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+# mw4print ? Known Issues & Research (2026-08-07)
+
+## Symptom
+
+Printing is broken in the current build (post-`b98cb87e`).
+
+- **Without MySQL enabled:** never prints, neither on mission-end (WM_COPYDATA) nor on manual File ⊥ Open.
+- **With MySQL enabled:** app locks up ~5 seconds, prints one mission, then never prints again until restart.
+
+"Anymore" = it worked before the MySQL/banner commits.
+
+---
+
+## Print Flow (how it works)
+
+```
+Game (MW4.exe)
+  戌式 SendMessage(WM_COPYDATA, filename)
+       戌式 CMainFrame::OnCopyData
+            戌式 CChildView::DoCopyData  ∠ adds CMyPrintInfo to m_lstMPIs queue
+
+1-second WM_TIMER
+  戌式 CChildView::OnTimer
+       戌式 g_RSF.LoadPR(p->m_strFile)    ∠ opens and parses .pr file
+       戌式 g_RSF.DoPrint()               ∠ if nErr==0: remove from queue
+       戌式 g_RSF.Reset()
+```
+
+Manual path (File ⊥ Open) also adds to `m_lstMPIs`; the timer handles both cases identically.
+
+### DoPrint() internal flow
+
+```
+DoPrint()
+  LoadPrintParams()               ∠ reads options.ini / banner.txt
+  count m_pScoreObjects ⊥ nPlayers
+  if nPlayers == 0: return 0 silently (no print, item still removed!)
+  PrintDlg(PD_RETURNDEFAULT | PD_RETURNDC)
+    戍式 fail ⊥ nErr = -1, CommDlgExtendedError() has the reason
+    戌式 ok   ⊥ hDC set
+  MakeInfoTable / params.LoadParameters
+  [#ifdef MW4PRINT] if g_dbConfig.bEnabled: DB_ExportMatch()   ∠ 5s timeout here
+  SetupFonts(DPI)     fail ⊥ nErr = -2
+  StartDoc            fail ⊥ nErr = -3
+  per-player loop:
+    StartPage / DoPrint(hDC, ...) / EndPage   fail ⊥ nErr = -4
+  EndDoc (or AbortDoc on error)
+  DeleteDC / delete pInfoTable
+  return nErr
+```
+
+### Key return codes
+
+| nErr | Meaning |
+|------|---------|
+| 0 | Success (or nPlayers==0 ? silent non-print) |
+| -1 | `PrintDlg` returned FALSE ? check `CommDlgExtendedError()` |
+| -2 | `SetupFonts` failed |
+| -3 | `StartDoc` failed |
+| -4 | `EndPage` failed mid-print |
+
+---
+
+## Commits that changed mw4print
+
+| Hash | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| `b98cb87e` | **MySQL export, configurable banner text** ? first change |
+| `9f3a5044` / `a45be804` | Version bump to 2.0 (rc only) |
+| `515adc24` | **persist banner text via banner.txt** ? second change |
+| `3256c103` | **-debug diagnostic logging** (current) |
+
+### What `b98cb87e` actually changed inside DoPrint
+
+The ONLY addition inside DoPrint when MySQL is disabled:
+
+```cpp
+#ifdef MW4PRINT
+    if (g_dbConfig.bEnabled) {
+        DB_ExportMatch(...);   // ∠ gated; skipped when bEnabled=false
+    }
+#endif
+```
+
+So with MySQL disabled, `DoPrint()` is byte-for-byte identical to the pre-`b98cb87e` code. If it's failing, the failure is NOT in this block.
+
+### What `515adc24` changed in LoadPrintParams
+
+Fixed a missing backslash in the `options.ini` path:
+
+```cpp
+// before: strOI += "options.ini";   ⊥ "C:\MW4options.ini" (wrong)
+strOI += "\\options.ini";            ⊥ "C:\MW4\options.ini" (correct)
+```
+
+Side-effect: before the fix, all layout params used their hardcoded defaults. After the fix, they read from the real `options.ini`. If that file has unusual values, print layout could differ ? but all params are clamped to sane min/max so they can't cause a crash.
+
+---
+
+## Key facts established
+
+- `MW4PRINT` IS defined ? it's in `mw4dummy.h` (`#define MW4PRINT`), which is `#include`d before everything in `ChildView.cpp`.
+- `DB_ExportMatch` is called **after** `PrintDlg`, not before. The 5-second "lockup" with MySQL = connection-timeout inside `DB_ExportMatch`, which is reached only after `PrintDlg` has already succeeded.
+- `LoadPR` always returns `true` if the file opens, even if the meta-header parse fails. If parse fails, `m_pScoreObjects = NULL` ⊥ `nPlayers = 0` ⊥ `DoPrint` returns 0 silently.
+- `AssetsDirectory1` has no trailing backslash (stripped in `InitInstance`).
+
+---
+
+## Hypotheses explored (and ruled out)
+
+| Hypothesis | Status |
+|-----------|--------|
+| MySQL blocks before PrintDlg | ? Wrong ? DB_ExportMatch is called *after* PrintDlg |
+| MW4PRINT not defined | ? Defined in mw4dummy.h |
+| options.ini path fix breaks layout | ? All params clamped; can't cause crash |
+| Message-map corruption from new dialogs | ? Maps look correct |
+| LoadPR always fails | ? Returns true if file exists, regardless of parse |
+| Memory corruption from DB code | Unconfirmed |
+| PrintDlg returns FALSE (no default printer) | **Active hypothesis** |
+| nPlayers == 0 (parse failure / all bots) | **Active hypothesis** |
+
+---
+
+## Current debugging approach
+
+Commit `3256c103` adds a `-debug` flag. Run:
+
+```
+mw4print.exe -debug
+```
+
+Output goes to `mw4print-debug.txt` next to the exe (append, timestamped).
+
+### What the log tells us
+
+```
+DoPrint: nPlayers=0
+```
+⊥ File opened but no players found. Either the .pr file has an unrecognised meta header,
+  or all players are bots and `g_bPRTest=false` (no "Include Bot" checkbox ticked).
+
+```
+DoPrint: PrintDlg FAILED nErr=-1, CommDlgExtendedError=0000100A
+```
+⊥ `CDERR_NODEFAULTPRN` ? no default printer is configured on this machine.
+
+```
+DoPrint: PrintDlg FAILED nErr=-1, CommDlgExtendedError=00000000
+```
+⊥ PrintDlg returned FALSE with no error. Unusual; may indicate a hidden dialog or
+  modal conflict.
+
+```
+OnTimer: LoadPR FAILED for 'C:\...'
+```
+⊥ `fopen` failed ? file was deleted between WM_COPYDATA arriving and the timer firing.
+
+---
+
+## Next steps
+
+1. Build from current source on Windows (quick ? only `ChildView.cpp` recompiles).
+2. Run `mw4print.exe -debug`, do File ⊥ Open on a known .pr file, wait 2 seconds.
+3. Read `mw4print-debug.txt` and look for the first failure line.
+4. Act on the specific error:
+   - `nPlayers=0` ⊥ check .pr file validity; check if "Include Bot" is needed
+   - `CommDlgExtendedError=0000100A` ⊥ configure a default printer on the test machine
+   - Other ⊥ investigate that specific failure path