20 [T2]. Clicking a per-display Engineering panel button (0x21 reported) on an Eng page hard-crashed — cdb: a wild call through an uninitialised pointer (eip=cdcdcdcd debug / 0x01048748 release) with zero btl4 frames above Receiver::Receive. Root cause was NOT a /FORCE unresolved external (the glass link log carried only the known-benign mech3.obj CreateStreamedSubsystem set) but a dense message-handler-table GAP slot (reconstruction-gotchas §11): the streamed Eng-page .CTL dispatches subsystem msg id 3 / 0xb to whatever subsystem is shown, and a weapon (Emitter) registers only PoweredSubsystem 4-8 + MechWeapon 9-10 — so id 3 is a gap below entryCount, and Receiver::MessageHandlerSet::Build's new HandlerEntry[] left it as heap garbage → (this->*garbage)(msg). The 1995 binary has the identical non-zeroing new[] and survived only on fresh-heap-zero luck (id 3 on a weapon was always meant to be IGNORED — it's 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 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", not a glass-path guard. Fixes the entire dead-button class (#14) at once. Verified: click-soaked every MFD bank (Engineering/L+R Weapons/Heat/Comm, ~130 clicks through Quad↔Eng page cycles) under cdb — ZERO AVs, and the reconstructed mapper preset selects still fire ([mode] preset (1,1)/(2,1)…); pod build + solo un-regressed. The [glasswin] CLICK forensics log (names the button before dispatch) landed with this. Detail: engine/MUNGA/RECEIVER.cpp Build.

Key Relationships

• Extends: pod-hardware (RIO input path) · Uses: gauges-hud dev-gauge modes · Feeds: multiplayer (miniconsole hosting, Steam transport) · Build: build-and-run