fix(vegas): keep plugin data and visuals fresh during Vegas scroll mode (#291)

* fix(vegas): keep plugin data and visuals fresh during Vegas scroll mode

Plugins using ESPN APIs and other data sources were not updating during
Vegas mode because the render loop blocked for 60-600s per iteration,
starving the scheduled update tick. This adds a non-blocking background
thread that runs plugin updates every ~1s during Vegas mode, bridges
update notifications to the stream manager, and clears stale scroll
caches so all three content paths (native, scroll_helper, fallback)
reflect fresh data.

- Add background update tick thread in Vegas coordinator (non-blocking)
- Add _tick_plugin_updates_for_vegas() bridge in display controller
- Fix fallback capture to call update() instead of only update_data()
- Clear scroll_helper.cached_image on update for scroll-based plugins
- Drain background thread on Vegas stop/exit to prevent races

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

* fix(vegas): address review findings in update pipeline

- Extract _drive_background_updates() helper and call it from both the
  render loop and the static-pause wait loop so plugin data stays fresh
  during static pauses (was skipped by the early `continue`)
- Remove synchronous plugin.update() from the fallback capture path;
  the background update tick already handles API refreshes so the
  content-fetch thread should only call lightweight update_data()
- Use scroll_helper.clear_cache() instead of just clearing cached_image
  so cached_array, total_scroll_width and scroll_position are also reset

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: Chuck <chuck@example.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/display_controller.py

@@ -398,6 +398,12 @@ class DisplayController:
                 check_interval=10  # Check every 10 frames (~80ms at 125 FPS)
             )
 
+            # Set up plugin update tick to keep data fresh during Vegas mode
+            self.vegas_coordinator.set_update_tick(
+                self._tick_plugin_updates_for_vegas,
+                interval=1.0
+            )
+
             logger.info("Vegas mode coordinator initialized")
 
         except Exception as e:
@@ -434,6 +440,38 @@ class DisplayController:
 
         return False
 
+    def _tick_plugin_updates_for_vegas(self):
+        """
+        Run scheduled plugin updates and return IDs of plugins that were updated.
+
+        Called periodically by the Vegas coordinator to keep plugin data fresh
+        during Vegas mode. Returns a list of plugin IDs whose data changed so
+        Vegas can refresh their content in the scroll.
+
+        Returns:
+            List of updated plugin IDs, or None if no updates occurred
+        """
+        if not self.plugin_manager or not hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'plugin_last_update'):
+            self._tick_plugin_updates()
+            return None
+
+        # Snapshot update timestamps before ticking
+        old_times = dict(self.plugin_manager.plugin_last_update)
+
+        # Run the scheduled updates
+        self._tick_plugin_updates()
+
+        # Detect which plugins were actually updated
+        updated = []
+        for plugin_id, new_time in self.plugin_manager.plugin_last_update.items():
+            if new_time > old_times.get(plugin_id, 0.0):
+                updated.append(plugin_id)
+
+        if updated:
+            logger.info("Vegas update tick: %d plugin(s) updated: %s", len(updated), updated)
+
+        return updated or None
+
     def _check_schedule(self):
         """Check if display should be active based on schedule."""
         # Get fresh config from config_service to support hot-reload

src/vegas_mode/coordinator.py

@@ -90,6 +90,14 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         self._interrupt_check: Optional[Callable[[], bool]] = None
         self._interrupt_check_interval: int = 10  # Check every N frames
 
+        # Plugin update tick for keeping data fresh during Vegas mode
+        self._update_tick: Optional[Callable[[], Optional[List[str]]]] = None
+        self._update_tick_interval: float = 1.0  # Tick every 1 second
+        self._update_thread: Optional[threading.Thread] = None
+        self._update_results: Optional[List[str]] = None
+        self._update_results_lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._last_update_tick_time: float = 0.0
+
         # Config update tracking
         self._config_version = 0
         self._pending_config_update = False
@@ -158,6 +166,25 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         self._interrupt_check = checker
         self._interrupt_check_interval = max(1, check_interval)
 
+    def set_update_tick(
+        self,
+        callback: Callable[[], Optional[List[str]]],
+        interval: float = 1.0
+    ) -> None:
+        """
+        Set the callback for periodic plugin update ticking during Vegas mode.
+
+        This keeps plugin data fresh while the Vegas render loop is running.
+        The callback should run scheduled plugin updates and return a list of
+        plugin IDs that were actually updated, or None/empty if no updates occurred.
+
+        Args:
+            callback: Callable that returns list of updated plugin IDs or None
+            interval: Seconds between update tick calls (default 1.0)
+        """
+        self._update_tick = callback
+        self._update_tick_interval = max(0.5, interval)
+
     def start(self) -> bool:
         """
         Start Vegas mode operation.
@@ -210,6 +237,9 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
                 self.stats['total_runtime_seconds'] += time.time() - self._start_time
                 self._start_time = None
 
+        # Wait for in-flight background update before tearing down state
+        self._drain_update_thread()
+
         # Cleanup components
         self.render_pipeline.reset()
         self.stream_manager.reset()
@@ -305,8 +335,11 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         last_fps_log_time = start_time
         fps_frame_count = 0
 
+        self._last_update_tick_time = start_time
+
         logger.info("Starting Vegas iteration for %.1fs", duration)
 
+        try:
             while True:
                 # Check for STATIC mode plugin that should pause scroll
                 static_plugin = self._check_static_plugin_trigger()
@@ -346,6 +379,9 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
                     last_fps_log_time = current_time
                     fps_frame_count = 0
 
+                # Periodic plugin update tick to keep data fresh (non-blocking)
+                self._drive_background_updates()
+
                 if (self._interrupt_check and
                         frame_count % self._interrupt_check_interval == 0):
                     try:
@@ -371,6 +407,12 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             logger.info("Vegas iteration completed after %.1fs", time.time() - start_time)
             return True
 
+        finally:
+            # Ensure background update thread finishes before the main loop
+            # resumes its own _tick_plugin_updates() calls, preventing concurrent
+            # run_scheduled_updates() execution.
+            self._drain_update_thread()
+
     def _check_live_priority(self) -> bool:
         """
         Check if live priority content should interrupt Vegas mode.
@@ -458,6 +500,71 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
                 if self._pending_config is None:
                     self._pending_config_update = False
 
+    def _run_update_tick_background(self) -> None:
+        """Run the plugin update tick in a background thread.
+
+        Stores results for the render loop to pick up on its next iteration,
+        so the scroll never blocks on API calls.
+        """
+        try:
+            updated_plugins = self._update_tick()
+            if updated_plugins:
+                with self._update_results_lock:
+                    # Accumulate rather than replace to avoid losing notifications
+                    # if a previous result hasn't been picked up yet
+                    if self._update_results is None:
+                        self._update_results = updated_plugins
+                    else:
+                        self._update_results.extend(updated_plugins)
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("Background plugin update tick failed")
+
+    def _drain_update_thread(self, timeout: float = 2.0) -> None:
+        """Wait for any in-flight background update thread to finish.
+
+        Called when transitioning out of Vegas mode so the main-loop
+        ``_tick_plugin_updates`` call doesn't race with a still-running
+        background thread.
+        """
+        if self._update_thread is not None and self._update_thread.is_alive():
+            self._update_thread.join(timeout=timeout)
+            if self._update_thread.is_alive():
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Background update thread did not finish within %.1fs", timeout
+                )
+
+    def _drive_background_updates(self) -> None:
+        """Collect finished background update results and launch new ticks.
+
+        Safe to call from both the main render loop and the static-pause
+        wait loop so that plugin data stays fresh regardless of which
+        code path is active.
+        """
+        # 1. Collect results from a previously completed background update
+        with self._update_results_lock:
+            ready_results = self._update_results
+            self._update_results = None
+        if ready_results:
+            for pid in ready_results:
+                self.mark_plugin_updated(pid)
+
+        # 2. Kick off a new background update if interval elapsed and none running
+        current_time = time.time()
+        if (self._update_tick and
+                current_time - self._last_update_tick_time >= self._update_tick_interval):
+            thread_alive = (
+                self._update_thread is not None
+                and self._update_thread.is_alive()
+            )
+            if not thread_alive:
+                self._last_update_tick_time = current_time
+                self._update_thread = threading.Thread(
+                    target=self._run_update_tick_background,
+                    daemon=True,
+                    name="vegas-update-tick",
+                )
+                self._update_thread.start()
+
     def mark_plugin_updated(self, plugin_id: str) -> None:
         """
         Notify that a plugin's data has been updated.
@@ -576,6 +683,9 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
                     logger.info("Static pause interrupted by live priority")
                     return False
 
+                # Keep plugin data fresh during static pause
+                self._drive_background_updates()
+
                 # Sleep in small increments to remain responsive
                 time.sleep(0.1)
 

src/vegas_mode/plugin_adapter.py

@@ -408,7 +408,10 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             original_image = self.display_manager.image.copy()
             logger.info("[%s] Fallback: saved original display state", plugin_id)
 
-            # Ensure plugin has fresh data before capturing
+            # Lightweight in-memory data refresh before capturing.
+            # Full update() is intentionally skipped here — the background
+            # update tick in the Vegas coordinator handles periodic API
+            # refreshes so we don't block the content-fetch thread.
             has_update_data = hasattr(plugin, 'update_data')
             logger.info("[%s] Fallback: has update_data=%s", plugin_id, has_update_data)
             if has_update_data:
@@ -582,6 +585,28 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             else:
                 self._content_cache.clear()
 
+    def invalidate_plugin_scroll_cache(self, plugin: 'BasePlugin', plugin_id: str) -> None:
+        """
+        Clear a plugin's scroll_helper cache so Vegas re-fetches fresh visuals.
+
+        Uses scroll_helper.clear_cache() to reset all cached state (cached_image,
+        cached_array, total_scroll_width, scroll_position, etc.) — not just the
+        image.  Without this, plugins that use scroll_helper (stocks, news,
+        odds-ticker, etc.) would keep serving stale scroll images even after
+        their data refreshes.
+
+        Args:
+            plugin: Plugin instance
+            plugin_id: Plugin identifier
+        """
+        scroll_helper = getattr(plugin, 'scroll_helper', None)
+        if scroll_helper is None:
+            return
+
+        if getattr(scroll_helper, 'cached_image', None) is not None:
+            scroll_helper.clear_cache()
+            logger.debug("[%s] Cleared scroll_helper cache", plugin_id)
+
     def get_content_type(self, plugin: 'BasePlugin', plugin_id: str) -> str:
         """
         Get the type of content a plugin provides.

src/vegas_mode/stream_manager.py

@@ -217,6 +217,15 @@ class StreamManager:
         refreshed_segments = {}
         for plugin_id in updated_plugins:
             self.plugin_adapter.invalidate_cache(plugin_id)
+
+            # Clear the plugin's scroll_helper cache so the visual is rebuilt
+            # from fresh data (affects stocks, news, odds-ticker, etc.)
+            plugin = None
+            if hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'plugins'):
+                plugin = self.plugin_manager.plugins.get(plugin_id)
+            if plugin:
+                self.plugin_adapter.invalidate_plugin_scroll_cache(plugin, plugin_id)
+
             segment = self._fetch_plugin_content(plugin_id)
             if segment:
                 refreshed_segments[plugin_id] = segment