DESIGN.md: one process with several threads (D16), three layers (D17), HA-centric object classes (D18), injected configuration (D19). Design decisions move from REQUIREMENTS.md to DESIGN.md. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
64 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
64 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
# Design
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Status: **in progress**, iteration 1, phase 2 (planning and design). High-level architecture
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first, then the details for the MVP. Requirements and their decisions (D1–D15):
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[REQUIREMENTS.md](REQUIREMENTS.md). Design decisions start at D16.
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## Process and threads
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- **One process** started by SteamVR does everything: HA connection, sensors, services, all
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overlays (D16).
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- Several threads inside it for concurrent work. Which work runs in which thread is still open.
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## Layers
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Three layers; dependencies only go downward (D17).
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```
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Presentation QML (view and controller)
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▼
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Business logic entities, services, managers
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▼
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I/O HA connection (MQTT), SteamVR, system (network, audio)
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```
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- Qt Quick already enforces separating presentation from logic.
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- The overlay platform (`vrdashboard_core`) spans two layers: overlays, rendering and input
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are presentation infrastructure; SteamVR access for sensors and actions is I/O.
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## Object classes
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The app is HA-centric, so its building blocks follow HA's concepts (D18). Objects talk to each
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other through Qt signals and slots (Qt's observer pattern). Senders don't know their receivers,
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and signals across threads are delivered through the receiver's event loop.
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| Class | Role | MVP |
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|---|---|---|
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| **HA entity** | One HA entity, both directions. Entity → HA: state and JSON attributes. HA → entity: basic commands. Observes value signals of other objects and publishes them; turns MQTT commands into signals other objects act on. Covers sensors, simple actions (`button`), settings (`switch`, `number`), feedback (`event`). | ✓ |
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| **HA service** | An action HA calls with parameters: a JSON command on an MQTT command topic (HA side: the standard `mqtt.publish` action). May be more complex than an entity command. Results go back asynchronously, e.g. through an `event` entity. How the user wraps it in HA (scripts, automations, pyscript) is their choice; FrameAssistant only requires stock HA with MQTT (NFR-6). | ✓ (notification) |
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| **HA device** | Owns the MQTT connection, discovery and availability, and owns all entity and service objects. One per headset (CON-5). | ✓ |
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| **I/O wrappers** | Data sources and actuators; know nothing about HA. One wrapper object per OpenVR interface used (e.g. `IVRSystem`, `IVRApplications`, `IVRChaperone`, `IVRSettings`). System wrappers (network, audio) later. | OpenVR ✓, system ✗ |
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| **Overlays** | View and controller of MVC (QML), as dashboard tabs or world overlays. Get their data (the model) from other objects. | ✓ |
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| **Managers** | One object per stateful feature that manages and coordinates it, using entities, services and overlays. Notification manager (MVP); status card manager (SRV-6/7) later. | notifications ✓ |
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| **HA web UI** | Encapsulates Qt WebEngine for the dashboard (Q2). | ✗ |
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| **Configuration** | Settings from the JSON file, loaded once by the app as an immutable value. Each component gets the part it needs through its constructor (D19). | ✓ |
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| **App** | The managing object: owns all of the above as components and wires them together. | ✓ |
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Notes for later:
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- OpenVR delivers all events through one queue; one dispatcher (today `VrRuntime`) hands them
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to the wrappers.
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- OpenVR is not documented as thread-safe (relevant for the thread decision).
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## Open
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1. High-level points 3–7 (see [PROGRESS.md](PROGRESS.md), "Next steps").
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## Decisions
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| # | Date | Decision | Reason |
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|---|------|----------|--------|
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| D16 | 2026-10-05 | **One process** started by SteamVR does everything; several threads inside it for concurrent work | Meets NFR-2 without extra work, no IPC; the platform already supports several surfaces per process |
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| D17 | 2026-10-05 | **Three layers:** presentation (QML), business logic, I/O. The overlay platform spans presentation (overlays, rendering, input) and I/O (SteamVR access) | Simple and enough for the start; Qt Quick already enforces separating presentation from logic |
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| D18 | 2026-10-05 | **HA-centric object classes:** HA entity, HA service, HA device, I/O wrappers, overlays, managers, HA web UI, configuration, app; communication through signals and slots | The app is HA-centric; signals/slots decouple objects and work across threads |
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| D19 | 2026-10-05 | **Configuration is injected:** the app loads it once as an immutable value and passes each component the part it needs; no singleton | Explicit dependencies, trivial tests with own configs, thread-safe; the app creates all components anyway |
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