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) started. Phase 1 is approved (D13); REQUIREMENTS.md is the baseline.

Next steps

Phase 2 for the MVP scope (D8: MQTT connection + discovery + availability, the MVP sensors, a basic notification). Design topics, proposed order:

1. Q4: MQTT client library: done, libmosquitto (D14). Remaining for the design: Qt event-loop integration, shipping the library in the package (build + install.sh).
2. Component structure: configuration, MQTT/discovery layer, sensor sources, notification service; how they fit into Dashboard (the app class).
3. HA entity model: topics, discovery payloads, availability, device grouping (CON-2/3/5, SEN-15).
4. Basic notification (NOT-1): needs an overlay outside the dashboard, i.e. the planned WorldOverlay (CLAUDE.md, "Planned extension"); MVP placement to be decided.
5. Test strategy for the MVP and the measurement method for NFR-3.

Later, not needed for the MVP: Q1 (several notifications), Q2/Q3 (dashboard); check only whether they constrain the MVP architecture.

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.
• 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.