feedBack/CLAUDE.md
byrongamatos edf8f46866 Repoint dead slopsmith URLs -> got-feedback
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-06-17 11:02:04 +02:00

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# Slopsmith — AI Agent Guide
Slopsmith is a self-hosted web app for browsing, playing, and practicing interactive music notation, built around its own open `.sloppak` chart format. Charts come from importing Guitar Pro (GP5/GP8) or MusicXML, or from authoring in the built-in editor. It runs as a Docker container with a FastAPI backend (`server.py`), vanilla JavaScript frontend (`static/`), shared Python libraries (`lib/`), and an extensive plugin system (`plugins/`). There are no frontend frameworks — everything is plain JS, HTML, and Tailwind CSS.
## Architecture Quick Reference
```
server.py FastAPI app — library API, WebSocket highway, plugin loading
static/
app.js Main frontend — screens, library views, player, plugin loader
highway.js Canvas note highway renderer (createHighway factory)
index.html Single-page app shell
style.css Custom CSS loaded alongside Tailwind
lib/
song.py Core data models (Note, Chord, Arrangement, Song)
sloppak.py Sloppak format support
loosefolder.py Loose-folder XML chart support
audio.py OGG/MP3 audio handling
retune.py Pitch-shifting logic
tunings.py Tuning name/offset utilities
gp2rs.py Guitar Pro to arrangement XML conversion
gp2midi.py Guitar Pro to MIDI
plugins/
__init__.py Plugin discovery, loading, requirements install
<plugin_name>/ Each plugin is its own directory (often a git submodule)
tests/
test_*.py pytest test suite
```
## Plugin System
Plugins are the primary extension point. Each plugin lives in `plugins/<name>/` with a `plugin.json` manifest. Plugins are typically their own git repositories — see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for the licensing policy (curated plugins should be AGPL-3.0 or AGPL-compatible: MIT, BSD, Apache-2.0).
```json
{
"id": "my_plugin",
"name": "My Plugin",
"version": "1.0.0",
"private": false,
"type": "visualization",
"nav": { "label": "My Plugin", "screen": "plugin-my_plugin" },
"screen": "screen.html",
"script": "screen.js",
"styles": "assets/plugin.css",
"routes": "routes.py",
"settings": {
"html": "settings.html",
"server_files": ["my_plugin.db", "my_plugin_models/"]
},
"diagnostics": {
"server_files": ["my_plugin.diag.json"],
"callable": "diagnostics:collect"
}
}
```
All fields except `id` and `name` are optional. Plugins can have any combination of frontend (screen/script), backend (routes), and settings.
`version` and `private` are advisory metadata — the plugin loader does not currently consume them, but plugins commonly include them for publishing/tooling purposes.
`description`, `category`, and `icon` are **optional, additive v3 Pedalboard metadata** (surfaced in `/api/plugins`, consumed by the v3 Plugins page `static/v3/plugins-page.js`). `description` is a short one-sentence summary shown under the pedal name. `category` (`audio | creation | practice | game | tools`, free-form; unknown/absent → curated default → `"other"`) picks which pedalboard the plugin sits on. `icon` is an assets-relative thumbnail path (e.g. `"assets/thumb.png"`, ~square ~256×256, same containment rule as `styles`, served via `/api/plugins/<id>/assets/...`); if omitted the loader auto-detects `assets/thumb.png`, and plugins with no thumbnail get a default pedal graphic. All three are backward-compatible — omit them and the plugin still loads. See [docs/plugin-v3-ui.md](docs/plugin-v3-ui.md).
`styles` is the **opt-in** for self-hosted CSS (Principle II — prebuilt Tailwind, no Play CDN). Core's `static/tailwind.min.css` only contains classes scanned from core source at build time, so a plugin installed at runtime (community / NAS) that uses classes core didn't scan — especially arbitrary values like `text-[11px]` — renders unstyled. Declaring `styles` makes the frontend inject one versioned `<link rel="stylesheet">` into `<head>` (covering the plugin's screen *and* its settings panel) pointing at the plugin's own compiled stylesheet. The value is a **plugin-root-relative path that must live under `assets/`** (e.g. `"assets/plugin.css"`) so it serves through the sandboxed `/api/plugins/<id>/assets/...` route. Build it with `corePlugins: { preflight: false }` (utilities only — core ships the single base reset; don't duplicate it) and **never** the Tailwind Play CDN. Plugins that use only core-guaranteed utilities, or ship no Tailwind, omit `styles` and are byte-for-byte unaffected. Full authoring guide + scaffold: [docs/plugin-styles.md](docs/plugin-styles.md).
`settings.server_files` is the **opt-in** for the unified Settings export/import flow (slopsmith#113). It's a list of relpaths under `context["config_dir"]` that the plugin wants included in user-triggered backups. A trailing `/` denotes a directory (recurse). Plugins that omit this field have no server-side files exported; their state lives entirely in browser `localStorage`, which is bundled wholesale on every export. Rules:
- Relpaths only. Absolute paths, drive letters, `..` segments, and backslashes are rejected at load time with a `[Plugin]` warning.
- The same allowlist is consulted at both export and import: a bundle that references a file the *importing host*'s manifest no longer declares is skipped with a warning (handles plugin updates between export and import). A bundle that references a file your host's manifest never declared is also skipped — no surprise writes.
- Files are encoded as `{"encoding": "json", "data": <parsed>}` for `.json` files that parse cleanly (diff-friendly), `{"encoding": "base64", "data": "..."}` otherwise (sqlite, model blobs, IRs).
- Plugins own their internal data migration. Importing a bundle whose data schema predates your current code restores bytes verbatim — your plugin must cope at next load.
- Symlinks are skipped on export and never followed on import.
`diagnostics` is the **opt-in** for the troubleshooting bundle (slopsmith#166 — Settings → Export Diagnostics). Two independent fields:
- `diagnostics.server_files` — same allowlist semantics as `settings.server_files`: relpaths under `context["config_dir"]`, no `..`, no abs paths, no backslashes, no leading dots. Files listed here are copied verbatim into `plugins/<plugin_id>/<relpath>` inside the bundle. Use this for snapshot-style state (small DB excerpts, model lists, last-error files).
- `diagnostics.callable``"<module>:<function>"` (e.g. `"diagnostics:collect"`). Resolved lazily via `load_sibling` when the user clicks Export, then called as `func({"plugin_id": "...", "config_dir": Path(...)})`. Return `dict`/`list` → written to `plugins/<id>/callable.json`; `bytes``callable.bin`; `str``callable.txt`. Exceptions are caught and appended to the bundle's `manifest.notes` — a buggy plugin never crashes the export.
Plugins that omit the field contribute nothing to the bundle from the backend side. Frontend plugins can independently push state via `window.slopsmith.diagnostics.contribute(plugin_id, payload)` from their `screen.js` before the user hits Export. Bundle layout + per-file schemas: [docs/diagnostics-bundle-spec.md](docs/diagnostics-bundle-spec.md).
Best practices:
- Embed your own `schema` field (e.g. `"my_plugin.diag.v1"`) in JSON returned by `callable` so future tooling can dispatch by version.
- Keep payloads small (< 100 KB). Diagnostics are not a backup channel that's `settings.server_files`.
- Don't include user secrets, API keys, or session tokens. The bundle is shared with maintainers / posted to GitHub issues.
`type` is an optional role hint (slopsmith#36). Supported values:
- `"visualization"` plugin provides a highway renderer. Declaring this makes the plugin eligible for the main-player viz picker AND splitscreen's per-panel picker. Must pair with a `window.slopsmithViz_<id>` factory exporting the setRenderer contract below.
- Absent no declared role; plugin is loaded and its script runs, but it doesn't appear in role-specific UIs.
**Backend routes** `routes.py` must export a `setup(app, context)` function. The `context` dict provides:
- `config_dir` persistent config path
- `get_dlc_dir()` returns the DLC folder Path
- `extract_meta()` metadata extraction callable
- `meta_db` shared MetadataDB instance
- `library_providers` shared library provider registry for source-aware browsing
- `register_library_provider(provider)` register a plugin-provided library source. Providers expose `id`, `label`, optional `kind`/`capabilities`, and callable `query_page`, `query_artists`, `query_stats`, and `tuning_names` methods. Providers with `art.read` may also expose `get_art(song_id)` returning one of: a `Response` object (any media type, served as-is); raw `bytes` or `bytearray` (**assumed PNG** use a `Response` or a `dict` with `content`+`media_type` keys for JPEG/WebP or other formats); a URL string (http/https 302 redirect; other schemes are rejected with 400); a filesystem path string or `Path` (served as a file with auto-detected media type); or a `dict` with a `url`, `path`, or `content` key. Providers with `song.sync` may expose `sync_song(song_id)` returning `None` (success with no local file) or a `dict` the dict is passed through as the JSON response and should include `filename`/`local_filename` if a local playable file was produced.
- `unregister_library_provider(provider_id)` remove a plugin-provided library source by id. The built-in `local` provider cannot be removed.
- `get_sloppak_cache_dir()` sloppak cache path
- `load_sibling(name)` loads a sibling module from this plugin's directory under a unique, namespaced module name. See "Sibling imports" below.
- `log` stdlib `logging.Logger` namespaced to `slopsmith.plugin.<id>`. Pre-configured with the app-wide level, format (including JSON mode), and correlation IDs. Use this for all backend plugin output instead of `print()`. See "Backend plugin logging" below.
**Sibling imports — use `load_sibling`, not bare imports** (slopsmith#33). The plugin loader inserts each plugin's directory onto `sys.path` so `from extractor import X` works, but Python caches imports by **module name** in `sys.modules`. Two plugins that each ship a top-level `extractor.py` (or any other generic name `util.py`, `client.py`, `parser.py`, `config.py`, …) collide: whichever loads first wins, and the other plugin's `from extractor import X` either gets the wrong module or fails with `cannot import name 'X' from 'extractor'`.
The fix is `context["load_sibling"](name)`, which loads the sibling under a namespaced module name (`plugin_<id>.<name>`, where plugin_id is bijectively encoded so reverse-DNS-style ids like `com.example.foo` work without colliding: `_` -> `_5f_`, `.` -> `_2e_`) so each plugin gets its own copy:
```python
def setup(app, context):
helper = context["load_sibling"]("helper")
HelperClass = helper.HelperClass
# …
```
Notes:
- `name` is a bare module name — no `.py` suffix, no slashes, no `.`. The helper raises `ValueError` for path traversal / format issues and `ImportError` for missing files.
- Both single-file siblings (`extractor.py`) and package-form siblings (`extractor/__init__.py`) work. Package form wins when both exist (matches CPython's import-resolution precedence).
- Relative imports between siblings work — `from .shared import X` in a top-level helper, `from ..shared import X` from inside a sibling package. The synthetic parent package `plugin_<id>` carries the plugin directory in its `__path__`.
- `from . import sibling` (attribute-style) also resolves: loaded children are exposed as attributes on the parent package.
- Repeat calls return the cached module. Concurrent first-time calls are serialized via per-module locks so no caller observes a half-initialized module.
- Bare `import sibling` from `routes.py` still works during the transition period, but the loader prints a startup warning when it detects two plugins shipping a same-named top-level module — covering both `.py` files and package directories. Migrate to `load_sibling` to silence the warning and immunize your plugin from future ecosystem collisions. (Don't mix bare imports and `load_sibling` for the same module — they'd execute the file twice and split module-level state.)
**Frontend scripts**`screen.js` runs in the global scope via a `<script>` tag. It can access `window.playSong`, `window.showScreen`, `window.createHighway`, the `<audio>` element, and the `window.slopsmith` event emitter.
**The playSong wrapper chain** — Plugins commonly wrap `window.playSong` to hook into song playback. Plugins load alphabetically, so the last-loaded (alphabetically later) wrapper runs first, while the alphabetically first plugin runs closest to the original. Be aware that `await` calls in inner wrappers yield to the event loop — WebSocket messages can arrive before outer wrappers finish setup.
## Plugin Best Practices
### v3 UI (fee[dB]ack v0.3.0) — player-chrome contract
v0.3.0 ships a redesigned UI behind a flag (`SLOPSMITH_UI=v3` or the `/v3` route);
the classic UI (v2) stays the default until 0.3.0 ships, so **plugins must work in
both**. v3 reuses the same engine (`server.py`, `app.js`, `highway.js`, `playSong`,
`showScreen`, capabilities, library providers, the `window.slopsmithViz_<id>` /
`setRenderer` contract), so a plugin's **backend, capabilities, `nav`/`screen`,
visualization renderers, diagnostics, and settings export work unchanged** — v3
surfaces `nav` in its sidebar and mounts screens exactly as v2 does.
**The only thing that changed is the player chrome.** If your plugin injects a
control into it, you must adapt:
- v2's wide always-visible `#player-controls` bar is, in v3, a **minimal
auto-hiding transport** (fades ~2.5 s after the pointer stills during playback)
plus a hover-reveal left icon rail. So injecting into `#player-controls` the
legacy way means your control **auto-hides**, and the legacy insertion anchors
(`insertBefore` the `span.text-gray-700` separator, or `button:last-child` / ✕
Close) **don't exist in v3** → it lands wrong / unreachable.
- **Detect v3** with `window.slopsmith.uiVersion === 'v3'` and **mount into
`window.slopsmith.ui.playerControlSlot()`** (a stable, always-reachable container
— the "Plugins" rail popover) instead of `#player-controls`. Drop the dead
anchors (append), and guard re-injection against the *actual* container
(`controls.contains(myBtn)`), not a hard-coded `#player-controls`.
- A host `MutationObserver` re-homes legacy `#player-controls` children into the
slot as a fallback, but it **breaks plugins that guard on
`#player-controls.contains()`** (the moved node fails the check → re-inject every
song). Mount into the slot yourself; don't rely on the shim.
- v3 uses `fb-*` tokens (`fb-card`, `fb-text`, `fb-textDim`, `fb-primary`,
`fb-border`) vs v2's `dark-*`/`accent`; legacy classes still render acceptably.
Keep `#player` overlay `z-index` ≤ the chrome layers (transport/HUD 20, rail 30,
popovers 40).
Full guide + the canonical snippet: **[docs/plugin-v3-ui.md](docs/plugin-v3-ui.md)**.
Verify any player-injecting plugin in **both** `/` (v2) and `/v3`.
### Performance — never run DOM queries on a per-frame path
Plugins share the main thread with the highway's 60 fps render loop, and during
playback the highway + note detectors mutate the DOM ~60×/s — so anything that
*reacts* to DOM changes runs that often too. Work that looks cheap in isolation
becomes the dominant cost when it runs every frame. A profiled "the 3D highway is
laggy" report turned out to be **three plugins doing per-frame `querySelectorAll`**
(~18% of main-thread CPU + NodeList GC churn), not the renderer. The GPU was idle.
- **Never call `querySelector` / `querySelectorAll` inside `draw()`, a
`requestAnimationFrame` loop, a short `setInterval`, or a `MutationObserver`
callback.** Resolve the element(s) **once** when your UI mounts and cache the
references; re-resolve only when the cached node is gone (`!el.isConnected`).
`querySelectorAll` also allocates a fresh `NodeList` every call → GC pressure at
60 fps. (notedetect #75 — a VU meter that `querySelector`'d its bar every tick.)
- **Scope `MutationObserver`s narrowly — never `observe(document.body, { subtree:
true })` just to notice your own UI's container mount.** A body-subtree observer
fires on *every* DOM mutation anywhere, including the per-frame highway churn, so
a callback that then scans the document is a per-frame full-DOM scan. Observe the
specific container; if it's swapped on screen changes, observe a stable parent,
or **cheaply early-bail** (one `getElementById` / a screen-state check) *before*
the expensive work. (sloppak-converter #32 — a body-subtree observer re-ran
whole-document inject sweeps on every frame of playback.)
- **Stop playback-tied loops when their UI is hidden.** An rAF/interval meter (VU,
etc.) that keeps drawing while its panel is closed is pure waste — gate it on
visibility, or stop and restart it on open/close.
- **Per-instance, not global.** Under splitscreen a viz/detector plugin runs
multiple instances. Cache refs and resolve panels against your *own* instance's
container, never a global `document.querySelector` that could grab a sibling
instance's node. (notedetect #75 follow-up.)
These are cheap to get right up front and expensive to retrofit. Profile the
**main thread**, not the GPU, when a renderer "feels laggy" — the offender is
usually an unrelated plugin's per-frame DOM work.
### Visualization plugins — two complementary contracts
Slopsmith supports two ways for a plugin to participate in the main player's visuals. They coexist; the setRenderer contract is the default for any viz that draws a highway-shaped surface, and overlays handle layered decorations on top.
**Pick the right shape:**
- Replacing the whole highway drawing on the existing highway canvas (your renderer owns its rendering context / resources; `createHighway()` still owns the canvas element and the rAF loop)? → **setRenderer** (section 1). Enters the viz picker. Works in both the main player and per-panel under splitscreen.
- Adding a layer on top of whichever viz is active? → **Overlay** (section 2). Navbar toggle, not in the picker.
#### 1. setRenderer contract (slopsmith#36) — preferred
Plugins that want to replace the main highway's draw function (per panel, per session) export a renderer factory on `window.slopsmithViz_<id>` where `<id>` matches the `id` in `plugin.json` (`type: "visualization"` required). The factory returns an object matching this shape:
```js
window.slopsmithViz_my_viz = function () {
return {
// Required canvas context type. Default '2d' if omitted.
// highway.js reads this BEFORE calling init() so it can
// replace the underlying <canvas> element if the current
// one is locked to a different context type (see "Canvas
// context-type swapping" below).
contextType: '2d', // or 'webgl2'
init(canvas, bundle) {
// One-time setup. Own your getContext() call here —
// acquire '2d' or 'webgl2' depending on the renderer.
// The canvas you receive is guaranteed to either be
// unbound or already bound to your declared contextType.
this.ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
},
draw(bundle) {
// Called each requestAnimationFrame tick by the factory.
// `bundle` is a snapshot with: currentTime, songInfo, isReady,
// notes, chords, anchors (all difficulty-filter-aware),
// beats, sections, chordTemplates, stringCount, lyrics,
// toneChanges, toneBase, mastery, hasPhraseData, inverted,
// lefty, renderScale, lyricsVisible, the 2D coordinate
// helpers project and fretX, and getNoteState (see below).
// `stringCount` is the active arrangement's string count (4
// for bass, 6 for guitar, 7+ for extended-range GP imports —
// size string-indexed geometry against this, not a hardcoded
// 6). If your renderer needs lefty-aware text rendering, check
// bundle.lefty and apply the mirror transform yourself —
// a bundle-level helper isn't provided because it would
// need your renderer's own context, not the factory's.
//
// bundle.getNoteState(note, chartTime) (slopsmith#254) — call
// this per visible chart note / chord-note to find out whether
// a scorer (note_detect) has flagged it 'hit' / 'active' (a
// sustain currently being held correctly) / 'miss', so the gem
// itself can light up / a held sustain can glow instead of
// relying on an overlay ring. Returns null when no provider is
// registered or it reports nothing for this note; otherwise
// { state: 'hit'|'active'|'miss', alpha: 0..1, color: string|null }.
// For chord notes pass the chord's time (note_detect keys its
// judgments by `${time}_${string}_${fret}`). 'hit' and 'active'
// are both "lit" — a renderer may treat them identically; the
// provider owns all fade timing via `alpha` and by simply
// ceasing to return state when the effect should end.
},
resize(w, h) {
// Optional. Canvas dims already updated; re-create WebGL
// framebuffers / reset 2D transforms here.
},
destroy() {
// Optional. Release resources, remove DOM nodes, null refs.
// Called before setRenderer() swaps to another renderer
// and on highway.stop().
},
};
};
```
Selecting this plugin in the main-player viz picker — or in splitscreen's per-panel picker — calls `highway.setRenderer(factory())` on the existing highway instance. The built-in 2D highway is the default renderer and is restored by passing nullish — `setRenderer(null)` and `setRenderer(undefined)` both work (the implementation gates on `r == null`). Splitscreen panels create one `createHighway()` per panel and each independently consults the picker, so N panels can run different renderers (or N copies of the same renderer with different arrangements) without coordination.
**Lifecycle contract.** The factory returns a single renderer instance that may go through multiple `init() → ... → destroy()` cycles as the user navigates between songs or screens. Specifically:
- `init(canvas, bundle)` runs when the highway has a canvas and the renderer takes over drawing. This is when to acquire `getContext()`, build shaders / meshes / DOM nodes, and register listeners.
- `draw(bundle)` runs on every rAF frame once the WebSocket `ready` message has fired and until the renderer is replaced or the highway stops. It is **not** called during the loading / reconnect window (between `api.init()` + `stop()` and the next `ready`) — that would hand the renderer half-populated chart arrays. Renderers that want to show a "loading" state can read `bundle.isReady` inside a future-widened contract, but today the factory gates `draw` behind the ready flag and `isReady` is only informational once it does fire.
- `destroy()` runs when the renderer is replaced via another `setRenderer(...)` call, OR when `highway.stop()` is called (e.g. the user navigates away from the player). It releases everything `init()` acquired.
- **After `destroy()`, the same instance may receive another `init()` call** — this happens on `playSong()` which does `stop()``init()` to reuse the same canvas element for the next song. Renderers must tolerate `init()` being called again on an instance that was previously destroyed. Practically: null your refs in destroy, re-acquire them in init.
- `destroy()` is skipped when it would run on an un-init'd renderer — if a caller does `setRenderer(x)` before the highway ever init'd (possible when restoring a saved picker selection at page load), `x.destroy()` is not called until `x.init()` has run at least once.
- `resize(w, h)` is optional; runs after init and whenever the canvas dimensions change.
**Key rules:**
- The factory **returns a fresh object on each call** — important for splitscreen, where multiple panels will each get an independent instance.
- The renderer **owns its own rendering context** (2D or WebGL). Factory will not call getContext for you.
- **Canvas context-type swapping.** Browsers lock a `<canvas>` to the first context type successfully acquired for its lifetime: once `getContext('2d')` succeeds, `getContext('webgl2')` on that same canvas returns `null`, and vice versa. To let arbitrary 2D ⇄ WebGL renderer swaps work mid-session, `highway.setRenderer()` reads the next renderer's `contextType` before calling its `init()` and, if it differs from the type currently bound, replaces the underlying `<canvas>` element with a fresh one via `oldCanvas.cloneNode(false)` followed by `oldCanvas.replaceWith(newCanvas)`. The factory then calls the renderer's `init(newCanvas, bundle)` with the fresh element so its `getContext()` succeeds. Practical implications:
- **What survives the swap.** `cloneNode(false)` preserves *every HTML attribute* on the element — `id`, `class`, inline `style`, all `data-*` and `aria-*` attributes, `role`, `tabindex`, the attribute form of `width`/`height`, and anything else a plugin attached. DOM position is preserved by `replaceWith()`, so siblings, parents, and surrounding layout are unaffected.
- **What does NOT survive.** Event listeners attached via `addEventListener` are NOT cloned, and expando properties set imperatively on the JavaScript object (such as the bound rendering context, or any `canvas._myPlugin = …`-style data a plugin attached) are not carried over either. The bound rendering context being left behind on the detached element is exactly what allows the new canvas to start fresh and accept a different `getContext()` call. Note: `canvas.width`/`canvas.height` *are* reflected HTML attributes, so those values do survive the clone; `api.resize()` re-applies the backing-store dimensions on the new element after the swap regardless.
- Renderers must **declare `contextType`** on the returned instance (`'2d'` or `'webgl2'`; absent → `'2d'`). Factories may also expose it as a static (`window.slopsmithViz_<id>.contextType = 'webgl2'`) so core can read it before constructing the renderer — used today by Auto-mode evaluation.
- Plugins that hold a stale reference to the highway canvas across renderer swaps — including any code that registered listeners directly on the canvas element rather than on `window`/`document` — should listen for the `highway:canvas-replaced` event on `window.slopsmith` and re-acquire / re-register. `window.slopsmith.emit` dispatches a `CustomEvent`, so the payload `{ oldCanvas, newCanvas, contextType }` lives on `event.detail`, not on the event object itself:
```js
window.slopsmith.on('highway:canvas-replaced', (event) => {
const { oldCanvas, newCanvas, contextType } = event.detail;
// re-acquire / re-register against newCanvas
});
```
Plugins that re-query `document.getElementById('highway')` lazily inside their own event handlers don't need this listener — they pick up the new element automatically (it keeps `id="highway"`).
- **`highway:visibility`** — fired on `window.slopsmith` whenever the highway canvas transitions between displayed and hidden. Detection is DOM-based via `canvas.offsetParent === null` (catches `display:none` on the canvas or any ancestor — e.g. splitscreen's `#highway` hide) or whatever a host explicitly sets via `highway.setVisible(bool)`. While `visible === false`, core skips the rAF `renderer.draw(bundle)` call AND the default 2D draw, so renderers don't have to no-op themselves. The event is emitted only on transitions (including the first one after `init()`), not every frame. Payload `{ visible, canvas }` lives on `event.detail`:
```js
window.slopsmith.on('highway:visibility', (event) => {
const { visible, canvas } = event.detail;
// Toggle any sibling DOM your renderer mounts. The 3D Highway
// renderer hides its `.h3d-wrap` overlay here so `display:none`
// on `#highway` actually hides the visible output.
});
```
Renderers that only paint to the slopsmith canvas don't need this listener — the rAF skip is enough. Renderers that mount sibling DOM (separate WebGL contexts, overlays, etc.) do.
- **`highway.setVisible(bool | null)`** — forces the visibility state regardless of `offsetParent`. Pass `null` to clear the override and resume DOM-based detection. Useful when the host hides the highway via `visibility:hidden`, `opacity:0`, transforms, or clipping rather than `display:none`. The override re-emits any resulting transition immediately rather than waiting for the next rAF tick.
- Default-renderer ctx is closure-cached. The replace path nulls the closure ctx so stale draw paths short-circuit; the next default-renderer `init()` re-acquires the 2D context from the new canvas cleanly.
- `draw(bundle)` receives difficulty-filtered arrays — never read from `_filteredNotes` or other internals.
- `_drawHooks` fire for the default 2D renderer (the factory calls them at the end of each frame). Custom WebGL renderers that maintain a 2D overlay canvas (like the bundled 3D highway) also call `window.highway.fireDrawHooks(ctx, W, H)` on that overlay so overlay plugins continue to work regardless of which renderer is active. Custom renderers without a 2D overlay context should not attempt to fire hooks.
**Auto mode — `matchesArrangement(songInfo)` (optional).**
The viz picker prepends an "Auto (match arrangement)" entry that is the default selection on fresh installs. When Auto is active, core evaluates registered viz factories on every `song:ready` and swaps the renderer to the first factory whose `matchesArrangement(songInfo)` predicate returns truthy. No match → the built-in 2D highway.
Declare the predicate as a static on the factory (not the instance) so core can evaluate it without constructing a throwaway renderer:
```js
window.slopsmithViz_piano = function () { /* ... */ };
window.slopsmithViz_piano.matchesArrangement = function (songInfo) {
return /keys|piano|synth/i.test((songInfo && songInfo.arrangement) || '');
};
```
- `songInfo` is the highway's live song_info snapshot — `arrangement`, `tuning`, `capo`, `centOffset`, `arrangement_index`, `filename`, `artist`, `title`, etc. May be `{}` before the first song loads.
- Factories without `matchesArrangement` are skipped during auto-selection — the correct default for arrangement-agnostic viz (tabview, jumpingtab) that only make sense as manual picks.
- Explicit picker selections override Auto and are persisted to `localStorage.vizSelection`, so the pinned choice survives page reloads until the user switches back to "Auto" (which also persists). Picking "Auto" re-evaluates against the current song immediately. In contexts where `localStorage` is unavailable (private mode, sandboxed iframes, some test runners) persistence falls back to the current picker `<option>` value, which still overrides Auto for as long as the page stays loaded.
- When an Auto-selected renderer fails and core emits `viz:reverted`, the picker falls back to the built-in default and disables auto-switching until the user re-selects Auto.
- First match wins (picker order), so the registration order of plugins is the tiebreaker. Keep predicates narrow to avoid stealing songs from more specialized viz.
**WebGL viz in Auto mode.** Auto evaluation runs on every `song:ready` regardless of which renderer is active. Auto-installing a WebGL renderer when the canvas is currently 2D — or reverting from a WebGL Auto pick to the default 2D — works without a reload because `setRenderer` swaps the canvas element when `contextType` differs (see "Canvas context-type swapping" above). WebGL viz can therefore safely declare `matchesArrangement` and rely on Auto. For 3D Highway specifically, `_canRun3D()` in app.js still gates Auto from picking it on machines without WebGL2 — that fallback is independent of canvas swapping.
**Per-instance settings for host plugins (slopsmith#849).** A viz provider may declare per-instance controls a consuming host (e.g. splitscreen's per-panel popover) renders generically, by adding a `settings` array to its `capabilities.visualization` manifest block: `[{ key, label, type: "toggle" | "range" | "select", default, min?, max?, step?, options? }]`. This is the capability-native, declarative replacement for the ad-hoc `factory.panelControls` static. The validated list is surfaced through the visualization host's `list-providers` snapshot, so a host reads it without knowing the plugin. **A provider that declares `settings` MUST implement `applySetting(key, value)` on its renderer instance** — the host calls it on the specific per-panel instance, which is inherently per-panel (no canvas→panel resolution, no shared global localStorage keys). `getSetting(key)` is optional (the host falls back to the declared `default`); the host owns persistence. `factory.panelControls` remains read as a legacy fallback for hosts that still consume it, but new viz should declare `settings` + `applySetting`.
#### 2. Overlay contract — for add-on layers
Plugins that add a layer on top of whichever visualization is active — HUDs, fretboard diagrams, chord labels, practice feedback — don't replace the renderer. They manage their own canvas, their own rAF loop, and a toggle button somewhere visible (typically a navbar pill), reading public highway state via the getters:
- `highway.getTime()` / `highway.getBeats()` — current playback position
- `highway.getNotes()` / `highway.getChords()` — raw arrays containing every note/chord in the chart regardless of the current difficulty level
- `highway.getFilteredNotes()` / `highway.getFilteredChords()` — difficulty-filtered variants. Returns the master-difficulty-filtered arrays when the song has phrase-level data (slider active); falls through to the raw arrays for songs with a single difficulty level (slider disabled). Plugins that process only the notes the player is currently expected to play should use these instead of `getNotes()` / `getChords()`
- `highway.hasPhraseData()` — returns `true` when the current song has phrase-level difficulty ladder data (i.e. the mastery slider is active and `getFilteredNotes()` / `getFilteredChords()` return a filtered subset). Use this to gate logic that only makes sense when difficulty filtering is available
- `highway.getPhrases()` — phrase timing windows `[{ index, start_time, end_time, max_difficulty }]` for the current song's difficulty ladder. Returns `null` when phrase data is absent (GP imports, single-difficulty charts). Read-only; do not mutate. Pair with `hasPhraseData()` to gate phrase-aware logic.
- `highway.getMastery()` — current master-difficulty slider value as a fraction `0..1`. Reflects the same value the mastery slider is set to; meaningful only when `hasPhraseData()` is true.
- `highway.getChordTemplates()` — chord shape lookup table; index by `chord.id` from `getChords()` to get `{ name, fingers, frets }`. `fingers` and `frets` are per-string arrays (length matches the tuning's string count); within `fingers`, `-1` = unused, `0` = open string, `n > 0` = finger number. arrangement XML sources populate real fingerings; GP imports currently emit all `-1` since pre-import sources don't carry finger data. Not filter-aware: templates are static metadata, every `chord_id` referenced by `getChords()` is guaranteed valid
- `highway.getSongInfo()` — tuning, arrangement, capo
- `highway.getStringCount()` — number of strings on the active arrangement (4 for bass, 6 for guitar, 7+ for extended-range GP imports). Derived server-side as `max(notes-max-string + 1, name-based fallback, len(tuning))` where the tuning length only contributes when it isn't the arrangement XML padded 6-string form (sloppak / GP-imported sources carry trimmed tuning lengths). The name-based fallback is 4 for arrangements containing "bass" (case-insensitive) and 6 otherwise. This combination handles partial-string-usage charts (a 6-string lead that never plays string 5), extended-range GP imports (5-string bass, 7-string guitar), and sloppaks that explicitly encode the instrument range — without requiring plugins to do their own arrangement-name matching
- `highway.getLefty()` / `highway.getInverted()` — mirror + invert state
Overlays do NOT appear in the viz picker and do NOT declare `"type": "visualization"` in `plugin.json`. They coexist with whichever renderer (default 2D, 3D highway, piano, ...) the user has picked.
**Key rules:**
- **Own your rAF + canvas** — don't piggyback on `_drawHooks` or on `createHighway`'s rendering context. Draw hooks fire for the default 2D renderer and for custom renderers that explicitly call `window.highway.fireDrawHooks(ctx, W, H)` (e.g. the bundled 3D highway fires them on its 2D overlay canvas), but not for every custom renderer.
- **Re-read state every frame** — overlay output must track whatever the current renderer is drawing. Don't cache note positions across frames.
- **Respect lefty + invert toggles** — if the overlay depicts strings or frets, mirror using the same transforms the active renderer would.
- **If you position with `highway.project` / `highway.fretX` (the 2D-highway geometry), gate on `highway.isDefaultRenderer()`** — those helpers describe the *built-in 2D* highway's depth curve and fret zoom. When a custom renderer (3D highway, piano, …) is active your draw hook still fires (on that renderer's 2D overlay layer), but those coordinates won't match its scene — markers land in arbitrary places. Skip rendering when `isDefaultRenderer()` is false; the custom renderer owns that feedback. Renderer-agnostic overlays (fretboard diagram, chord-label HUD — they use `getNotes()`/`getChordTemplates()` + their own layout) don't need this guard.
- **Clean up on toggle-off** — cancel rAF and remove/hide the overlay canvas so inactive overlays aren't wasting frames.
Reference: [fretboard plugin](https://github.com/got-feedback/feedback-plugin-fretboard) — canonical overlay implementation (navbar toggle, own canvas, 80ms active-note window).
**Why two?** setRenderer plugs into an existing highway — main-player or splitscreen-panel — reusing its WebSocket and data parsing, so the common "I want a different look for the same data" case is zero boilerplate AND multi-instance for free. Overlays compose with whatever renderer is active — they decorate rather than replace, so multiple can stack (fretboard + chord labels + practice feedback) without fighting over the canvas.
A previous standalone-pane contract (`window.createMyVisualization({ container })` with its own WebSocket per pane) was used by splitscreen pre-Wave-C. It's been retired now that splitscreen calls `setRenderer` on per-panel `createHighway()` instances; if you find references in older plugin docs or external integration guides, those describe the legacy path.
#### 3. Note-state provider — for scorers that want renderers to "light up" notes (slopsmith#254)
A scoring plugin (note_detect) can publish a per-note judgment so whichever renderer is active draws the **gem itself** lit on a correct hit, and keeps a sustain trail glowing while it's still being played correctly — instead of a separate overlay ring floating near the note.
```js
// In the plugin (after resolving the highway instance):
highway.setNoteStateProvider((note, chartTime) => {
// `note` is the chart note object ({ t, s, f, sus, ... }); for chord
// notes `chartTime` is the chord's time. Return one of:
// - falsy → no special state (render normally)
// - 'hit' — struck correctly; renderer lights the gem
// - 'active' — a sustained note is right now being held correctly
// - 'miss' — missed; renderer may red-wash the gem
// - { state: <one of the above>, alpha?: 0..1, color?: '#rrggbb' }
// You own all fade timing: return a decaying `alpha` for a struck-note
// glow, `alpha: 1` (or a bare string) for a held sustain, and stop
// returning state when the effect should end. Keep it cheap — it's
// called per visible note per renderer per frame.
});
// On teardown: highway.setNoteStateProvider(null);
```
- Only one provider is active at a time (last `setNoteStateProvider` wins). `highway.getNoteStateProvider()` returns the current one (or null).
- The built-in 2D highway consults it in `drawNote` / `drawSustains` / the chord-frame path: 'hit'/'active' → bright string colour + additive halo + a contained "sizzle" (crackling sparks, throbbing core, a shockwave ring on a fresh strike) on the gem and a bright (vs dim) sustain trail; 'miss' → faint red wash. The bundled **3D highway** reads the same data via `bundle.getNoteState` (bright string-tinted outline + bright body + glowing sustain + a contained sparkle hugging the note rect on hit/active; red outline + suppressed body on miss). Custom renderers that want it call `bundle.getNoteState(note, chartTime)` — it null-guards and returns the normalized `{ state, alpha, color }` (or null).
- This is orthogonal to the overlay contract: note_detect remains an overlay (HUD, diagnostic miss markers, the "currently detected" indicator) *and* a scorer that feeds this provider. A renderer that ignores `getNoteState` simply doesn't light gems — nothing breaks.
### Audio mixer fader registration (slopsmith#87)
Plugins that produce audio outside the song's `<audio>` element (NAM amp output, synth voices, etc.) can register a labeled fader so users can balance them against the song from one mixer popover in the player controls.
```js
function _registerFader() {
const api = window.slopsmith && window.slopsmith.audio;
if (!api) return;
api.registerFader({
id: 'my_plugin', // unique key
label: 'My Plugin', // shown above the fader
unit: 'dB', // optional suffix shown next to the value (e.g. '%', 'dB')
min: 0, max: 2, step: 0.05,
defaultValue: 1.0,
getValue: () => _myCurrentVolume, // read current value
setValue: (v) => _setMyVolume(v), // write + persist + apply
});
}
if (window.slopsmith && window.slopsmith.audio) {
_registerFader();
} else {
window.addEventListener('slopsmith:audio:ready', _registerFader, { once: true });
}
```
The plugin owns persistence — the registry calls `getValue()` when the popover opens, and also after each `setValue()` during slider drags to re-sync the displayed value. Keep `getValue()` cheap and side-effect-free, and make sure `setValue()` updates whatever backing state `getValue()` reads synchronously. Pair `setValue` with whatever your plugin already does internally (write the GainNode, persist to localStorage, update any in-plugin label). Use `unregisterFader(id)` when your plugin is teardown-able and you want the strip to disappear; otherwise keep it registered so the user's setting persists across toggle states.
### Backend plugin logging
Use `context["log"]` for all backend plugin output. It is a stdlib `logging.Logger` namespaced to `slopsmith.plugin.<id>`, pre-configured with the app-wide level, format (including JSON mode), and correlation IDs. Never use `print()` — it bypasses correlation context and log rotation.
```python
def setup(app, context):
log = context["log"]
log.info("plugin ready")
log.warning("optional dependency %r not found, feature disabled", dep)
try:
risky_init()
except Exception:
log.exception("unhandled error during setup") # auto-captures traceback
```
For CLI entry points (scripts that also run as `__main__`), add a stdlib fallback so the logger works without the server pipeline:
```python
if __name__ == "__main__":
import logging
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format="%(levelname)s %(message)s")
```
### Diagnostics contribution from frontend (slopsmith#166)
Plugins that hold useful debug state in the browser (active model name, last user input, internal counters) can push it into the diagnostics bundle by calling `window.slopsmith.diagnostics.contribute(plugin_id, payload)` at any time. The contribution API is idempotent — repeated calls overwrite the previous value. Whatever was last contributed before the user hits Export Diagnostics is what lands in `plugins/<plugin_id>/client.json`.
```js
window.slopsmith.diagnostics.contribute('my_plugin', {
schema: 'my_plugin.client_diag.v1',
active_preset: getActivePreset(),
last_error: _lastError,
});
```
Loaded from `static/diagnostics.js` ASAP in `<head>` so the console-wrap is in place before any other script runs. Available on the `window.slopsmith.diagnostics` namespace alongside `snapshotConsole()`, `snapshotHardware()`, `snapshotUa()`, `snapshotLocalStorage()`, `snapshotContributions()`. Keep your payload small (< 100 KB) and don't include secrets bundles are shared with maintainers.
### Keyboard Shortcuts
Plugins can register keyboard shortcuts via the global `window.registerShortcut()` function. Shortcuts appear in the `?` help panel.
```js
window.registerShortcut({
key: 'k', // key value (e.key) or key code (e.code)
description: 'Toggle my view', // shown in the help panel
scope: 'player', // 'global' | 'player' | 'library' | 'settings' | 'plugin-{id}'
condition: () => _isMyViewActive, // optional guard
handler: (e) => _myAction() // called when shortcut triggers
});
```
**Scope** controls when the shortcut is active:
- `global` works on any screen
- `player` only on the player screen
- `library` only on the home/favorites screens
- `settings` only on the settings screen
- `plugin-{id}` only when your plugin's screen is active
**Panel-scoped shortcuts:** For plugins that create multiple panels (e.g., splitscreen), shortcuts are automatically scoped to the active panel. Use `const panel = window.createShortcutPanel(id)` to create a panel (it returns the panel object keep the reference so you can call `panel.clearShortcuts()` during cleanup) and `window.setActiveShortcutPanel(id)` to switch between them. Each panel has its own shortcut registry, so multiple panels can have the same key without collisions.
**Condition** is an optional guard function. If it returns false, the shortcut is skipped even if in scope.
**Key matching:** The handler matches against both `e.key` (character produced) and `e.code` (physical key). Use `e.key` for letters/symbols that depend on keyboard layout, and `e.code` for special keys (e.g. `Space`, `ArrowLeft`).
**Built-in shortcuts:**
| Key | Description |
|-----|-------------|
| `?` | Show keyboard shortcuts panel (global) |
| `Space` | Play/Pause (player only) |
| `←` / `→` | Seek ±5 seconds (player only) |
| `Escape` | Back to library (player only) |
| `[` / `]` | Audio offset ±10ms (Shift: ±50ms) (player only) |
**Debugging:** Open browser console and type `_listShortcuts()` to inspect registered shortcuts.
### General plugin guidelines
- Wrap your plugin code in an IIFE: `(function () { 'use strict'; ... })();`
- Use `localStorage` for user-facing settings, prefixed with your plugin id
- If hooking `window.playSong`, always call the original and `await` it
- If hooking `window.showScreen`, clean up your state when leaving the player screen
- Use `window.slopsmith.emit()` / `window.slopsmith.on()` for inter-plugin communication
- Use `window.registerShortcut()` to add keyboard shortcuts. Clean up with `window.unregisterShortcut(key, scope)` pass the same scope you registered with, since the default is `'global'` and won't match `player`/`library`/`settings`/`plugin-*` bindings. For panel-scoped shortcuts, prefer `panel.clearShortcuts()`.
## Song Formats
Slopsmith supports two song formats:
### Loose folder (XML charts)
A directory containing arrangement XML plus an audio file (and optional `manifest.json` + album art). Discovered, indexed, and played directly see `lib/loosefolder.py`. Metadata follows a `manifest.json` XML tags folder-name priority chain. Songs are tagged `format: "loose"` in the library.
### Sloppak (open format)
An open, hand-editable song package designed for Slopsmith. Exists in two interchangeable forms:
- **Zip archive** (`.sloppak` file) distribution form
- **Directory** (`.sloppak/` folder) authoring form
**Contents:**
```
manifest.yaml Song metadata (title, artist, album, duration, tuning, arrangement IDs, ...)
arrangements/
lead.json Note/chord/anchor data in wire format (see song.py)
rhythm.json Files here are driven by manifest.yaml arrangement entries
... (e.g. arrangements/<arrangement-id>.json)
stems/
full.ogg Mixed audio (always present)
guitar.ogg Individual stems (optional, from Demucs split)
bass.ogg
drums.ogg
vocals.ogg
piano.ogg
other.ogg
cover.jpg Album art (optional)
lyrics.json Syllable-level lyrics (optional)
```
Sloppak is the preferred format for new features. The [Stems plugin](https://github.com/topkoa/slopsmith-plugin-stems) provides live stem mixing for sloppak songs.
**Full developer reference:** [docs/sloppak-spec.md](docs/sloppak-spec.md) manifest schema, arrangement wire format, and how to extend the format with new data types (drum tab, key/scale annotations, etc.).
**Key code:**
- `lib/sloppak.py` format detection, zip/directory resolution, metadata extraction, song loading
- `lib/sloppak_convert.py` sloppak assembly pipeline, Demucs stem splitting
- `lib/song.py` shared data models (`Note`, `Chord`, `Arrangement`, `Song`) and wire format serialization used by both formats
## Frontend Conventions
- **No frameworks** vanilla JS, fetch API, DOM manipulation
- **Globals** `highway`, `audio`, `playSong()`, `showScreen()`, `createHighway()`, `window.slopsmith`
- **Storage** `localStorage` for all user preferences
- **Styling** Tailwind CSS utility classes, dark theme (`bg-dark-600`, `text-gray-300`, accent `#4080e0`, gold `#e8c040`). Tailwind is served as a **prebuilt** stylesheet (`static/tailwind.min.css`, regenerated by `bash scripts/build-tailwind.sh`), **never** the runtime Play CDN the CDN's on-the-fly JIT rescanned the DOM on the main thread and dropped ~26% of frames with the 3D highway (slopsmith-desktop#110). The committed CSS only contains classes the build scanner saw, so CI (`tailwind-fresh`) rebuilds and diffs it; run the build script and commit when you add new classes. A plugin that uses classes not guaranteed in core (notably arbitrary values like `w-[37px]`) MUST ship its own compiled stylesheet via the `styles` manifest key, built with `corePlugins.preflight = false` (utilities only core ships the one base reset). Plugins MUST NOT load the Tailwind Play CDN or any runtime CSS JIT. See constitution Principle II.
- **Naming** camelCase for JS functions, kebab-case for CSS classes, snake_case for plugin IDs
- **Player layout** `#player` is `display:flex; flex-direction:column; position:fixed; inset:0`. `#highway` is `flex:1`. `#player-controls` sits at the bottom. Hiding the highway collapses the layout use `margin-top: auto` on controls if you need to hide it.
## Backend Conventions
- **Framework** FastAPI with uvicorn
- **Imports** flat imports from `lib/` (no package `__init__.py`): `from song import Song`
- **Database** SQLite via MetadataDB class with `threading.Lock` for thread safety
- **WebSocket** JSON frames, try/except `WebSocketDisconnect`
- **Error handling** graceful fallbacks (audio conversion errors don't crash the song, missing art returns placeholder)
- **Type hints** used sparingly (`Path | None`, `dict`, `list`)
- **Docstrings** minimal; code is self-documenting
## Testing
```bash
pytest # Run all tests
pytest tests/test_song.py -v # Specific file
pytest -k "round_trip" -v # Pattern match
```
- Framework: pytest
- Config: `pyproject.toml` sets `pythonpath = [".", "lib"]` and `testpaths = ["tests"]`
- CI: GitHub Actions runs pytest on push/PR to main (Python 3.12)
- Test dependencies: `requirements-test.txt`
## Tuning the note_detect plugin
Detection quality is hard to judge by eye a player UI that "feels worse" after a code change isn't a regression you can defend in review. The plugin ships with a record-replay-sweep workflow so changes to the detector, the matcher, or the user's environment (A/V offset, latency, channel) can be measured against a single reference take.
Quick orientation:
- **Reference recording** lives in the gear popover on the player (gated behind Settings Note Detection "Detection tuning (advanced)"). Arm before pressing Play; auto-saves a WAV to `static/note_detect_recordings/` on song-end. The directory is bind-mounted, so the host-side harness can read it without a copy step.
- **Benchmark sloppak** ships in-tree at [docs/benchmarks/note_detect_v1/note_detect_benchmark_v1.sloppak](docs/benchmarks/note_detect_v1/note_detect_benchmark_v1.sloppak) 8 sections each isolating a different failure mode (low-freq mono, sustained holds, hammer/pull, power chords, dense open chords, bends). Drop it directly into your sloppak DLC folder to install (don't rename slopsmith keys off the `.sloppak` suffix even though the file is a zip under the hood). The unzipped form lands at `static/sloppak_cache/note_detect_benchmark_v1.sloppak/` after first play. Builder: [docs/benchmarks/note_detect_v1/build_benchmark.py](docs/benchmarks/note_detect_v1/build_benchmark.py).
- **Headless harness** at [`tools/harness.js`](https://github.com/got-feedback/feedback-plugin-notedetect/blob/main/tools/harness.js) in the note_detect plugin's own repo (cloned into `plugins/note_detect/` locally) runs the same `processFrame` / `matchNotes` / `checkMisses` code path off Node, in seconds per run. Same `note_detect.diagnostic.v1` schema as the in-app Download Diagnostic button.
- **A/V auto-calibrate** (Settings Note Detection) reads `timing_error_ms_hits.median` and proposes the av-offset that drives it to zero. Iterative: usually converges in 23 Apply rounds.
**Always record at 1.0× playback speed** half-speed takes produce all-miss garbage because chart times are absolute. **Always use `timing_error_ms_hits` (not all-matched) as a calibration signal** the all-matched median pins near a constant when the offset is wrong, because the matcher silently snaps to neighbouring chart notes.
Full developer reference (workflow recipes, harness flag table, diagnostic schema, common pitfalls): [docs/note-detect-tuning.md](docs/note-detect-tuning.md).
## Versioning
- **`VERSION`** (repo root) single source of truth; plain semver string (e.g. `0.2.4`). Bind-mounted into the container and copied by the Dockerfile so it's always available at `/app/VERSION`.
- **`GET /api/version`** returns `{"version": "<contents of VERSION>", "source_url": "...", "license_url": "..."}`. The version drives the navbar badge; `source_url` / `license_url` populate the Settings About links. `source_url` is configurable via the `APP_SOURCE_URL` env var (default `https://github.com/got-feedback/feedback`); `license_url` falls back to `source_url + "/blob/main/LICENSE"` (GitHub-style, default branch `main`) and is overridable via the `APP_LICENSE_URL` env var set it explicitly when the source is hosted on a non-GitHub forge (GitLab/Gitea/self-hosted) or under a non-`main` default branch. Both env values must be `http(s)`; non-http(s) values are rejected and fall back to the safe default to prevent `javascript:`/`data:` hrefs.
- **Auto-sync** `.github/workflows/sync-version.yml` rewrites `VERSION` via a `repository_dispatch` (`desktop-released`) fired from `slopsmith-desktop`'s release job. As an explicit automation-only exception to the "Never push directly to main" rule in Git Workflow below, the sync job commits straight to `main` as `github-actions[bot]` (version bumps are mechanical; the PR round-trip adds no signal). Human contributors must still go through feature branches + PRs. No manual VERSION edits needed. Use the workflow's `workflow_dispatch` trigger with `version: X.Y.Z` for manual runs (recovery / out-of-band bumps).
- **`CHANGELOG.md`** follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/) format. Update the `[Unreleased]` section with each PR; when `slopsmith-desktop` cuts a release, rename `[Unreleased]` to the new version + date (the VERSION bump itself is automated).
## Git Workflow
- **Never push directly to main** always create a feature branch and open a PR
- **Upstream remote** set `upstream` to the canonical Slopsmith repository; `origin` is your fork
- **Plugins are gitlinks** each plugin in `plugins/` is typically its own git repo (submodule or clone). Branch switches on the main repo can clobber plugin directories. Use `git update-index --assume-unchanged` for plugin dirs if needed.
- **Commit style** short imperative subject line, blank line, then body explaining *why*
## WebSocket Protocol Reference
The highway WebSocket at `/ws/highway/{filename}?arrangement={index}` streams these messages in order:
| Message | Shape | Description |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| `loading` | `{ type: 'loading', stage }` | Status/progress message during extraction or conversion |
| `song_info` | `{ type, title, artist, arrangement, arrangement_index, arrangements, duration, tuning, capo, centOffset, format, audio_url, audio_error, stems }` | Song metadata. `arrangements` is the full list for the switcher. `audio_url` is `null` when audio is unavailable, in which case `audio_error` is non-null; otherwise `audio_error` is `null`. `stems` is always present an empty array for non-sloppak songs or sloppak songs with no split stems. `tuning` is an array (6 for guitar, 4 for bass). `centOffset` is a float (cents) from the RS2014 `<centOffset>` field commonly `-1200.0` for extended-range bass (one octave down), small non-zero values for true-tuned content (e.g. A443 +11.8 cents), `0.0` when absent. Available via `getSongInfo().centOffset`. |
| `beats` | `{ type, data: [{ time, measure }] }` | Beat timestamps with measure numbers |
| `sections` | `{ type, data: [{ time, name }] }` | Named sections (Intro, Verse, Chorus, etc.) |
| `anchors` | `{ type, data: [{ time, fret, width }] }` | Fret zoom anchors |
| `chord_templates` | `{ type, data: [{ name, frets: [6] }] }` | Named chord shapes |
| `lyrics` | `{ type, data: [{ w, t, d }], source }` | Syllables: `w`=word, `t`=time, `d`=duration. `-` joins to previous, `+` = line break. `source` is one of `"xml"`, `"whisperx"`, `"user"` UI can use it to render an "auto-transcribed" badge for `whisperx`. Sloppaks always include `source` (legacy sloppaks without a `lyrics_source` manifest key default to `"xml"` at load time). Loose folders set it based on which extractor matched. Absent only when no lyrics fired the message at all |
| `tone_changes` | `{ type: 'tone_changes', base, data: [{ time, name }] }` | Optional tone change events relative to the arrangement base tone; only sent if tones were found |
| `notes` | `{ type, data: [{ t, s, f, sus, ho, po, sl, bn, ... }] }` | Single notes |
| `chords` | `{ type, data: [{ t, notes: [{ s, f, sus, ... }] }] }` | Chord events |
| `phrases` | `{ type, data: [{ start_time, end_time, max_difficulty, levels: [{ difficulty, notes, chords, anchors, handshapes }] }], total }` | Optional per-phrase difficulty ladder for master-difficulty slider (slopsmith#48). Only sent when the source chart carries multi-level phrase data (phrase-aware sloppak). Sent in chunks (`data` is a batch, `total` is the full count across messages) to avoid multi-MB single frames. Absent for GP imports and legacy sloppak; consumers must treat missing message as "single fixed difficulty slider disabled". |
| `ready` | `{ type: 'ready' }` | All data sent safe to finalize and start rendering |
Message delivery is incremental. You may receive `loading` updates and `lyrics` before note/chord payloads; `tone_changes` comes after `lyrics` when present and may be omitted entirely. Do not finalize rendering until you receive `ready`.
## Common Pitfalls
1. **playSong wrapper race condition** The wrapper chain runs outermost-first (last-loaded wrapper runs first). If an inner plugin (e.g. `3dhighway`) does `await import(CDN)`, it yields to the event loop. WebSocket messages (`song_info`, `ready`) can arrive before outer plugins set their callbacks. Use `getSongInfo()` as a fallback rather than relying solely on `_onReady`.
2. **Plugin gitlinks** Plugins are separate git repos cloned into `plugins/`. Switching branches on the main repo can delete or clobber these directories. Be careful with `git checkout` and `git clean`.
3. **Highway flex layout** `#highway` has `flex:1` in the player. Hiding it with `display:none` removes the flex child, causing `#player-controls` to float to the top. If you hide the highway, add `margin-top: auto` to the controls div to keep it at the bottom.
4. **Multiple WebSocket connections** The server supports many simultaneous WebSocket connections to the same song. Split screen panels, lyrics panes, and jumping tab panes each open their own. This is by design don't try to multiplex.
5. **Plugin load order** Plugins load alphabetically by directory name. This determines the `playSong` wrapper chain order and which plugin's UI elements appear first. If your plugin depends on another's globals, check at runtime (`typeof window.X === 'function'`), not at load time.