FrameAssistant/docs/PROGRESS.md

# Progress

Where the project stands, and what happened in each session. Newest first. The process is in
CLAUDE.md ("Working rules").

## Current state

- **Iteration 1, phase 2 (planning and design).** Phase 1 is approved (D13);
  [REQUIREMENTS.md](REQUIREMENTS.md) is the baseline. High-level architecture done
  ([DESIGN.md](DESIGN.md)); MVP details next.

## Next steps

Requirements and design cover the whole MVP; it is **implemented in four small iterations**
(D37), each with implementation, testing and assessment:

| Iteration | Content | Platform change | Checked by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DSH-1: HA web UI (Qt WebEngine) in a dashboard tab; configuration (D34) with start-up hook and `--config` | start-up hook (D21), WebEngine initialisation before the `QGuiApplication` | HA web UI in the tab on the Frame; result documented |
| 2 | MQTT client (own thread), HA device with discovery and availability, libmosquitto in the package, status display UI-1 | modes (D22) | device appears in HA, online/offline right, reconnect works |
| 3 | OpenVR wrappers and the 13 sensor entities | `--desktop` with optional SteamVR (D22) | sensor values in HA on the Frame |
| 4 | notification manager, `notify` entity, world overlay | world overlay, premultiplied flag (D25) | notification from HA in VR, also in a game |

Next: the detailed plan for iteration 1 (files, classes, tests, order) for the user's
approval; that ends phase 2 for iteration 1.

## Log

### 2026-10-05: requirements approved

- User approved REQUIREMENTS.md including the priorities (D13). Phase 2 started.
- Q4 decided: libmosquitto, shipped in the package (D14). Qt MQTT ruled out: private Qt API
  requires the exact Qt version. Checked on the Frame: no MQTT library installed; libssl/
  libcrypto 3 and libcjson 1 present.
- HA discovery: own small layer on QJson, device-based discovery (D15); hacpp and the
  embedded libraries rejected.
- Checked on the Frame which Qt modules, plugins and audio/network tools exist; library list
  per requirement in REQUIREMENTS.md Appendix C. Notable: Qt WebEngine and Qt WebSockets are
  present (relevant for Q2/Q3).
- libmosquitto ABI check: Debian's 2.0.21 needs at most `OPENSSL_3.0.0`/`GLIBC_2.34`; the
  Frame has OpenSSL 3.2.1 and glibc 2.39. No libcjson dependency. D14 holds.
- MVP implemented in four iterations; DSH-1 first, at the user's wish (D37).
- NFR-3 measurement method, manual in the MVP (D36). MVP details done.
- Shipping libmosquitto (D35).
- Configuration file format (D34).
- MVP notification: `notify` entity with first line as title; JSON command later (D33).
- HA MQTT interface: ids (D31), topics, retain, availability (D32), MVP entity list.
- Test strategy in four levels (D30). High-level architecture done.
- Threads: MQTT client in its own thread, everything else incl. OpenVR in the main thread (D29).
- DSH-1 split: web UI out-of-the-box test in the MVP, full dashboard as DSH-2 (D28).
- Overlays: two kinds (D25), one overlay for all notifications (D26), MVP placement "spawn in
  front, then stay" (D27). Researched notification UI in VR (DESIGN.md, Appendix A). Found:
  premultiplied-alpha flag missing in the platform.
- HA channels: MQTT for everything device-related; dashboard channel decided with Q2/Q3 (D24).
- Entities: one class per HA entity type, native types preferred, own service only as fallback
  (D23). Found: MQTT `notify` drops the title.
- Start-up hook `prepare()` in the platform (D21); modes, `--desktop-novr` and `--config`
  (D22).
- New requirement UI-1: status display in the main tab (D20).
- The user installed `mosquitto` on the dev host, so native builds can use libmosquitto.
- Started docs/DESIGN.md: one process (D16), three layers (D17), HA-centric object classes
  (D18). HA side: FrameAssistant needs only stock HA; how the user wraps commands (scripts,
  pyscript) is up to them (NFR-6 unchanged).
- Agreed to settle the high-level architecture first (list under "Next steps"), before
  component details.
- Stay with the Debian build container: an Arch container wouldn't match SteamOS's own package
  versions (private repos, rolling Arch) and has no arm64 multiarch for cross builds.

### 2026-10-04/05: project set-up and requirements

- Copied the vrdashboard template. Removed what the app doesn't need:
  - `examples/` (diagnostics app) and the `VRDASH_BUILD_EXAMPLES` option
  - the Frame test package (`scripts/package-frame-test.sh`, `docs/FRAME-TESTING.md`,
    screenshots)
  - the demo UI (`src/qml/DemoPage.qml`)

  `Main.qml` shows a placeholder card.
- Named the app **FrameAssistant**, "Steam Frame companion for Home Assistant":
  - CMake project `frameassistant`, executable `frame-assistant`
  - app key `net.matzman.frameassistant`, tab "Frame Assistant", QML module `FrameAssistant`

  Names rejected:
  - "Steam…" and "…Home Assistant": trademarks
  - "HASS…": the user dislikes it, because "Hass" is German for hate.
- Agreed working rules (in CLAUDE.md):
  - explicit permission for everything; ask instead of assuming
  - iterative five-phase cycle; an informal "ok" approves a phase
  - document everything in Markdown in `docs/`
- `git init`. Baseline commit `4a5b090`.
- Requirements engineering (several question rounds with the user). The results are in
  REQUIREMENTS.md:
  - decisions D1–D12
  - 51 requirements
  - research on OpenVR data sources (Appendix A)
- Checks: `native-debug` builds, `ctest` passes 6/6 (Vulkan surface test skipped, no Vulkan on
  this host), `--snapshot` renders.