test(install): stop assuming pytest's tmp_path is on disk

test_returns_nothing_when_tmpdir_is_already_disk_backed asserted that
lm_disk_backed_tmpdir prints nothing when TMPDIR is already disk-backed,
and used pytest's tmp_path as the "disk-backed" directory:

    # tmp_path is on the regular filesystem, so the default must be kept.
    assert call("lm_disk_backed_tmpdir", env={"TMPDIR": str(tmp_path)}) == ""

That premise is false on the platform the helper was written for. Debian
13 mounts /tmp as tmpfs -- which is the entire reason lm_disk_backed_tmpdir
exists -- and pytest puts tmp_path under /tmp. So on the target platform
TMPDIR is memory-backed, the helper correctly answers /var/tmp, and the
test fails:

    E  AssertionError: assert '/var/tmp' == ''

The helper is right; the test was wrong. Reproduced on a box where
/tmp is tmpfs and / is ext4.

The test now looks for a directory whose backing store is actually disk
-- tmp_path, else a scratch dir under /var/tmp, else beside the library
-- using the same findmnt lookup the helper itself uses, and skips only
if no disk-backed directory exists anywhere. An earlier version of this
fix skipped whenever tmp_path was tmpfs, which made it skip on every
machine with a tmpfs /tmp; that is barely better than asserting the
wrong thing, so it now searches instead of giving up.

Verified: 31 passed, 0 skipped. Mutation-checked -- deleting the
"is the current TMPDIR memory-backed?" guard from lm_disk_backed_tmpdir
fails this test, so it still catches the regression it is there for.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01STMbQE4YctTacQXfbYqKuW

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ on:
   pull_request:
   push:
     branches: [main]
+  # Manual runs against any branch — useful when a PR's automatic run
+  # needs a re-run or didn't get created.
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 # Both jobs only check out the repo and run pytest.
 permissions:
@@ -13,6 +16,12 @@ jobs:
   plugin-safety:
     name: Plugin safety harness + unit tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      # The bundled fixture plugin gives the harness at least one real plugin
+      # to render, and REQUIRE_PLUGINS turns "discovered zero plugins" into a
+      # hard failure instead of a silent all-skip green run.
+      LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR: test/fixtures/plugins
+      LEDMATRIX_REQUIRE_PLUGINS: "1"
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
         with:
@@ -29,12 +38,9 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt -r requirements-test.txt
           pip install RGBMatrixEmulator
 
-      - name: Run harness + visual rendering tests
+      - name: Run plugin safety harness
         run: |
-          pytest --no-cov \
+          pytest --no-cov test/plugins/
-            test/plugins/test_harness.py \
-            test/plugins/test_visual_rendering.py \
-            test/plugins/test_plugin_matrix.py
 
   unit-tests:
     name: Core unit tests
@@ -55,35 +61,15 @@ jobs:
           pip install -r requirements.txt -r requirements-test.txt
           pip install RGBMatrixEmulator
 
-      # Safety net for the shared sports/scroll/style infrastructure. These
+      # Run the ENTIRE test tree (except test/plugins, which the
-      # suites existed but were not enrolled in CI, so a refactor of
+      # plugin-safety job owns). New test files are enrolled automatically;
-      # src/base_classes or src/common could regress them silently. Enrolled
+      # excluding anything requires a visible, commented --ignore here.
-      # explicitly (not `pytest test/`) so known hardware-only suites don't
+      # Coverage is measured and enforced only in this step — pytest.ini
-      # break CI; grow this list as more suites are made headless.
+      # deliberately carries no coverage flags so local runs stay fast.
       - name: Run core unit suites
         run: |
-          pytest --no-cov \
+          pytest -m "not hardware" test/ \
-            test/test_skin_system.py \
+            --ignore=test/plugins \
-            test/test_font_manager.py \
+            --cov=src --cov=web_interface \
-            test/test_data_sources.py \
+            --cov-report=term \
-            test/test_api_extractors.py \
+            --cov-fail-under=52
-            test/test_scroll_helper.py \
-            test/test_scroll_helper_continuous.py \
-            test/test_adaptive_layout.py \
-            test/test_loader_compat_warning.py \
-            test/test_sports_base_characterization.py \
-            test/test_element_style.py \
-            test/test_sports_core_promotions.py \
-            test/test_sports_modes_promotions.py \
-            test/test_sports_capabilities.py \
-            test/test_sports_scroll.py \
-            test/test_version_consistency.py \
-            test/test_plugin_compatibility_gate.py \
-            test/test_install_preserves_existing.py \
-            test/test_core_owned_config_keys.py \
-            test/test_async_plugin_updates.py \
-            test/test_plugin_update_reservation.py \
-            test/test_template_targets.py \
-            test/test_widget_scripts.py \
-            test/test_doc_links.py \
-            test/web_interface/test_cache.py

README.md

@@ -365,6 +365,12 @@ sudo bash ./first_time_install.sh
 
 This single script installs services, dependencies, configures permissions and sudoers, and validates the setup.
 
+It finishes by asking whether to reboot. If you run it non-interactively — piped, over a script, or with `-y` — there is no one to ask, so **it reboots immediately without prompting**. Pass `--no-reboot-prompt` to install without rebooting:
+
+```bash
+sudo bash ./first_time_install.sh -y --no-reboot-prompt
+```
+
 </details>
 
 </details>
@@ -594,6 +600,14 @@ These settings are typically only needed for non-standard panels or custom confi
   - Leave empty unless you need custom mapping
   - See rpi-rgb-led-matrix documentation for full options
 
+- **`orientation`** (string, default: "normal")
+  - Rotates the rendered image to match how the panel is physically mounted
+  - Set to `"180"` (or use the "Upside Down" option in the web UI's Display
+    settings) if the panel is mounted upside down — useful for optimizing
+    where the Raspberry Pi and wiring sit relative to the mounting location
+  - Applied independently of `pixel_mapper_config` (appended as a trailing
+    `Rotate:180` mapper), so custom mapper configs keep working alongside it
+
 - **`row_address_type`** (integer, default: 0)
   - How rows are addressed on the panel
   - Most panels use 0 (direct addressing)

config/config.template.json

@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@
             "led_rgb_sequence": "RGB",
             "limit_refresh_rate_hz": 100,
             "pixel_mapper_config": "",
+            "orientation": "normal",
             "row_address_type": 0,
             "multiplexing": 0,
             "panel_type": ""
@@ -129,6 +130,9 @@
         "plugin_rotation_order": [],
         "use_short_date_format": true,
         "vegas_scroll": {
+      "live_in_ticker": false,
+      "live_weight": 3,
+      "favorite_live_weight": 5,
             "enabled": false,
             "scroll_speed": 50,
             "separator_width": 32,
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@
             "min_plugin_width": 8,
             "lead_in_width": 0,
             "plugins_per_cycle": 6,
-            "max_plugin_width_ratio": 3.0,
+            "max_plugin_width_ratio": 0.0,
             "overflow_mode": "rotate",
             "dynamic_duration_enabled": true,
             "min_cycle_duration": 60,

docs/ADVANCED_FEATURES.md

@@ -64,10 +64,98 @@ JSON is optional.
 | `target_fps` | `125` | Target frame rate |
 | `buffer_ahead` | `2` | Number of plugins buffered ahead |
 
-This table is a subset — `display.vegas_scroll` supports 26 keys in
+This table is a subset — `display.vegas_scroll` supports 30 keys in
 total. See the full list in
 [CONFIG_REFERENCE.md](CONFIG_REFERENCE.md#displayvegas_scroll--continuous-scroll-mode).
 
+### Live Content in the Ticker
+
+By default, live content **preempts** Vegas mode: while any plugin reports
+live priority, the display controller refuses to run the ticker and shows
+that plugin's full-screen display instead. You get a big readable scoreboard,
+but the marquee stops entirely for the duration of the game.
+
+Set `live_in_ticker` to keep the ticker running and let live content take
+**extra turns inside it** instead:
+
+```json
+"vegas_scroll": {
+  "live_in_ticker": true,
+  "live_weight": 3,
+  "favorite_live_weight": 5
+}
+```
+
+#### Why weights exist
+
+The rotation is otherwise a strict round robin — every plugin appears exactly
+once per cycle. With a dozen plugins enabled, a live score comes round once a
+lap and can be minutes old by the time you see it. A weight of *N* gives a
+plugin *N* slots per cycle.
+
+The slots are placed by **Smooth Weighted Round-Robin**, the same scheduler
+the sports plugins use internally to rotate their own games. The important
+property is that repeats are *spread through the cycle* rather than clumped:
+three appearances in a row followed by a long silence would be worse than not
+boosting at all.
+
+Twelve plugins, with a favorite's baseball game and an ordinary live hockey
+game (`live_weight: 3`, `favorite_live_weight: 5`):
+
+```
+baseball > hockey > weather  > clock  > baseball
+stocks   > news   > flights  > baseball > hockey
+calendar > f1     > music    > baseball > tides
+birds    > hockey > baseball
+```
+
+18 slots for 12 plugins. Baseball appears 5 times, hockey 3, everything else
+once, and no plugin ever appears twice in a row — **including across the seam**
+where the cycle loops back on itself. Smooth Weighted Round-Robin schedules the
+heaviest item first and usually last as well, so the strip would otherwise show
+it twice running at exactly the one join a within-cycle check cannot see. The
+trailing repeat is moved into the widest remaining gap. Where a double is
+unavoidable — a plugin holding most of the slots has to neighbour itself — the
+schedule is left as it is.
+
+#### Where the weight comes from
+
+For each plugin in the rotation, in order:
+
+1. **The plugin's own answer.** If it implements
+   `get_vegas_priority_weight()` and returns a number, that wins. This is the
+   only route for favorite-team awareness — the core can see *that* a game is
+   live, but not *whose*, so a scoreboard has to say so itself.
+2. **The core's default.** When the plugin returns `None` (the base-class
+   default), a plugin where both `has_live_priority()` and `has_live_content()`
+   are true gets `live_weight`.
+3. **Everything else** gets 1.
+
+Because of step 2, **existing plugins need no changes** — any scoreboard with
+`live_priority` enabled already gets extra turns. Step 1 is opt-in, for
+plugins that want to distinguish a favorite's game from any other live game.
+
+Weights are clamped to 1–10. A weight of 1 is no boost; a weight below 1 would
+drop the plugin from the rotation entirely, which is never what is meant.
+
+#### Things worth knowing
+
+- **Weights are per plugin, not per game.** A scoreboard showing four live
+  games still occupies one slot at a time, rotating its own games within that
+  slot using its own `favorite_live_boost`. This controls how often the
+  *plugin* comes round.
+- **The ticker is zero-sum.** Giving baseball 5 slots does not make the cycle
+  faster; it makes the cycle *longer* and everything else proportionally
+  rarer. If you want live scores sooner in wall-clock terms, pair this with a
+  smaller `plugins_per_cycle`.
+- **Frequency is not freshness.** Each appearance redraws from the plugin's
+  current data (`refresh_updated_plugins()` drops cached content when a
+  plugin's data changes), but how current that data is depends on the
+  plugin's own `live_update_interval`. Showing a stale score five times a lap
+  is no better than showing it once.
+- **Everything still appears.** A boost never starves another plugin out of
+  the cycle; low-weight plugins keep their single slot.
+
 ### Per-Plugin Configuration
 
 Override Vegas behavior for specific plugins:

docs/CONFIG_REFERENCE.md

@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ in `DisplayManager` (`src/display_manager.py`, ~lines 270–295).
 | `led_rgb_sequence` | string, `"RGB"` |
 | `limit_refresh_rate_hz` | int, `100` (code default 90) |
 | `pixel_mapper_config` | string, `""` — e.g. `"U-mapper"` / `"Rotate:90"` |
+| `orientation` | string, `"normal"` — `"180"` rotates the rendered image 180° for panels physically mounted upside down (e.g. to move the Pi/wiring to a more convenient side); composed onto `pixel_mapper_config` as a trailing `Rotate:180` mapper, so it stays independent of any custom `pixel_mapper_config` value |
 | `row_address_type` | int, `0` — non-standard panel row addressing |
 | `multiplexing` | int, `0` — panel multiplexing scheme |
 | `panel_type` | string, `""` — set to `"FM6126A"` or `"FM6127"` for panels needing init |
@@ -103,7 +104,8 @@ logical image to multiple chained physical panels.
 ## `display.vegas_scroll` — continuous scroll mode
 
 Read by `src/vegas_mode/config.py` (`VegasScrollConfig.from_config`). See
-[ADVANCED_FEATURES.md](ADVANCED_FEATURES.md) for behavior details.
+[ADVANCED_FEATURES.md](ADVANCED_FEATURES.md) for behavior details, including
+[live content in the ticker](ADVANCED_FEATURES.md#live-content-in-the-ticker).
 
 | Key | Type / default |
 |---|---|
@@ -127,13 +129,16 @@ Read by `src/vegas_mode/config.py` (`VegasScrollConfig.from_config`). See
 | `min_plugin_width` | int, `8` |
 | `lead_in_width` | int, `0` |
 | `plugins_per_cycle` | int, `6` |
-| `max_plugin_width_ratio` | float, `3.0` |
+| `max_plugin_width_ratio` | float, `0.0` |
 | `overflow_mode` | string, `"rotate"` |
 | `dynamic_duration_enabled` | bool, `true` |
 | `min_cycle_duration` | int, `60` |
 | `max_cycle_duration` | int, `240` |
 | `frame_based_scrolling` | bool, `true` — frame-count-based scroll stepping |
 | `scroll_delay` | float, `0.02` — seconds between scroll updates (~50 FPS) |
+| `live_in_ticker` | bool, `false` — keep scrolling during live games instead of handing the display to a full-screen scoreboard |
+| `live_weight` | int, `3` (1–10) — slots per cycle for a plugin with live content |
+| `favorite_live_weight` | int, `5` (1–10) — slots per cycle when a plugin reports a favorite team is live |
 
 ## `sync` — multi-display synchronization
 

docs/LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# Running on Low-Memory Boards
+
+Applies to the Pi Zero 2 W (512 MB), Pi 3 / 3B+ (1 GB), and the 1 GB Pi 4.
+If your board has 2 GB or more you can skip this document.
+
+## The failure this prevents
+
+The display process is the largest thing on the board. On a 1 GB Pi 3B+ with
+around 20 plugins enabled it settles near **600 MB of 905 MB usable**, leaving
+under 200 MB of headroom for everything else.
+
+When that headroom runs out, the board does not crash cleanly. `fork()` starts
+failing, and because a new process is needed to do almost anything, the
+symptoms look nothing like "out of memory":
+
+| What you see | Why |
+|---|---|
+| SSH accepts the connection then closes it instantly, before any banner | `sshd` forks a session per connection; the fork fails |
+| The web UI still responds quickly | Already running, serves from existing threads, forks nothing |
+| Ping is perfect, 0% loss | Handled entirely in the kernel |
+| The panel is dark | The display process was killed and cannot be respawned |
+| The clock is wrong after the next boot | `fake-hwclock`'s periodic save is a scheduled job, and it cannot fork either |
+
+The board looks healthy from the outside and cannot be logged into. Only a
+power cycle clears it. If you are here because SSH stopped working, also see
+[SSH_UNAVAILABLE_AFTER_INSTALL.md](SSH_UNAVAILABLE_AFTER_INSTALL.md), which
+covers the more common cause (AP mode).
+
+## Check your headroom
+
+```bash
+free -m
+ps -eo rss,comm --sort=-rss | head -5
+```
+
+If `MemAvailable` is under ~150 MB while the display is running, you are close
+to the edge. To watch it over time:
+
+```bash
+watch -n 30 'free -m | head -2'
+```
+
+Available memory that falls steadily rather than holding flat means you will
+reach the wall; it is a question of when.
+
+## What to do
+
+**1. Enable the memory cgroup controller.** Without it, the `MemoryMax=85%` in
+`systemd/ledmatrix.service` is accepted by systemd and silently ignored, so the
+service has no ceiling and a runaway takes the whole board down instead of just
+restarting. Raspberry Pi firmware disables this controller by default.
+
+`first_time_install.sh` does this for you. To check it took effect:
+
+```bash
+grep memory /sys/fs/cgroup/cgroup.controllers
+```
+
+If that prints nothing, add `cgroup_enable=memory cgroup_memory=1` to the
+kernel command line and reboot. Edit whichever file your image uses —
+`/boot/firmware/cmdline.txt` on current Raspberry Pi OS, `/boot/cmdline.txt` on
+older layouts (the installer checks the first and falls back to the second).
+Everything must stay on a single line.
+
+This changes the failure mode from "the board becomes unreachable" to "the
+display service restarts". It is a safety net, not a fix.
+
+**2. Run fewer plugins.** This is the actual remedy. Every enabled plugin costs
+memory permanently — its module, its parsed config, and its cached API
+responses. On a 512 MB or 1 GB board, keep the enabled set small and prefer
+plugins that poll infrequently.
+
+**3. Lower the cache ceiling.** The in-memory cache is sized from total RAM
+(150 entries at 1 GB and below, up to 1500 at 8 GB). To go lower still:
+
+```ini
+# /etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix.service.d/override.conf
+[Service]
+Environment=LEDMATRIX_CACHE_MAX_ENTRIES=75
+```
+
+Writing the file does not change the running service. Reload systemd and
+restart it:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+sudo systemctl restart ledmatrix
+```
+
+Fewer entries means more API calls, so lower this only while you are actually
+short of memory.
+
+**4. Consider `MemoryHigh`.** `MemoryMax` kills and restarts. `MemoryHigh`
+throttles and reclaims instead, which is gentler — but on a board where the
+process genuinely wants more than the limit, sustained reclaim can stall the
+render loop and show as visible stutter on the panel. Add it only if you prefer
+degraded output to a restart:
+
+```ini
+[Service]
+MemoryHigh=70%
+```
+
+## Keep your logs
+
+These images default to volatile journald storage, so every reboot destroys the
+logs — including the ones explaining why the board rebooted. `first_time_install.sh`
+enables persistent storage capped at 64 MB. To confirm:
+
+```bash
+journalctl --list-boots
+```
+
+More than one boot listed means logs are surviving reboots. If only one is
+listed, journald is still writing to `/run` (tmpfs).

docs/PLUGIN_API_REFERENCE.md

@@ -170,6 +170,47 @@ Default returns `False`.
 List of display modes to show during a live takeover. Default returns the
 plugin's `display_modes` from its manifest.
 
+#### `get_vegas_priority_weight() -> Optional[int]`
+
+How many slots per Vegas cycle this plugin should get. Default returns
+`None`, which defers to the core.
+
+The Vegas ticker is otherwise a strict round robin — every plugin appears
+exactly once per cycle — so with a dozen plugins enabled a live score can be
+minutes stale by the time it comes round. A weight of *N* gives the plugin
+*N* slots per cycle, spread evenly through it rather than clumped.
+
+**You usually do not need this.** When the hook returns `None`, the core
+already gives a plugin `vegas_scroll.live_weight` whenever
+`has_live_priority()` and `has_live_content()` are both true. Live sports get
+extra turns with no code at all.
+
+Implement it only when the plugin knows something the core cannot. The
+motivating case is favorite teams — the core can see *that* a game is live,
+but not *whose*:
+
+```python
+def get_vegas_priority_weight(self):
+    if not (self.has_live_priority() and self.has_live_content()):
+        return None                       # let the core decide
+    vegas = self.global_config.get('display', {}).get('vegas_scroll', {})
+    if self._favorite_is_live():
+        return vegas.get('favorite_live_weight', 5)
+    return vegas.get('live_weight', 3)
+```
+
+The weight is per *plugin*, not per game: a scoreboard showing four live games
+still occupies one slot at a time and rotates its own games within it. Values
+are clamped to 1–10 by the caller. An exception here is caught and logged, and
+the core then falls back to its own live-content check — so a plugin whose
+weight calculation is broken still gets `live_weight` for a game that really
+is live, rather than being demoted to 1.
+
+Only consulted when the user has set `vegas_scroll.live_in_ticker`. With the
+default (`false`) live content preempts Vegas entirely and there is no ticker
+to be weighted within. See
+[ADVANCED_FEATURES.md](ADVANCED_FEATURES.md#live-content-in-the-ticker).
+
 ### Vegas scroll hooks
 
 Vegas mode shows multiple plugins as a single continuous scroll instead of

docs/README.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ the one-shot installer. The pages here go deeper.
 5. [TROUBLESHOOTING.md](TROUBLESHOOTING.md) — common issues and fixes
 6. [SSH_UNAVAILABLE_AFTER_INSTALL.md](SSH_UNAVAILABLE_AFTER_INSTALL.md) — recovering SSH after install
 7. [CONFIG_DEBUGGING.md](CONFIG_DEBUGGING.md) — diagnosing config problems
+8. [LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md](LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md) — Pi Zero 2 W / 3B+ / 1GB Pi 4 memory limits
 
 ## I want to write a plugin
 

docs/SSH_UNAVAILABLE_AFTER_INSTALL.md

@@ -20,7 +20,22 @@ The installation script:
 - Installs and configures `dnsmasq` (DHCP server for AP mode)
 - These services can interfere with normal WiFi client mode
 
-### 3. Reboot After Installation
+### 3. The Board Ran Out of Memory
+
+On a 512MB or 1GB board, memory exhaustion stops `sshd` being able to fork a
+session process. The connection is accepted and then closed immediately, before
+any banner:
+
+```text
+kex_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host
+```
+
+The giveaway is that the board is otherwise healthy — ping is clean and the web
+UI still responds — but nothing that needs to start a new process works, and
+the panel is usually dark. Only a power cycle clears it. See
+[LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md](LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md).
+
+### 4. Reboot After Installation
 
 If the script reboots the Pi (which it recommends), network services may restart in a different state, potentially triggering AP mode.
 
@@ -190,11 +205,23 @@ The web interface allows you to:
 
 ## Summary
 
-**SSH becomes unavailable because**:
+**SSH becomes unavailable because** — two unrelated causes, and they need
+different responses:
+
+*AP mode (most common):*
 - WiFi monitor service enables AP mode when WiFi disconnects
 - AP mode switches WiFi from client to access point mode
 - Pi loses connection to your original network
 
+*Memory exhaustion (low-memory boards):*
+- The board runs out of memory, so `sshd` cannot fork a session process
+- The connection is accepted and closed before any banner
+- Ping still answers and the web UI still responds, so it looks healthy
+- The panel is usually dark and the service cannot restart
+- **Only a power cycle clears this** — there is no remote recovery, because
+  every remote route needs a new process
+- Prevention and tuning: [LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md](LOW_MEMORY_BOARDS.md)
+
 **To regain SSH**:
 1. Connect to **LEDMatrix-Setup** AP network (password: `ledmatrix123`)
 2. SSH to `192.168.4.1`

docs/widget-guide.md

@@ -206,6 +206,47 @@ To use an existing widget in your plugin's `config_schema.json`, simply add the
 
 The widget will be automatically rendered when the plugin configuration form is loaded.
 
+## Labelling Enum Options (`x-options.labels`)
+
+A plain `enum` renders as a dropdown whose option text is the value with
+underscores replaced and title case applied — `day_first` becomes "Day First".
+That is fine for values that read as their own label, and wrong for values that
+do not: `vs` becomes "Vs", and `abbrev` says nothing about the `Sep 19` it
+actually produces.
+
+Supply `x-options.labels` to set the visible text. This is the same convention
+the `checkbox-group` widget uses:
+
+```json
+{
+  "date_format": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "enum": ["abbrev", "numeric", "day_first"],
+    "default": "abbrev",
+    "x-options": {
+      "labels": {
+        "abbrev": "Sep 19",
+        "numeric": "9/19",
+        "day_first": "19 Sep"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Labels are **display only** — the stored value is still the enum value, so
+adding them never changes a saved config. The map may be partial: any value
+without a label keeps the humanised fallback. Older cores that predate this
+support ignore `x-options` and render the fallback for every option, so a
+plugin can ship labels without requiring a core upgrade.
+
+Array-table columns (`x-widget: array-table`) accept the same
+`x-options.labels` on a column definition, but their fallback is the **raw
+value** rather than the humanised one, because those columns hold values such
+as ticker symbols where `aapl` → "Aapl" would be wrong. Rows added in the
+browser use the labels too (`array-table.js`), so a column reads the same
+before and after a page reload.
+
 ## Marking Fields as Advanced (`x-advanced`)
 
 Add `"x-advanced": true` to any top-level, non-object property to move it out

first_time_install.sh

@@ -1419,9 +1419,16 @@ $ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $BASH_PATH $PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/scripts/fix_perms/
 EOF
 if [ -n "$JOURNALCTL_PATH" ]; then
     cat >> /tmp/ledmatrix_web_sudoers << EOF
-$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix.service *
+# NOEXEC, because these rules end in a wildcard and journalctl starts a pager
-$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix *
+# when its output is a terminal. From that pager (less) a "!sh" is a root
-$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -t ledmatrix *
+# shell -- the standard journalctl escalation. The web interface always passes
+# --no-pager, so nothing here needs it, but the rule cannot require a flag that
+# sits in the middle of the command line. NOEXEC stops the command executing
+# another program at all, which closes the hole without depending on wildcard
+# matching subtleties.
+$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix.service *
+$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix *
+$ACTUAL_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -t ledmatrix *
 EOF
 fi
 
@@ -1480,27 +1487,54 @@ if [ -f "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config.json" ]; then
 fi
 
 # Set proper permissions for secrets file (restrictive: owner rw, group r)
-# If service runs as root, set ownership to root so it can read as owner
+# Owned by whoever WRITES the file, which is the web interface.
-# Otherwise, use ACTUAL_USER and rely on group membership
+#
+# This used to read the User= of ledmatrix.service — the display service —
+# and, finding root, hand the file to root:ledmatrix 640. But the display
+# service only ever reads secrets, and root can read any file regardless of
+# mode. The account that *writes* them is the web interface: it saves config
+# edits and performs backup restores, and it deliberately does not run as root
+# (a web server should not). So a root-owned, group-read-only file left the web
+# UI unable to write its own secrets, and restoring a backup failed with
+# "Permission denied: config_secrets.json" while every other file in the same
+# backup restored fine.
+#
+# Owning by the writer keeps the tighter 640 rather than loosening to
+# group-writable, and root still reads it as superuser.
 if [ -f "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config_secrets.json" ]; then
-    # Check if service runs as root (from service file or template)
+    # The web service is the writer; fall back to the display service, then to
-    SERVICE_USER="root"
+    # the installing user, so an unusual layout still lands somewhere sensible.
-    if [ -f "/etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix.service" ]; then
+    SECRETS_OWNER=""
-        SERVICE_USER=$(grep "^User=" /etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix.service | cut -d'=' -f2 || echo "root")
+    for unit in "/etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix-web.service" \
-    elif [ -f "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/systemd/ledmatrix.service" ]; then
+                "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/systemd/ledmatrix-web.service"; do
-        SERVICE_USER=$(grep "^User=" "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/systemd/ledmatrix.service" | cut -d'=' -f2 || echo "root")
+        if [ -f "$unit" ]; then
+            SECRETS_OWNER=$(grep -m1 "^User=" "$unit" | cut -d'=' -f2)
+            [ -n "$SECRETS_OWNER" ] && break
         fi
-    
+    done
-    if [ "$SERVICE_USER" = "root" ]; then
+    if [ -z "$SECRETS_OWNER" ]; then
-        # Service runs as root - set ownership to root so it can read as owner
+        SECRETS_OWNER="$ACTUAL_USER"
-        chown "root:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP" "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config_secrets.json" || true
-        echo "✓ Secrets file permissions set (root:ledmatrix for root service)"
-    else
-        # Service runs as regular user - use ACTUAL_USER and rely on group membership
-        chown "$ACTUAL_USER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP" "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config_secrets.json" || true
-        echo "✓ Secrets file permissions set ($ACTUAL_USER:ledmatrix)"
     fi
-    chmod 640 "$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config_secrets.json"
+    SECRETS_FILE="$PROJECT_ROOT_DIR/config/config_secrets.json"
+    # A root-owned file is only correct when the writer really is root.
+    if ! chown "$SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP" "$SECRETS_FILE"; then
+        echo "✗ ERROR: Failed to set ownership on $SECRETS_FILE to $SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP" >&2
+        echo "  Try: sudo chown $SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP $SECRETS_FILE" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if ! chmod 640 "$SECRETS_FILE"; then
+        echo "✗ ERROR: Failed to set permissions on $SECRETS_FILE to 640" >&2
+        echo "  Try: sudo chmod 640 $SECRETS_FILE" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    ACTUAL_OWNERSHIP=$(stat -c '%U:%G' "$SECRETS_FILE" 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")
+    ACTUAL_MODE=$(stat -c '%a' "$SECRETS_FILE" 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")
+    if [ "$ACTUAL_OWNERSHIP" != "$SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP" ] || [ "$ACTUAL_MODE" != "640" ]; then
+        echo "✗ ERROR: $SECRETS_FILE ended up as $ACTUAL_OWNERSHIP mode $ACTUAL_MODE, expected $SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP mode 640" >&2
+        echo "  The web interface may be unable to read or write config_secrets.json." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    echo "✓ Secrets file owned by the web service user ($SECRETS_OWNER:$LEDMATRIX_GROUP, mode 640)"
 fi
 
 # Set proper permissions for YTM auth file (readable by all users including root service)
@@ -1661,6 +1695,94 @@ else
     echo "✗ $CMDLINE_FILE not found; skipping isolcpus optimization"
 fi
 
+# Enable the memory cgroup controller (idempotent).
+# The Pi firmware boots with cgroup_disable=memory, so systemd's MemoryMax= is
+# accepted and silently ignored — the display service then has no ceiling, and
+# a runaway takes the whole board down (sshd can no longer fork, the panel goes
+# dark) rather than just restarting the one service.
+if [ "$SKIP_PERF" != "1" ] && [ -f "$CMDLINE_FILE" ]; then
+    # Both parameters are required for the memory controller, and they can get
+    # separated -- an image, another tool or a half-applied earlier run can
+    # leave one without the other. Checking only cgroup_enable=memory would
+    # report success while MemoryMax= silently does nothing, so each is checked
+    # and appended independently.
+    cgroup_missing=""
+    for cgroup_param in cgroup_enable=memory cgroup_memory=1; do
+        if ! grep -qw "$cgroup_param" "$CMDLINE_FILE"; then
+            cgroup_missing="$cgroup_missing $cgroup_param"
+        fi
+    done
+    if [ -z "$cgroup_missing" ]; then
+        echo "cgroup memory parameters already present in $CMDLINE_FILE"
+    else
+        echo "Adding${cgroup_missing} to $CMDLINE_FILE..."
+        cp "$CMDLINE_FILE" "$CMDLINE_FILE.bak" 2>/dev/null || true
+        # The kernel command line must stay on one line.
+        sed -i "1 s|\$|${cgroup_missing}|" "$CMDLINE_FILE"
+        echo "  Takes effect after reboot. Verify with:"
+        echo "    grep memory /sys/fs/cgroup/cgroup.controllers"
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Persist the journal (idempotent).
+# These images default to volatile storage: journald keeps everything in /run
+# (tmpfs), so every reboot destroys the logs — including the ones that would
+# explain why the board rebooted. Capped so an SD card is not worn out by logs.
+# A non-empty /var/log/journal does not prove journald is configured the way
+# this needs: the directory survives a switch back to volatile storage, and it
+# says nothing about whether a size cap is set. Read the effective
+# configuration instead, and only write the keys the user has not set
+# themselves so an explicit local limit is preserved.
+journald_effective() {
+    # systemd-analyze merges journald.conf with every drop-in; grep is the
+    # fallback for images that ship without it.
+    if command -v systemd-analyze >/dev/null 2>&1 &&
+       systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/journald.conf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/journald.conf 2>/dev/null
+    else
+        cat /etc/systemd/journald.conf /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/*.conf 2>/dev/null
+    fi
+}
+journald_conf="$(journald_effective)"
+journald_storage="$(printf '%s\n' "$journald_conf" | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*Storage=' | tail -n1 | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '[:space:]')"
+journald_cap="$(printf '%s\n' "$journald_conf" | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*SystemMaxUse=' | tail -n1 | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '[:space:]')"
+
+if [ "$journald_storage" = "persistent" ] && [ -n "$journald_cap" ]; then
+    echo "Persistent journald storage already configured (SystemMaxUse=$journald_cap)"
+else
+    echo "Enabling persistent journald storage..."
+    mkdir -p /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d
+    {
+        echo "# Installed by LEDMatrix first_time_install.sh"
+        echo "[Journal]"
+        echo "Storage=persistent"
+        if [ -n "$journald_cap" ]; then
+            echo "# SystemMaxUse left to your existing setting ($journald_cap)"
+        else
+            # Capped so logs cannot wear out or fill an SD card.
+            echo "SystemMaxUse=64M"
+        fi
+    } > /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ledmatrix-persistent.conf
+    mkdir -p /var/log/journal
+    systemd-tmpfiles --create --prefix /var/log/journal >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    systemctl restart systemd-journald >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+
+    # Drop-ins are applied in lexical order, so a locally added file that sorts
+    # after ledmatrix-persistent.conf (zz-local.conf and friends) still wins.
+    # Writing the file is not evidence it took effect -- re-read and say so
+    # plainly rather than reporting success we cannot confirm.
+    journald_now="$(journald_effective | grep -E '^[[:space:]]*Storage=' | tail -n1 | cut -d= -f2 | tr -d '[:space:]')"
+    if [ "$journald_now" = "persistent" ]; then
+        echo "  Persistent journald storage active"
+    else
+        echo "  WARNING: journald storage is still '${journald_now:-unset}' after"
+        echo "  writing /etc/systemd/journald.conf.d/ledmatrix-persistent.conf."
+        echo "  Another drop-in that sorts later is overriding it. Check:"
+        echo "    systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/journald.conf | grep -n Storage="
+        echo "  Logs will not survive a reboot until that is resolved."
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Ensure dtparam=audio=off in config.txt (idempotent)
 if [ "$SKIP_PERF" = "1" ]; then
     : # skipped

pytest.ini

@@ -10,16 +10,13 @@ python_functions = test_*
 testpaths = test
 
 # Output options
-# Note: Coverage options require pytest-cov to be installed
+# Coverage is deliberately NOT configured here: a bare local `pytest` should
-# Run: pip install pytest-cov
+# be fast and dependency-light. Coverage is measured and enforced in exactly
+# one place — the unit-tests job in .github/workflows/test.yml.
 addopts =
     -v
     --strict-markers
     --tb=short
-    --cov=src
-    --cov-report=term-missing
-    --cov-report=html
-    --cov-fail-under=30
 
 # Markers
 markers =

requirements-test.txt

@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@ pytest>=9.0.3,<10.0.0
 pytest-cov>=4.1.0,<5.0.0
 pytest-mock>=3.11.0,<4.0.0
 freezegun>=1.2,<2        # deterministic time for golden-image tests
+psutil>=6.0.0,<8.0.0     # optional at runtime; installed for tests so the
+                         # /system/status endpoint's real path is exercised
 mypy>=1.5.0,<2.0.0       # static type checking (also pinned in .pre-commit-config.yaml)

scripts/check_plugin.py

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from src.plugin_system.testing.loading import (  # noqa: E402
 )
 from src.plugin_system.testing.harness import (  # noqa: E402
     RenderResult, render_plugin_matrix, compare_to_goldens, write_goldens,
+    check_empty_claimed,
     check_scale_up,
 )
 from src.plugin_system.testing.sizes import (  # noqa: E402
@@ -115,6 +116,11 @@ def check_one(plugin_id: str, search_dirs: List[str], sizes, mock_data: Dict,
     declared = load_manifest(plugin_dir).get("display", {}).get("design_size", {})
     design_size = (int(declared.get("width", 128)), int(declared.get("height", 32)))
     fill_strict = spec.get("fill_check") == "strict"
+    # A mode that renders nothing without returning False is never skipped by
+    # the display controller, so it holds a blank panel for its whole duration.
+    # Warn-only by default: a scroll mode's first frame is legitimately its
+    # blank scroll-in buffer.
+    empty_strict = spec.get("empty_check") == "strict"
 
     # Every run: the base config, plus one per harness.json "variant" —
     # a config overlay with its own golden dir (e.g. adaptive layout mode
@@ -142,6 +148,7 @@ def check_one(plugin_id: str, search_dirs: List[str], sizes, mock_data: Dict,
             compare_to_goldens(results, golden_dir)
 
         check_scale_up(results, design_size=design_size, strict=fill_strict)
+        check_empty_claimed(results, strict=empty_strict)
 
         # Tag variant runs so the report and PNG dumps stay distinguishable.
         if variant_name:
@@ -178,6 +185,9 @@ def print_report(all_results: Dict[str, List[RenderResult]]) -> bool:
                     # warn-only underfill: big panel left mostly empty
                     ex, ey = r.fill_extent
                     detail += f" (fill warn: extent {ex:.0%}x{ey:.0%})"
+                if r.empty_claimed and r.empty_ok is None:
+                    detail += (f" (empty warn: drew nothing but display() returned"
+                               f" {r.display_returned!r}, so the mode is not skipped)")
             else:
                 everything_ok = False
                 if r.error is not None:
@@ -191,6 +201,11 @@ def print_report(all_results: Dict[str, List[RenderResult]]) -> bool:
                     ex, ey = r.fill_extent or (0.0, 0.0)
                     status = "FAIL"
                     detail = f" fill: extent {ex:.0%}x{ey:.0%} below required coverage"
+                elif r.empty_ok is False:
+                    status = "FAIL"
+                    detail = (f" drew nothing but display() returned"
+                              f" {r.display_returned!r}; return False so the"
+                              f" controller skips the mode")
                 else:
                     status, detail = "FAIL", ""
             print(f"  [{status}] {r.size_label:>7}  {r.mode}{detail}")

scripts/download_pixlet.sh

@@ -24,9 +24,29 @@ echo "========================================"
 # Auto-detect latest version if needed
 if [ "$PIXLET_VERSION" = "latest" ]; then
     echo "Detecting latest version..."
-    PIXLET_VERSION=$(curl -s "https://api.github.com/repos/${REPO}/releases/latest" | grep '"tag_name"' | sed -E 's/.*"([^"]+)".*/\1/')
+    # When this response arrives on a single line -- as it did on the device
-    if [ -z "$PIXLET_VERSION" ]; then
+    # where Starlark apps were failing -- `grep '"tag_name"'` matches the whole
-        echo "Failed to detect latest version, using fallback"
+    # document and a greedy `sed 's/.*"([^"]+)".*/\1/'` captures the LAST
+    # quoted token in it rather than the tag. That resolved to
+    # "mentions_count", which built a download URL for a release that does not
+    # exist. (The API is pretty-printed by default, which is why the old
+    # command looks correct when you try it by hand -- but the formatting is
+    # not something to depend on.) Match the field itself and take the value
+    # after it, which is right for either shape.
+    PIXLET_VERSION=$(curl -fsSL "https://api.github.com/repos/${REPO}/releases/latest" \
+        | grep -o '"tag_name"[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*"[^"]*"' \
+        | head -n1 \
+        | sed -E 's/.*:[[:space:]]*"([^"]*)".*/\1/')
+
+    # A wrong-but-non-empty value is what made the old bug silent, so check the
+    # shape rather than just that something came back. Anchored at both ends: a
+    # partial match would accept "v0.53garbage" or "0.53" and build a URL for a
+    # release that cannot exist, which is the failure this check is here to
+    # stop. Every tronbyt/pixlet release to date is vX.Y.Z; the optional suffix
+    # leaves room for a future -rc.1 or +build tag.
+    if ! printf '%s' "$PIXLET_VERSION" \
+        | grep -qE '^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+([-+][0-9A-Za-z.-]+)?$'; then
+        echo "Could not detect the latest version (got: '${PIXLET_VERSION:-<empty>}'), using fallback"
         PIXLET_VERSION="v0.50.2"
     fi
 fi
@@ -67,8 +87,26 @@ download_binary() {
     temp_dir=$(mktemp -d -p "$PROJECT_ROOT" -t pixlet_download.XXXXXXXXXX)
     local temp_file="$temp_dir/$archive_name"
 
-    if ! curl -L -o "$temp_file" "$url" 2>/dev/null; then
+    # -f so an HTTP error is a failure. Without it curl writes the 404 body
-        echo "✗ Failed to download $arch"
+    # to the file and exits 0, and the first sign of trouble is tar saying
+    # "not in gzip format" about what is actually a page of HTML.
+    if ! curl -fL -o "$temp_file" "$url" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "✗ Failed to download $arch from $url"
+        rm -rf "$temp_dir"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Belt and braces: a mirror or proxy can return 200 with an error page.
+    if ! gzip -t "$temp_file" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "✗ Downloaded file is not a gzip archive: $url"
+        # These bytes come from whatever answered the request, so strip
+        # everything non-printable before echoing them: an error page carrying
+        # terminal escapes would otherwise be able to rewrite this output or
+        # bury it in a CI log. Printable characters are kept rather than
+        # hex-encoding the lot, because "<!DOCTYPE html>" is the diagnostic.
+        local first_bytes
+        first_bytes=$(head -c 60 "$temp_file" | tr -cd '[:print:]')
+        printf '  (first bytes: %s)\n' "$first_bytes"
         rm -rf "$temp_dir"
         return 1
     fi

src/backup_manager.py

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 import shutil
+import stat
 import socket
 import tempfile
 import zipfile
@@ -82,6 +83,10 @@ BUNDLED_FONTS: frozenset[str] = frozenset({
 _CONFIG_REL = Path("config/config.json")
 _SECRETS_REL = Path("config/config_secrets.json")
 _WIFI_REL = Path("config/wifi_config.json")
+# Sits in config/ next to the three above and is pure user state — a
+# YouTube Music session that has to be re-authenticated by hand if lost.
+# It was omitted from backups, so a restore silently signed the user out.
+_YTM_REL = Path("config/ytm_auth.json")
 _FONTS_REL = Path("assets/fonts")
 _PLUGIN_UPLOADS_REL = Path("assets/plugins")
 _STATE_REL = Path("data/plugin_state.json")
@@ -303,6 +308,9 @@ def create_backup(
             if (project_root / _WIFI_REL).exists():
                 zf.write(project_root / _WIFI_REL, _WIFI_REL.as_posix())
                 contents.append("wifi")
+            if (project_root / _YTM_REL).exists():
+                zf.write(project_root / _YTM_REL, _YTM_REL.as_posix())
+                contents.append("ytm_auth")
 
             # User-uploaded fonts.
             user_fonts = iter_user_fonts(project_root)
@@ -348,6 +356,7 @@ def preview_backup_contents(project_root: Path) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         "has_config": (project_root / _CONFIG_REL).exists(),
         "has_secrets": (project_root / _SECRETS_REL).exists(),
         "has_wifi": (project_root / _WIFI_REL).exists(),
+        "has_ytm_auth": (project_root / _YTM_REL).exists(),
         "user_fonts": [p.name for p in iter_user_fonts(project_root)],
         "plugin_uploads": len(iter_plugin_uploads(project_root)),
         "plugins": list_installed_plugins(project_root),
@@ -429,6 +438,8 @@ def validate_backup(zip_path: Path) -> Tuple[bool, str, Dict[str, Any]]:
                 detected.append("secrets")
             if _WIFI_REL.as_posix() in names:
                 detected.append("wifi")
+            if _YTM_REL.as_posix() in names:
+                detected.append("ytm_auth")
             if any(n.startswith(_FONTS_REL.as_posix() + "/") for n in names):
                 detected.append("fonts")
             if any(
@@ -481,8 +492,61 @@ def _extract_zip_safe(zip_path: Path, dest_dir: Path) -> None:
 
 
 def _copy_file(src: Path, dst: Path) -> None:
+    """Replace ``dst`` with ``src``, atomically, without needing to own ``dst``.
+
+    ``shutil.copy2`` opens the destination for writing, so it needs write
+    permission on the *existing file*. Several config files are installed
+    root-owned and group-readable while the web interface — which is what runs
+    a restore — deliberately runs as a non-root user. Restoring those failed
+    with EACCES even though the account could create files in the same
+    directory perfectly well.
+
+    Writing a temporary file alongside and renaming over the target needs only
+    directory permission, which the web user has. It is also atomic: a crash
+    mid-restore can no longer leave a half-written config behind.
+
+    The destination's existing mode is preserved when there is one, so
+    restoring secrets does not silently widen them to the umask default.
+    """
     dst.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    shutil.copy2(src, dst)
+
+    existing_mode: Optional[int] = None
+    existing_owner: Optional[Tuple[int, int]] = None
+    if dst.exists():
+        try:
+            info = dst.stat()
+            existing_mode = stat.S_IMODE(info.st_mode)
+            existing_owner = (info.st_uid, info.st_gid)
+        except OSError:
+            existing_mode = None
+            existing_owner = None
+
+    fd, tmp_name = tempfile.mkstemp(dir=str(dst.parent), prefix=f".{dst.name}.", suffix=".tmp")
+    os.close(fd)
+    tmp_path = Path(tmp_name)
+    try:
+        shutil.copyfile(src, tmp_path)
+        if existing_mode is not None:
+            os.chmod(tmp_path, existing_mode)
+        else:
+            shutil.copymode(src, tmp_path)
+        if existing_owner is not None:
+            # Replacing a file creates a new inode owned by whoever is running,
+            # which would silently move a root-owned config to the web user.
+            # Carry the previous owner across when the OS permits it — only
+            # root can hand a file to another user, so this is best-effort and
+            # a plain restore as the web user simply keeps its own ownership.
+            try:
+                os.chown(tmp_path, existing_owner[0], existing_owner[1])
+            except (OSError, PermissionError):
+                pass
+        os.replace(tmp_path, dst)
+    except BaseException:
+        try:
+            tmp_path.unlink()
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        raise
 
 
 def restore_backup(
@@ -513,7 +577,8 @@ def restore_backup(
         try:
             _extract_zip_safe(Path(zip_path), tmp_dir)
         except (ValueError, zipfile.BadZipFile, OSError) as e:
-            result.errors.append(f"Failed to extract backup: {e}")
+            logger.error("[Backup] Failed to extract backup: %s", e, exc_info=True)
+            result.errors.append("Failed to extract backup")
             return result
 
         # Main config.
@@ -522,7 +587,8 @@ def restore_backup(
                 _copy_file(tmp_dir / _CONFIG_REL, project_root / _CONFIG_REL)
                 result.restored.append("config")
             except OSError as e:
-                result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore config.json: {e}")
+                logger.error("[Backup] Failed to restore config.json: %s", e, exc_info=True)
+                result.errors.append("Failed to restore config.json")
         elif (tmp_dir / _CONFIG_REL).exists():
             result.skipped.append("config")
 
@@ -532,7 +598,10 @@ def restore_backup(
                 _copy_file(tmp_dir / _SECRETS_REL, project_root / _SECRETS_REL)
                 result.restored.append("secrets")
             except OSError as e:
-                result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore config_secrets.json: {e}")
+                logger.error(
+                    "[Backup] Failed to restore config_secrets.json: %s", e, exc_info=True
+                )
+                result.errors.append("Failed to restore config_secrets.json")
         elif (tmp_dir / _SECRETS_REL).exists():
             result.skipped.append("secrets")
 
@@ -542,10 +611,26 @@ def restore_backup(
                 _copy_file(tmp_dir / _WIFI_REL, project_root / _WIFI_REL)
                 result.restored.append("wifi")
             except OSError as e:
-                result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore wifi_config.json: {e}")
+                logger.error(
+                    "[Backup] Failed to restore wifi_config.json: %s", e, exc_info=True
+                )
+                result.errors.append("Failed to restore wifi_config.json")
         elif (tmp_dir / _WIFI_REL).exists():
             result.skipped.append("wifi")
 
+        # YouTube Music session. Follows restore_wifi rather than getting its
+        # own flag: it is device-local auth in the same sense, and a separate
+        # toggle for one file would be noise in the restore dialog.
+        if options.restore_wifi and (tmp_dir / _YTM_REL).exists():
+            try:
+                _copy_file(tmp_dir / _YTM_REL, project_root / _YTM_REL)
+                result.restored.append("ytm_auth")
+            except OSError as e:
+                logger.error("[Backup] Failed to restore ytm_auth.json: %s", e, exc_info=True)
+                result.errors.append("Failed to restore ytm_auth.json")
+        elif (tmp_dir / _YTM_REL).exists():
+            result.skipped.append("ytm_auth")
+
         # User fonts — skip anything that collides with a bundled font.
         tmp_fonts = tmp_dir / _FONTS_REL
         if options.restore_fonts and tmp_fonts.exists():
@@ -560,7 +645,10 @@ def restore_backup(
                     _copy_file(font, project_root / _FONTS_REL / font.name)
                     restored_count += 1
                 except OSError as e:
-                    result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore font {font.name}: {e}")
+                    logger.error(
+                        "[Backup] Failed to restore font %s: %s", font.name, e, exc_info=True
+                    )
+                    result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore font {font.name}")
             if restored_count:
                 result.restored.append(f"fonts ({restored_count})")
         elif tmp_fonts.exists():
@@ -581,7 +669,8 @@ def restore_backup(
                         _copy_file(src, project_root / rel)
                         count += 1
                     except OSError as e:
-                        result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore {rel}: {e}")
+                        logger.error("[Backup] Failed to restore %s: %s", rel, e, exc_info=True)
+                        result.errors.append(f"Failed to restore {rel}")
             if count:
                 result.restored.append(f"plugin_uploads ({count})")
         elif tmp_uploads.exists():
@@ -599,7 +688,8 @@ def restore_backup(
                         if isinstance(p, dict) and p.get("plugin_id")
                     ]
             except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as e:
-                result.errors.append(f"Could not read plugins.json: {e}")
+                logger.error("[Backup] Could not read plugins.json: %s", e, exc_info=True)
+                result.errors.append("Could not read plugins.json")
 
     result.success = not result.errors
     return result

src/base_classes/sports/core.py

@@ -383,10 +383,15 @@ class SportsCore(ABC):
             ctx = skin_runtime.build_context(self, game, size=size)
             card = skin.render_vegas_card(ctx, dict(game))
             if card is not None:
+                # A successful render clears accumulated strikes, mirroring
+                # _render_game — transient failures must not add up across
+                # the session and disable a working skin.
+                self._skin_failures = 0
                 return card
             ctx = skin_runtime.build_context(self, game, size=size)
             render = getattr(skin, f"render_{self.SKIN_MODE}")
             if render(ctx, dict(game)):
+                self._skin_failures = 0
                 return ctx.canvas
         except Exception:
             # Card failures count toward the same 3-strike session disable

src/base_odds_manager.py

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ Follows LEDMatrix configuration management patterns:
 """
 
 import logging
+import time
+
 import requests
 import json
 from typing import Dict, Any, Optional, List
@@ -43,9 +45,34 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
         self.logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
         self.base_url = "https://sports.core.api.espn.com/v2/sports"
 
+        # This path used a bare requests.get, so it identified itself as
+        # python-requests/x.y -- the one thing ESPN is known to reject. Around
+        # 2026-08-04 it began 403ing browser strings and bare custom tokens
+        # alike; what it accepts is a token with a URL that says who is
+        # calling. Every other ESPN caller in the tree already sends this
+        # (src/common/api_helper.py, src/base_classes/data_sources.py); the
+        # odds path was simply missed, and it is the one whose failures cost
+        # the caller its whole update budget.
+        #
+        # Deliberately no retry adapter, unlike api_helper: retries multiply
+        # request_timeout, which is set to 5s precisely to stay inside that
+        # budget. One try, then the cooldown below.
+        self.session = requests.Session()
+        self.session.headers.update({
+            'User-Agent': 'LEDMatrix/1.0 (+https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/LEDMatrix)',
+            'Accept': 'application/json',
+        })
+        
         # Configuration with defaults
         self.update_interval = 3600  # 1 hour default
-        self.request_timeout = 30    # 30 seconds default
+        # Well under the plugin executor's 30s operation budget. At 30s a
+        # single stalled ESPN request consumed the entire budget and the whole
+        # update() was killed -- and odds are fetched per live game, inside the
+        # live update loop, with show_odds defaulting on. Losing one game's
+        # odds beats losing the update that carries every game's score.
+        self.request_timeout = 5
+        # Set when a request fails; until then, skip the network entirely.
+        self._skip_network_until = 0.0
         self.cache_ttl = 1800       # 30 minutes default
         
         # Load configuration if available
@@ -73,6 +100,14 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
         except Exception as e:
             self.logger.warning(f"Failed to load BaseOddsManager configuration: {e}")
     
+    # After a network failure, stop trying for this long and serve cache only.
+    # A short per-request timeout bounds one stall, but a full Sunday slate is
+    # ~16 games fetched in a loop, so 16 consecutive timeouts still blow the
+    # budget. When ESPN is unreachable it is unreachable for all of them, so
+    # the first failure is enough to know: skip the rest of this pass and try
+    # again shortly.
+    _FAILURE_COOLDOWN = 60.0
+
     def get_odds(self, sport: str | None, league: str | None, event_id: str,
                  update_interval_seconds: int = None) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
         """
@@ -101,6 +136,16 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
             self.logger.info(f"Using cached odds from ESPN for {cache_key}")
             return cached_data
 
+        if time.monotonic() < self._skip_network_until:
+            # A recent request failed, so ESPN is very likely still unreachable.
+            # Returning now keeps the caller's update inside its time budget
+            # instead of paying the timeout again for every remaining game.
+            self.logger.debug(
+                "Skipping odds fetch for %s: a recent request failed, holding off "
+                "for another %.0fs", cache_key,
+                self._skip_network_until - time.monotonic())
+            return None
+
         self.logger.info(f"Cache miss - fetching fresh odds from ESPN for {cache_key}")
 
         try:
@@ -117,10 +162,12 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
             url = f"{self.base_url}/{sport}/leagues/{espn_league}/events/{event_id}/competitions/{event_id}/odds"
             self.logger.info(f"Requesting odds from URL: {url}")
             
-            response = requests.get(url, timeout=self.request_timeout)
+            response = self.session.get(url, timeout=self.request_timeout)
             response.raise_for_status()
             raw_data = response.json()
 
+            self._skip_network_until = 0.0   # reachable again
+
             self.logger.debug(f"Received raw odds data from ESPN: {json.dumps(raw_data, indent=2)}")
             
             odds_data = self._extract_espn_data(raw_data)
@@ -140,7 +187,11 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
             return odds_data
 
         except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
-            self.logger.error(f"Error fetching odds from ESPN API for {cache_key}: {e}")
+            self._skip_network_until = time.monotonic() + self._FAILURE_COOLDOWN
+            self.logger.error(
+                "Error fetching odds from ESPN API for %s: %s. Holding off on odds "
+                "for %.0fs so a slate of games does not pay this timeout each.",
+                cache_key, e, self._FAILURE_COOLDOWN)
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
             self.logger.error(f"Error decoding JSON response from ESPN API for {cache_key}.")
         
@@ -163,19 +214,25 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
             item = data["items"][0]
             self.logger.debug(f"First item keys: {list(item.keys())}")
             
-            # The ESPN API returns odds data directly in the item, not in a providers array
+            # The ESPN API returns odds data directly in the item, not in a
-            # Extract the odds data directly from the item
+            # providers array. ESPN sends explicit JSON nulls for absent
+            # sides ("homeTeamOdds": null), so every level uses `or {}` —
+            # .get's default only applies when the key is missing entirely.
+            home = item.get("homeTeamOdds") or {}
+            away = item.get("awayTeamOdds") or {}
             extracted_data = {
                 "details": item.get("details"),
                 "over_under": item.get("overUnder"),
                 "spread": item.get("spread"),
                 "home_team_odds": {
-                    "money_line": item.get("homeTeamOdds", {}).get("moneyLine"),
+                    "money_line": home.get("moneyLine"),
-                    "spread_odds": item.get("homeTeamOdds", {}).get("current", {}).get("pointSpread", {}).get("value")
+                    "spread_odds": ((home.get("current") or {})
+                                    .get("pointSpread") or {}).get("value")
                 },
                 "away_team_odds": {
-                    "money_line": item.get("awayTeamOdds", {}).get("moneyLine"),
+                    "money_line": away.get("moneyLine"),
-                    "spread_odds": item.get("awayTeamOdds", {}).get("current", {}).get("pointSpread", {}).get("value")
+                    "spread_odds": ((away.get("current") or {})
+                                    .get("pointSpread") or {}).get("value")
                 }
             }
             self.logger.debug(f"Returning extracted odds data: {json.dumps(extracted_data, indent=2)}")
@@ -260,7 +317,11 @@ class BaseOddsManager:
         Returns:
             Formatted odds summary string
         """
-        if not self.is_odds_available(odds_data):
+        # Gate only on truly-empty / negative-cached data. is_odds_available
+        # deliberately ignores money lines (its callers decide whether to
+        # RENDER an odds widget), but a summary of money-line-only odds is
+        # still meaningful — the parts loop below handles them.
+        if not odds_data or odds_data.get('no_odds'):
             return "No odds available"
 
         parts = []

src/cache/disk_cache.py

@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ import zlib
 from typing import Dict, Any, Optional, Protocol
 from datetime import datetime
 
+# How old an abandoned write's temp file must be before the sweep removes it.
+# A real write holds its temp file for milliseconds, so an hour is far beyond
+# any in-flight write while still clearing the same day's debris. Deliberately
+# not tied to the retention policies: those describe how long data stays
+# useful, and a half-written file was never useful.
+_ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS = 3600
+
 
 
 class CacheStrategyProtocol(Protocol):
@@ -112,6 +119,22 @@ class DiskCache:
                     record_ts = None
             
             now = time.time()
+
+            # An explicit per-entry ttl wins over the caller's max_age. The
+            # caller that wrote the record knows what its data is; max_age is
+            # inferred from substrings in the key ("live", "odds", "stock") and
+            # is only a fallback for records that never said. Until now the ttl
+            # was stored and ignored, so `set(key, data, ttl=...)` did nothing
+            # at all -- 48 plugin call sites and 4 in the core were writing a
+            # number no read path consulted.
+            effective_max_age = max_age
+            if isinstance(record, dict):
+                stored_ttl = record.get('ttl')
+                if isinstance(stored_ttl, (int, float)) and not isinstance(stored_ttl, bool) \
+                        and stored_ttl >= 0:
+                    effective_max_age = stored_ttl
+            max_age = effective_max_age
+
             # max_age=None means "never expires" (mirrors MemoryCache and the
             # cache_manager docstring). Guard it explicitly — otherwise the
             # comparison below raises TypeError and the record is treated as a
@@ -331,6 +354,23 @@ class DiskCache:
         """Get the cache directory path."""
         return self.cache_dir
     
+    @staticmethod
+    def _is_orphaned_temp(filename: str) -> bool:
+        """Whether a name is one of set()'s temp files rather than real data.
+
+        Matches only what this class creates: mkstemp with a prefix of
+        ".<cache filename>." , so ".weather.json.a1b2c3d4". The shape is
+        checked rather than just the leading dot, because this predicate
+        deletes things -- a stray dotfile someone left in the cache directory
+        is not ours to remove, and a completed ".json" never is either.
+        """
+        if not filename.startswith('.') or filename.endswith('.json'):
+            return False
+        head, sep, suffix = filename.rpartition('.json.')
+        # head is the key (non-empty after the leading dot), suffix is
+        # mkstemp's random component.
+        return bool(sep) and len(head) > 1 and bool(suffix)
+
     def cleanup_expired_files(self, cache_strategy: CacheStrategyProtocol, retention_policies: Dict[str, int]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """
         Clean up expired cache files based on retention policies.
@@ -365,12 +405,51 @@ class DiskCache:
             try:
                 with self._lock:
                     # Get snapshot of files while holding lock briefly
-                    filenames = [f for f in os.listdir(self.cache_dir) if f.endswith('.json')]
+                    entries = os.listdir(self.cache_dir)
             except OSError as list_error:
                 self.logger.error("Error listing cache directory %s: %s", self.cache_dir, list_error, exc_info=True)
                 stats['errors'] += 1
                 return stats
 
+            filenames = [f for f in entries if f.endswith('.json')]
+
+            # Sweep temp files abandoned by a write that never finished. set()
+            # removes its own in a finally, so these are the ones where the
+            # process died between mkstemp and os.replace -- a SIGKILL, a lost
+            # restart race, a power cut. Nothing ever collected them: they are
+            # named ".<key>.json.<random>", and the scan above only matches
+            # names ending in .json, so they accumulated indefinitely. Measured
+            # on a live rig: 76 files, 1,050 MB, 81% of the whole cache
+            # directory, the oldest six months old.
+            stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'] = 0
+            for filename in (f for f in entries if self._is_orphaned_temp(f)):
+                # Counted as scanned like any other candidate, so files_deleted
+                # can never exceed files_scanned and the summary line reads
+                # honestly ("77/8864", not "77/0").
+                stats['files_scanned'] += 1
+                path = os.path.join(self.cache_dir, filename)
+                try:
+                    # An in-flight write lives for milliseconds, so anything
+                    # this old is certainly abandoned rather than in progress.
+                    if (current_time - os.path.getmtime(path)) <= _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS:
+                        continue
+                    with self._lock:
+                        size = os.path.getsize(path)
+                        os.remove(path)
+                    stats['files_deleted'] += 1
+                    stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'] += 1
+                    stats['space_freed_bytes'] += size
+                except FileNotFoundError:
+                    continue          # another sweep got there first
+                except OSError as e:
+                    stats['errors'] += 1
+                    self.logger.warning("Error deleting orphaned temp file %s: %s", filename, e)
+
+            if stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted']:
+                self.logger.info(
+                    "Removed %d abandoned cache temp file(s)",
+                    stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'])
+            
             # Process files outside the lock to avoid blocking get/set operations
             for filename in filenames:
                 stats['files_scanned'] += 1

src/cache/memory_cache.py

@@ -4,11 +4,58 @@ Memory Cache
 Handles in-memory caching with TTL support, size limits, and automatic cleanup.
 """
 
+import os
 import time
 import threading
 import logging
 from typing import Dict, Any, Optional
 
+# Historical fixed ceiling, kept as the fallback when RAM cannot be read.
+DEFAULT_MAX_SIZE = 1000
+
+
+def _total_memory_mb() -> Optional[float]:
+    """Physical RAM in MB, or None where /proc/meminfo is unavailable."""
+    try:
+        with open('/proc/meminfo', 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fh:
+            for line in fh:
+                if line.startswith('MemTotal:'):
+                    return int(line.split()[1]) / 1024
+    except (OSError, ValueError, IndexError):
+        return None
+    return None
+
+
+def default_max_size() -> int:
+    """Entry ceiling scaled to this machine's RAM.
+
+    One fixed ceiling cannot serve both a 512 MB Pi Zero 2 W and an 8 GB Pi 5.
+    Entries here are parsed API payloads that routinely run tens of kilobytes
+    each, so a thousand of them is a comfortable cache on a large board and a
+    substantial fraction of total RAM on a small one — where the process
+    competing for that RAM is also driving the panel. Set
+    LEDMATRIX_CACHE_MAX_ENTRIES to override.
+    """
+    override = os.environ.get('LEDMATRIX_CACHE_MAX_ENTRIES')
+    if override:
+        try:
+            value = int(override)
+            if value > 0:
+                return value
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
+
+    total_mb = _total_memory_mb()
+    if total_mb is None:
+        return DEFAULT_MAX_SIZE
+    if total_mb < 1536:      # 512 MB and 1 GB boards
+        return 150
+    if total_mb < 3072:      # 2 GB
+        return 400
+    if total_mb < 6144:      # 4 GB
+        return 800
+    return 1500              # 8 GB and up
+
 
 class MemoryCache:
     """Manages in-memory cache with TTL and size limits."""
@@ -57,6 +104,16 @@ class MemoryCache:
             if timestamp is None:
                 return None
             
+            # An explicit per-entry ttl wins over the caller's max_age, matching
+            # DiskCache. max_age is inferred from substrings in the key and is
+            # only a fallback for records that did not say what they wanted.
+            record = self._cache[key]
+            if isinstance(record, dict):
+                stored_ttl = record.get('ttl')
+                if isinstance(stored_ttl, (int, float)) and not isinstance(stored_ttl, bool) \
+                        and stored_ttl >= 0:
+                    max_age = stored_ttl
+
             # Check expiration
             if max_age is not None and (now - timestamp) > max_age:
                 # Expired - remove it
@@ -77,6 +134,32 @@ class MemoryCache:
         with self._lock:
             self._cache[key] = value
             self._timestamps[key] = time.time()
+            # Enforce the ceiling here rather than leaving it to the periodic
+            # cleanup, which only runs every cleanup_interval seconds (300 by
+            # default). A burst of inserts between two sweeps could otherwise
+            # take the cache far past _max_size, which is the memory growth this
+            # limit exists to prevent -- and on a 1GB board that is the
+            # difference between a bounded cache and an unreachable Pi.
+            self._evict_over_limit_locked()
+
+    def _evict_over_limit_locked(self) -> int:
+        """Drop oldest entries until the cache is within _max_size.
+
+        Caller must hold self._lock. Returns the number of entries removed.
+        """
+        excess = len(self._cache) - self._max_size
+        if excess <= 0:
+            return 0
+        oldest = sorted(
+            self._timestamps.items(),
+            key=lambda item: float(item[1]) if isinstance(item[1], (int, float)) else 0.0
+        )
+        removed = 0
+        for key, _ in oldest[:excess]:
+            self._cache.pop(key, None)
+            self._timestamps.pop(key, None)
+            removed += 1
+        return removed
     
     def clear(self, key: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         """
@@ -133,22 +216,8 @@ class MemoryCache:
                 self._timestamps.pop(key, None)
                 removed_count += 1
             
-            # Enforce size limit by removing oldest entries if cache is too large
+            # Same ceiling enforcement set() uses, so the two cannot drift.
-            if len(self._cache) > self._max_size:
+            removed_count += self._evict_over_limit_locked()
-                # Sort by timestamp (oldest first)
-                sorted_entries = sorted(
-                    self._timestamps.items(),
-                    key=lambda x: float(x[1]) if isinstance(x[1], (int, float)) else 0
-                )
-                
-                # Remove oldest entries until we're under the limit
-                excess_count = len(self._cache) - self._max_size
-                for i in range(excess_count):
-                    if i < len(sorted_entries):
-                        key = sorted_entries[i][0]
-                        self._cache.pop(key, None)
-                        self._timestamps.pop(key, None)
-                        removed_count += 1
             
             self._last_cleanup = current_time
             

src/cache_manager.py

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import logging
 import threading
 import tempfile
 from src.exceptions import CacheError
-from src.cache.memory_cache import MemoryCache
+from src.cache.memory_cache import MemoryCache, default_max_size
 from src.cache.disk_cache import DiskCache
 from src.cache.cache_strategy import CacheStrategy
 from src.cache.cache_metrics import CacheMetrics
@@ -47,6 +47,20 @@ from src.cache.disk_cache import DateTimeEncoder  # noqa: F401 - deliberate re-e
 class CacheManager:
     """Manages caching of API responses to reduce API calls."""
 
+    # Which cache directories already have a cleanup thread in this process.
+    #
+    # The sweep is directory-scoped work -- it lists a directory and deletes
+    # from it -- so one per directory is the right number no matter how many
+    # managers exist. Nothing enforced that before: every instance started its
+    # own, and because the loop closes over `self`, a discarded manager could
+    # never be collected and its thread woke to re-scan the same directory
+    # every 24 hours for the life of the process. Startup validation runs
+    # twice and built a throwaway manager each time, so a display process
+    # carried three threads for one cache.
+    _cleanup_owners: Dict[str, 'CacheManager'] = {}
+    _cleanup_owners_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         # Initialize logger first
         self.logger: logging.Logger = get_logger(__name__)
@@ -70,7 +84,9 @@ class CacheManager:
             self.logger.warning("ConfigManager not available, using default cache intervals")
         
         # Initialize cache components using composition
-        self._memory_cache_component = MemoryCache(max_size=1000, cleanup_interval=300.0)
+        self._memory_cache_component = MemoryCache(
+            max_size=default_max_size(), cleanup_interval=300.0
+        )
         self._disk_cache_component = DiskCache(cache_dir=self.cache_dir, logger=self.logger)
         self._strategy_component = CacheStrategy(config_manager=self.config_manager, logger=self.logger)
         self._metrics_component = CacheMetrics(logger=self.logger)
@@ -594,8 +610,10 @@ class CacheManager:
         Args:
             key: Cache key
             data: Data to cache
-            ttl: Optional time-to-live in seconds (stored for compatibility but
+            ttl: Time-to-live in seconds for this entry. Takes precedence over
-                 expiration is still controlled via max_age when reading)
+                 the max_age a reader would otherwise apply, which is inferred
+                 from the key and is only a fallback for entries that did not
+                 say. Omit it to keep that inferred behaviour.
         """
         cache_data = {
             'data': data,
@@ -716,11 +734,29 @@ class CacheManager:
             }
     
     def start_cleanup_thread(self) -> None:
-        """Start background thread for periodic disk cache cleanup."""
+        """Start background thread for periodic disk cache cleanup.
+
+        At most one thread per cache directory per process: the sweep is
+        directory-scoped, so a second one only duplicates the scan.
+        """
         if self._cleanup_thread and self._cleanup_thread.is_alive():
             self.logger.debug("Cleanup thread already running")
             return
 
+        with CacheManager._cleanup_owners_lock:
+            owner = CacheManager._cleanup_owners.get(self.cache_dir)
+            if owner is not None and owner is not self:
+                thread = owner._cleanup_thread
+                if thread is not None and thread.is_alive():
+                    self.logger.debug(
+                        "Cleanup thread for %s already owned by another cache "
+                        "manager in this process; not starting a second",
+                        self.cache_dir)
+                    return
+                # The owner's thread died or was stopped -- take over.
+            CacheManager._cleanup_owners[self.cache_dir] = self
+
+
         def cleanup_loop():
             """Background loop that runs cleanup periodically."""
             self.logger.info("Disk cache cleanup thread started (interval: %d hours)", 
@@ -768,6 +804,13 @@ class CacheManager:
         Signals the thread to stop and waits for it to finish (with timeout).
         This allows for clean shutdown during testing or application termination.
         """
+        # Release ownership first and unconditionally, so a manager that never
+        # started a thread (or whose thread already exited) cannot keep the
+        # directory claimed and block a live manager from sweeping it.
+        with CacheManager._cleanup_owners_lock:
+            if CacheManager._cleanup_owners.get(self.cache_dir) is self:
+                del CacheManager._cleanup_owners[self.cache_dir]
+
         if not self._cleanup_thread or not self._cleanup_thread.is_alive():
             self.logger.debug("Cleanup thread not running")
             return

src/common/api_helper.py

@@ -273,19 +273,34 @@ class APIHelper:
         """
         Clear cache data.
 
+        Uses CacheManager's real surface (clear_cache / delete /
+        list_cache_files); safely no-ops on managers without it. The old
+        implementation guarded on a nonexistent ``clear`` method, so it
+        silently never cleared anything.
+
         Args:
-            pattern: Optional pattern to match cache keys
+            pattern: Optional substring to match cache keys; only matching
+                entries are deleted.
         """
-        if self.cache_manager:
+        if not self.cache_manager:
-            if hasattr(self.cache_manager, 'clear'):
+            return
         if pattern:
-                    # Clear only keys matching pattern
+            if (hasattr(self.cache_manager, 'list_cache_files')
-                    keys = self.cache_manager.keys()
+                    and hasattr(self.cache_manager, 'delete')):
-                    for key in keys:
+                for entry in self.cache_manager.list_cache_files():
-                        if pattern in key:
+                    key = entry.get('key') if isinstance(entry, dict) else None
+                    if key and pattern in key:
                         self.cache_manager.delete(key)
             else:
+                self.logger.debug(
+                    "Cache manager lacks list_cache_files/delete; "
+                    "cannot clear by pattern")
+        elif hasattr(self.cache_manager, 'clear_cache'):
+            self.cache_manager.clear_cache()
+        elif hasattr(self.cache_manager, 'clear'):
             self.cache_manager.clear()
+        else:
+            self.logger.debug("Cache manager exposes no clear method; no-op")
     
     def _get_from_cache(self, key: str) -> Optional[Any]:
         """Get data from cache."""

src/common/config_helper.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Handles configuration management and validation for LED matrix plugins.
 Extracted from LEDMatrix core to provide reusable functionality for plugins.
 """
 
+import copy
 import json
 import logging
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -160,17 +161,20 @@ class ConfigHelper:
             override_config: Configuration to merge in (takes precedence)
             
         Returns:
-            Merged configuration dictionary
+            Merged configuration dictionary (fully independent of both
+            inputs — a shallow copy would alias un-overridden nested dicts,
+            so mutating the result would mutate the caller's base config).
         """
-        merged = base_config.copy()
+        merged = copy.deepcopy(base_config)
 
         for key, value in override_config.items():
             if key in merged and isinstance(merged[key], dict) and isinstance(value, dict):
                 # Recursively merge nested dictionaries
                 merged[key] = self.merge_configs(merged[key], value)
             else:
-                # Override with new value
+                # Override with new value — deep-copied so mutating the
-                merged[key] = value
+                # merged result can't reach back into override_config.
+                merged[key] = copy.deepcopy(value)
         
         return merged
     

src/common/display_helper.py

@@ -115,18 +115,14 @@ class DisplayHelper:
         if home_logo and away_logo:
             self._draw_logos(main_img, home_logo, away_logo)
         
-        # Draw status/period text (top center)
+        # Draw one combined top line (period/status/clock all share y=1 —
-        if status_text or period_text:
+        # drawing them separately overprinted each other).
-            status_display = f"{period_text} {status_text}".strip()
+        top_line = " ".join(p for p in [period_text, status_text, clock] if p)
-            if status_display:
+        if top_line:
-                self._draw_centered_text(draw, status_display, 
+            self._draw_centered_text(draw, top_line,
                                    fonts.get('time', fonts.get('status')),
                                    y_position=1)
         
-        # Draw clock if available
-        if clock:
-            self._draw_centered_text(draw, clock, fonts.get('time'), y_position=1)
-        
         # Draw scores (center)
         score_text = f"{away_score}-{home_score}"
         self._draw_centered_text(draw, score_text, fonts.get('score'), 
@@ -153,12 +149,18 @@ class DisplayHelper:
         """
         Draw a ticker/scrolling text layout.
         
+        Renders a single static frame with the text at the left edge; the
+        caller advances the scroll by re-rendering or shifting. The
+        scroll_speed parameter is accepted for API compatibility but does
+        not affect this frame. (Previously the text was drawn starting at
+        x=display_width — entirely off-canvas — so every frame was blank.)
+
         Args:
             text: Text to display
             font: Font to use
             background_color: Background color
             text_color: Text color
-            scroll_speed: Pixels to scroll per frame
+            scroll_speed: Accepted for compatibility; unused per-frame
 
         Returns:
             PIL Image with ticker layout
@@ -166,11 +168,7 @@ class DisplayHelper:
         img = self.create_base_image(background_color)
         draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
 
-        # Start text off-screen to the right
+        self._draw_text_with_outline(draw, text, (0, self.display_height // 2 - 6),
-        x_position = self.display_width
-        
-        # Draw text
-        self._draw_text_with_outline(draw, text, (x_position, self.display_height // 2 - 6), 
                                    font, fill=text_color)
 
         return img
@@ -214,15 +212,9 @@ class DisplayHelper:
         Returns:
             PIL Image with error message
         """
-        img = self.create_base_image((50, 0, 0))  # Dark red background
+        # Dark red background, white text
-
-        # Use default font
         font = ImageFont.load_default()
-        
+        return self.draw_centered_text(message, font, (50, 0, 0), (255, 255, 255))
-        # Draw centered error message
-        self._draw_centered_text(message, font, (50, 0, 0), (255, 255, 255))
-        
-        return img
     
     def draw_no_data_message(self, message: str = "No Data") -> Image.Image:
         """
@@ -234,11 +226,8 @@ class DisplayHelper:
         Returns:
             PIL Image with no data message
         """
-        img = self.create_base_image((0, 0, 0))
         font = ImageFont.load_default()
-        self._draw_centered_text(message, font, (0, 0, 0), (150, 150, 150))
+        return self.draw_centered_text(message, font, (0, 0, 0), (150, 150, 150))
-        
-        return img
     
     def get_display_dimensions(self) -> Tuple[int, int]:
         """

src/common/logo_helper.py

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ Extracted from LEDMatrix core to provide reusable functionality for plugins.
 """
 
 import logging
+import os
+import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
@@ -19,6 +21,10 @@ from src.common.permission_utils import (
 )
 
 
+# Well above any real team logo; bounds what a remote URL can write to disk.
+MAX_LOGO_BYTES = 10 * 1024 * 1024
+
+
 class LogoHelper:
     """
     Helper class for logo loading, caching, and resizing.
@@ -226,7 +232,10 @@ class LogoHelper:
         return {
             'cached_logos': len(self._logo_cache),
             'cache_size_limit': self.cache_size,
-            'cache_usage_percent': (len(self._logo_cache) / self.cache_size) * 100
+            'cache_usage_percent': (
+                (len(self._logo_cache) / self.cache_size) * 100
+                if self.cache_size else 0
+            ),
         }
     
     def _resize_logo(self, logo: Image.Image, max_width: Optional[int] = None, 
@@ -258,17 +267,60 @@ class LogoHelper:
         self._cache_order.append(cache_key)
     
     def _download_logo(self, url: str, file_path: Path) -> None:
-        """Download logo from URL."""
+        """Download logo from URL.
+
+        The response size is capped and the saved file is verified as a
+        decodable image before it is left on disk: a logo URL is remote
+        input, and without this an oversized or malformed response would
+        be cached for every later load_logo() call to trip over.
+
+        The body is streamed and counted as it arrives rather than read
+        through response.content, which buffers the whole thing first —
+        a server that omits Content-Length and never stops sending would
+        exhaust memory before any size check could run. Nothing lands at
+        file_path until the download completes and decodes, so a failed
+        download cannot leave a truncated logo behind either.
+        """
         # Ensure directory exists with proper permissions
         ensure_directory_permissions(file_path.parent, get_assets_dir_mode())
 
-        # Download with timeout
+        # A unique temp name, not a fixed "<name>.part": two plugins can
-        response = self.session.get(url, timeout=30)
+        # ask for the same logo at once, and a shared name would let them
+        # interleave writes into one file, publish the mixture, or delete
+        # each other's partial. Same directory, so os.replace stays atomic.
+        fd, tmp_name = tempfile.mkstemp(
+            dir=str(file_path.parent), prefix=file_path.name + '.', suffix='.part')
+        tmp_path = Path(tmp_name)
+        try:
+            # fdopen outermost so the descriptor mkstemp handed back is
+            # always adopted and closed, including when the request itself
+            # raises — load_logo_with_download swallows that, so a leak
+            # here would accumulate quietly on a URL that keeps failing.
+            with os.fdopen(fd, 'wb') as f:
+                with self.session.get(url, timeout=30, stream=True) as response:
                     response.raise_for_status()
+                    downloaded = 0
+                    for chunk in response.iter_content(chunk_size=64 * 1024):
+                        if not chunk:
+                            continue
+                        downloaded += len(chunk)
+                        if downloaded > MAX_LOGO_BYTES:
+                            raise ValueError(
+                                f"Logo at {url} exceeds the "
+                                f"{MAX_LOGO_BYTES}-byte limit; not saved")
+                        f.write(chunk)
 
-        # Save to file
+            # Verify it decodes before it becomes the cached logo. PIL
-        with open(file_path, 'wb') as f:
+            # raises DecompressionBombError past its own pixel limit; a
-            f.write(response.content)
+            # partial or non-image response raises UnidentifiedImageError
+            # (an OSError subclass).
+            with Image.open(tmp_path) as probe:
+                probe.load()
+
+            os.replace(tmp_path, file_path)
+        except BaseException:
+            tmp_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+            raise
 
         # Set proper file permissions after saving
         ensure_file_permissions(file_path, get_assets_file_mode())

src/common/sync_manager.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Port default: 5765 (UDP). Open this port on both Pis if ufw is active:
 
 import io
 import json
+import math
 import os
 import socket
 import struct
@@ -37,6 +38,13 @@ _RAW_MAGIC = b'SYNC_RAW'
 _RAW_HEADER = struct.Struct('<HH')  # width, height (uint16 LE)
 
 
+# Upper bound on a decoded frame/scroll image. Generous for any real scroll
+# image (a leader's full cycle is long but only panel-height tall), and low
+# enough that a crafted image from any host on the LAN cannot force a large
+# allocation on the render thread. Applied on both receive paths — the TCP
+# image server and the follower's legacy-PNG UDP fallback.
+_MAX_FRAME_W, _MAX_FRAME_H = 100_000, 256
+
 SYNC_PORT = 5765
 HELLO_INTERVAL = 5.0       # follower broadcasts hello every 5 s
 HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL = 2.0   # follower sends heartbeat every 2 s
@@ -101,6 +109,7 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
         self._peer_chain: int = 0
         self._last_heartbeat_time: float = 0.0
         self._leader_width: int = 0  # set by display_controller after init
+        self._oversized_frame_warned: bool = False
 
         # Follower state
         self._follower_state = FollowerState.STANDALONE
@@ -174,6 +183,10 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
                 continue
             except Exception as exc:
                 self.logger.debug("Sync leader recv error: %s", exc)
+                # Brief backoff: a socket left in a bad state raises
+                # immediately, which would otherwise spin this thread at
+                # 100% CPU logging the same error.
+                time.sleep(0.1)
 
     def _handle_hello(self, msg: dict, sender_ip: str) -> None:
         hw = self._hw_config
@@ -273,11 +286,10 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
                             break
                         data.extend(chunk)
                     img = Image.open(io.BytesIO(data))
-                    _MAX_W, _MAX_H = 100_000, 256  # generous for any real scroll image
+                    if img.width > _MAX_FRAME_W or img.height > _MAX_FRAME_H:
-                    if img.width > _MAX_W or img.height > _MAX_H:
                         self.logger.warning(
                             "Sync: rejected oversized scroll image %dx%d (max %dx%d) from %s",
-                            img.width, img.height, _MAX_W, _MAX_H, addr,
+                            img.width, img.height, _MAX_FRAME_W, _MAX_FRAME_H, addr,
                         )
                         continue
                     try:
@@ -396,7 +408,7 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
             data = header + arr.tobytes()
             if len(data) <= 65000:
                 self._send_sock.sendto(data, (self._peer_ip, self.port))
-            elif not getattr(self, '_oversized_frame_warned', False):
+            elif not self._oversized_frame_warned:
                 self._oversized_frame_warned = True
                 self.logger.warning(
                     "Sync: frame too large for UDP (%d bytes, max 65000) — "
@@ -451,25 +463,8 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
         )
         self.write_status_file()
 
-    def _follower_recv_loop(self) -> None:
+    def _handle_received_frame(self, img: Image.Image, sender_ip: str) -> None:
-        while self._running:
+        """Record a decoded leader frame and enter follower mode if needed."""
-            try:
-                data, addr = self._recv_sock.recvfrom(65535)
-                sender_ip = addr[0]
-
-                if data[:8] == _RAW_MAGIC or len(data) > 512:
-                    # Frame data: prefer magic-tagged raw RGB; fall back to legacy PNG
-                    try:
-                        if data[:8] == _RAW_MAGIC:
-                            w, h = _RAW_HEADER.unpack(data[8:12])
-                            raw = data[12:]
-                            img = Image.frombuffer(
-                                "RGB", (w, h), raw, "raw", "RGB", 0, 1
-                            )
-                        else:
-                            # Fallback: try legacy PNG
-                            img = Image.open(io.BytesIO(data))
-                            img.load()
         with self._frame_lock:
             self._latest_frame = img
         self._last_leader_frame_time = time.time()
@@ -482,12 +477,62 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
                 sender_ip,
             )
             self.write_status_file()
+
+    def _follower_recv_loop(self) -> None:
+        while self._running:
+            try:
+                data, addr = self._recv_sock.recvfrom(65535)
+                sender_ip = addr[0]
+
+                if data[:8] == _RAW_MAGIC:
+                    # Magic-tagged raw RGB frame — self-describing, no guessing.
+                    try:
+                        w, h = _RAW_HEADER.unpack(data[8:12])
+                        raw = data[12:]
+                        img = Image.frombuffer(
+                            "RGB", (w, h), raw, "raw", "RGB", 0, 1
+                        )
+                        self._handle_received_frame(img, sender_ip)
                     except Exception as exc:
                         self.logger.debug("Sync: frame decode error: %s", exc)
                 else:
-                    # Control message
+                    # No magic prefix. Whether the payload parses as JSON
+                    # decides between a control message and a legacy
+                    # (pre-magic) PNG frame — both wire formats are
+                    # self-describing, so no size heuristic is needed. A
+                    # >512-byte control message used to be misrouted into
+                    # image decode and silently dropped.
                     try:
                         msg = json.loads(data.decode("utf-8"))
+                    except (json.JSONDecodeError, UnicodeDecodeError):
+                        # Not JSON — try a legacy PNG frame.
+                        try:
+                            img = Image.open(io.BytesIO(data))
+                            if img.width > _MAX_FRAME_W or img.height > _MAX_FRAME_H:
+                                # Same cap the TCP image path applies: decode
+                                # is deferred until load(), so check first.
+                                self.logger.debug(
+                                    "Sync: rejected oversized legacy frame %dx%d from %s",
+                                    img.width, img.height, sender_ip,
+                                )
+                                continue
+                            img.load()
+                            self._handle_received_frame(img, sender_ip)
+                        except Exception as exc:
+                            self.logger.debug("Sync: frame decode error: %s", exc)
+                        continue
+
+                    # It parsed, so it is a control message and never a
+                    # frame. Read and validate its fields under a guard —
+                    # a UDP payload is attacker-shaped, so a non-object
+                    # body makes .get() raise AttributeError and an "sx"
+                    # carrying a non-numeric x raises ValueError/TypeError
+                    # — but dispatch the callback *outside* it. Running
+                    # the callback in here would let a fault in someone
+                    # else's code read as a malformed packet and be
+                    # logged as one.
+                    fire_new_cycle = False
+                    try:
                         t = msg.get("t")
                         if t == "hello_ack":
                             self._leader_ip = sender_ip
@@ -501,7 +546,17 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
                             self.write_status_file()
                         elif t == "sx":
                             # Vegas scroll-position sync — tiny message, renders locally
-                            self._latest_scroll_x = float(msg["x"])
+                            scroll_x = float(msg["x"])
+                            if not math.isfinite(scroll_x):
+                                # json.loads accepts the NaN/Infinity literals,
+                                # and float("nan") accepts the strings, so a
+                                # non-finite x reaches here intact. Left alone
+                                # it poisons every offset computed from it —
+                                # NaN comparisons are all false, so the
+                                # follower renders a frame it can never scroll
+                                # back from. Treat it as malformed.
+                                raise ValueError(f"non-finite scroll x: {msg['x']!r}")
+                            self._latest_scroll_x = scroll_x
                             self._last_leader_frame_time = time.time()
                             self._leader_ip = sender_ip
                             if self._follower_state == FollowerState.STANDALONE:
@@ -511,19 +566,22 @@ class DisplaySyncManager:
                                     sender_ip,
                                 )
                                 self.write_status_file()
-                                if self._on_new_cycle:
+                                fire_new_cycle = True  # build initial scroll image
-                                    self._on_new_cycle()  # build initial scroll image
                         elif t == "nc":
                             # Leader started a new scroll cycle — rebuild local image
-                            if self._on_new_cycle:
+                            fire_new_cycle = True
+                    except (KeyError, AttributeError, TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
+                        self.logger.debug("Sync: malformed control message: %s", exc)
+                        continue
+
+                    if fire_new_cycle and self._on_new_cycle:
                         self._on_new_cycle()
-                    except (json.JSONDecodeError, UnicodeDecodeError, KeyError):
-                        pass
 
             except socket.timeout:
                 continue
             except Exception as exc:
                 self.logger.debug("Sync follower recv error: %s", exc)
+                time.sleep(0.1)
 
     def _follower_announce_loop(self) -> None:
         hw = self._hw_config

src/config_manager.py

@@ -106,14 +106,9 @@ class ConfigManager:
         Returns:
             SaveResult with status and details
         """
-        # Load current secrets to preserve them
+        # Load current secrets to preserve them (raises if unreadable — see
-        secrets_content = {}
+        # _load_secrets_for_save)
-        if os.path.exists(self.secrets_path):
+        secrets_content = self._load_secrets_for_save()
-            try:
-                with open(self.secrets_path, 'r') as f_secrets:
-                    secrets_content = json.load(f_secrets)
-            except Exception as e:
-                self.logger.warning(f"Could not load secrets file {self.secrets_path} during save: {e}")
 
         # Strip secrets from main config before saving
         config_to_write = self._strip_secrets_recursive(new_config_data, secrets_content)
@@ -274,35 +269,86 @@ class ConfigManager:
             self.logger.error(error_msg, exc_info=True)
             raise ConfigError(error_msg, config_path=self.config_path) from e
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _is_parallel_secrets_list(value: Any) -> bool:
+        """True for the parallel-placeholder list shape emitted by
+        ``secret_helpers.separate_secrets`` for array-item secrets: a
+        non-empty list whose elements are ALL dicts (``{}`` marks an item
+        with no secrets). Any other list-shaped secrets value is a
+        whole-key secret (e.g. a list of secret scalars)."""
+        return (isinstance(value, list) and bool(value)
+                and all(isinstance(item, dict) for item in value))
+
     def _strip_secrets_recursive(self, data_to_filter: Dict[str, Any], secrets: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Recursively remove secret keys from a dictionary."""
         result = {}
         for key, value in data_to_filter.items():
-            if key in secrets:
+            if key not in secrets:
-                if isinstance(value, dict) and isinstance(secrets[key], dict):
-                    # This key is a shared group, recurse
-                    stripped_sub_dict = self._strip_secrets_recursive(value, secrets[key])
-                    if stripped_sub_dict: # Only add if there's non-secret data left
-                        result[key] = stripped_sub_dict
-                # Else, it's a secret key at this level, so we skip it
-            else:
                 # This key is not in secrets, so we keep it
                 result[key] = value
+                continue
+            sec = secrets[key]
+            if isinstance(value, dict) and isinstance(sec, dict):
+                # This key is a shared group, recurse
+                stripped_sub_dict = self._strip_secrets_recursive(value, sec)
+                if stripped_sub_dict: # Only add if there's non-secret data left
+                    result[key] = stripped_sub_dict
+            elif isinstance(value, list) and self._is_parallel_secrets_list(sec):
+                # Parallel-list shape from separate_secrets: sec[i] holds the
+                # secret fields of value[i] ({} = item i has none). Strip each
+                # item and ALWAYS keep the list — indices must survive so the
+                # merge-on-load can realign secrets with their items. The
+                # regular list's length is authoritative: extra secrets
+                # entries are ignored.
+                stripped_items = []
+                for i, item in enumerate(value):
+                    s_item = sec[i] if i < len(sec) else {}
+                    if isinstance(item, dict) and s_item:
+                        stripped_items.append(self._strip_secrets_recursive(item, s_item))
+                    else:
+                        stripped_items.append(item)
+                result[key] = stripped_items
+            # Else: whole-key secret (scalar, list of secret scalars, or a
+            # shape mismatch) -> drop the key entirely. Never leak.
         return result
 
-    def save_config(self, new_config_data: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    def _load_secrets_for_save(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        """Save configuration to the main JSON file, stripping out secrets."""
+        """Load config_secrets.json for stripping before a save.
-        secrets_content = {}
+
-        if os.path.exists(self.secrets_path):
+        A missing secrets file is fine (nothing to strip). But a file that
+        EXISTS and cannot be read or parsed means stripping is impossible —
+        and the in-memory config being saved has secrets deep-merged into it,
+        so proceeding would write them into config.json in plaintext. That
+        was the historical behavior; it is now a hard refusal. The save
+        raises so the caller (and user) fixes the secrets file instead of
+        silently leaking its contents into the world-readable main config.
+        """
+        if not os.path.exists(self.secrets_path):
+            return {}
         try:
             with open(self.secrets_path, 'r') as f_secrets:
-                    secrets_content = json.load(f_secrets)
+                return json.load(f_secrets)
-            except Exception as e:
+        # Only the expected read/parse failures — an unexpected implementation
-                self.logger.warning(f"Could not load secrets file {self.secrets_path} during save: {e}")
+        # error should propagate as itself, not masquerade as a secrets-file
-                # Continue without stripping if secrets can't be loaded, or handle as critical error
+        # problem. (JSONDecodeError and UnicodeDecodeError are ValueErrors.)
-                # For now, we'll proceed cautiously and save the full new_config_data if secrets are unreadable
+        except (OSError, ValueError, RecursionError) as e:
-                # to prevent accidental data loss if the secrets file is temporarily corrupt.
+            error_msg = (
-                # A more robust approach might be to fail the save or use a cached version of secrets.
+                f"Refusing to save config: secrets file {self.secrets_path} exists "
+                f"but could not be loaded ({e}). Saving without it would write "
+                f"merged secret values into config.json in plaintext. Fix or "
+                f"remove the secrets file, then retry."
+            )
+            self.logger.error("[Config] %s", error_msg, exc_info=True)
+            raise ConfigError(error_msg, config_path=self.secrets_path) from e
+
+    def save_config(self, new_config_data: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+        """Save configuration to the main JSON file, stripping out secrets.
+
+        Raises ConfigError when the secrets file exists but cannot be loaded,
+        because stripping would be impossible and secrets would leak into
+        config.json.
+        """
+        secrets_content = self._load_secrets_for_save()
 
         config_to_write = self._strip_secrets_recursive(new_config_data, secrets_content)
 
@@ -339,11 +385,39 @@ class ConfigManager:
             return None
 
     def _deep_merge(self, target: Dict[str, Any], source: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
-        """Deep merge source dict into target dict."""
+        """Deep merge source dict into target dict.
+
+        Sole call site: merging config_secrets.json into the loaded config.
+        Understands the parallel-list shape separate_secrets emits for
+        array-item secrets (see _is_parallel_secrets_list): each secrets
+        list item is merged into the config list item at the same index
+        ({} placeholders skipped). The config list's length is
+        authoritative — a user deleting an array item from config.json
+        must not have it resurrected from a stale secrets entry."""
         for key, value in source.items():
             if key in target and isinstance(target[key], dict) and isinstance(value, dict):
                 self._deep_merge(target[key], value)
+            elif (key in target and isinstance(target[key], list)
+                    and self._is_parallel_secrets_list(value)):
+                tlist = target[key]
+                for i, s_item in enumerate(value):
+                    if i >= len(tlist):
+                        # Interpolate only config-side data here — nothing
+                        # iterated out of the secrets dict (not even the key
+                        # name) may reach the log.
+                        self.logger.warning(
+                            "A secrets list is longer than the config list it "
+                            "parallels (config has %d item(s)); ignoring the "
+                            "extra entries", len(tlist))
+                        break
+                    if not s_item:
+                        continue  # {} placeholder: item i has no secrets
+                    if isinstance(tlist[i], dict):
+                        self._deep_merge(tlist[i], s_item)
                     else:
+                        tlist[i] = s_item  # shape drift; the secret wins
+            else:
+                # Scalars AND whole-secret scalar arrays: replace (legacy).
                 target[key] = value
 
     def _create_config_from_template(self) -> None:

src/display_controller.py

@@ -44,6 +44,20 @@ from src.common.sync_manager import DisplaySyncManager, SyncRole
 # Get logger with consistent configuration
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
+# How long startup will wait for plugins to fetch their first data before
+# showing anything. Each plugin's update blocks for up to the executor's 30s
+# timeout and they run one after another, so the uncapped total is the sum of
+# every slow plugin: 82 seconds on the worst boot measured, with a blank panel
+# throughout. Whatever does not finish in time is picked up by the scheduled
+# update tick moments later, with the display already running.
+_INITIAL_UPDATE_BUDGET_SECONDS = 20.0
+
+# The least budget worth starting a plugin with. Below this the plugin is
+# deferred instead: granting it a floor would let the pass run past its
+# deadline, and granting it the true remainder would record a timeout for a
+# slot it never had a chance to use.
+_MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 2.0
+
 # Vegas mode import (lazy loaded to avoid circular imports)
 _vegas_mode_imported = False
 VegasModeCoordinator = None
@@ -90,7 +104,8 @@ class DisplayController:
         # Validate startup configuration
         try:
             from src.startup_validator import StartupValidator
-            validator = StartupValidator(self.config_manager)
+            validator = StartupValidator(self.config_manager,
+                                         cache_manager=self.cache_manager)
             is_valid, errors, warnings = validator.validate_all()
             
             if warnings:
@@ -258,7 +273,8 @@ class DisplayController:
             # Validate plugins after plugin manager is created
             try:
                 from src.startup_validator import StartupValidator
-                validator = StartupValidator(self.config_manager, self.plugin_manager)
+                validator = StartupValidator(self.config_manager, self.plugin_manager,
+                                             cache_manager=self.cache_manager)
                 is_valid, errors, warnings = validator.validate_all()
                 
                 if warnings:
@@ -461,7 +477,7 @@ class DisplayController:
         # Initial data update for plugins (ensures data available on first display)
         logger.info("Performing initial plugin data update...")
         update_start = time.time()
-        self._update_modules()
+        self._update_modules(deadline=update_start + _INITIAL_UPDATE_BUDGET_SECONDS)
         logger.info("Initial plugin update completed in %.3f seconds", time.time() - update_start)
 
         # Initialize Vegas mode coordinator
@@ -817,14 +833,42 @@ class DisplayController:
             self._cached_target_brightness = normal_brightness  # persist for minute-gate
             return normal_brightness
 
-    def _update_modules(self):
+    def _update_modules(self, deadline: Optional[float] = None):
-        """Update all plugin modules."""
+        """Update all plugin modules.
+
+        Args:
+            deadline: Wall-clock time after which remaining plugins are left
+                for the scheduled update tick instead of being waited on. Each
+                update blocks this thread for up to the executor's timeout, and
+                they run one after another, so without a bound the total is the
+                sum of every slow plugin on the system. Measured at startup on
+                a live rig: 82 seconds, 55 and 26 on the two boots before -- all
+                of it with nothing on the panel.
+        """
         if not self.plugin_manager:
             return
 
         # Update all loaded plugins
         plugins_dict = getattr(self.plugin_manager, 'loaded_plugins', None) or getattr(self.plugin_manager, 'plugins', {})
+        deferred = []
         for plugin_id, plugin_instance in plugins_dict.items():
+            update_timeout = None
+            if deadline is not None:
+                update_timeout = deadline - time.time()
+                if update_timeout < _MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS:
+                    # Too little left to be worth starting. Deferring rather
+                    # than granting a floor keeps the budget a real ceiling --
+                    # clamping up to a minimum let a plugin that began with a
+                    # sliver left run on past the deadline -- and a plugin
+                    # handed a slot it cannot use would just be recorded as
+                    # having timed out.
+                    #
+                    # Nothing is lost either way: a plugin that has never
+                    # updated is immediately due, so run_scheduled_updates()
+                    # picks it up within seconds, with the display already
+                    # running.
+                    deferred.append(plugin_id)
+                    continue
             # Check circuit breaker before attempting update
             if hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'health_tracker') and self.plugin_manager.health_tracker:
                 if self.plugin_manager.health_tracker.should_skip_plugin(plugin_id):
@@ -833,7 +877,13 @@ class DisplayController:
             
             # Use PluginExecutor if available for safe execution
             if hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'plugin_executor'):
-                success = self.plugin_manager.plugin_executor.execute_update(plugin_instance, plugin_id)
+                # The remaining budget is the timeout, so the pass cannot
+                # run past its deadline. Bounding the loop alone did not do
+                # it: the last plugin to start could still block for the
+                # executor's full 30s, which turned a 20s budget into a 31.8s
+                # pass on the rig.
+                success = self.plugin_manager.plugin_executor.execute_update(
+                    plugin_instance, plugin_id, timeout=update_timeout)
                 if success and hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'plugin_last_update'):
                     self.plugin_manager.plugin_last_update[plugin_id] = time.time()
             else:
@@ -852,6 +902,12 @@ class DisplayController:
                     if hasattr(self.plugin_manager, 'health_tracker') and self.plugin_manager.health_tracker:
                         self.plugin_manager.health_tracker.record_failure(plugin_id, exc)
 
+        if deferred:
+            logger.info(
+                "Initial update budget spent; %d plugin(s) left to the update "
+                "tick so the display can start: %s",
+                len(deferred), ", ".join(deferred))
+
     def _tick_plugin_updates_for_vegas(self) -> None:
         """Run scheduled plugin updates and tell Vegas mode which plugins
         actually got fresh data, so it can hot-swap them into the scroll
@@ -1638,6 +1694,12 @@ class DisplayController:
                 logger.warning("Error checking live priority for %s: %s", mode_name, e)
         return live
 
+    def _vegas_keeps_live_in_ticker(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether live content should stay in the ticker instead of preempting it."""
+        coordinator = getattr(self, 'vegas_coordinator', None)
+        config = getattr(coordinator, 'vegas_config', None)
+        return bool(getattr(config, 'live_in_ticker', False))
+
     def _check_live_priority(self, advance=False):
         """Return the live-priority mode to display, or None if nothing is live.
 
@@ -1851,14 +1913,24 @@ class DisplayController:
                 # Check for live priority content and switch to it immediately.
                 # advance=True so multiple simultaneously-live games take turns
                 # (round-robin) instead of pinning to the first plugin.
-                if not self.on_demand_active and not wifi_status_data:
+                # Skipped when the ticker is keeping live content: switching
+                # the rotation underneath Vegas would move current_mode_index
+                # and stash a resume point for a takeover that never happens.
+                if (not self.on_demand_active and not wifi_status_data
+                        and not (self._is_vegas_mode_active()
+                                 and self._vegas_keeps_live_in_ticker())):
                     live_priority_mode = self._check_live_priority(advance=True)
                     self._apply_live_priority(live_priority_mode)
 
                 # Vegas scroll mode - continuous ticker across all plugins
                 # Priority: on-demand > wifi-status > live-priority > vegas > normal rotation
                 if self._is_vegas_mode_active() and not wifi_status_data:
-                    live_mode = self._check_live_priority()
+                    # Live content normally preempts the ticker entirely. With
+                    # vegas_scroll.live_in_ticker the marquee keeps running and
+                    # the live plugin takes extra turns inside it instead --
+                    # see StreamManager._apply_priority_weights.
+                    live_mode = (None if self._vegas_keeps_live_in_ticker()
+                                 else self._check_live_priority())
                     if not live_mode:
                         try:
                             # Run Vegas mode iteration

src/display_manager.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ the same object.
 
 import json
 import os
+import socket
 import tempfile
 if os.getenv("EMULATOR", "false") == "true":
     from RGBMatrixEmulator import RGBMatrix, RGBMatrixOptions
@@ -258,6 +259,26 @@ class DisplayManager:
         # Initialize managers
         # Calendar manager is now initialized by DisplayController
         
+    # Orientation setting -> rpi-rgb-led-matrix "Rotate:<deg>" pixel-mapper suffix.
+    # "normal" needs no suffix since 0 degrees is the identity transform.
+    _ORIENTATION_ROTATE_DEGREES = {'normal': None, '90': 90, '180': 180, '270': 270}
+
+    def _build_pixel_mapper_config(self, hardware_config: dict) -> str:
+        """Compose the raw pixel_mapper_config string with the orientation setting.
+
+        `pixel_mapper_config` stays available as a free-form advanced field (e.g.
+        for "U-mapper" chain layouts); `orientation` is the user-facing dropdown
+        for physical mounting (e.g. panels mounted upside down) and is appended as
+        a "Rotate:<deg>" mapper rather than overwriting any existing config.
+        """
+        base_mapper = (hardware_config.get('pixel_mapper_config') or '').strip()
+        orientation = hardware_config.get('orientation', 'normal')
+        degrees = self._ORIENTATION_ROTATE_DEGREES.get(orientation)
+        if degrees is None:
+            return base_mapper
+        rotate_mapper = f'Rotate:{degrees}'
+        return f'{base_mapper};{rotate_mapper}' if base_mapper else rotate_mapper
+
     def _setup_matrix(self):
         """Initialize the RGB matrix with configuration settings."""
         _init_error_str = None
@@ -283,7 +304,7 @@ class DisplayManager:
             options.pwm_bits = hardware_config.get('pwm_bits', 10)
             options.pwm_lsb_nanoseconds = hardware_config.get('pwm_lsb_nanoseconds', 150)
             options.led_rgb_sequence = hardware_config.get('led_rgb_sequence', 'RGB')
-            options.pixel_mapper_config = hardware_config.get('pixel_mapper_config', '')
+            options.pixel_mapper_config = self._build_pixel_mapper_config(hardware_config)
             options.row_address_type = hardware_config.get('row_address_type', 0)
             options.multiplexing = hardware_config.get('multiplexing', 0)
             options.panel_type = hardware_config.get('panel_type', '')
@@ -497,6 +518,91 @@ class DisplayManager:
             logger.warning(f"[BRIGHTNESS] Matrix does not support brightness property: {e}", exc_info=True)
             return -1
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _local_ip() -> Optional[str]:
+        """This device's address on the network it routes through, or None.
+
+        Deliberately not `hostname -I` or a systemctl probe for AP mode, which
+        is how the web launcher does it: both spawn processes with multi-second
+        timeouts, and this runs on the startup path the rest of this change
+        exists to shorten. Connecting a UDP socket sends no packets -- it only
+        asks the kernel which source address it would use -- so it costs
+        microseconds and works with the network down, as long as a route
+        exists.
+        """
+        sock = None
+        try:
+            sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
+            sock.settimeout(0.2)
+            sock.connect(("8.8.8.8", 80))  # nosec B104 - no traffic; selects a route
+            ip = sock.getsockname()[0]
+            return ip if ip and not ip.startswith("127.") else None
+        except OSError:
+            return None
+        finally:
+            if sock is not None:
+                try:
+                    sock.close()
+                except OSError:
+                    pass
+
+    def _fitting_font(self, lines, width):
+        """The largest font from the usual ladder that fits every line."""
+        candidates = [self.font,
+                      ("assets/fonts/4x6-font.ttf", 6)]
+        for candidate in candidates:
+            try:
+                font = candidate
+                if isinstance(candidate, tuple):
+                    font = ImageFont.truetype(candidate[0], candidate[1])
+                if all(self.draw.textlength(t, font=font) <= width for t in lines):
+                    return font
+            except (OSError, ValueError, AttributeError):
+                continue
+        return self.font
+
+    def _draw_startup_banner(self, lines, width: int, height: int) -> None:
+        """Centre `lines` over whatever the test pattern already drew.
+
+        This screen stays on the panel for the whole initial plugin update, and
+        on a headless Pi it is the only place the device's address appears
+        without going looking for it -- so it has to be readable off a wall,
+        not merely present.
+
+        The font is chosen to fit rather than fixed at 8px: "Initializing" is
+        96px in PressStart2P, which ran off the side of a 64px panel even
+        before an address was added. And the pattern is punched out behind the
+        text, because the diagonal runs through the middle of the panel, which
+        is exactly where this sits.
+
+        The text stays blue. It is not decoration: the pattern draws one pure
+        channel per element -- red border, green diagonal, blue text -- so that
+        a glance at the panel says whether led_rgb_sequence is right. Swap the
+        wiring to BGR and the border comes up blue and this text red. Drawing
+        it white would light all three channels and destroy the only blue
+        reference on the screen, which is why it is worth a comment rather
+        than a quiet preference.
+        """
+        if not lines:
+            return
+        font = self._fitting_font(lines, width - 2)
+        line_height = self.draw.textbbox((0, 0), "Ag", font=font)[3] + 1
+        block_height = line_height * len(lines)
+        block_top = max(1, (height - block_height) // 2)
+        block_width = max(self.draw.textlength(t, font=font) for t in lines)
+        block_left = max(0, (width - block_width) // 2)
+
+        self.draw.rectangle(
+            [block_left - 2, block_top - 1,
+             block_left + block_width + 1, block_top + block_height],
+            fill=(0, 0, 0))
+
+        for row, line in enumerate(lines):
+            line_width = self.draw.textlength(line, font=font)
+            self.draw.text(
+                (max(0, (width - line_width) // 2), block_top + row * line_height),
+                line, font=font, fill=(0, 0, 255))
+
     def _draw_test_pattern(self):
         """Draw a test pattern to verify the display is working."""
         try:
@@ -516,8 +622,11 @@ class DisplayManager:
             # Draw a diagonal line
             self.draw.line([0, 0, self.matrix.width-1, self.matrix.height-1], fill=(0, 255, 0))
             
-            # Draw some text - changed from "TEST" to "Initializing" with smaller font
+            lines = ["Initializing"]
-            self.draw.text((10, 10), "Initializing", font=self.font, fill=(0, 0, 255))
+            ip = self._local_ip()
+            if ip:
+                lines.append(ip)
+            self._draw_startup_banner(lines, self.matrix.width, self.matrix.height)
             
             # Update the display once after everything is drawn
             self.update_display()

src/dynamic_team_resolver.py

@@ -168,9 +168,13 @@ class DynamicTeamResolver:
                 # Sort by ranking (1, 2, 3, etc.)
                 sorted_rankings = dict(sorted(rankings.items(), key=lambda x: x[1]))
 
-                # Cache the results
+                # Cache the results ON THE CLASS. Assigning through self
-                self._rankings_cache = sorted_rankings
+                # would create instance attributes that shadow the shared
-                self._cache_timestamp = current_time
+                # class-level cache, making it per-instance — and every
+                # scoreboard constructs its own resolver, so the cache
+                # would never actually be shared.
+                DynamicTeamResolver._rankings_cache = sorted_rankings
+                DynamicTeamResolver._cache_timestamp = current_time
                 
                 self.logger.info(f"Fetched rankings for {len(sorted_rankings)} teams")
                 return sorted_rankings
@@ -216,9 +220,11 @@ class DynamicTeamResolver:
         return any(pattern in team_name.upper() for pattern in dynamic_patterns)
     
     def clear_cache(self):
-        """Clear the rankings cache to force fresh data on next request."""
+        """Clear the SHARED rankings cache to force fresh data on next
-        self._rankings_cache = {}
+        request. Writes through the class — assigning via self would only
-        self._cache_timestamp = 0
+        shadow the shared cache for this instance."""
+        DynamicTeamResolver._rankings_cache = {}
+        DynamicTeamResolver._cache_timestamp = 0
         self.logger.info("Cleared dynamic team rankings cache")
 
 

src/logging_config.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Provides consistent logging configuration across the LEDMatrix application.
 Supports structured logging with context information and appropriate log levels.
 """
 
+import copy
 import logging
 import sys
 import os
@@ -65,8 +66,12 @@ class ContextualFormatter(logging.Formatter):
         self.include_context = include_context
     
     def format(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> str:
-        """Format log record with context."""
+        """Format log record with context.
-        # Add context to message if present
+
+        Works on a shallow copy of the record: a record is formatted once
+        PER HANDLER, so mutating record.msg in place (the old behavior)
+        prepended the context prefix again for every additional handler.
+        """
         if self.include_context:
             context_parts = []
 
@@ -81,6 +86,7 @@ class ContextualFormatter(logging.Formatter):
                     context_parts.append(f"[{key}: {value}]")
 
             if context_parts:
+                record = copy.copy(record)
                 record.msg = ' '.join(context_parts) + ' ' + str(record.msg)
 
         return super().format(record)
@@ -224,8 +230,11 @@ def log_warning(logger: logging.Logger, message: str, **kwargs) -> None:
 
 
 def log_error(logger: logging.Logger, message: str, **kwargs) -> None:
-    """Log error message with context."""
+    """Log error message with context. Defaults exc_info=True; a caller
-    log_with_context(logger, logging.ERROR, message, **kwargs, exc_info=True)
+    passing exc_info explicitly wins (the old hardcoded keyword raised
+    TypeError on that duplicate)."""
+    kwargs.setdefault('exc_info', True)
+    log_with_context(logger, logging.ERROR, message, **kwargs)
 
 
 def log_debug(logger: logging.Logger, message: str, **kwargs) -> None:

src/plugin_system/base_plugin.py

@@ -364,8 +364,10 @@ class BasePlugin(ABC):
                 # Handle None case
                 if duration is None:
                     pass  # Fall through to config
-                # Try to convert to float if it's a number or numeric string
+                # Try to convert to float if it's a number or numeric string.
-                elif isinstance(duration, (int, float)):
+                # bool is excluded: it's an int subclass, and True would
+                # otherwise read as a 1-second duration.
+                elif isinstance(duration, (int, float)) and not isinstance(duration, bool):
                     if duration > 0:
                         return float(duration)
                     else:
@@ -403,8 +405,9 @@ class BasePlugin(ABC):
         # Fall back to config
         config_duration = self.config.get("display_duration", 15.0)
         try:
-            # Ensure config value is also a valid float
+            # Ensure config value is also a valid float (bool excluded — an
-            if isinstance(config_duration, (int, float)):
+            # int subclass that would otherwise read True as 1 second)
+            if isinstance(config_duration, (int, float)) and not isinstance(config_duration, bool):
                 if config_duration > 0:
                     return float(config_duration)
                 else:
@@ -552,6 +555,48 @@ class BasePlugin(ABC):
         """
         return False
 
+    def get_vegas_priority_weight(self) -> Optional[int]:
+        """How many slots per Vegas cycle this plugin should get, or None.
+
+        The Vegas ticker is otherwise a strict round robin: every plugin
+        appears exactly once per cycle. With a dozen plugins enabled that puts
+        minutes between a live score and its next appearance. A weight of N
+        gives the plugin N slots per cycle, spread evenly through it rather
+        than clumped together.
+
+        Return ``None`` (the default) to let the core decide. It gives a
+        plugin ``vegas_scroll.live_weight`` when ``has_live_priority()`` and
+        ``has_live_content()`` are both true, and 1 otherwise -- so live sports
+        already get extra turns without implementing this at all.
+
+        Implement it only when the plugin knows something the core cannot. The
+        motivating case is favorite teams: the core can see *that* a game is
+        live but not *whose*, so a scoreboard that wants its favorite's game
+        shown more often than other live games has to say so::
+
+            def get_vegas_priority_weight(self):
+                if not (self.has_live_priority() and self.has_live_content()):
+                    return None                      # let the core decide
+                cfg = self.global_config.get('display', {}).get('vegas_scroll', {})
+                if self._favorite_is_live():
+                    return cfg.get('favorite_live_weight', 5)
+                return cfg.get('live_weight', 3)
+
+        The weight is per *plugin*, not per game. A scoreboard showing four
+        live games still occupies one slot at a time and rotates its own games
+        within that slot; this controls how often the plugin itself comes
+        round.
+
+        Raising is safe: the core logs it and falls back to its own
+        live-content check, so a broken weight calculation costs the plugin
+        the favorite distinction but not the live boost.
+
+        Returns:
+            Slots per cycle (clamped to 1..10 by the caller), or None to
+            defer to the core's own live-content weighting.
+        """
+        return None
+
     def get_live_modes(self) -> List[str]:
         """
         Get list of display modes that should be used during live priority takeover.
@@ -794,10 +839,12 @@ class BasePlugin(ABC):
                 self.logger.error("'enabled' must be a boolean")
                 return False
 
-        # Check display_duration if present
+        # Check display_duration if present. bool is excluded explicitly:
+        # it's an int subclass, and get_display_duration rejects it too.
         if "display_duration" in self.config:
             duration = self.config["display_duration"]
-            if not isinstance(duration, (int, float)) or duration <= 0:
+            if (not isinstance(duration, (int, float))
+                    or isinstance(duration, bool) or duration <= 0):
                 self.logger.error("'display_duration' must be a positive number")
                 return False
 

src/plugin_system/compatibility.py

@@ -180,6 +180,45 @@ def declared_min_version(manifest: Dict[str, Any]) -> Optional[str]:
     return None
 
 
+def is_update_available(installed_version: str, latest_version: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True when the registry's ``latest_version`` is strictly newer
+    than the installed version.
+
+    THE shared comparator for "should this plugin be updated?" — used by both
+    the web UI's update badge (`api_v3._is_plugin_update_available`) and the
+    store's `update_plugin` reinstall decision, so the two can never disagree.
+
+    Uses PEP 440-aware comparison (``packaging``), which also normalizes
+    equivalent spellings: ``v1.2.0`` == ``1.2.0`` and ``1.2`` == ``1.2.0``, so
+    cosmetic differences never trigger a reinstall — and a locally modified
+    plugin whose version is *ahead* of the registry is never "updated"
+    (downgraded). If either version string can't be parsed the mismatch is
+    surfaced (True) so the user can reconcile, rather than silently hiding a
+    potential update.
+    """
+    if not installed_version or not latest_version:
+        return False
+    if not isinstance(installed_version, str) or not isinstance(latest_version, str):
+        # A malformed manifest/registry can carry a number (1.2) or worse;
+        # packaging would raise TypeError. Surface the mismatch instead.
+        return True
+    if installed_version == latest_version:
+        return False
+    try:
+        from packaging.version import parse as _parse_version, InvalidVersion
+    except ImportError:
+        # packaging is a core dependency, but if it's somehow unavailable we
+        # can't compare semantically — surface the mismatch we already know
+        # exists (the two strings differ).
+        return True
+    try:
+        return _parse_version(latest_version) > _parse_version(installed_version)
+    except InvalidVersion:
+        # Unparseable version string: we can't tell direction, so surface the
+        # mismatch rather than silently hiding a potential update.
+        return True
+
+
 def check(manifest: Dict[str, Any], core_version: str) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[str]]:
     """Return ``(compatible, reason)``.
 

src/plugin_system/plugin_health.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ and circuit breaker state. Provides automatic recovery mechanisms.
 
 import time
 import logging
-from typing import Dict, Optional, Any
+from typing import Dict, Optional, Any, Tuple
 from enum import Enum
 
 
@@ -64,10 +64,48 @@ class PluginHealthTracker:
             cache_key, max_age=None, memory_ttl=0 if force_reload else None
         )
 
-        if cached:
+        if isinstance(cached, dict) and cached:
-            return cached
+            # Complete it rather than trusting it: a persisted record can be
+            # missing fields the callers index directly (a partial write, a
+            # restored backup, an older schema), and returning it verbatim makes
+            # record_success / record_failure raise KeyError, which takes the
+            # display down in a restart loop that survives reboots because the
+            # bad entry is on disk.
+            state, repaired = self._repair_health_state(cached)
+            if repaired:
+                self.logger.warning(
+                    f"Repaired health state for {plugin_id}: "
+                    f"{sorted(repaired)} missing or invalid, using defaults for those."
+                )
+            return state
 
-        # Default state
+        # Not a dict at all: written by something other than
+        # _save_health_state (a key collision, a corrupted entry). Nothing to
+        # salvage.
+        if cached is not None and not isinstance(cached, dict):
+            self.logger.warning(
+                f"Discarding malformed health state for {plugin_id}: expected "
+                f"dict, got {type(cached).__name__}. Falling back to defaults."
+            )
+
+        return self._default_health_state()
+    
+    def _save_health_state(self, plugin_id: str, state: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+        """Save health state to cache."""
+        cache_key = self._get_health_key(plugin_id)
+        self.cache_manager.set(cache_key, state)  # Persist indefinitely
+        self._health_state[plugin_id] = state
+    
+    # The fields callers index directly (state['circuit_state'] and friends).
+    # A cached dict missing any of them raises KeyError deep in record_success /
+    # record_failure, so the value is completed before it is handed out.
+    _COUNTER_FIELDS = ('consecutive_failures', 'total_failures', 'total_successes')
+    _TIMESTAMP_FIELDS = ('last_success_time', 'last_failure_time',
+                         'circuit_opened_time', 'half_open_start_time')
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _default_health_state() -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        """A fresh state with every field the callers expect."""
         return {
             'consecutive_failures': 0,
             'total_failures': 0,
@@ -77,14 +115,55 @@ class PluginHealthTracker:
             'circuit_state': CircuitState.CLOSED.value,
             'circuit_opened_time': None,
             'half_open_start_time': None,
-            'last_error': None
+            'last_error': None,
         }
 
-    def _save_health_state(self, plugin_id: str, state: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    @classmethod
-        """Save health state to cache."""
+    def _repair_health_state(cls, cached: Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[Dict[str, Any], list]:
-        cache_key = self._get_health_key(plugin_id)
+        """Return `cached` completed against the defaults, plus what was repaired.
-        self.cache_manager.set(cache_key, state)  # Persist indefinitely
+
-        self._health_state[plugin_id] = state
+        Per-field rather than all-or-nothing: a record that has real failure
+        counts but is missing `last_error` should keep the counts, not be reset
+        to healthy. Only values that are absent or the wrong type fall back to
+        the default, so a partial or older-schema record survives with whatever
+        it does carry, while every field the callers index is guaranteed present
+        and of a usable type.
+        """
+        state = cls._default_health_state()
+        repaired = []
+        for field, default in state.items():
+            if field not in cached:
+                repaired.append(field)
+                continue
+            value = cached[field]
+            if field in cls._COUNTER_FIELDS:
+                ok = isinstance(value, int) and not isinstance(value, bool) and value >= 0
+            elif field in cls._TIMESTAMP_FIELDS:
+                # bool is a subclass of int, so True would pass as a timestamp
+                # and then compare as 1.0 -- expiring a cooldown the instant it
+                # opens, or (False) making the elapsed check never fire.
+                ok = value is None or (
+                    isinstance(value, (int, float)) and not isinstance(value, bool)
+                )
+            elif field == 'circuit_state':
+                # Membership first requires the value to be hashable: a list or
+                # dict here would raise TypeError out of the repair itself,
+                # which is the crash this whole path exists to prevent.
+                ok = isinstance(value, str) and value in {
+                    member.value for member in CircuitState
+                }
+            else:  # last_error
+                ok = value is None or isinstance(value, str)
+            if ok:
+                state[field] = value
+            else:
+                repaired.append(field)
+        # Anything the schema has since grown (degraded, degraded_reason) is
+        # read with .get() by its callers, so carry it through untouched.
+        for field, value in cached.items():
+            if field not in state:
+                state[field] = value
+        return state, repaired
 
     def get_health_state(self, plugin_id: str, force_reload: bool = False) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Get current health state for a plugin.

src/plugin_system/plugin_loader.py

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import sys
 import subprocess
 import threading
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Dict, Any, Optional, Tuple, Type
+from typing import Dict, Any, List, Optional, Tuple, Type
 import logging
 
 from packaging.requirements import InvalidRequirement, Requirement
@@ -45,6 +45,76 @@ def requirements_has_real_deps(requirements_file: str) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+def _extra_dependencies(dist_name: str, extras) -> Optional[List[Requirement]]:
+    """Dependencies a distribution declares *only* behind the given extras.
+
+    Returns None when the installed metadata cannot be read or parsed, so the
+    caller can fall back to running pip rather than assuming anything.
+    """
+    try:
+        meta = importlib.metadata.metadata(dist_name)
+    except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+        return None
+
+    gated: List[Requirement] = []
+    for raw in meta.get_all('Requires-Dist') or []:
+        try:
+            dep = Requirement(raw)
+        except InvalidRequirement:
+            return None
+        if dep.marker is None:
+            continue
+        # Keep only what the distribution gates behind an extra we asked for:
+        # satisfied when `extra` is that name, but not when no extra is
+        # requested. A marker that holds either way (python_version, sys_platform)
+        # belongs to the base install and is already covered by the version check.
+        if dep.marker.evaluate({'extra': ''}):
+            continue
+        if any(dep.marker.evaluate({'extra': extra}) for extra in extras):
+            gated.append(dep)
+    return gated
+
+
+def _extras_are_satisfied(req: Requirement, _visited: Optional[set] = None) -> bool:
+    """Check the dependencies pulled in by req's extras are installed.
+
+    Follows extras through nested extras. A gated dependency can itself request
+    one (`requests[socks]`), and checking only that `requests` is installed at
+    an acceptable version says nothing about whether the socks extra's own
+    dependency is there -- so the caller would skip pip and the plugin would
+    fail at import instead. Plain dependencies are still checked one level
+    deep, which is all that is needed to tell "the extra was installed" from
+    "the extra was never installed".
+
+    `_visited` carries the (distribution, extras) pairs already seen, so a
+    dependency cycle between extras terminates instead of recursing forever.
+    Anything unreadable returns False, so the caller still falls through to pip.
+    """
+    if _visited is None:
+        _visited = set()
+    marker = (req.name.lower(), frozenset(e.lower() for e in req.extras))
+    if marker in _visited:
+        # Already accounted for higher up the chain; treating a cycle as
+        # satisfied here is safe because the outer frame still has to pass.
+        return True
+    _visited.add(marker)
+
+    gated = _extra_dependencies(req.name, req.extras)
+    if gated is None:
+        return False
+
+    for dep in gated:
+        try:
+            dep_version = importlib.metadata.version(dep.name)
+        except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+            return False
+        if dep.specifier and not dep.specifier.contains(dep_version, prereleases=True):
+            return False
+        if dep.extras and not _extras_are_satisfied(dep, _visited):
+            return False
+    return True
+
+
 def requirements_are_satisfied(requirements_file: str) -> bool:
     """
     Check whether every real requirement line in requirements.txt is already
@@ -76,9 +146,6 @@ def requirements_are_satisfied(requirements_file: str) -> bool:
         except InvalidRequirement:
             return False
 
-        if req.extras:
-            return False  # verifying extras' sub-dependencies isn't worth it here
-
         if req.marker is not None and not req.marker.evaluate():
             continue  # not applicable on this platform/interpreter
 
@@ -90,6 +157,9 @@ def requirements_are_satisfied(requirements_file: str) -> bool:
         if req.specifier and not req.specifier.contains(installed_version, prereleases=True):
             return False
 
+        if req.extras and not _extras_are_satisfied(req):
+            return False
+
     return True
 
 

src/plugin_system/plugin_manager.py

@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ class PluginManager:
         self._plugin_locks: Dict[str, threading.Lock] = {}
         self._plugin_locks_guard = threading.Lock()
         self._update_worker: Optional[threading.Thread] = None
+        # Plugin ids whose update() has finished since the last time anyone
+        # asked. Updates are dispatched to a worker thread, so a caller that
+        # wants to know "whose data just changed" cannot learn it by diffing
+        # plugin_last_update around run_scheduled_updates() -- that call only
+        # enqueues, and the timestamp is stamped later, on the worker. See
+        # run_scheduled_updates_with_changes().
+        self._completed_updates: set = set()
+        self._completed_updates_lock = threading.Lock()
         self._synchronous_updates = False
         if self.config_manager is not None:
             try:
@@ -1025,6 +1033,7 @@ class PluginManager:
                 if success:
                     with self._plugin_last_update_lock:
                         self.plugin_last_update[plugin_id] = scheduled_time
+                    self._note_update_completed(plugin_id)
                     self.state_manager.record_update(plugin_id)
                     self.state_manager.set_state(plugin_id, PluginState.ENABLED)
                     if self.health_tracker:
@@ -1089,28 +1098,41 @@ class PluginManager:
 
     def run_scheduled_updates_with_changes(self, current_time: Optional[float] = None) -> List[str]:
         """
-        Like run_scheduled_updates(), but also returns the plugin_ids whose
+        Like run_scheduled_updates(), but also reports which plugins have
-        plugin_last_update timestamp actually advanced during this call.
+        fresh data -- the ids whose update() has finished since the last
+        call, not necessarily the ones enqueued by this one.
 
-        The before/after snapshots and the update pass itself are each
+        That distinction is the whole point. This used to snapshot
-        individually lock-protected against concurrent plugin_last_update
+        plugin_last_update, call run_scheduled_updates(), and diff. But
-        mutation (Vegas mode calls this from its own background
+        run_scheduled_updates() only *enqueues*: the work runs on the
-        update-tick thread, racing the main render loop's plugin updates),
+        update worker and the timestamp is stamped there, after this method
-        so callers get an atomic "who got fresh data" answer without
+        has already returned. The two snapshots were therefore always
-        reaching into plugin_last_update themselves. The lock is not held
+        identical and the result was always empty, so Vegas never learned
-        across the update pass so slow/blocking plugin update() calls don't
+        that any plugin's data had changed and kept scrolling whatever a
-        serialize against other plugin_last_update readers.
+        segment was first built from -- last night's live game still drawn
+        as live the next morning. The only path that ever worked was the
+        synchronous kill-switch, where update() runs inline.
+
+        Reporting completions instead of enqueues costs a poll's worth of
+        latency (the Vegas tick runs every ~4s) and is correct regardless of
+        which side of the queue the work lands on.
         """
-        with self._plugin_last_update_lock:
-            old_times = dict(self.plugin_last_update)
-
         self.run_scheduled_updates(current_time)
+        return self.drain_completed_updates()
 
-        with self._plugin_last_update_lock:
+    def _note_update_completed(self, plugin_id: str) -> None:
-            return [
+        """Record that a plugin's update() finished, for the next poll."""
-                plugin_id for plugin_id, new_time in self.plugin_last_update.items()
+        with self._completed_updates_lock:
-                if new_time > old_times.get(plugin_id, 0.0)
+            self._completed_updates.add(plugin_id)
-            ]
+
+    def drain_completed_updates(self) -> List[str]:
+        """Return and clear the plugin ids whose update() has since finished."""
+        with self._completed_updates_lock:
+            if not self._completed_updates:
+                return []
+            done = sorted(self._completed_updates)
+            self._completed_updates.clear()
+            return done
 
     def update_all_plugins(self) -> None:
         """
@@ -1135,6 +1157,7 @@ class PluginManager:
                 if success:
                     with self._plugin_last_update_lock:
                         self.plugin_last_update[plugin_id] = time.time()
+                    self._note_update_completed(plugin_id)
                     self.state_manager.record_update(plugin_id)
                     self.state_manager.set_state(plugin_id, PluginState.ENABLED)
                 else:

src/plugin_system/saved_repositories.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Manages saved GitHub repository URLs for easy plugin discovery and installation.
 
 import json
 import logging
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List, Dict, Optional
 
@@ -43,20 +44,45 @@ class SavedRepositoriesManager:
             return []
     
     def _save_repositories(self) -> bool:
-        """Save repositories to file."""
+        """Save repositories to file atomically.
+
+        Writes to a temp file in the same directory and os.replace()s it
+        over the target, so a failed write can never truncate or
+        half-overwrite an existing saved_repositories.json.
+        """
+        tmp_path = self.config_path.with_suffix(self.config_path.suffix + '.tmp')
         try:
             # Ensure directory exists
             self.config_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
-            with open(self.config_path, 'w') as f:
+            with open(tmp_path, 'w') as f:
                 json.dump(self.repositories, f, indent=2)
+                f.flush()
+                os.fsync(f.fileno())
+            os.replace(tmp_path, self.config_path)
 
             self.logger.info(f"Saved {len(self.repositories)} repositories to {self.config_path}")
             return True
         except Exception as e:
             self.logger.error(f"Error saving repositories: {e}")
+            try:
+                tmp_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+            except OSError:
+                pass
             return False
     
+    @staticmethod
+    def _clean_url(repo_url: str) -> str:
+        """Normalize a repo URL: strip whitespace, trailing slashes, and a
+        trailing ``.git`` suffix ONLY. (The old ``.replace('.git', '')``
+        was an unanchored substring replace that mangled URLs merely
+        containing ``.git``, e.g. ``https://github.com/user/my.github.io``.)
+        """
+        repo_url = repo_url.strip().rstrip('/')
+        if repo_url.endswith('.git'):
+            repo_url = repo_url[:-4]
+        return repo_url
+
     def get_all(self) -> List[Dict[str, str]]:
         """Get all saved repositories."""
         return self.repositories.copy()
@@ -72,8 +98,7 @@ class SavedRepositoriesManager:
         Returns:
             True if added successfully
         """
-        # Clean URL
+        repo_url = self._clean_url(repo_url)
-        repo_url = repo_url.strip().rstrip('/').replace('.git', '')
 
         # Check if already exists
         for repo in self.repositories:
@@ -96,7 +121,12 @@ class SavedRepositoriesManager:
             'type': 'registry' if 'plugins.json' in repo_url or 'ledmatrix-plugins' in repo_url.lower() else 'single'
         })
 
-        return self._save_repositories()
+        if not self._save_repositories():
+            # Keep memory consistent with disk: a failed save must not leave
+            # a phantom entry that only this process can see.
+            self.repositories.pop()
+            return False
+        return True
     
     def remove(self, repo_url: str) -> bool:
         """
@@ -108,21 +138,25 @@ class SavedRepositoriesManager:
         Returns:
             True if removed successfully
         """
-        # Clean URL
+        repo_url = self._clean_url(repo_url)
-        repo_url = repo_url.strip().rstrip('/').replace('.git', '')
 
-        original_count = len(self.repositories)
+        previous = self.repositories
-        self.repositories = [r for r in self.repositories if r.get('url') != repo_url]
+        remaining = [r for r in previous if r.get('url') != repo_url]
 
-        if len(self.repositories) < original_count:
+        if len(remaining) < len(previous):
-            return self._save_repositories()
+            self.repositories = remaining
+            if not self._save_repositories():
+                # Failed save: restore so memory matches disk.
+                self.repositories = previous
+                return False
+            return True
         else:
             self.logger.warning(f"Repository not found: {repo_url}")
             return False
     
     def has(self, repo_url: str) -> bool:
         """Check if a repository is already saved."""
-        repo_url = repo_url.strip().rstrip('/').replace('.git', '')
+        repo_url = self._clean_url(repo_url)
         return any(r.get('url') == repo_url for r in self.repositories)
     
     def get_registry_repositories(self) -> List[Dict[str, str]]:

src/plugin_system/store_manager.py

@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
         """
         registry = self.fetch_registry()
         plugins = registry.get('plugins', []) or []
-        plugin_info = next((p for p in plugins if p['id'] == plugin_id), None)
+        plugin_info = self._match_registry_entry(plugins, plugin_id)
 
         if not plugin_info:
             return None
@@ -1183,6 +1183,37 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
 
         return plugin_info
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _match_registry_entry(plugins: List[Dict], plugin_id: str) -> Optional[Dict]:
+        """Find a registry entry by its id, or by the directory it installs to.
+
+        Four shipped plugins have a registry ``id`` that differs from the ``id``
+        in their own manifest: ``weather`` installs to ``plugins/ledmatrix-weather``,
+        and likewise stocks, music and leaderboard. Installation already prefers
+        the manifest id for the directory name, so on disk, in ``config.json``
+        and in a backup manifest those plugins are called ``ledmatrix-weather``.
+
+        Only the registry calls them ``weather``, and nothing resolved that in
+        reverse: restoring a backup asked the store for ``ledmatrix-weather``
+        and got "Plugin not found in registry", silently dropping four enabled
+        plugins from a restored device.
+
+        Matching ``plugin_path`` fixes it without renaming any published id,
+        which would orphan ``plugin_state.json`` entries keyed on the old ones.
+        Exact id always wins, so an entry whose *path* happens to collide with
+        another entry's id cannot shadow it.
+        """
+        if not plugin_id:
+            return None
+        exact = next((p for p in plugins if p.get('id') == plugin_id), None)
+        if exact is not None:
+            return exact
+        for entry in plugins:
+            path = (entry.get('plugin_path') or '').rstrip('/')
+            if path and path.rsplit('/', 1)[-1] == plugin_id:
+                return entry
+        return None
+
     def get_registry_info(self, plugin_id: str) -> Optional[Dict]:
         """
         Get plugin information from the registry cache only (no GitHub API calls).
@@ -1198,7 +1229,7 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
         """
         registry = self.fetch_registry()
         plugins = registry.get('plugins', []) or []
-        return next((p for p in plugins if p.get('id') == plugin_id), None)
+        return self._match_registry_entry(plugins, plugin_id)
     
     def install_plugin(self, plugin_id: str, branch: Optional[str] = None) -> bool:
         """Install a plugin, keeping any existing install until the new one is
@@ -2969,7 +3000,10 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
             remote_branch = plugin_info_remote.get('branch') or plugin_info_remote.get('default_branch')
 
             # Compare local manifest version against registry latest_version
-            # to avoid unnecessary reinstalls for monorepo plugins
+            # to avoid unnecessary reinstalls for monorepo plugins. Uses the
+            # same semantic comparator as the web UI's update badge, so
+            # equivalent spellings ("v1.2.0" vs "1.2.0") never trigger a
+            # reinstall and a locally-ahead version is never downgraded.
             try:
                 local_manifest_path = plugin_path / "manifest.json"
                 if local_manifest_path.exists():
@@ -2977,8 +3011,16 @@ class PluginStoreManager:
                         local_manifest = json.load(f)
                     local_version = local_manifest.get('version', '')
                     remote_version = plugin_info_remote.get('latest_version', '')
-                    if local_version and remote_version and local_version == remote_version:
+                    from src.plugin_system.compatibility import is_update_available
-                        self.logger.info(f"Plugin {plugin_id} already at latest version {local_version}")
+                    # No truthiness gate: the shared comparator already treats
+                    # a missing version on either side as "no update", and the
+                    # store must agree with the UI badge in that case too. A
+                    # missing manifest (not just a missing version field)
+                    # still falls through to the reinstall recovery path.
+                    if not is_update_available(local_version, remote_version):
+                        self.logger.info(
+                            f"Plugin {plugin_id} already at latest version "
+                            f"(installed {local_version}, registry {remote_version})")
                         return True
             except Exception as e:
                 self.logger.debug(f"Could not compare versions for {plugin_id}: {e}")

src/plugin_system/testing/harness.py

@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class RenderResult:
     golden_ok: Optional[bool] = None
     golden_diff_pixels: int = 0
     golden_max_delta: int = 0
+    # what display() handed back; the controller skips a mode only on False
+    display_returned: Any = None
+    # empty-frame check: rendered nothing while not reporting "no content"
+    empty_claimed: Optional[bool] = None   # True when that happened
+    empty_ok: Optional[bool] = None        # False only in strict mode
     # fill / scale-up check (populated only for sizes >= 2x the design size)
     fill_checked: bool = False
     fill_ok: Optional[bool] = None       # False only in strict mode
@@ -92,6 +97,8 @@ class RenderResult:
             return False
         if self.fill_ok is False:
             return False
+        if self.empty_ok is False:
+            return False
         return True
 
 
@@ -132,21 +139,25 @@ def _instantiate(plugin_id: str, manifest: Dict[str, Any], plugin_dir: Path,
     return plugin_instance
 
 
-def _render_mode(plugin_instance: Any, mode: str) -> None:
+def _render_mode(plugin_instance: Any, mode: str) -> Any:
     """Render a specific screen. Prefer an explicit display_mode kwarg; otherwise
     drive the plugin's internal mode state machine (first display() call renders
-    modes[current_mode_index] when current_display_mode is None)."""
+    modes[current_mode_index] when current_display_mode is None).
+
+    Returns whatever display() returned. The display controller skips a mode
+    whose display() returns False, so that value decides whether an empty mode
+    is rotated past or sat on -- which makes it worth reporting rather than
+    discarding."""
     sig = inspect.signature(plugin_instance.display)
     if "display_mode" in sig.parameters:
-        plugin_instance.display(force_clear=True, display_mode=mode)
+        return plugin_instance.display(force_clear=True, display_mode=mode)
-        return
 
     modes = getattr(plugin_instance, "modes", None)
     if modes and mode in modes:
         plugin_instance.current_mode_index = list(modes).index(mode)
     if hasattr(plugin_instance, "current_display_mode"):
         plugin_instance.current_display_mode = None
-    plugin_instance.display(force_clear=False)
+    return plugin_instance.display(force_clear=False)
 
 
 def _freeze(freeze_time: Optional[str]):
@@ -234,7 +245,7 @@ def _render_size(plugin_id, manifest, plugin_dir, config, mock_data,
                     logger.warning("update() raised a non-connectivity error for %s [%s]: %s",
                                    plugin_id, mode, e)
             if result.error is None:
-                _render_mode(inst, mode)
+                result.display_returned = _render_mode(inst, mode)
                 result.image = dm.get_image()
                 result.overflow = dm.check_overflow()
         except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — a display crash is a real failure
@@ -341,6 +352,44 @@ def fill_metrics(image: Image.Image) -> Tuple[float, float, float]:
     return (extent_x, extent_y, ink)
 
 
+def check_empty_claimed(results: List[RenderResult],
+                        strict: bool = False) -> List[RenderResult]:
+    """Flag a mode that rendered nothing without reporting "no content".
+
+    The display controller skips a mode whose ``display()`` returns False, and
+    treats anything else -- including None -- as "content was shown". A mode
+    that draws nothing and does not return False therefore holds whatever is on
+    the panel for its whole display duration. Since a mode switch clears first,
+    that is a blank screen. Two sports plugins shipped exactly this: their
+    ``display()`` returned None on every path, so an out-of-season league sat
+    blank for its full duration rather than being rotated past.
+
+    Warn-only by default, because a blank frame is not automatically wrong: a
+    scroll mode whose first frame is its blank scroll-in buffer renders empty
+    and is behaving correctly. ``strict=True`` sets ``empty_claimed`` such that
+    ``RenderResult.ok`` fails -- opt in per plugin via harness.json
+    ``{"empty_check": "strict"}`` once its modes are known to draw on the
+    fixture data.
+
+    Note this can only catch what the fixtures actually render. A plugin whose
+    harness fixture seeds content never exercises its empty path here; the
+    source-level gate in the plugins repo covers that case.
+    """
+    for r in results:
+        if r.image is None or r.error is not None:
+            continue
+        # An explicit False is the plugin correctly saying "nothing to show".
+        if r.display_returned is False:
+            continue
+        if r.image.convert("L").point(
+                lambda p: 255 if p > _LIT_THRESHOLD else 0).getbbox() is not None:
+            continue
+        r.empty_claimed = True
+        if strict:
+            r.empty_ok = False
+    return results
+
+
 def check_scale_up(results: List[RenderResult],
                    design_size: Tuple[int, int] = (128, 32),
                    min_extent: float = _MIN_FILL_EXTENT,

src/startup_validator.py

@@ -15,16 +15,23 @@ from src.logging_config import get_logger
 class StartupValidator:
     """Validates system state on startup."""
     
-    def __init__(self, config_manager: Any, plugin_manager: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, config_manager: Any, plugin_manager: Optional[Any] = None,
+                 cache_manager: Optional[Any] = None) -> None:
         """
         Initialize the startup validator.
 
         Args:
             config_manager: ConfigManager instance
             plugin_manager: Optional PluginManager instance
+            cache_manager: The CacheManager the application will actually use.
+                Pass it. Without one this validator builds its own just to read
+                a directory path, which reports on a cache the app does not
+                use and leaves behind a cleanup thread that nothing stops --
+                validation runs twice per startup, so that was two of them.
         """
         self.config_manager = config_manager
         self.plugin_manager = plugin_manager
+        self.cache_manager = cache_manager
         self.logger = get_logger(__name__)
         self.errors: List[str] = []
         self.warnings: List[str] = []
@@ -38,6 +45,11 @@ class StartupValidator:
         """
         self.logger.info("Starting startup validation...")
 
+        # Fresh lists each run — without this, calling validate_all() twice
+        # duplicated every message.
+        self.errors = []
+        self.warnings = []
+
         # Validate configuration
         self._validate_config()
         
@@ -86,8 +98,20 @@ class StartupValidator:
     def _validate_cache_directory(self) -> None:
         """Validate cache directory permissions."""
         try:
+            cache_manager = self.cache_manager
+            if cache_manager is None:
+                # No caller supplied one (older embedders, direct use in a
+                # script). Build one, but do not leave its cleanup thread
+                # running behind us -- this instance is discarded on the next
+                # line but the thread is a closure over it, so it would never
+                # be collected.
                 from src.cache_manager import CacheManager
                 cache_manager = CacheManager()
+                try:
+                    cache_dir = cache_manager.get_cache_dir()
+                finally:
+                    cache_manager.stop_cleanup_thread()
+            else:
                 cache_dir = cache_manager.get_cache_dir()
             
             if not cache_dir:

src/vegas_mode/config.py

@@ -104,15 +104,53 @@ class VegasModeConfig:
     overflow_mode: str = "rotate"
 
     # Cap on one plugin's share of a cycle, as a multiple of display width.
-    # A single ticker returning 7,000px would otherwise hold the panel for over
+    # 0 (the default) disables the cap, so every plugin contributes all of its
-    # two minutes. Overflow is deferred to later cycles rather than discarded.
+    # content and is always entered at its beginning.
-    # 0 disables the cap.
+    #
-    max_plugin_width_ratio: float = 3.0
+    # Capping was the default until it proved to cost more than it bought.
+    # Measured over a 17-plugin fleet on a 512px panel, only four plugins were
+    # ever wide enough to hit a 3.0 cap; for those four it produced two visible
+    # faults. Content resumed mid-item on each appearance (a news ticker entered
+    # at column 6027 of its own strip), and the final window of a rotation was
+    # whatever happened to be left — 348px of a 1840px stocks ticker, seven
+    # seconds of panel time. Both read as the display being broken rather than
+    # as deferral working.
+    #
+    # A wide plugin does hold the panel for a long time uncapped: set the cap
+    # per plugin with vegas_max_width_screens where that matters, rather than
+    # globally where it mostly hurts plugins that were never the problem.
+    max_plugin_width_ratio: float = 0.0
 
     # Plugin management
     plugin_order: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
     excluded_plugins: Set[str] = field(default_factory=set)
 
+    # --- Live content in the ticker -------------------------------------
+    #
+    # By default a live game preempts Vegas entirely: the display controller
+    # refuses to run the ticker while any plugin reports live priority, and you
+    # get the full-screen scoreboard instead. Set live_in_ticker to keep the
+    # marquee running and let live content take extra turns within it.
+    #
+    # The rotation is otherwise a strict round robin -- every plugin appears
+    # exactly once per cycle -- so with a dozen plugins enabled a live score
+    # comes round once a lap and can be minutes old on screen. Weighting lets a
+    # plugin claim several slots per cycle instead.
+    #
+    # Weights are per plugin, not per game: a scoreboard showing four live
+    # games still occupies one slot at a time, and rotates its own games within
+    # that slot using its own favorite_live_boost.
+    live_in_ticker: bool = False
+
+    # Slots per cycle for a plugin reporting live content. 1 disables the boost
+    # and restores the plain round robin.
+    live_weight: int = 3
+
+    # Slots per cycle for a plugin whose live content involves a favorite team.
+    # Only plugins implementing get_vegas_priority_weight() can claim this --
+    # the core cannot tell whose game is on, so the plugin reports it.
+    favorite_live_weight: int = 5
+
     # Performance settings
     target_fps: int = 125  # Target frame rate
     buffer_ahead: int = 2  # Number of plugins to buffer ahead
@@ -159,10 +197,16 @@ class VegasModeConfig:
             lead_in_width=int(vegas_config.get('lead_in_width', 0)),
             plugins_per_cycle=int(vegas_config.get('plugins_per_cycle', 6)),
             max_plugin_width_ratio=float(
-                vegas_config.get('max_plugin_width_ratio', 3.0)),
+                vegas_config.get('max_plugin_width_ratio', 0.0)),
             overflow_mode=str(vegas_config.get('overflow_mode', 'rotate')),
             plugin_order=list(vegas_config.get('plugin_order', [])),
             excluded_plugins=set(vegas_config.get('excluded_plugins', [])),
+            live_in_ticker=bool(vegas_config.get('live_in_ticker', False)),
+            # Clamped: a weight below 1 would drop the plugin from the rotation
+            # entirely, and a very large one starves everything else.
+            live_weight=max(1, min(10, int(vegas_config.get('live_weight', 3)))),
+            favorite_live_weight=max(
+                1, min(10, int(vegas_config.get('favorite_live_weight', 5)))),
             target_fps=int(vegas_config.get('target_fps', 125)),
             buffer_ahead=int(vegas_config.get('buffer_ahead', 2)),
             frame_based_scrolling=vegas_config.get('frame_based_scrolling', True),
@@ -192,6 +236,9 @@ class VegasModeConfig:
             'lead_in_width': self.lead_in_width,
             'plugins_per_cycle': self.plugins_per_cycle,
             'max_plugin_width_ratio': self.max_plugin_width_ratio,
+            'live_in_ticker': self.live_in_ticker,
+            'live_weight': self.live_weight,
+            'favorite_live_weight': self.favorite_live_weight,
             'overflow_mode': self.overflow_mode,
             'plugin_order': self.plugin_order,
             'excluded_plugins': list(self.excluded_plugins),
@@ -359,6 +406,15 @@ class VegasModeConfig:
 
         if 'enabled' in vegas_config:
             self.enabled = vegas_config['enabled']
+        if 'live_in_ticker' in vegas_config:
+            self.live_in_ticker = bool(vegas_config['live_in_ticker'])
+        # Clamped exactly as from_config does: a weight below 1 would drop the
+        # plugin from the rotation, and a huge one starves everything else.
+        if 'live_weight' in vegas_config:
+            self.live_weight = max(1, min(10, int(vegas_config['live_weight'])))
+        if 'favorite_live_weight' in vegas_config:
+            self.favorite_live_weight = max(
+                1, min(10, int(vegas_config['favorite_live_weight'])))
         if 'scroll_speed' in vegas_config:
             self.scroll_speed = float(vegas_config['scroll_speed'])
         if 'separator_width' in vegas_config:

src/vegas_mode/coordinator.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Supports three display modes per plugin:
 """
 
 import logging
+import math
 import time
 import threading
 from typing import Optional, Dict, Any, List, Callable, TYPE_CHECKING
@@ -30,6 +31,21 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def _percentile(ordered: List[float], fraction: float) -> float:
+    """Nearest-rank percentile of an already-sorted list.
+
+    Index ceil(n * fraction) - 1, so 100 samples at 0.99 give the 99th-ranked
+    value. The obvious int(n * fraction) is off by one and, at exactly 100
+    samples, lands on the maximum -- which is the number already reported
+    alongside this one as the worst frame, so the two columns would agree
+    precisely when the sample was smallest.
+    """
+    if not ordered:
+        return 0.0
+    index = math.ceil(len(ordered) * fraction) - 1
+    return ordered[min(len(ordered) - 1, max(0, index))]
+
+
 class VegasModeCoordinator:
     """
     Orchestrates Vegas scroll mode operation.
@@ -382,6 +398,12 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         fps_log_interval = 5.0  # Log FPS every 5 seconds
         last_fps_log_time = start_time
         fps_frame_count = 0
+        # A mean hides stutter completely. At 120fps a five-second window is
+        # ~600 frames, so a 200ms freeze -- plainly visible on a marquee --
+        # moves the average from 120.0 to 115.4 and reads as healthy. What a
+        # viewer actually notices is the worst frame, so track that too.
+        frame_worst = 0.0
+        frame_times: List[float] = []
 
         logger.info("Starting Vegas iteration for %.1fs", duration)
 
@@ -417,6 +439,11 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             frame_elapsed = time.time() - frame_started
             time.sleep(max(0.0, frame_interval - frame_elapsed))
 
+            # Measured before the sleep: time spent working, not pacing.
+            if frame_elapsed > frame_worst:
+                frame_worst = frame_elapsed
+            frame_times.append(frame_elapsed)
+
             # Increment frame count and check for interrupt periodically
             frame_count += 1
             fps_frame_count += 1
@@ -425,12 +452,16 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             current_time = time.time()
             if current_time - last_fps_log_time >= fps_log_interval:
                 fps = fps_frame_count / (current_time - last_fps_log_time)
+                p99 = _percentile(sorted(frame_times), 0.99)
                 logger.info(
-                    "Vegas FPS: %.1f (target: %d, frames: %d)",
+                    "Vegas FPS: %.1f (target: %d, frames: %d) p99 %.1fms worst %.1fms",
-                    fps, self.vegas_config.target_fps, fps_frame_count
+                    fps, self.vegas_config.target_fps, fps_frame_count,
+                    p99 * 1000.0, frame_worst * 1000.0
                 )
                 last_fps_log_time = current_time
                 fps_frame_count = 0
+                frame_worst = 0.0
+                frame_times.clear()
 
             if (self._interrupt_check and
                     frame_count % self._interrupt_check_interval == 0):
@@ -497,6 +528,12 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         if not self._live_priority_check:
             return False
 
+        if self.vegas_config.live_in_ticker:
+            # The ticker keeps live content rather than yielding to it; the
+            # extra turns are arranged in the rotation itself, so there is
+            # nothing to pause for.
+            return False
+
         try:
             live_mode = self._live_priority_check()
             if live_mode:

src/vegas_mode/plugin_adapter.py

@@ -68,6 +68,21 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         # always the same opening items.
         self._item_offsets: dict = {}
 
+        # What the matching entry in _item_offsets is an offset *into*, as
+        # (kind, size). An offset only means anything against the content it
+        # was derived from, and there are three incompatible kinds:
+        #
+        #   ('rows', n)  index into a list of n images
+        #   ('cuts', n)  index into the n item boundaries of one image
+        #   ('cols', w)  pixel column in a w-wide image with no item boundaries
+        #
+        # Without this the offsets were reused across kinds — a plugin that
+        # returned one wide image on one fetch and several rows on the next had
+        # a pixel column of 1400 read back as a row index — and across content
+        # changes, where a column recorded against a 9,793px news strip pointed
+        # into unrelated headlines once the strip refreshed to 9,505px.
+        self._offset_shapes: dict = {}
+
         logger.info(
             "PluginAdapter initialized: display=%dx%d",
             self.display_width, self.display_height
@@ -398,6 +413,88 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             return 0
         return int(self.display_width * ratio)
 
+    def _resume_offset(self, plugin_id: str, shape: Tuple[str, int]) -> int:
+        """
+        The plugin's stored rotation offset, if it still applies.
+
+        An offset is only meaningful against content shaped the way it was
+        when the offset was recorded. When the shape has changed — a different
+        number of rows, a re-rendered strip with different item boundaries —
+        the stored value points somewhere arbitrary, so rotation restarts.
+
+        Args:
+            plugin_id: Plugin identifier
+            shape: (kind, size) describing what an offset would index into now
+
+        Returns:
+            The stored offset, or 0 when it no longer applies
+        """
+        if self._offset_shapes.get(plugin_id) != shape:
+            if plugin_id in self._item_offsets:
+                logger.info(
+                    "[%s] Content is %s now, was %s — restarting the rotation "
+                    "rather than resuming at a position that no longer means "
+                    "anything", plugin_id, shape,
+                    self._offset_shapes.get(plugin_id))
+            self._item_offsets.pop(plugin_id, None)
+            self._offset_shapes[plugin_id] = shape
+            return 0
+        return self._item_offsets.get(plugin_id, 0)
+
+    def _record_offset(
+        self, plugin_id: str, offset: int, shape: Tuple[str, int]
+    ) -> None:
+        """Store where the next window should resume, with what it indexes."""
+        if offset:
+            self._item_offsets[plugin_id] = offset
+            self._offset_shapes[plugin_id] = shape
+        else:
+            # A wrapped-to-zero rotation is the same as no state at all, and
+            # keeping the key would report a window as active when the next
+            # pass starts from the top anyway.
+            self._item_offsets.pop(plugin_id, None)
+            self._offset_shapes.pop(plugin_id, None)
+
+    def _clear_offset(self, plugin_id: str) -> None:
+        """Forget any rotation state for a plugin."""
+        self._item_offsets.pop(plugin_id, None)
+        self._offset_shapes.pop(plugin_id, None)
+
+    def _merge_trailing_runt(self, end: int, width: int, budget: int) -> int:
+        """
+        Extend a window to the end of the content when what would be left over
+        is too small to be worth its own pass.
+
+        Windows were placed by walking forward from the last one, which makes
+        the final window whatever happens to remain. Measured on a live panel
+        that produced a 1,840px stocks ticker splitting 1,492 + 348 — the
+        second pass showing seven seconds of content before cutting, which
+        reads as the display failing rather than as a rotation.
+
+        Absorbing the remainder overruns the budget by less than one window
+        floor, which is a better trade than a fragment: the budget is a guard
+        against one plugin holding the panel for minutes, not a hard limit.
+
+        Args:
+            end: Column the window would otherwise end at
+            width: Full content width
+            budget: Width budget being applied
+
+        Returns:
+            ``end``, or ``width`` when the remainder is below the floor
+        """
+        remainder = width - end
+        # Measured against the budget rather than the panel: snapping to item
+        # boundaries means an ordinary window already lands short of the budget
+        # (a 512px budget over 182px-pitch items yields 348px windows), so an
+        # absolute floor would merge windows that were never fragments. Half a
+        # budget separates "a short last pass" from "a sliver", and caps the
+        # overrun this can cause at 1.5 budgets.
+        floor = budget // 2
+        if 0 < remainder < floor:
+            return width
+        return end
+
     def _apply_width_budget(
         self, images: List[Image.Image], plugin_id: str,
         plugin: Optional['BasePlugin'] = None
@@ -435,31 +532,47 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
         if not budget or total <= budget:
             # Fits, so reset rotation — the whole segment is being shown.
-            self._item_offsets.pop(plugin_id, None)
+            self._clear_offset(plugin_id)
             return images
 
         if len(images) == 1:
             return [self._crop_to_budget(images[0], budget, plugin_id, mode)]
 
+        shape = ('rows', len(images))
         if mode == 'truncate':
             # Ordered content: always show from the top. Deliberately does not
             # advance the offset, so the same opening items appear every time
             # rather than the viewer being shown the middle of a ranked list.
             start = 0
         else:
-            start = self._item_offsets.get(plugin_id, 0) % len(images)
+            start = self._resume_offset(plugin_id, shape) % len(images)
         selected: List[Image.Image] = []
         used = 0
         consumed = 0
 
         # Walk forward from the rotation offset, taking whole items only, so a
         # cut never lands in the middle of one.
+        #
+        # A window may overrun the budget while it is still shorter than the
+        # runt floor, for the same reason _merge_trailing_runt exists on the
+        # single-image path: a pass far shorter than its neighbours reads as
+        # the display failing rather than as a rotation. Rows of 450, 450 and
+        # 100 against a 512px budget used to give the 100 a pass of its own --
+        # two seconds against nine. Wrapping does not prevent that, because it
+        # only helps when the row wrapped to actually fits.
+        floor = budget // 2
         for step in range(len(images)):
             img = images[(start + step) % len(images)]
             cost = img.width
             if selected:
                 cost += self._row_gap(selected[-1], img)
             if selected and used + cost > budget:
+                # Keep the overrun bounded at the same 1.5 budgets the
+                # single-image path allows. A next row too wide to absorb
+                # leaves a short window standing -- better than a window of
+                # 1.9 budgets, and the same trade the always-take-the-first
+                # rule below already makes.
+                if used >= floor or used + cost > budget + floor:
                     break
             selected.append(img)
             used += cost
@@ -472,7 +585,8 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                 plugin_id, budget, len(selected), len(images), used
             )
         else:
-            self._item_offsets[plugin_id] = (start + consumed) % len(images)
+            self._record_offset(
+                plugin_id, (start + consumed) % len(images), shape)
             logger.info(
                 "[%s] Width budget %dpx: showing %d of %d row(s) (%dpx incl. gaps) "
                 "from offset %d; remainder deferred to a later cycle",
@@ -490,16 +604,13 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
         The cut is snapped to the nearest blank column so it does not slice
         through a glyph or logo and leave half a character at the panel edge.
-        """
-        if mode == 'truncate':
-            # Always the start of the strip, so a ranked table is never entered
-            # from the middle.
-            offset = 0
-        else:
-            offset = self._item_offsets.get(plugin_id, 0)
-            if offset >= img.width:
-                offset = 0
 
+        Rotation is tracked as an index into the strip's item boundaries rather
+        than as a pixel column, because a ticker re-renders between fetches. A
+        column recorded against one render points at unrelated content in the
+        next as soon as anything ahead of it changes width — a digit in a
+        price, a shorter headline. The Nth boundary stays the Nth boundary.
+        """
         # Cut only where the plugin left a real gap between items. Snapping to
         # any blank column used to pick the single-column gaps between
         # characters, splitting a word and orphaning its tail into the next
@@ -514,9 +625,17 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             # budget exactly. The gap rule exists to protect discrete items
             # (words, ticker entries); it would be wrong to let a solid image
             # escape the cap in its name.
-            end = min(offset + budget, img.width)
+            #
+            # With no items to index, the offset here has to stay a column, so
+            # it is only reusable while the image keeps its width.
+            shape = ('cols', img.width)
+            offset = 0 if mode == 'truncate' else self._resume_offset(
+                plugin_id, shape)
+            end = self._merge_trailing_runt(
+                min(offset + budget, img.width), img.width, budget)
             if mode != 'truncate':
-                self._item_offsets[plugin_id] = 0 if end >= img.width else end
+                self._record_offset(
+                    plugin_id, 0 if end >= img.width else end, shape)
             logger.info(
                 "[%s] Width budget %dpx: cropped continuous %dpx image to "
                 "[%d:%d] (no item gaps of %dpx+ to align to)%s",
@@ -528,8 +647,15 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         # Cut mid-gap so the content either side keeps some breathing room.
         cuts = sorted({0, img.width} | {(a + b) // 2 for a, b in gaps})
 
-        start = max((c for c in cuts if c <= offset), default=0)
+        shape = ('cuts', len(cuts))
-        later = [c for c in cuts if c > start]
+        index = 0 if mode == 'truncate' else self._resume_offset(
+            plugin_id, shape)
+        # Clamped rather than wrapped: a stale index past the end means the
+        # strip shrank, and restarting reads better than landing near the end.
+        start_index = index if 0 <= index < len(cuts) - 1 else 0
+        start = cuts[start_index]
+
+        later = cuts[start_index + 1:]
         if not later:
             end = img.width
         else:
@@ -537,15 +663,22 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             # No boundary inside the budget: take the next one and overrun,
             # because the alternative is cutting through an item.
             end = max(within) if within else min(later)
+        end = self._merge_trailing_runt(end, img.width, budget)
+        # Every candidate for `end` came from `cuts` (which includes img.width),
+        # so this always resolves; the fallback is defensive only.
+        end_index = cuts.index(end) if end in cuts else len(cuts) - 1
 
         if mode != 'truncate':
-            # Next cycle resumes where this one stopped; wrap when the strip ends.
+            # Next cycle resumes at the boundary this one stopped on; wrap when
-            self._item_offsets[plugin_id] = 0 if end >= img.width else end
+            # the strip ends.
+            self._record_offset(
+                plugin_id, 0 if end >= img.width else end_index, shape)
 
         logger.info(
             "[%s] Width budget %dpx: cropped single %dpx image to [%d:%d] "
-            "(%dpx) at item boundaries, %s",
+            "(%dpx) at item boundaries %d-%d of %d, %s",
             plugin_id, budget, img.width, start, end, end - start,
+            start_index, end_index, len(cuts) - 1,
             "showing the start only (overflow=truncate)"
             if mode == 'truncate' else "window advances next cycle"
         )

src/vegas_mode/stream_manager.py

@@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ class StreamManager:
         )
         logger.info("Ordered plugins: %s", ordered_plugins)
 
+        ordered_plugins = self._apply_priority_weights(ordered_plugins)
+
         # Atomically update shared state under lock to avoid races with prefetchers
         with self._buffer_lock:
             self._ordered_plugins = ordered_plugins
@@ -417,6 +419,143 @@ class StreamManager:
 
         logger.info("=" * 60)
 
+    def _plugin_weight(self, plugin_id: str) -> int:
+        """Slots per cycle for one plugin.
+
+        A plugin may answer for itself via get_vegas_priority_weight() -- the
+        only way favorite-team awareness can reach here, since the core can see
+        that a game is live but not whose. When it declines (returns None, the
+        default), live content earns ``live_weight`` and everything else 1.
+        """
+        plugin = None
+        try:
+            plugin = self.plugin_manager.plugins.get(plugin_id)
+        except (AttributeError, TypeError):
+            return 1
+        if plugin is None:
+            return 1
+
+        try:
+            if hasattr(plugin, 'get_vegas_priority_weight'):
+                declared = plugin.get_vegas_priority_weight()
+                if declared is not None:
+                    return max(1, min(10, int(declared)))
+        except Exception:
+            # Deliberately falls through to the core's own live check rather
+            # than demoting to 1. The plugin's weight calculation is broken,
+            # but has_live_priority() and has_live_content() are separate
+            # methods guarded separately below -- a plugin that genuinely has
+            # a live game should still get live_weight for it.
+            logger.exception("[%s] get_vegas_priority_weight() failed", plugin_id)
+
+        try:
+            if (hasattr(plugin, 'has_live_priority')
+                    and hasattr(plugin, 'has_live_content')
+                    and plugin.has_live_priority()
+                    and plugin.has_live_content()):
+                return self.config.live_weight
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("[%s] live-content check failed", plugin_id)
+        return 1
+
+    def _apply_priority_weights(self, ordered: List[str]) -> List[str]:
+        """Expand the rotation so weighted plugins take several turns per cycle.
+
+        Smooth Weighted Round-Robin, the same scheduler the sports plugins use
+        to rotate their own games: a plugin of weight N appears N times per
+        cycle, and the repeats are spaced through the cycle rather than
+        clumped, so a live score is never three-in-a-row followed by a long
+        silence.
+
+        Returns the input unchanged when nothing is weighted, which is both the
+        common case and the pre-existing behaviour.
+        """
+        if not ordered or not self.config.live_in_ticker:
+            return ordered
+
+        weights = {pid: self._plugin_weight(pid) for pid in ordered}
+        total = sum(weights.values())
+        if total <= len(ordered):
+            return ordered          # nothing boosted; plain round robin
+
+        current = {pid: 0 for pid in ordered}
+        schedule: List[str] = []
+        for _ in range(total):
+            for pid in ordered:
+                current[pid] += weights[pid]
+            picked = max(current, key=lambda p: current[p])
+            current[picked] -= total
+            schedule.append(picked)
+
+        schedule = self._unclump_seam(schedule)
+
+        boosted = {p: w for p, w in weights.items() if w > 1}
+        logger.info(
+            "Vegas rotation weighted: %d slots for %d plugins (boosted: %s)",
+            len(schedule), len(ordered), boosted)
+        return schedule
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _unclump_seam(schedule: List[str]) -> List[str]:
+        """Stop the heaviest plugin sitting on both ends of the cycle.
+
+        Smooth Weighted Round-Robin spaces repeats well *within* a pass, but
+        it schedules the heaviest item first and often last too. The strip
+        loops, so those two are neighbours: the one place the marquee shows
+        the same plugin twice running is the seam between cycles.
+
+        Rotating the list cannot fix this. Rotation preserves the cyclic order
+        exactly, so it only moves where the seam is drawn, not the adjacency
+        itself. The trailing entry has to be swapped with one from the middle
+        whose neighbours differ from it, which breaks the pair without
+        creating another.
+
+        Left alone when no such position exists -- a rotation short enough or
+        lopsided enough to have none is one where the plugin is unavoidably
+        adjacent to itself anyway.
+        """
+        if len(schedule) < 3 or schedule[0] != schedule[-1]:
+            return schedule
+
+        repeated = schedule[-1]
+        size = len(schedule)
+
+        def cyclic_doubles(seq) -> int:
+            return sum(1 for i in range(size) if seq[i] == seq[(i + 1) % size])
+
+        def clearance(seq, value) -> int:
+            """Smallest cyclic gap between appearances of `value`."""
+            at = [i for i, v in enumerate(seq) if v == value]
+            if len(at) < 2:
+                return size
+            return min(min((b - a) % size, (a - b) % size)
+                       for i, a in enumerate(at) for b in at[i + 1:])
+
+        # Try each swap and judge the result, rather than reasoning about which
+        # neighbours the two moved elements will end up with. That reasoning is
+        # where the first version went wrong: it guarded the slot `repeated`
+        # moves into but not the one the displaced element lands in, so
+        # ['a','b','c','d','x','y','x','a'] came back ending ['x','x'] -- the
+        # seam duplicate traded for a fresh one.
+        best = None
+        best_clearance = -1
+        for j in range(1, size - 1):
+            candidate = list(schedule)
+            candidate[j], candidate[-1] = candidate[-1], candidate[j]
+            if cyclic_doubles(candidate):
+                continue
+            # Among the repairs that work, prefer the one that leaves the
+            # boosted plugin most evenly spread; taking the first that merely
+            # fits moved a repeat from a gap of 7 into a gap of 2.
+            spread = clearance(candidate, repeated)
+            if spread > best_clearance:
+                best, best_clearance = candidate, spread
+
+        # None exists when the value is unavoidably adjacent to itself -- a
+        # plugin holding most of the slots has to be. Schedule it as it is
+        # rather than refuse.
+        return best if best is not None else schedule
+
     def _prefetch_content(self, count: int = 1) -> None:
         """
         Prefetch content for upcoming plugins.

src/web_interface/api_helpers.py

@@ -30,16 +30,14 @@ def success_response(
     """
     response_data = create_success_response(data, message, metadata)
 
-    # Add request metadata if available
+    # Timing is merged into whatever the caller passed, without inventing a
-    if metadata is None:
+    # metadata block for responses that have neither.
-        metadata = {}
+    enriched = dict(metadata) if metadata is not None else {}
-    
-    # Add timing if request start time is available
     if hasattr(request, 'start_time'):
-        metadata['response_time_ms'] = int((time.time() - request.start_time) * 1000)
+        enriched['response_time_ms'] = int((time.time() - request.start_time) * 1000)
 
-    if metadata:
+    if metadata is not None or enriched:
-        response_data['metadata'] = metadata
+        response_data['metadata'] = enriched
 
     return jsonify(response_data)
 

src/web_interface/error_handler.py

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Centralized error handling for web interface.
 Provides helpers for consistent error responses across API endpoints.
 """
 
+import re
 from typing import Any, Optional
 from flask import jsonify
 
@@ -16,6 +17,97 @@ from src.logging_config import get_logger
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
+# Credentials that turn up inside exception text. A requests error quotes the
+# URL it failed on, and plugins that authenticate by query string put their key
+# there, so echoing an exception verbatim can hand out an API key. Redact the
+# value, keep the parameter name -- knowing *which* credential was involved is
+# part of the diagnosis.
+_REDACT_CREDENTIAL = re.compile(
+    r'((?:api[_-]?key|access[_-]?token|auth|apikey|key|passwd|password|pwd|'
+    r'secret|sig|signature|token)["\']?\s*[=:]\s*["\']?)([^\s&"\'<>,}]+)',
+    re.IGNORECASE,
+)
+
+# `Authorization: <scheme> <credential>`. The scheme name is kept because it
+# says which kind of credential failed; the credential goes. Any scheme
+# matches, not a fixed list: ApiKey, Negotiate, NTLM, AWS4-HMAC-SHA256 and
+# whatever a plugin's API invents next are all credentials, and a list would
+# silently leak the ones nobody thought of. Not covered by the generic pattern
+# above, whose value part stops at whitespace and so would keep the credential
+# once a space follows the scheme.
+_REDACT_AUTH_HEADER = re.compile(
+    r'((?:proxy-)?authorization["\']?\s*[=:]\s*["\']?\s*'
+    r'(?:[A-Za-z][\w.+-]*[ \t]+)?)'          # optional scheme name, kept
+    r'([^\s,"\'<>}]+)',                       # the credential, redacted
+    re.IGNORECASE,
+)
+
+# Credentials embedded in a URL: https://user:password@host. requests quotes
+# the full URL in its exceptions, so this is a realistic leak. The username is
+# kept -- it identifies which account failed without being the secret.
+_REDACT_URL_USERINFO = re.compile(r'([a-z][a-z0-9+.-]*://[^/\s:@]+:)([^/\s@]+)(@)',
+                                  re.IGNORECASE)
+
+# Long enough for an errno string with a path, short enough not to dump a
+# parser's worth of context into a JSON field.
+_MAX_DETAIL_LENGTH = 400
+
+
+def describe_exception(exc: BaseException,
+                       max_length: int = _MAX_DETAIL_LENGTH) -> str:
+    """
+    One-line, safe-to-return description of an exception.
+
+    The generic "an error occurred; see logs for details" tells a user nothing
+    and, when the failure is bad enough, the logs are unreachable too: a device
+    whose storage was failing returned that message from every endpoint
+    *including* the log viewer, because journalctl could not be executed. The
+    underlying `[Errno 5] Input/output error` named the fault immediately.
+
+    Returns "TypeName: message", credentials redacted and length capped. The
+    type alone is worth carrying -- a bare PermissionError says more than any
+    generic sentence.
+
+    Args:
+        exc: The exception to describe
+        max_length: Truncate beyond this many characters
+
+    Returns:
+        A single-line description, never empty
+    """
+    message = str(exc).strip()
+    text = f"{type(exc).__name__}: {message}" if message else type(exc).__name__
+    return redact_text(text, max_length)
+
+
+def redact_text(text: str, max_length: int = _MAX_DETAIL_LENGTH) -> str:
+    """Make arbitrary text safe to hand back over HTTP.
+
+    Split out of describe_exception because exceptions are not the only thing
+    worth returning: a subprocess's stderr, or a message a helper script
+    printed, is just as useful to a user and just as capable of carrying a
+    token or a password in it.
+
+    Args:
+        text: The text to redact
+        max_length: Truncate beyond this many characters
+
+    Returns:
+        A single line, credentials replaced, length capped.
+    """
+    text = text or ''
+    # Order matters: the URL and header forms are more specific than the
+    # generic key=value pattern, which would otherwise chew the scheme.
+    text = _REDACT_URL_USERINFO.sub(r'\1<redacted>\3', text)
+    text = _REDACT_AUTH_HEADER.sub(r'\1<redacted>', text)
+    text = _REDACT_CREDENTIAL.sub(r'\1<redacted>', text)
+    # Collapse newlines/tabs so the detail stays one line in a JSON field.
+    text = ' '.join(text.split())
+    if len(text) > max_length:
+        text = text[:max_length - 1].rstrip() + '…'
+    return text
+
+
 def create_error_response(
     error_code: ErrorCode,
     message: str,
@@ -69,13 +161,16 @@ def create_success_response(
         "status": "success"
     }
     
+    # All three use `is not None` rather than truthiness: "" and {} are
+    # values a caller chose to send, and dropping them silently would make
+    # the response shape depend on the data.
     if data is not None:
         response["data"] = data
 
-    if message:
+    if message is not None:
         response["message"] = message
 
-    if metadata:
+    if metadata is not None:
         response["metadata"] = metadata
 
     return response

src/web_interface/errors.py

@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@ class WebInterfaceError:
         self.category = category or self._infer_category(error_code)
         self.details = details
         self.context = context or {}
-        self.suggested_fixes = suggested_fixes or self._get_default_suggestions(error_code)
+        # `is None`, not truthiness: an explicit [] means "this caller has
+        # no suggestions to offer", which the default list would override.
+        self.suggested_fixes = (
+            suggested_fixes if suggested_fixes is not None
+            else self._get_default_suggestions(error_code))
         self.original_error = original_error
     
     def _infer_category(self, error_code: ErrorCode) -> ErrorCategory:

src/web_interface/validators.py

@@ -43,10 +43,15 @@ def validate_image_url(url: str) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[str]]:
     if any(handler in url_lower for handler in ['onerror=', 'onload=', 'onclick=']):
         return False, "Event handlers not allowed in URLs"
     
+    # Reject directory traversal anywhere, not only in relative paths:
+    # http://host/../secret is as much a traversal attempt as /../secret.
+    if '..' in url:
+        return False, "Invalid path: directory traversal not allowed"
+
     # Allow relative paths starting with /
     if url.startswith('/'):
-        # Validate it's a safe relative path (no directory traversal)
+        # // would be a protocol-relative URL, not a local path
-        if '..' in url or url.startswith('//'):
+        if url.startswith('//'):
             return False, "Invalid relative path"
         return True, None
     
@@ -104,10 +109,11 @@ def validate_file_upload(filename: str, max_size_mb: int = 10,
     if '..' in filename or '/' in filename or '\\' in filename:
         return False, "Filename contains invalid characters"
     
-    # Check extension if specified
+    # Check extension if specified. Both sides are lowercased: the caller's
+    # list is as likely to hold '.TTF' as the filename is.
     if allowed_extensions:
         file_ext = Path(filename).suffix.lower()
-        if file_ext not in allowed_extensions:
+        if file_ext not in [ext.lower() for ext in allowed_extensions]:
             return False, f"File extension must be one of: {', '.join(allowed_extensions)}"
     
     return True, None
@@ -147,7 +153,8 @@ def validate_numeric_range(value: float, min_val: Optional[float] = None,
     Returns:
         Tuple of (is_valid, error_message)
     """
-    if not isinstance(value, (int, float)):
+    # bool is an int subclass, so True would otherwise validate as 1.
+    if not isinstance(value, (int, float)) or isinstance(value, bool):
         return False, "Value must be a number"
     
     if min_val is not None and value < min_val:
@@ -183,7 +190,15 @@ def validate_string_length(text: str, min_length: Optional[int] = None,
 
 def sanitize_plugin_config(config: dict) -> dict:
     """
-    Sanitize plugin configuration input to prevent injection.
+    Restrict a plugin config to safe key names and value types.
+
+    Drops keys that are not plain identifiers and values that are not
+    JSON-ish scalars, lists, or dicts, recursing into the latter two.
+
+    String values are returned **unescaped**: output escaping is the
+    template layer's job, and escaping here would store the escaped form
+    in config.json. Do not read this function as XSS protection for
+    rendered output.
 
     Args:
         config: Configuration dictionary

systemd/ledmatrix-wifi-monitor.service

@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ WorkingDirectory=__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 __PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__/scripts/utils/wifi_monitor_daemon.py --interval 30
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=10
-StandardOutput=syslog
+StandardOutput=journal
-StandardError=syslog
+StandardError=journal
 SyslogIdentifier=ledmatrix-wifi-monitor
 
 [Install]

systemd/ledmatrix.service

@@ -9,8 +9,25 @@ User=root
 WorkingDirectory=__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__
 Environment=PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 __PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__/run.py
-Restart=on-failure
+# Restart=always, not on-failure: run.py exiting 0 (a clean shutdown path taken
+# for a reason that no longer applies, e.g. a config reload) would otherwise leave
+# the service stopped and the panel dark indefinitely, with systemd considering
+# that a successful outcome and never bringing it back.
+Restart=always
 RestartSec=10
+# Memory ceiling as a share of physical RAM, so one unit file suits a 512 MB
+# Pi Zero 2 W and an 8 GB Pi 5 alike. This is a backstop, not a tuning knob: it
+# turns "the board runs out of memory, stops being able to fork, and takes sshd
+# and the panel down together until someone pulls the plug" into "this one
+# service restarts".
+#
+# NOTE: Raspberry Pi firmware boots the kernel with cgroup_disable=memory, and
+# systemd accepts this setting and then silently ignores it. Verify with:
+#     grep memory /sys/fs/cgroup/cgroup.controllers
+# If that prints nothing, add "cgroup_enable=memory cgroup_memory=1" to
+# /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt (all on line 1) and reboot. first_time_install.sh
+# does this for you.
+MemoryMax=85%
 StandardOutput=journal
 StandardError=journal
 SyslogIdentifier=ledmatrix

test/_api_v3_test_helpers.py

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+"""
+Shared scaffolding for api_v3 blueprint tests.
+
+Not a test module (the leading underscore keeps pytest from collecting
+it). It is the pytest-fixture equivalent of ``_make_client()`` in
+test_uninstall_and_reconcile_endpoint.py, which is unittest-style and
+requires ``self.addCleanup``.
+
+The api_v3 blueprint keeps its managers as attributes on a module-level
+singleton, not in Flask app state, so replacing them with mocks leaks
+into every later test that imports api_v3 unless the originals are put
+back. ``api_v3_client`` snapshots and restores them around each test.
+"""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+from flask import Flask
+
+
+# Every manager attribute the blueprint reads. Anything missing here keeps
+# whatever a previously-run test left on the singleton.
+API_V3_MANAGER_ATTRS = (
+    'config_manager', 'plugin_manager', 'plugin_store_manager',
+    'plugin_state_manager', 'saved_repositories_manager', 'schema_manager',
+    'operation_queue', 'operation_history', 'cache_manager',
+)
+
+_SENTINEL = object()
+
+
+def build_app(blueprint):
+    app = Flask(__name__)
+    app.config['TESTING'] = True
+    app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = 'test'
+    app.register_blueprint(blueprint, url_prefix='/api/v3')
+    return app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def api_v3_module():
+    """The api_v3 module with every manager replaced by a MagicMock.
+
+    Restores the original attributes afterwards. Tests point individual
+    managers at real objects (a ConfigManager over tmp_path, say) or set
+    them to None to exercise the not-initialized branches.
+    """
+    from web_interface.blueprints import api_v3 as module
+
+    originals = {
+        name: getattr(module.api_v3, name, _SENTINEL)
+        for name in API_V3_MANAGER_ATTRS
+    }
+    for name in API_V3_MANAGER_ATTRS:
+        setattr(module.api_v3, name, MagicMock())
+    # Default to the direct path; queue tests opt in explicitly.
+    module.api_v3.operation_queue = None
+
+    yield module
+
+    for name, original in originals.items():
+        if original is _SENTINEL:
+            if hasattr(module.api_v3, name):
+                try:
+                    delattr(module.api_v3, name)
+                except AttributeError:
+                    pass
+        else:
+            setattr(module.api_v3, name, original)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def api_v3_client(api_v3_module):
+    """Flask test client wired to the mocked blueprint."""
+    return build_app(api_v3_module.api_v3).test_client()

test/fixtures/plugins/ci-fixture-plugin/config_schema.json

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+    "title": "CI Fixture Plugin",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+        "enabled": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": true
+        },
+        "display_duration": {
+            "type": "number",
+            "default": 5
+        },
+        "border_color": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "items": {"type": "integer", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 255},
+            "minItems": 3,
+            "maxItems": 3,
+            "default": [0, 255, 0],
+            "description": "RGB color of the border rectangle."
+        },
+        "diagonal_color": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "items": {"type": "integer", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 255},
+            "minItems": 3,
+            "maxItems": 3,
+            "default": [255, 0, 0],
+            "description": "RGB color of the diagonals."
+        }
+    }
+}

test/fixtures/plugins/ci-fixture-plugin/manager.py

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""
+CI fixture plugin.
+
+Exists so the plugin safety harness (test/plugins/test_plugin_matrix.py and
+the plugin-safety CI job) always has at least one real plugin to load and
+render — without it, an empty plugins/ directory turns the whole job into a
+green no-op. The render is deliberately trivial and fully deterministic:
+a border rectangle plus both diagonals, sized from the display manager's
+declared dimensions. No fonts, no network, no time dependence, so golden
+images are stable across platforms.
+"""
+
+from PIL import ImageDraw
+
+from src.plugin_system.base_plugin import BasePlugin
+
+
+class CIFixturePlugin(BasePlugin):
+    """Deterministic CI-only fixture plugin: renders a border + diagonals
+    pattern sized from the display's declared dimensions. Never shipped to
+    devices; exists solely so the plugin safety harness has a real plugin
+    to exercise in CI."""
+
+    def update(self) -> None:
+        """Nothing to fetch — the render is self-contained."""
+
+    def display(self, force_clear: bool = False) -> None:
+        self.display_manager.clear()
+        width = self.display_manager.matrix.width
+        height = self.display_manager.matrix.height
+        border = tuple(self.config.get("border_color", [0, 255, 0]))
+        diagonal = tuple(self.config.get("diagonal_color", [255, 0, 0]))
+
+        image = self.display_manager.image
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(image)
+        # Blank only the declared panel area, then draw edge-to-edge content:
+        # the border proves the plugin reads dynamic dimensions (any overflow
+        # or underfill at any size is a harness bug or a dimensions bug), the
+        # diagonals make golden comparisons sensitive to size/offset drift.
+        draw.rectangle([0, 0, width - 1, height - 1], fill=(0, 0, 0))
+        draw.rectangle([0, 0, width - 1, height - 1], outline=border)
+        draw.line([0, 0, width - 1, height - 1], fill=diagonal)
+        draw.line([0, height - 1, width - 1, 0], fill=diagonal)
+        self.display_manager.update_display()

test/fixtures/plugins/ci-fixture-plugin/manifest.json

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+    "id": "ci-fixture-plugin",
+    "name": "CI Fixture Plugin",
+    "version": "1.0.0",
+    "description": "Bundled test fixture so the plugin safety harness always has at least one real plugin to render in CI. Draws a deterministic border + diagonals pattern at any panel size. Not installable from the store and never shipped to devices.",
+    "author": "LEDMatrix",
+    "entry_point": "manager.py",
+    "class_name": "CIFixturePlugin",
+    "display_modes": ["ci-fixture"],
+    "update_interval": 3600,
+    "min_ledmatrix_version": "2.0.0",
+    "compatible_versions": [">=2.0.0"]
+}

test/fixtures/plugins/ci-fixture-plugin/requirements.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# No dependencies — the fixture must load in any environment.
+#
+# Pillow is deliberately NOT pinned here even though manager.py imports
+# PIL: it is a core LEDMatrix dependency (see the repo-root
+# requirements.txt), so it is always present wherever the harness runs,
+# and the harness loads plugins with install_deps=False anyway. Pinning
+# it here would only invite a needless pip install during test runs.

test/plugins/conftest.py

@@ -23,9 +23,17 @@ os.environ['EMULATOR'] = 'true'
 def plugins_dir() -> Path:
     """Get the plugins directory path.
 
-    Checks plugins/ first, then falls back to plugin-repos/
+    Honors LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR (first entry) when set — the same override
-    for monorepo development environments.
+    test_plugin_matrix.py uses, so CI can point every plugin suite at the
+    bundled fixture plugins. Otherwise checks plugins/ first, then falls
+    back to plugin-repos/ for monorepo development environments.
     """
+    env = os.environ.get('LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR')
+    if env:
+        first = env.split(os.pathsep)[0]
+        if first:
+            return Path(first)
+
     plugins_path = project_root / 'plugins'
     plugin_repos_path = project_root / 'plugin-repos'
 

test/plugins/test_basketball_scoreboard.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for basketball-scoreboard plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/plugins/test_calendar.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for calendar plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/plugins/test_clock_simple.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for clock-simple plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/plugins/test_odds_ticker.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for odds-ticker plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/plugins/test_soccer_scoreboard.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for soccer-scoreboard plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/plugins/test_text_display.py

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 """
 Integration tests for text-display plugin.
+
+Requires the real plugin to be installed (plugins/ or plugin-repos/,
+or the dir named by LEDMATRIX_PLUGINS_DIR) — on machines without it,
+every test here skips by design. CI covers plugin safety with the
+bundled fixture plugin via test_plugin_matrix.py instead.
 """
 
 import pytest

test/test_api_helper.py

@@ -0,0 +1,275 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/common/api_helper.py (APIHelper).
+
+Covers rate limiting, cached GETs, ESPN URL/cache-key construction,
+session header defaults and per-call merging, the retry adapter, and the
+fixed clear_cache() behavior (real CacheManager surface: clear_cache /
+delete / list_cache_files, with safe no-ops elsewhere).
+
+No real network: helper.session.get/post are always replaced with mocks.
+"""
+
+import types
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, Mock
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+from freezegun import freeze_time
+
+import src.common.api_helper as api_helper_module
+from src.common.api_helper import APIHelper
+
+
+def _make_response(payload):
+    response = MagicMock()
+    response.json.return_value = payload
+    response.raise_for_status.return_value = None
+    return response
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cache():
+    cache = MagicMock()
+    cache.get.return_value = None
+    return cache
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def helper(cache):
+    helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=cache)
+    # Default min interval is 1.0s and would really sleep between requests.
+    helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+    return helper
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Rate limiting
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestRateLimiting:
+    def test_sleeps_for_remaining_interval(self, helper, monkeypatch):
+        fake_time = MagicMock()
+        fake_time.time.side_effect = [102.0, 105.0]
+        monkeypatch.setattr(api_helper_module, 'time', fake_time)
+
+        helper.set_rate_limit(5)
+        helper._last_request_time = 100.0
+        helper._enforce_rate_limit()
+
+        # 2s elapsed of a 5s interval -> sleep the remaining 3s.
+        fake_time.sleep.assert_called_once()
+        assert fake_time.sleep.call_args[0][0] == pytest.approx(3.0)
+        assert helper._last_request_time == 105.0
+
+    def test_no_sleep_when_interval_elapsed(self, helper, monkeypatch):
+        fake_time = MagicMock()
+        fake_time.time.side_effect = [200.0, 201.0]
+        monkeypatch.setattr(api_helper_module, 'time', fake_time)
+
+        helper.set_rate_limit(5)
+        helper._last_request_time = 100.0
+        helper._enforce_rate_limit()
+
+        fake_time.sleep.assert_not_called()
+        assert helper._last_request_time == 201.0
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# get()
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestGet:
+    def test_cache_hit_skips_request_and_rate_limit(self, helper, cache):
+        cache.get.return_value = {'cached': True}
+        helper.session.get = Mock()
+        rate_spy = Mock()
+        helper._enforce_rate_limit = rate_spy
+
+        result = helper.get('https://example.com/api', cache_key='k')
+
+        assert result == {'cached': True}
+        helper.session.get.assert_not_called()
+        rate_spy.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_cache_miss_fetches_and_caches_without_ttl(self, helper, cache):
+        cache.get.return_value = None
+        helper.session.get = Mock(return_value=_make_response({'a': 1}))
+
+        result = helper.get('https://example.com/api', cache_key='k',
+                            cache_ttl=999)
+
+        assert result == {'a': 1}
+        # Pin the ttl-dropped contract: CacheManager.set is called with
+        # (key, data) only — the cache_ttl argument is discarded.
+        cache.set.assert_called_once_with('k', {'a': 1})
+
+    def test_request_exception_returns_none_and_caches_nothing(
+            self, helper, cache):
+        helper.session.get = Mock(
+            side_effect=requests.exceptions.RequestException('boom'))
+
+        result = helper.get('https://example.com/api', cache_key='k')
+
+        assert result is None
+        cache.set.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_timeout_zero_falls_back_to_default(self, helper):
+        # Quirk pin: `timeout or self.default_timeout` treats an explicit
+        # timeout=0 as falsy, so the default (30) is used instead.
+        helper.session.get = Mock(return_value=_make_response({}))
+
+        helper.get('https://example.com/api', timeout=0)
+
+        assert helper.session.get.call_args.kwargs['timeout'] == 30
+
+    def test_per_call_headers_merge_over_session_headers(self, helper):
+        helper.session.get = Mock(return_value=_make_response({}))
+
+        helper.get('https://example.com/api', headers={'X-Custom': 'yes'})
+
+        sent = helper.session.get.call_args.kwargs['headers']
+        # Merged, not replaced: session defaults survive alongside the
+        # per-call header.
+        assert sent['X-Custom'] == 'yes'
+        assert sent['User-Agent'] == (
+            'LEDMatrix/1.0 (+https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/LEDMatrix)')
+        assert sent['Accept'] == 'application/json'
+        # The session's own headers are not polluted by the per-call ones.
+        assert 'X-Custom' not in helper.session.headers
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ESPN helpers
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestEspnHelpers:
+    @freeze_time('2026-08-07')
+    def test_fetch_espn_scoreboard_url_params_and_cache_key(self, helper):
+        helper.get = Mock(return_value={'ok': 1})
+
+        result = helper.fetch_espn_scoreboard('football', 'nfl')
+
+        assert result == {'ok': 1}
+        helper.get.assert_called_once_with(
+            'https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/football/nfl/scoreboard',
+            params={'dates': '20260807', 'limit': 1000},
+            cache_key='espn_football_nfl_20260807',
+            cache_ttl=300,
+        )
+
+    def test_fetch_espn_scoreboard_explicit_date(self, helper):
+        helper.get = Mock(return_value=None)
+
+        helper.fetch_espn_scoreboard('basketball', 'nba', date='20250115')
+
+        kwargs = helper.get.call_args.kwargs
+        assert kwargs['params'] == {'dates': '20250115', 'limit': 1000}
+        assert kwargs['cache_key'] == 'espn_basketball_nba_20250115'
+
+    def test_fetch_espn_standings_url_and_cache_key(self, helper):
+        helper.get = Mock(return_value={'ok': 1})
+
+        helper.fetch_espn_standings('football', 'nfl')
+
+        helper.get.assert_called_once_with(
+            'https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/football/nfl/standings',
+            cache_key='espn_standings_football_nfl',
+            cache_ttl=3600,
+        )
+
+    def test_fetch_espn_rankings_url_and_cache_key(self, helper):
+        helper.get = Mock(return_value={'ok': 1})
+
+        helper.fetch_espn_rankings('football', 'college-football')
+
+        helper.get.assert_called_once_with(
+            'https://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/football/college-football/rankings',
+            cache_key='espn_rankings_football_college-football',
+            cache_ttl=3600,
+        )
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Session setup
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestSessionSetup:
+    def test_user_agent_exact(self, helper):
+        # Regression guard: ESPN began 403ing other user agents; this exact
+        # string must be sent on every request.
+        assert helper.session.headers['User-Agent'] == (
+            'LEDMatrix/1.0 (+https://github.com/ChuckBuilds/LEDMatrix)')
+
+    def test_retry_adapter_configuration(self):
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=None, max_retries=7)
+
+        retries = helper.session.get_adapter('https://x').max_retries
+        assert retries.total == 7
+        assert {429, 500, 502, 503, 504} <= set(retries.status_forcelist)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# clear_cache (fixed behavior: real CacheManager surface)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestClearCache:
+    def test_no_pattern_uses_clear_cache_method(self):
+        manager = types.SimpleNamespace(clear_cache=Mock())
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=manager)
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        helper.clear_cache()
+
+        manager.clear_cache.assert_called_once_with()
+
+    def test_no_pattern_falls_back_to_clear(self):
+        manager = types.SimpleNamespace(clear=Mock())
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=manager)
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        helper.clear_cache()
+
+        manager.clear.assert_called_once_with()
+
+    def test_no_pattern_manager_without_any_clear_is_noop(self):
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=object())
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        helper.clear_cache()  # must not raise
+
+    def test_pattern_deletes_only_matching_keys(self):
+        manager = types.SimpleNamespace(
+            list_cache_files=Mock(return_value=[
+                {'key': 'espn_nfl_x'},
+                {'key': 'other'},
+            ]),
+            delete=Mock(),
+        )
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=manager)
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        helper.clear_cache(pattern='espn')
+
+        manager.delete.assert_called_once_with('espn_nfl_x')
+
+    def test_pattern_manager_without_list_cache_files_is_noop(self):
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=object())
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        helper.clear_cache(pattern='espn')  # must not raise
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# No cache manager
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestNoCacheManager:
+    def test_all_cache_operations_safe_without_manager(self):
+        helper = APIHelper(cache_manager=None)
+        helper.set_rate_limit(0)
+
+        assert helper.get_cache('k') is None
+        assert helper._get_from_cache('k') is None
+        assert helper.set_cache('k', {'a': 1}) is None
+        assert helper.clear_cache() is None
+        assert helper.clear_cache(pattern='espn') is None

test/test_api_v3_calendar_credentials.py

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+"""
+Endpoint tests for POST /plugins/calendar/upload-credentials.
+
+The endpoint takes an uploaded Google OAuth credentials file, writes it
+into the calendar plugin's directory as credentials.json at mode 0600, and
+copies any previous file aside first. It had no tests.
+
+Regression coverage for two fixed bugs:
+- The OAuth-shape check sat inside `except Exception: pass`, so a valid
+  JSON document that is not an object — a bare `42`, a list, a string —
+  raised TypeError on the membership test, was swallowed, and got saved
+  as credentials.json anyway.
+- Each overwrite created a timestamped backup and nothing ever removed
+  them, so every re-upload left another complete copy of the user's OAuth
+  client credentials in the plugin directory, indefinitely.
+"""
+
+import io
+import json
+import os
+import stat
+import sys
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+URL = "/api/v3/plugins/calendar/upload-credentials"
+
+VALID_CREDENTIALS = {
+    "installed": {
+        "client_id": "abc.apps.googleusercontent.com",
+        "client_secret": "shh",
+        "redirect_uris": ["http://localhost"],
+    }
+}
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def plugin_dir(tmp_path, api_v3_module):
+    directory = tmp_path / "plugins" / "calendar"
+    directory.mkdir(parents=True)
+    api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = str(directory)
+    return directory
+
+
+def upload(client, content, filename="credentials.json"):
+    # bytes are sent verbatim (to exercise malformed input); anything else
+    # is serialized, so None becomes the JSON literal null rather than an
+    # empty body.
+    payload = content if isinstance(content, bytes) else json.dumps(content).encode()
+    return client.post(
+        URL,
+        data={"file": (io.BytesIO(payload), filename)},
+        content_type="multipart/form-data",
+    )
+
+
+def backups(plugin_dir):
+    return sorted(plugin_dir.glob("credentials.json.backup.*"))
+
+
+class TestRequestValidation:
+    def test_no_file_part_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(URL, data={}, content_type="multipart/form-data")
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "No file provided" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_empty_filename_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS, filename="")
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("filename", ["creds.txt", "creds.pem", "creds"])
+    def test_non_json_extension_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, filename):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS, filename=filename)
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "JSON file" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_uppercase_json_extension_accepted(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        assert upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS,
+                      filename="CREDENTIALS.JSON").status_code == 200
+
+    def test_oversized_file_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, b"x" * (1024 * 1024 + 1))
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "1MB" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        assert not (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").exists()
+
+    def test_invalid_json_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, b"{not json")
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "not valid JSON" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        assert not (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").exists()
+
+    def test_missing_plugin_directory_is_a_404(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, tmp_path):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = str(
+            tmp_path / "not-installed")
+        assert upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS).status_code == 404
+
+
+class TestOAuthShapeValidation:
+    def test_installed_key_accepted(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        assert upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS).status_code == 200
+
+    def test_web_key_accepted(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        assert upload(api_v3_client, {"web": {"client_id": "x"}}).status_code == 200
+
+    def test_object_without_oauth_keys_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, {"something": "else"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "valid Google OAuth" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        assert not (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").exists()
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("content", [42, "a string", [1, 2, 3], True, None])
+    def test_valid_json_that_is_not_an_object_is_rejected(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, content):
+        # Regression: `'installed' not in 42` raises TypeError, which the
+        # bare `except Exception: pass` swallowed — the file was then saved
+        # as credentials.json despite being unusable as credentials.
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, content)
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "valid Google OAuth" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        assert not (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").exists()
+
+
+class TestSaving:
+    def test_file_written_with_contents_intact(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        response = upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        saved = json.loads((plugin_dir / "credentials.json").read_text())
+        assert saved == VALID_CREDENTIALS
+
+    def test_response_reports_the_path(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        body = upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS).get_json()
+        assert body["path"].endswith("credentials.json")
+
+    def test_permissions_are_owner_only(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        mode = stat.S_IMODE((plugin_dir / "credentials.json").stat().st_mode)
+        assert mode == 0o600
+
+    def test_first_upload_creates_no_backup(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        assert backups(plugin_dir) == []
+
+    def test_overwrite_backs_up_the_previous_file(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"old": 1}}))
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        assert len(backups(plugin_dir)) == 1
+        assert json.loads(backups(plugin_dir)[0].read_text()) == {"installed": {"old": 1}}
+        assert json.loads((plugin_dir / "credentials.json").read_text()) == VALID_CREDENTIALS
+
+
+class TestBackupPruning:
+    def _seed(self, plugin_dir, count):
+        """Create `count` backups with distinct, increasing mtimes."""
+        now = int(time.time())
+        for i in range(count):
+            path = plugin_dir / f"credentials.json.backup.{now - (count - i) * 10}"
+            path.write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"gen": i}}))
+            os.utime(path, (now - (count - i) * 10, now - (count - i) * 10))
+
+    def test_old_backups_are_pruned(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        # Regression: nothing ever removed these, so a plugin directory
+        # accumulated one full copy of the user's OAuth credentials per
+        # re-upload, forever.
+        (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"cur": 1}}))
+        self._seed(plugin_dir, 7)
+        assert len(backups(plugin_dir)) == 7
+
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        assert len(backups(plugin_dir)) == 5
+
+    def test_the_newest_backups_are_the_ones_kept(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"cur": 1}}))
+        self._seed(plugin_dir, 7)
+
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        remaining = backups(plugin_dir)
+        # The just-created backup (of "cur") plus the four newest seeds.
+        contents = [json.loads(p.read_text()) for p in remaining]
+        assert {"installed": {"cur": 1}} in contents
+        assert {"installed": {"gen": 0}} not in contents  # oldest seed gone
+
+    def test_under_the_limit_nothing_is_removed(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"cur": 1}}))
+        self._seed(plugin_dir, 2)
+        upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS)
+        assert len(backups(plugin_dir)) == 3  # 2 seeded + 1 new
+
+    def test_repeated_uploads_stay_bounded(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, api_v3_module, monkeypatch):
+        # The backup filename carries int(time.time()), so uploads inside
+        # the same second all write the same name and overwrite each other.
+        # Advance a fake clock a second per round — otherwise this never
+        # reaches six backups and the bound holds for the wrong reason.
+        clock = {"now": int(time.time())}
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            api_v3_module, "time", SimpleNamespace(time=lambda: clock["now"]))
+        for i in range(10):
+            clock["now"] += 1
+            upload(api_v3_client, {"installed": {"round": i}})
+            os.utime(plugin_dir / "credentials.json",
+                     (clock["now"], clock["now"]))
+        remaining = backups(plugin_dir)
+        assert len(remaining) == 5
+        # And they are the five most recent rounds, not an arbitrary five.
+        kept = sorted(int(p.name.rsplit(".", 1)[1]) for p in remaining)
+        assert kept == [clock["now"] - 4 + i for i in range(5)]
+
+    def test_unremovable_backup_does_not_fail_the_upload(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, monkeypatch):
+        (plugin_dir / "credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps({"installed": {"cur": 1}}))
+        self._seed(plugin_dir, 7)
+
+        def refuse(self):
+            raise OSError("read-only filesystem")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "unlink", refuse)
+
+        # Pruning is housekeeping; failing it must not lose the upload.
+        assert upload(api_v3_client, VALID_CREDENTIALS).status_code == 200

test/test_api_v3_music_auth_endpoints.py

@@ -0,0 +1,302 @@
+"""
+Endpoint tests for /plugins/authenticate/spotify and .../ytm.
+
+The Spotify step-2 handler writes a Python wrapper script to a temp file
+with the user's redirect URL embedded in it, then runs that file through
+subprocess. That is the most dangerous shape in the blueprint and had no
+tests: the URL is user input reaching generated source code.
+
+The two endpoints are NOT symmetrical, despite the matching names. Only
+Spotify has a two-step flow, a wrapper script, and a redirect_url; YTM
+just runs its script directly.
+
+Regression coverage for one fixed bug: the wrapper file was unlinked in
+the success/failure branch and again in the TimeoutExpired handler, so
+any other failure from subprocess.run — the interpreter missing, a fork
+failure, an interrupted call — left a temp file containing the user's
+redirect URL behind.
+"""
+
+import ast
+import json
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def plugin_dir(tmp_path, api_v3_module):
+    """A plugin directory containing both auth scripts."""
+    directory = tmp_path / "plugins" / "ledmatrix-music"
+    directory.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (directory / "authenticate_spotify.py").write_text("print('spotify')\n")
+    (directory / "authenticate_ytm.py").write_text("print('ytm')\n")
+    api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = str(directory)
+    return directory
+
+
+def completed(returncode=0, stdout="ok", stderr=""):
+    return subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+        args=["python3"], returncode=returncode, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+
+
+class TestSpotifyPreconditions:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/spotify"
+
+    def test_missing_plugin_directory_is_404(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, tmp_path):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = str(
+            tmp_path / "not-installed")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 404
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Plugin not found"
+
+    def test_none_plugin_directory_is_404(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = None
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={}).status_code == 404
+
+    def test_missing_auth_script_is_404(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "authenticate_spotify.py").unlink()
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 404
+        assert "script not found" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+
+class TestSpotifyStepTwo:
+    """redirect_url present — the wrapper-script path."""
+
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/spotify"
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed(0, "done")):
+            response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["status"] == "success"
+        assert body["output"] == "done"
+
+    def test_script_failure_is_a_400_with_combined_output(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed(1, "out", "err")):
+            response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["output"] == "outerr"
+
+    def test_timeout_is_a_408(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run",
+                          side_effect=subprocess.TimeoutExpired("python3", 120)):
+            response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 408
+        assert "timed out" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_runs_a_list_argv_never_a_shell(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed()) as run:
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        args, kwargs = run.call_args
+        assert isinstance(args[0], list)
+        assert args[0][0] == "python3"
+        assert kwargs.get("shell") in (None, False)
+
+    def test_timeout_is_bounded(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed()) as run:
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        assert run.call_args.kwargs["timeout"] == 120
+
+
+class TestSpotifyWrapperCleanup:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/spotify"
+
+    def _wrapper_paths_after(self, api_v3_client, run_mock):
+        """Run the endpoint and return the wrapper path subprocess saw."""
+        seen = {}
+
+        def capture(args, **kwargs):
+            seen["path"] = args[1]
+            return run_mock(args, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", side_effect=capture):
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "http://cb/?code=x"})
+        return seen["path"]
+
+    def test_removed_after_success(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        path = self._wrapper_paths_after(api_v3_client, lambda *a, **kw: completed())
+        assert not os.path.exists(path)
+
+    def test_removed_after_script_failure(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        path = self._wrapper_paths_after(
+            api_v3_client, lambda *a, **kw: completed(1, "out", "err"))
+        assert not os.path.exists(path)
+
+    def test_removed_after_timeout(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        def raise_timeout(*a, **kw):
+            raise subprocess.TimeoutExpired("python3", 120)
+        path = self._wrapper_paths_after(api_v3_client, raise_timeout)
+        assert not os.path.exists(path)
+
+    def test_removed_when_subprocess_cannot_start(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        # Regression: cleanup lived in the success/failure branch and in the
+        # TimeoutExpired handler only. An OSError from subprocess.run itself
+        # — no interpreter, fork failure — skipped both and left the wrapper,
+        # which contains the user's redirect URL, on disk.
+        def raise_oserror(*a, **kw):
+            raise OSError("[Errno 12] Cannot allocate memory")
+        path = self._wrapper_paths_after(api_v3_client, raise_oserror)
+        assert not os.path.exists(path)
+
+
+class TestSpotifyRedirectUrlIsNotInjectable:
+    """The wrapper embeds redirect_url into generated Python source."""
+
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/spotify"
+
+    ADVERSARIAL = [
+        '''http://cb/?code=x"''',
+        """http://cb/?code=x'""",
+        'http://cb/?code=x\\',
+        'http://cb/?code=x\nimport os; os.system("id")',
+        'http://cb/?code=x"""\nimport os\n"""',
+        "http://cb/?code=x'''",
+        'http://cb/?code=x\\"\\n',
+        '"; import os; os.system("id"); "',
+    ]
+
+    def _wrapper_source(self, api_v3_client, redirect_url):
+        captured = {}
+
+        def capture(args, **kwargs):
+            captured["source"] = Path(args[1]).read_text()
+            return completed()
+
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", side_effect=capture):
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": redirect_url})
+        return captured["source"]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("redirect_url", ADVERSARIAL)
+    def test_wrapper_is_still_valid_python(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, redirect_url):
+        # If escaping failed, the generated file would not parse at all.
+        source = self._wrapper_source(api_v3_client, redirect_url)
+        ast.parse(source)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("redirect_url", ADVERSARIAL)
+    def test_url_survives_as_one_string_literal(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir, redirect_url):
+        # Stronger than "it parses": the URL must still be a single string
+        # assigned to redirect_url, not code that escaped into statements.
+        source = self._wrapper_source(api_v3_client, redirect_url)
+        tree = ast.parse(source)
+        assigned = [
+            node.value.value for node in ast.walk(tree)
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Assign)
+            and isinstance(node.value, ast.Constant)
+            and any(getattr(t, "id", None) == "redirect_url" for t in node.targets)
+        ]
+        assert assigned == [redirect_url.strip()]
+
+    def test_injected_call_does_not_become_a_statement(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        source = self._wrapper_source(
+            api_v3_client, 'http://cb/\nimport os; os.system("id")')
+        tree = ast.parse(source)
+        imported = {
+            alias.name for node in ast.walk(tree)
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Import) for alias in node.names
+        }
+        # The wrapper legitimately imports sys, subprocess and os; what it
+        # must not gain is a *call* smuggled in through the URL.
+        calls = [
+            node for node in ast.walk(tree)
+            if isinstance(node, ast.Call)
+            and isinstance(node.func, ast.Attribute)
+            and node.func.attr == "system"
+        ]
+        assert calls == []
+
+
+class TestSpotifyStepOne:
+    """No redirect_url — the OAuth-URL path, which imports the script."""
+
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/spotify"
+
+    def test_script_without_credentials_helper_is_an_error(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        # The stub script defines neither get_auth_url nor
+        # load_spotify_credentials, so no URL can be produced.
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code in (400, 500)
+        assert response.get_json()["status"] == "error"
+
+    def test_unusable_credentials_do_not_leak_into_the_response(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "authenticate_spotify.py").write_text(
+            "def load_spotify_credentials():\n"
+            "    return ('id-abc', 'super-secret-value', None)\n"
+        )
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert "super-secret-value" not in response.get_data(as_text=True)
+
+    def test_script_raising_on_import_is_handled(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "authenticate_spotify.py").write_text("raise RuntimeError('boom')\n")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert response.get_json()["status"] == "error"
+
+    def test_bodyless_post_reaches_step_one(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        # Covered by the silent=True fix: previously a 500 from body parsing.
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code in (400, 500)
+        assert response.get_json()["status"] == "error"
+
+    def test_whitespace_redirect_url_is_treated_as_absent(
+            self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed()) as run:
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"redirect_url": "   "})
+        # Step 2 never runs, so no wrapper is executed.
+        run.assert_not_called()
+
+
+class TestYouTubeMusic:
+    """No wrapper script and no redirect_url — deliberately not symmetric."""
+
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/authenticate/ytm"
+
+    def test_missing_plugin_directory_is_404(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, tmp_path):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.get_plugin_directory.return_value = str(
+            tmp_path / "not-installed")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code == 404
+
+    def test_missing_script_is_404(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        (plugin_dir / "authenticate_ytm.py").unlink()
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 404
+        assert "script not found" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed(0, "authorized")):
+            response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["output"] == "authorized"
+
+    def test_failure_is_a_400_with_combined_output(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed(1, "out", "err")):
+            response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["output"] == "outerr"
+
+    def test_timeout_is_a_408(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run",
+                          side_effect=subprocess.TimeoutExpired("python3", 60)):
+            assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code == 408
+
+    def test_runs_the_script_directly_without_a_shell(self, api_v3_client, plugin_dir):
+        with patch.object(subprocess, "run", return_value=completed()) as run:
+            api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        args, kwargs = run.call_args
+        assert args[0][0] == "python3"
+        assert args[0][1].endswith("authenticate_ytm.py")
+        assert kwargs.get("shell") in (None, False)
+        assert kwargs["timeout"] == 60

test/test_api_v3_optional_body.py

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+"""
+Regression tests: POST endpoints whose body is optional must accept a
+request that has no body at all.
+
+Six handlers in api_v3 read their body as ``request.get_json() or {}``.
+The ``or {}`` states the intent plainly — every field is optional, so a
+bodyless POST should fall back to defaults. But ``get_json()`` without
+``silent=True`` raises ``UnsupportedMediaType`` when the request carries
+no JSON Content-Type, and it raises *before* ``or {}`` is evaluated. Each
+handler's catch-all then turned that into a 500.
+
+So the natural way to call these endpoints — a POST with no body, which
+is what curl, a fetch() without options, and most HTTP clients send by
+default — failed on every one of them. The shipped UI always sends a JSON
+object, which is why this went unnoticed.
+
+This file covers the endpoints whose bodyless behaviour is not already
+tested in their own suite.
+"""
+
+import re
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+
+class TestOnDemandStart:
+    URL = "/api/v3/display/on-demand/start"
+
+    def test_bodyless_post_is_not_a_server_error(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        # The endpoint may still reject the request on its own terms (no
+        # plugin_id, nothing to display); what it must not do is fail with
+        # a 500 raised out of body parsing.
+        assert response.status_code != 500
+
+    def test_json_body_still_works(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={}).status_code != 500
+
+
+class TestResetPluginConfig:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/config/reset"
+
+    def test_bodyless_post_is_not_a_server_error(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code != 500
+
+    def test_json_body_still_works(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={}).status_code != 500
+
+
+class TestDeleteOfTheDayJson:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/of-the-day/json/delete"
+
+    def test_bodyless_post_is_not_a_server_error(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code != 500
+
+    def test_json_body_still_works(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={}).status_code != 500
+
+
+class TestPluginLimits:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/clock/limits"
+
+    def test_bodyless_post_is_not_a_server_error(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code != 500
+
+
+class TestMissingBodyGivesTheDeclaredError:
+    """Handlers that answer "No data provided" must actually be able to.
+
+    A second group of handlers reads `data = request.get_json()` and then
+    guards with `if not data: return 400`. That guard is unreachable for a
+    request with no JSON body, because get_json() raises first — so the
+    caller got a 500 "an error occurred; see logs for details" instead of
+    the 400 the handler plainly intends to send.
+    """
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("url", [
+        "/api/v3/plugins/install",
+        "/api/v3/plugins/install-from-url",
+        "/api/v3/plugins/registry-from-url",
+        "/api/v3/config/raw/main",
+        "/api/v3/config/raw/secrets",
+        "/api/v3/cache/delete",
+    ])
+    def test_bodyless_post_gets_a_400_not_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, url):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(url)
+        assert response.status_code == 400, (
+            f"{url} answered {response.status_code}: "
+            f"{response.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]}")
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("url", [
+        "/api/v3/plugins/install",
+        "/api/v3/config/raw/main",
+    ])
+    def test_malformed_json_gets_a_400_not_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, url):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(
+            url, data="{not json", content_type="application/json")
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+
+
+class TestNoBodyReadContradictsItsOwnGuard:
+    SOURCE = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py"
+
+    def test_no_or_default_read_is_unguarded(self):
+        """`get_json() or <default>` is a contradiction without silent=True.
+
+        Writing `or {}` declares the body optional; omitting silent=True
+        means the call raises before the default can apply.
+        """
+        offenders = [
+            line.strip() for line in self.SOURCE.read_text().splitlines()
+            if "request.get_json()" in line and " or " in line
+        ]
+        assert offenders == [], (
+            "these reads declare a default but raise before reaching it; "
+            f"use get_json(silent=True): {offenders}")
+
+    def test_no_not_data_guard_is_unreachable(self):
+        """A `if not data:` guard needs a read that can actually return None."""
+        lines = self.SOURCE.read_text().splitlines()
+        offenders = []
+        for i, line in enumerate(lines):
+            if re.search(r"=\s*request\.get_json\(\)\s*$", line):
+                window = "\n".join(lines[i + 1:i + 3])
+                if re.search(r"if\s+(not\s+data\b|data\s+is\s+None)", window):
+                    offenders.append(f"line {i + 1}: {line.strip()}")
+        assert offenders == [], (
+            "these handlers guard on a missing body but raise before the "
+            f"guard runs; use get_json(silent=True): {offenders}")

test/test_api_v3_plugin_install_endpoints.py

@@ -0,0 +1,302 @@
+"""
+Endpoint tests for POST /plugins/install and POST /plugins/install-from-url.
+
+Both were only ever tested at the PluginStoreManager layer, so the route
+logic — the queue-vs-direct branch, schema invalidation, plugin discovery,
+state and history recording — was unexercised.
+
+/plugins/install carries the same install logic twice: once inside the
+operation-queue callback and once in the direct fallback. The paired
+tests below assert both branches produce the same side effects, so the
+duplication cannot quietly drift.
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+INSTALL = "/api/v3/plugins/install"
+FROM_URL = "/api/v3/plugins/install-from-url"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def queued(api_v3_module):
+    """Enable the operation queue and run its callback synchronously."""
+    queue = MagicMock()
+
+    def enqueue(operation_type, plugin_id, operation_callback=None):
+        queue.callback_result = operation_callback(MagicMock())
+        return "op-123"
+
+    queue.enqueue_operation.side_effect = enqueue
+    api_v3_module.api_v3.operation_queue = queue
+    return queue
+
+
+def side_effects(module):
+    """The manager calls a successful install is expected to make."""
+    api = module.api_v3
+    return {
+        "schema_invalidated": api.schema_manager.invalidate_cache.call_args_list,
+        "discovered": api.plugin_manager.discover_plugins.call_count,
+        "loaded": api.plugin_manager.load_plugin.call_args_list,
+        "state_set": api.plugin_state_manager.set_plugin_installed.call_args_list,
+        "history": api.operation_history.record_operation.call_args_list,
+    }
+
+
+class TestInstallValidation:
+    def test_uninitialized_store_manager_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert "not initialized" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_missing_plugin_id_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "plugin_id required" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_empty_body_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        assert api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json=None).status_code == 400
+
+
+class TestInstallDirectPath:
+    """operation_queue is None — the fallback branch."""
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["status"] == "success"
+
+    def test_success_side_effects(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        effects = side_effects(api_v3_module)
+        assert effects["schema_invalidated"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["discovered"] == 1
+        assert effects["loaded"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["state_set"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["history"][0].kwargs["status"] == "success"
+
+    def test_branch_forwarded_to_the_manager(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock", "branch": "dev"})
+        manager.install_plugin.assert_called_once_with("clock", branch="dev")
+
+    def test_branch_named_in_the_message(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock", "branch": "dev"})
+        assert "(branch: dev)" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_failure_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert "Failed to install" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_failure_mentions_missing_registry_entry(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        manager.get_plugin_info.return_value = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "ghost"})
+        assert "not found in registry" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_failure_omits_registry_note_when_plugin_is_known(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        manager.get_plugin_info.return_value = {"id": "clock"}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert "not found in registry" not in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_failure_recorded_in_history(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        record = api_v3_module.api_v3.operation_history.record_operation.call_args
+        assert record.kwargs["status"] == "failed"
+
+    def test_no_side_effects_on_failure(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        effects = side_effects(api_v3_module)
+        assert effects["schema_invalidated"] == []
+        assert effects["loaded"] == []
+        assert effects["state_set"] == []
+
+
+class TestInstallQueuedPath:
+    """operation_queue present — the callback branch."""
+
+    def test_returns_an_operation_id(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["data"]["operation_id"] == "op-123"
+
+    def test_message_says_queued(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert "queued" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_callback_success_side_effects(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        effects = side_effects(api_v3_module)
+        assert effects["schema_invalidated"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["discovered"] == 1
+        assert effects["loaded"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["state_set"] == [(("clock",), {})]
+        assert effects["history"][0].kwargs["status"] == "success"
+
+    def test_callback_reports_success(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert queued.callback_result["success"] is True
+
+    def test_callback_failure_raises_for_the_queue(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        # The callback signals failure by raising, so the queue can mark the
+        # operation failed; the route's catch-all turns it into a 500.
+        response = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+
+    def test_callback_failure_recorded_in_history(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = False
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"})
+        record = api_v3_module.api_v3.operation_history.record_operation.call_args
+        assert record.kwargs["status"] == "failed"
+
+    def test_branch_forwarded_from_the_callback(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, queued):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock", "branch": "dev"})
+        manager.install_plugin.assert_called_once_with("clock", branch="dev")
+
+
+class TestInstallPathsAgree:
+    """The queue callback and the direct fallback duplicate the same logic."""
+
+    def _run(self, client, module, install_ok, queue):
+        module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = install_ok
+        client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock", "branch": "dev"})
+        return side_effects(module)
+
+    def test_success_side_effects_match(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        direct = self._run(api_v3_client, api_v3_module, True, None)
+
+        # Reset and re-run through the queue.
+        for mock in (api_v3_module.api_v3.schema_manager,
+                     api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager,
+                     api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_state_manager,
+                     api_v3_module.api_v3.operation_history):
+            mock.reset_mock()
+        queue = MagicMock()
+        queue.enqueue_operation.side_effect = (
+            lambda t, p, operation_callback=None: operation_callback(MagicMock()) and "op")
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.operation_queue = queue
+        queued = self._run(api_v3_client, api_v3_module, True, queue)
+
+        assert direct["schema_invalidated"] == queued["schema_invalidated"]
+        assert direct["discovered"] == queued["discovered"]
+        assert direct["loaded"] == queued["loaded"]
+        assert direct["state_set"] == queued["state_set"]
+        assert (direct["history"][0].kwargs["status"]
+                == queued["history"][0].kwargs["status"])
+        assert (direct["history"][0].kwargs["details"]
+                == queued["history"][0].kwargs["details"])
+
+    def test_only_the_message_wording_differs(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        # Characterized: the direct path says "Plugin installed
+        # successfully" while the queue callback says "Plugin clock
+        # installed successfully". Cosmetic, and the queue's text is
+        # internal to the operation record rather than the HTTP response.
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_plugin.return_value = True
+        direct = api_v3_client.post(INSTALL, json={"plugin_id": "clock"}).get_json()
+        assert direct["message"] == "Plugin installed successfully"
+
+
+class TestInstallFromUrl:
+    def test_uninitialized_store_manager_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager = None
+        assert api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"}).status_code == 500
+
+    def test_missing_repo_url_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "repo_url required" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": True, "plugin_id": "clock", "name": "Clock"}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "https://github.com/o/r"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["plugin_id"] == "clock"
+        assert body["name"] == "Clock"
+
+    def test_all_optional_arguments_forwarded(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.install_from_url.return_value = {"success": True, "plugin_id": "clock"}
+        api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={
+            "repo_url": "  https://github.com/o/r  ",
+            "plugin_id": "clock",
+            "plugin_path": "plugins/clock",
+            "branch": "dev",
+        })
+        manager.install_from_url.assert_called_once_with(
+            repo_url="https://github.com/o/r",
+            plugin_id="clock",
+            plugin_path="plugins/clock",
+            branch="dev",
+        )
+
+    def test_success_invalidates_schema_and_loads_plugin(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": True, "plugin_id": "clock"}
+        api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.schema_manager.invalidate_cache.assert_called_once_with("clock")
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.load_plugin.assert_called_once_with("clock")
+
+    def test_success_without_plugin_id_skips_discovery(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        # install_from_url can succeed without naming the plugin; there is
+        # then nothing to invalidate or load.
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": True, "plugin_id": None}
+        api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.schema_manager.invalidate_cache.assert_not_called()
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_manager.load_plugin.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_branch_from_result_included(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": True, "plugin_id": "clock", "branch": "dev"}
+        body = api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"}).get_json()
+        assert body["branch"] == "dev"
+        assert "(branch: dev)" in body["message"]
+
+    def test_failure_reports_the_managers_error(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": False, "error": "repo not found"}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "repo not found"
+
+    def test_failure_without_error_uses_fallback_text(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.return_value = {
+            "success": False}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        assert "Failed to install plugin from URL" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_manager_exception_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.install_from_url.side_effect = (
+            RuntimeError("boom"))
+        assert api_v3_client.post(FROM_URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"}).status_code == 500

test/test_api_v3_registry_endpoints.py

@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+"""
+Endpoint tests for the plugin-registry routes in api_v3:
+POST /plugins/store/refresh and POST /plugins/registry-from-url.
+
+Both reach out to the network through PluginStoreManager (mocked here) and
+had no endpoint-level coverage; registry-from-url in particular takes a
+user-supplied URL and hands it straight to the manager.
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+
+class TestRefreshPluginStore:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/store/refresh"
+
+    def test_uninitialized_manager_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert "not initialized" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_success_reports_plugin_count(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {
+            "plugins": [{"id": "a"}, {"id": "b"}, {"id": "c"}]}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["plugin_count"] == 3
+
+    def test_forces_a_refresh_rather_than_using_cache(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        manager.fetch_registry.assert_called_once_with(force_refresh=True)
+
+    def test_empty_registry_reports_zero(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.get_json()["plugin_count"] == 0
+
+    def test_no_body_is_accepted(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        # Regression: `request.get_json() or {}` says a missing body is
+        # fine, but get_json() raises UnsupportedMediaType before `or {}`
+        # is reached, so a bodyless POST — the natural way to call a
+        # refresh endpoint — came back 500.
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code == 200
+
+    def test_body_without_json_content_type_is_accepted(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, data="", content_type="text/plain")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    def test_malformed_json_body_falls_back_to_defaults(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(
+            self.URL, data="{not json", content_type="application/json")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("key", ["fetch_commit_info", "fetch_latest_versions"])
+    def test_either_commit_info_key_extends_the_message(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, key):
+        # fetch_latest_versions is the older spelling; both must work.
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={key: True})
+        assert "commit metadata" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    def test_message_stays_plain_without_the_flag(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Plugin store refreshed"
+
+    def test_network_failure_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.side_effect = (
+            ConnectionError("github unreachable"))
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "An error occurred; see logs for details"
+
+    def test_failure_body_carries_no_traceback_or_paths(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry.side_effect = (
+            RuntimeError("failed at /home/user/LEDMatrix/src/secret.py line 42"))
+        body = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={}).get_json()
+        assert "Traceback" not in str(body)
+        # `details` is describe_exception output: one line, type-named,
+        # credential-redacted. It may quote the message, but never a stack.
+        assert body["details"].startswith("RuntimeError:")
+        assert "\n" not in body["details"]
+
+
+class TestRegistryFromUrl:
+    URL = "/api/v3/plugins/registry-from-url"
+
+    def test_uninitialized_manager_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+
+    def test_missing_repo_url_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "repo_url required" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_success_returns_the_plugin_list(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.return_value = {
+            "plugins": [{"id": "clock"}]}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(
+            self.URL, json={"repo_url": "https://github.com/o/r"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["plugins"] == [{"id": "clock"}]
+        assert body["registry_url"] == "https://github.com/o/r"
+
+    def test_url_is_trimmed_before_use(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        manager = api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager
+        manager.fetch_registry_from_url.return_value = {"plugins": []}
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "  https://github.com/o/r  "})
+        manager.fetch_registry_from_url.assert_called_once_with("https://github.com/o/r")
+
+    def test_registry_without_plugins_key_returns_empty_list(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.return_value = {
+            "other": 1}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        assert response.get_json()["plugins"] == []
+
+    def test_no_registry_found_is_a_400(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.return_value = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x/not-a-registry"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "Failed to fetch registry" in response.get_json()["message"]
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("url", [
+        "not a url",
+        "javascript:alert(1)",
+        "file:///etc/passwd",
+        "http://localhost:8080/admin",
+    ])
+    def test_unusable_urls_fail_cleanly(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module, url):
+        # Characterization: the handler performs no URL validation of its
+        # own — whatever the manager makes of the URL decides the outcome.
+        # What is pinned here is that a rejected URL produces a clean 400
+        # rather than a traceback or a 500.
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.return_value = None
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": url})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "Traceback" not in str(response.get_json())
+
+    def test_fetch_exception_is_a_500_without_internals(
+            self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.side_effect = (
+            ValueError("parse failed in /srv/app/internal.py"))
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "http://x"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["message"] == "An error occurred; see logs for details"
+        assert "Traceback" not in str(body)
+
+    def test_non_string_repo_url_is_rejected(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        # Regression: .strip() on a non-string raised, and the catch-all
+        # reported the caller's own mistake as a server fault.
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": 12345})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_blank_repo_url_is_rejected(self, api_v3_client, api_v3_module):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"repo_url": "   "})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        api_v3_module.api_v3.plugin_store_manager.fetch_registry_from_url.assert_not_called()

test/test_api_v3_wifi_endpoints.py

@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+"""
+Endpoint tests for the /wifi/* routes in api_v3.
+
+These routes drive the host's actual networking — connecting, dropping a
+connection, switching the radio off — and had no endpoint-level tests at
+all. WiFiManager is mocked throughout; nothing here may touch real
+networking.
+
+Each handler does `from src.wifi_manager import WiFiManager` inside the
+function body, so the patch target is the class at its definition site.
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent.parent))
+
+from test._api_v3_test_helpers import api_v3_client, api_v3_module  # noqa: F401,E402
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def wifi_manager():
+    """Patch WiFiManager where it is defined; yield the instance mock."""
+    with patch("src.wifi_manager.WiFiManager") as cls:
+        instance = MagicMock()
+        cls.return_value = instance
+        yield instance
+
+
+class TestConnect:
+    URL = "/api/v3/wifi/connect"
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (True, "Connected to HomeNet")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "HomeNet", "password": "pw"})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Connected to HomeNet"
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_called_once_with("HomeNet", "pw")
+
+    def test_missing_body_rejected(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_missing_ssid_rejected(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"password": "pw"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "SSID is required" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_not_called()
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("ssid", ["", "   ", "\t"])
+    def test_blank_ssid_rejected(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager, ssid):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": ssid})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_ssid_is_trimmed(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (True, "ok")
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "  HomeNet  "})
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_called_once_with("HomeNet", "")
+
+    def test_missing_password_becomes_empty_string(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (True, "ok")
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "OpenNet"})
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_called_once_with("OpenNet", "")
+
+    def test_null_password_becomes_empty_string(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (True, "ok")
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "OpenNet", "password": None})
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.assert_called_once_with("OpenNet", "")
+
+    def test_failure_reports_the_managers_reason(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (False, "Bad password")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "HomeNet"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Bad password"
+
+    def test_failure_without_reason_uses_fallback_text(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.return_value = (False, None)
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "HomeNet"})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Failed to connect to network"
+
+    def test_manager_exception_is_a_500_without_leaking_internals(
+            self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.connect_to_network.side_effect = RuntimeError(
+            "/usr/lib/secret/path blew up")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"ssid": "HomeNet"})
+        assert response.status_code == 500
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["message"] == "An error occurred; see logs for details"
+        # `details` comes from describe_exception, which is deliberately
+        # safe to return (redacted, capped) — it names the type.
+        assert "RuntimeError" in body["details"]
+
+
+class TestDisconnect:
+    URL = "/api/v3/wifi/disconnect"
+
+    def test_success(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disconnect_from_network.return_value = (True, "Disconnected")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Disconnected"
+
+    def test_failure(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disconnect_from_network.return_value = (False, "Not connected")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Not connected"
+
+    def test_failure_without_reason_uses_fallback(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disconnect_from_network.return_value = (False, "")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL)
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "Failed to disconnect from network"
+
+    def test_exception_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disconnect_from_network.side_effect = OSError("nmcli missing")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL).status_code == 500
+
+
+class TestApMode:
+    ENABLE = "/api/v3/wifi/ap/enable"
+    DISABLE = "/api/v3/wifi/ap/disable"
+
+    def test_enable_success(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.return_value = (True, "AP enabled")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.ENABLE, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.assert_called_once_with(force=False)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("raw,expected", [
+        (True, True), (False, False),
+        ("true", True), ("TRUE", True), ("1", True),
+        ("false", False), ("no", False), ("yes", False),
+        (1, False),  # only real True or the listed strings count
+    ])
+    def test_force_coercion(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager, raw, expected):
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.return_value = (True, "ok")
+        api_v3_client.post(self.ENABLE, json={"force": raw})
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.assert_called_once_with(force=expected)
+
+    def test_enable_without_body(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.return_value = (True, "ok")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.ENABLE).status_code == 200
+
+    def test_enable_failure(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.return_value = (False, "hostapd missing")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.ENABLE, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert response.get_json()["message"] == "hostapd missing"
+
+    def test_disable_success(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disable_ap_mode.return_value = (True, "AP disabled")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.DISABLE).status_code == 200
+
+    def test_disable_failure(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.disable_ap_mode.return_value = (False, "not running")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.DISABLE).status_code == 400
+
+    def test_enable_exception_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.enable_ap_mode.side_effect = RuntimeError("boom")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.ENABLE, json={}).status_code == 500
+
+
+class TestRadio:
+    URL = "/api/v3/wifi/radio"
+
+    def test_get_state(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.get_wifi_radio_state.return_value = {
+            "enabled": True, "ethernet_connected": False}
+        response = api_v3_client.get(self.URL)
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.get_json()["data"]["enabled"] is True
+
+    def test_get_state_exception_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.get_wifi_radio_state.side_effect = OSError("rfkill missing")
+        assert api_v3_client.get(self.URL).status_code == 500
+
+    def test_enabled_is_required(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        assert "enabled is required" in response.get_json()["message"]
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_enable_success(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.return_value = (True, "Radio on", None)
+        wifi_manager.get_wifi_radio_state.return_value = {"enabled": True}
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"enabled": True})
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.assert_called_once_with(True, force=False)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("raw,expected", [
+        (True, True), ("true", True), ("1", True), ("yes", True),
+        (False, False), ("false", False), ("off", False), (0, False),
+    ])
+    def test_enabled_coercion_is_string_aware(
+            self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager, raw, expected):
+        # bool("false") is True, so the endpoint parses strings explicitly
+        # rather than trusting truthiness — it is a public contract, not
+        # only the shipped UI which always sends real JSON booleans.
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.return_value = (True, "ok", None)
+        wifi_manager.get_wifi_radio_state.return_value = {}
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"enabled": raw})
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.assert_called_once_with(expected, force=False)
+
+    def test_force_passed_through(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.return_value = (True, "ok", None)
+        wifi_manager.get_wifi_radio_state.return_value = {}
+        api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"enabled": False, "force": "true"})
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.assert_called_once_with(False, force=True)
+
+    def test_refusal_reports_reason(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        # Disabling the radio without Ethernet would lock the user out of
+        # this very interface, so the manager can refuse with a reason.
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.return_value = (
+            False, "Refusing: no wired fallback", "no_ethernet")
+        response = api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"enabled": False})
+        assert response.status_code == 400
+        body = response.get_json()
+        assert body["reason"] == "no_ethernet"
+        assert "Refusing" in body["message"]
+
+    def test_exception_is_a_500(self, api_v3_client, wifi_manager):
+        wifi_manager.set_wifi_radio.side_effect = RuntimeError("boom")
+        assert api_v3_client.post(self.URL, json={"enabled": True}).status_code == 500
+
+
+class TestNoRealNetworking:
+    def test_wifi_manager_is_never_constructed_for_real(self, api_v3_client):
+        # Guard against a future refactor moving the import to module level,
+        # where the fixture's patch of the definition site would stop
+        # applying and the tests would start driving real networking.
+        with patch("src.wifi_manager.WiFiManager") as cls:
+            cls.return_value.disconnect_from_network.return_value = (True, "ok")
+            api_v3_client.post("/api/v3/wifi/disconnect")
+            assert cls.called

test/test_backup_manager.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+import stat
 import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -41,6 +42,13 @@ def _make_project(root: Path) -> Path:
         json.dumps({"ap_mode": {"ssid": "LEDMatrix"}}),
         encoding="utf-8",
     )
+    # Device-local auth that lives in config/ like the three above. It was
+    # omitted from backups, so a restore silently signed the user out of
+    # YouTube Music and they had to re-authenticate by hand.
+    (root / "config" / "ytm_auth.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps({"token": "YTM-TOKEN"}),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
 
     fonts = root / "assets" / "fonts"
     fonts.mkdir(parents=True)
@@ -240,6 +248,10 @@ def test_restore_roundtrip(project: Path, empty_project: Path, tmp_path: Path) -
     restored_secrets = json.loads((empty_project / "config" / "config_secrets.json").read_text())
     assert restored_secrets["ledmatrix-weather"]["api_key"] == "SECRET"
 
+    assert "ytm_auth" in result.restored
+    restored_ytm = json.loads((empty_project / "config" / "ytm_auth.json").read_text())
+    assert restored_ytm["token"] == "YTM-TOKEN"
+
     # User font restored, bundled font untouched.
     assert (empty_project / "assets" / "fonts" / "my-custom-font.ttf").read_bytes() == b"\x00\x01USER"
     assert (empty_project / "assets" / "fonts" / "5x7.bdf").read_text() == "BUNDLED"
@@ -271,6 +283,10 @@ def test_restore_honors_options(project: Path, empty_project: Path, tmp_path: Pa
     assert result.plugins_to_install == []
     assert "secrets" in result.skipped
     assert "wifi" in result.skipped
+    # ytm_auth rides on restore_wifi rather than its own flag -- disabling
+    # wifi restore must not leave a stale session token behind.
+    assert "ytm_auth" in result.skipped
+    assert not (empty_project / "config" / "ytm_auth.json").exists()
 
 
 def test_restore_rejects_malicious_zip(empty_project: Path, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
@@ -282,3 +298,39 @@ def test_restore_rejects_malicious_zip(empty_project: Path, tmp_path: Path) -> N
     # validate_backup catches it before extraction.
     assert not result.success
     assert any("unsafe" in e.lower() for e in result.errors)
+
+
+def test_restore_over_a_file_the_user_cannot_write(
+    project: Path, empty_project: Path, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    """Restore must not need write permission on the destination *file*.
+
+    Reproduces what a fresh install leaves behind: config files owned by root
+    and only group-readable, while the web interface that performs the restore
+    runs as a non-root user. shutil.copy2 opens the destination for writing and
+    failed with EACCES; writing alongside and renaming needs only directory
+    permission, which that account has.
+
+    Simulated here by making the destination read-only — the owner cannot
+    open it for writing either, but can still replace it within its directory.
+    """
+    zip_path = create_backup(project, output_dir=tmp_path / "exports")
+
+    # Pre-existing, read-only destinations.
+    (empty_project / "config").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    for name in ("config.json", "config_secrets.json", "wifi_config.json", "ytm_auth.json"):
+        target = empty_project / "config" / name
+        target.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+        target.chmod(0o444)
+
+    result = restore_backup(zip_path, empty_project, RestoreOptions())
+
+    assert result.success, result.errors
+    for section in ("config", "secrets", "wifi", "ytm_auth"):
+        assert section in result.restored, f"{section} not restored: {result.errors}"
+
+    restored = json.loads((empty_project / "config" / "config.json").read_text())
+    assert restored["my-plugin"]["favorites"] == ["A", "B"]
+
+    # The destination's mode is preserved rather than widened to the umask.
+    assert stat.S_IMODE((empty_project / "config" / "config_secrets.json").stat().st_mode) == 0o444

test/test_base_odds_manager.py

@@ -0,0 +1,365 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/base_odds_manager.py (BaseOddsManager).
+
+Covers get_odds validation/caching/URL construction, the null-safe
+_extract_espn_data fix (ESPN sends explicit JSON nulls for absent sides),
+the no_odds sentinel, stale-cache fallback on request failure,
+is_odds_available's ML-blind truth table, the fixed format_odds_summary
+gate (money-line-only odds now format), get_odds_for_games, and
+configuration loading.
+
+No real network: requests.Session.get is always patched. The odds path sends
+its requests through a session so it can identify itself to ESPN, so patching
+the module-level requests.get would no longer intercept anything.
+"""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+
+from src.base_odds_manager import BaseOddsManager
+
+
+FULL_ITEM = {
+    'details': 'DAL -3.5',
+    'overUnder': 47.5,
+    'spread': -3.5,
+    'homeTeamOdds': {'moneyLine': -150, 'current': {'pointSpread': {'value': -3.5}}},
+    'awayTeamOdds': {'moneyLine': 130, 'current': {'pointSpread': {'value': 3.5}}},
+}
+
+FULL_EXTRACTED = {
+    'details': 'DAL -3.5',
+    'over_under': 47.5,
+    'spread': -3.5,
+    'home_team_odds': {'money_line': -150, 'spread_odds': -3.5},
+    'away_team_odds': {'money_line': 130, 'spread_odds': 3.5},
+}
+
+
+def _make_response(payload):
+    response = MagicMock()
+    response.json.return_value = payload
+    response.raise_for_status.return_value = None
+    return response
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cache_manager():
+    cm = MagicMock()
+    # A bare MagicMock returns truthy Mocks from every call, so every
+    # get_odds() would look like a cache hit. Explicitly wire a miss.
+    cm.get_with_auto_strategy.return_value = None
+    return cm
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def manager(cache_manager):
+    return BaseOddsManager(cache_manager)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_get():
+    with patch('src.base_odds_manager.requests.Session.get') as m:
+        m.return_value = _make_response({'items': [dict(FULL_ITEM)]})
+        yield m
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# get_odds
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestGetOdds:
+    def test_none_sport_raises(self, manager):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            manager.get_odds(None, 'nfl', '1')
+
+    def test_none_league_raises(self, manager):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            manager.get_odds('football', None, '1')
+
+    def test_cache_key_and_url(self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        cache_manager.get_with_auto_strategy.assert_called_once_with(
+            'odds_espn_football_nfl_401')
+        url = mock_get.call_args[0][0]
+        # Event id appears twice: /events/<id>/competitions/<id>/odds
+        assert '/events/401/competitions/401/odds' in url
+        assert url == ('https://sports.core.api.espn.com/v2/sports/football/'
+                       'leagues/nfl/events/401/competitions/401/odds')
+        # The number matters less than the property: a single stalled request
+        # must not be able to consume the plugin executor's 30s operation
+        # budget, since odds are fetched per live game inside update().
+        assert mock_get.call_args.kwargs['timeout'] == 5
+        assert mock_get.call_args.kwargs['timeout'] < 30
+
+    def test_ncaa_fb_maps_to_college_football(self, manager, mock_get):
+        manager.get_odds('football', 'ncaa_fb', '401')
+
+        url = mock_get.call_args[0][0]
+        assert '/leagues/college-football/' in url
+
+    def test_unknown_league_passes_through(self, manager, mock_get):
+        manager.get_odds('football', 'xfl', '401')
+
+        assert '/leagues/xfl/' in mock_get.call_args[0][0]
+
+    def test_cache_hit_skips_http(self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        cache_manager.get_with_auto_strategy.return_value = {'spread': -3.0}
+
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        assert result == {'spread': -3.0}
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_cached_no_odds_sentinel_returned_verbatim(
+            self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        cache_manager.get_with_auto_strategy.return_value = {'no_odds': True}
+
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        assert result == {'no_odds': True}
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(result) is False
+
+    def test_success_caches_extracted_data_with_interval_ttl(
+            self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401',
+                                  update_interval_seconds=100)
+
+        assert result == FULL_EXTRACTED
+        cache_manager.set.assert_called_once_with(
+            'odds_espn_football_nfl_401', FULL_EXTRACTED, ttl=100)
+
+    def test_no_odds_caches_sentinel(self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        mock_get.return_value = _make_response({'count': 0, 'items': []})
+
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        assert result is None
+        cache_manager.set.assert_called_once_with(
+            'odds_espn_football_nfl_401', {'no_odds': True}, ttl=3600)
+
+    def test_zero_interval_falls_back_to_default(
+            self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        # Quirk pin: `update_interval_seconds or self.update_interval`
+        # treats an explicit 0 as falsy, so the 3600 default wins.
+        manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401', update_interval_seconds=0)
+
+        assert cache_manager.set.call_args.kwargs['ttl'] == 3600
+
+    def test_request_exception_falls_back_to_stale_cache(
+            self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        cache_manager.get_with_auto_strategy.side_effect = [
+            None, {'stale': True}]
+        mock_get.side_effect = requests.exceptions.RequestException('boom')
+
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        assert result == {'stale': True}
+        assert cache_manager.get_with_auto_strategy.call_count == 2
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _extract_espn_data
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestExtractEspnData:
+    def test_full_item_extracts_all_fields(self, manager):
+        result = manager._extract_espn_data({'items': [dict(FULL_ITEM)]})
+        assert result == FULL_EXTRACTED
+
+    def test_explicit_nulls_do_not_raise(self, manager):
+        # Post-fix: ESPN sends explicit JSON nulls for absent sides
+        # ("homeTeamOdds": null, "current": null); extraction must not
+        # raise and yields None fields.
+        payload = {'items': [{
+            'homeTeamOdds': None,
+            'awayTeamOdds': {'moneyLine': 150, 'current': None},
+        }]}
+
+        result = manager._extract_espn_data(payload)
+
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result['home_team_odds']['money_line'] is None
+        assert result['home_team_odds']['spread_odds'] is None
+        assert result['away_team_odds']['money_line'] == 150
+        assert result['away_team_odds']['spread_odds'] is None
+
+    def test_valid_empty_response_returns_none(self, manager):
+        assert manager._extract_espn_data({'count': 0, 'items': []}) is None
+
+    def test_unexpected_structure_returns_none(self, manager):
+        assert manager._extract_espn_data({'unexpected': True}) is None
+
+    def test_item_without_odds_fields_cached_as_data_not_sentinel(
+            self, manager, cache_manager, mock_get):
+        # Characterization pin: an item with no odds fields still extracts
+        # to a truthy dict of all-None values, so get_odds caches it as
+        # real data (NOT the no_odds sentinel) — but is_odds_available
+        # correctly reports False for it.
+        mock_get.return_value = _make_response({'items': [{}]})
+
+        result = manager.get_odds('football', 'nfl', '401')
+
+        assert result == {
+            'details': None,
+            'over_under': None,
+            'spread': None,
+            'home_team_odds': {'money_line': None, 'spread_odds': None},
+            'away_team_odds': {'money_line': None, 'spread_odds': None},
+        }
+        cache_manager.set.assert_called_once_with(
+            'odds_espn_football_nfl_401', result, ttl=3600)
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(result) is False
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# is_odds_available
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestIsOddsAvailable:
+    def test_none_is_false(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(None) is False
+
+    def test_empty_dict_is_false(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available({}) is False
+
+    def test_no_odds_sentinel_is_false(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available({'no_odds': True}) is False
+
+    def test_spread_is_true(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available({'spread': -3.5}) is True
+
+    def test_over_under_is_true(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available({'over_under': 47.5}) is True
+
+    def test_nested_home_spread_odds_is_true(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(
+            {'home_team_odds': {'spread_odds': -3.5}}) is True
+
+    def test_nested_away_spread_odds_is_true(self, manager):
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(
+            {'away_team_odds': {'spread_odds': 3.5}}) is True
+
+    def test_moneyline_only_is_false(self, manager):
+        # Pinned ML-blind contract: is_odds_available ignores money lines
+        # (its callers decide whether to render an odds widget). Note that
+        # format_odds_summary deliberately uses a DIFFERENT gate — it will
+        # still format money-line-only odds (see TestFormatOddsSummary).
+        ml_only = {
+            'home_team_odds': {'money_line': -120},
+            'away_team_odds': {'money_line': 100},
+        }
+        assert manager.is_odds_available(ml_only) is False
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# format_odds_summary (fixed gate: empty / no_odds only)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestFormatOddsSummary:
+    def test_moneyline_only_formats(self, manager):
+        result = manager.format_odds_summary({
+            'home_team_odds': {'money_line': -120},
+            'away_team_odds': {'money_line': 100},
+        })
+        assert result == 'Home ML: -120 | Away ML: 100'
+
+    def test_full_data_formats_all_parts(self, manager):
+        result = manager.format_odds_summary(FULL_EXTRACTED)
+        assert result == 'Spread: -3.5 | O/U: 47.5 | Home ML: -150 | Away ML: 130'
+
+    def test_none_is_no_odds(self, manager):
+        assert manager.format_odds_summary(None) == 'No odds available'
+
+    def test_empty_dict_is_no_odds(self, manager):
+        assert manager.format_odds_summary({}) == 'No odds available'
+
+    def test_no_odds_sentinel_is_no_odds(self, manager):
+        assert manager.format_odds_summary(
+            {'no_odds': True}) == 'No odds available'
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# get_odds_for_games
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestGetOddsForGames:
+    def test_missing_fields_get_none_odds_without_http(self, manager, mock_get):
+        games = [
+            {'sport': 'football'},
+            {'league': 'nfl'},
+            {'id': '9'},
+            {},
+        ]
+
+        result = manager.get_odds_for_games(games)
+
+        assert all(g['odds'] is None for g in result)
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_per_game_exception_continues_loop(self, manager, monkeypatch):
+        def fake_get_odds(sport, league, event_id,
+                          update_interval_seconds=None):
+            if event_id == 'bad':
+                raise RuntimeError('boom')
+            return {'spread': -1.0}
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(manager, 'get_odds', fake_get_odds)
+        games = [
+            {'sport': 'football', 'league': 'nfl', 'id': 'bad'},
+            {'sport': 'football', 'league': 'nfl', 'id': 'ok'},
+        ]
+
+        result = manager.get_odds_for_games(games)
+
+        assert len(result) == 2
+        assert result[0]['odds'] is None
+        assert result[1]['odds'] == {'spread': -1.0}
+
+    def test_input_dicts_mutated_in_place_and_returned(self, manager, mock_get):
+        # Pin: get_odds_for_games mutates the caller's game dicts in place
+        # and returns the same objects, not copies.
+        game = {'sport': 'football', 'league': 'nfl', 'id': '401'}
+
+        result = manager.get_odds_for_games([game])
+
+        assert result[0] is game
+        assert game['odds'] == FULL_EXTRACTED
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _load_configuration
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestLoadConfiguration:
+    def test_loads_values_from_config(self, cache_manager):
+        config_manager = MagicMock()
+        config_manager.get_config.return_value = {
+            'base_odds_manager': {
+                'update_interval': 100,
+                'timeout': 5,
+                'cache_ttl': 42,
+            }
+        }
+
+        manager = BaseOddsManager(cache_manager, config_manager=config_manager)
+
+        assert manager.update_interval == 100
+        # Key/attr mismatch pin: the config key is 'timeout' but the
+        # attribute is request_timeout.
+        assert manager.request_timeout == 5
+        assert manager.cache_ttl == 42
+
+    def test_get_config_raising_keeps_defaults(self, cache_manager):
+        config_manager = MagicMock()
+        config_manager.get_config.side_effect = RuntimeError('boom')
+
+        manager = BaseOddsManager(cache_manager, config_manager=config_manager)
+
+        assert manager.update_interval == 3600
+        assert manager.request_timeout == 5
+        assert manager.cache_ttl == 1800

test/test_base_plugin_duration.py

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+"""
+Tests for BasePlugin.get_display_duration — ~100 lines of type coercion that
+every plugin's rotation slot depends on, previously untested.
+
+The contract: a positive number wins wherever it comes from; everything else
+falls through instance attr → config → the 15.0 default, logging on the way.
+"""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.plugin_system.base_plugin import BasePlugin
+
+
+class _MinimalPlugin(BasePlugin):
+    def update(self):
+        pass
+
+    def display(self, force_clear=False):
+        pass
+
+
+def make_plugin(config=None, instance_duration="__unset__"):
+    plugin = _MinimalPlugin(
+        plugin_id="duration-test",
+        config=config or {},
+        display_manager=MagicMock(),
+        cache_manager=MagicMock(),
+        plugin_manager=MagicMock(),
+    )
+    if instance_duration != "__unset__":
+        plugin.display_duration = instance_duration
+    return plugin
+
+
+class TestInstanceVariable:
+    def test_positive_int_wins(self):
+        assert make_plugin(instance_duration=30).get_display_duration() == 30.0
+
+    def test_positive_float_wins(self):
+        assert make_plugin(instance_duration=12.5).get_display_duration() == 12.5
+
+    def test_returns_float_type(self):
+        result = make_plugin(instance_duration=30).get_display_duration()
+        assert isinstance(result, float)
+
+    def test_numeric_string_wins(self):
+        assert make_plugin(instance_duration="25").get_display_duration() == 25.0
+
+    def test_zero_falls_through_to_config(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=0)
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_negative_falls_through_to_config(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=-5)
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_none_falls_through_to_config(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=None)
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_garbage_string_falls_through(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration="abc")
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_non_positive_string_falls_through(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration="0")
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_unexpected_type_falls_through(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=[30])
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_bool_true_falls_through_like_any_non_number(self):
+        # bool is an int subclass, but a boolean is not a duration: True
+        # must NOT read as 1 second — it falls through to config/default.
+        assert make_plugin(instance_duration=True).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_bool_true_falls_through_to_config(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=True)
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_bool_false_still_falls_through(self):
+        plugin = make_plugin(config={"display_duration": 20},
+                             instance_duration=False)
+        assert plugin.get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+
+class TestConfigFallback:
+    def test_config_number(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": 20}).get_display_duration() == 20.0
+
+    def test_config_numeric_string(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": "12.5"}).get_display_duration() == 12.5
+
+    def test_missing_config_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_zero_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": 0}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_negative_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": -10}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_garbage_string_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": "soon"}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_unexpected_type_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": {"s": 5}}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_none_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": None}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+    def test_config_bool_uses_default(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": True}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": False}).get_display_duration() == 15.0
+
+
+class TestValidateConfigDuration:
+    # validate_config must agree with get_display_duration about what a
+    # valid duration is — a config it accepts must not then be rejected
+    # (or silently defaulted) when the duration is actually read.
+
+    def test_positive_number_valid(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": 20}).validate_config() is True
+
+    def test_zero_and_negative_invalid(self):
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": 0}).validate_config() is False
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": -5}).validate_config() is False
+
+    def test_bool_invalid(self):
+        # bool is an int subclass; True would otherwise pass as "positive
+        # number" here while get_display_duration rejects it.
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": True}).validate_config() is False
+        assert make_plugin({"display_duration": False}).validate_config() is False
+
+    def test_missing_duration_valid(self):
+        assert make_plugin({}).validate_config() is True

test/test_cache_cleanup_thread_ownership.py

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+"""Tests that one cache directory gets one cleanup thread per process.
+
+The sweep lists a directory and deletes from it, so a second thread over the
+same directory only duplicates the scan. Nothing enforced that: every
+CacheManager started its own, and since the loop closes over `self`, a
+discarded manager could never be collected -- its thread stayed alive and
+re-scanned the same directory every 24 hours for the life of the process.
+
+On the dev rig a display process carried three, for one cache directory:
+
+    14:22:59.954  display_controller       (the real one)
+    14:22:59.973  startup validation, run 1  (discarded)
+    14:23:01.055  startup validation, run 2  (discarded)
+
+Startup validation runs twice and built a throwaway manager each time, purely
+to read a directory path.
+"""
+
+import threading
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.cache_manager import CacheManager
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _clean_registry():
+    CacheManager._cleanup_owners.clear()
+    yield
+    for owner in list(CacheManager._cleanup_owners.values()):
+        owner.stop_cleanup_thread()
+    CacheManager._cleanup_owners.clear()
+
+
+def _live_cleanup_threads():
+    return [t for t in threading.enumerate()
+            if t.name == 'DiskCacheCleanup' and t.is_alive()]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def manager(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A CacheManager pinned to a temp dir, so tests never touch the real one."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(CacheManager, '_get_writable_cache_dir',
+                        lambda self: str(tmp_path))
+    return CacheManager
+
+
+class TestOneThreadPerDirectory:
+    def test_a_single_manager_starts_one(self, manager):
+        before = len(_live_cleanup_threads())
+        m = manager()
+        try:
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before + 1
+        finally:
+            m.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_three_managers_still_start_one(self, manager):
+        # Exactly the rig's shape: the real manager plus two throwaways.
+        before = len(_live_cleanup_threads())
+        managers = [manager() for _ in range(3)]
+        try:
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before + 1
+        finally:
+            for m in managers:
+                m.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_the_first_one_owns_it(self, manager):
+        first, second = manager(), manager()
+        try:
+            assert CacheManager._cleanup_owners[first.cache_dir] is first
+            assert second._cleanup_thread is None
+        finally:
+            first.stop_cleanup_thread()
+            second.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_the_survivor_can_take_over(self, manager):
+        first = manager()
+        first.stop_cleanup_thread()
+        assert not _live_cleanup_threads()
+
+        second = manager()
+        try:
+            # Ownership was released, so the directory is swept again rather
+            # than being left permanently unclaimed by a dead owner.
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == 1
+            assert CacheManager._cleanup_owners[second.cache_dir] is second
+        finally:
+            second.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_stopping_a_non_owner_does_not_unclaim_the_directory(self, manager):
+        first, second = manager(), manager()
+        try:
+            second.stop_cleanup_thread()      # never owned it
+            assert CacheManager._cleanup_owners[first.cache_dir] is first
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == 1
+        finally:
+            first.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_separate_directories_get_separate_threads(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        a, b = tmp_path / 'a', tmp_path / 'b'
+        a.mkdir()
+        b.mkdir()
+        dirs = iter([str(a), str(b)])
+        monkeypatch.setattr(CacheManager, '_get_writable_cache_dir',
+                            lambda self: next(dirs))
+        first, second = CacheManager(), CacheManager()
+        try:
+            assert first.cache_dir != second.cache_dir
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == 2
+        finally:
+            first.stop_cleanup_thread()
+            second.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_no_thread_leaks_across_many_constructions(self, manager):
+        before = len(_live_cleanup_threads())
+        made = [manager() for _ in range(12)]
+        try:
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before + 1
+        finally:
+            for m in made:
+                m.stop_cleanup_thread()
+        assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before
+
+
+class TestValidatorDoesNotBuildItsOwn:
+    def test_it_uses_the_cache_manager_it_is_given(self, manager):
+        from src.startup_validator import StartupValidator
+
+        shared = manager()
+        try:
+            before = len(_live_cleanup_threads())
+            v = StartupValidator(config_manager=object(), cache_manager=shared)
+            v._validate_cache_directory()
+            assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before, (
+                "validation started another cleanup thread")
+        finally:
+            shared.stop_cleanup_thread()
+
+    def test_without_one_it_cleans_up_after_itself(self, manager):
+        from src.startup_validator import StartupValidator
+
+        before = len(_live_cleanup_threads())
+        v = StartupValidator(config_manager=object())
+        v._validate_cache_directory()
+        assert len(_live_cleanup_threads()) == before, (
+            "the fallback manager left its cleanup thread running")

test/test_cache_manager.py

@@ -458,3 +458,26 @@ class TestDiskCacheWriteEconomy:
         cache = DiskCache(cache_dir=str(tmp_path))
         cache.set("k", {"when": datetime(2026, 7, 12, 10, 30)})
         assert cache.get("k") == {"when": "2026-07-12T10:30:00"}
+
+
+# --- the ceiling has to hold between cleanup sweeps ---------------------------
+
+def test_memory_cache_enforces_ceiling_on_every_write():
+    """_cleanup_memory_cache only runs every cleanup_interval seconds (300 by
+    default). If set() accepted entries without bound in between, a burst could
+    take the cache far past max_size -- which is the unbounded growth the limit
+    exists to prevent, and on a 1GB board the difference between a bounded cache
+    and a Pi that cannot fork.
+    """
+    from src.cache.memory_cache import MemoryCache
+
+    cache = MemoryCache(max_size=150, cleanup_interval=300.0)
+    for i in range(1000):
+        cache.set(f"k{i}", {"v": i})
+
+    assert len(cache._cache) <= 150
+    # The timestamp map has to be evicted alongside the values, or it becomes
+    # the leak instead.
+    assert len(cache._timestamps) <= 150
+    assert cache.get("k999") is not None, "the newest write must survive"
+    assert cache.get("k0") is None, "the oldest must be the one evicted"

test/test_cache_orphan_temp_sweep.py

@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+"""Tests that abandoned cache temp files get collected.
+
+DiskCache.set() writes through tempfile.mkstemp and os.replace, removing its
+own temp file in a finally. That covers a failed write, but not a process that
+dies between the two -- a SIGKILL, a lost restart race, a power cut, all
+ordinary on a Pi. Nothing collected what was left behind: the temp names are
+".<key>.json.<random>", and the expiry sweep only listed names ending in
+.json, so they accumulated for as long as the card had been in service.
+
+Measured on a live rig before this fix: 76 orphans totalling 1,050 MB -- 81%
+of the entire cache directory -- the oldest six months old.
+
+The predicate that decides what to delete is tested harder than the sweep
+itself, because a false positive here destroys real data.
+"""
+
+import os
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.cache.disk_cache import DiskCache, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS
+
+
+class FakeStrategy:
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_data_type_from_key(key):
+        return 'default'
+
+
+POLICIES = {'default': 30}
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cache(tmp_path):
+    return DiskCache(str(tmp_path))
+
+
+def _age(path, seconds):
+    old = time.time() - seconds
+    os.utime(path, (old, old))
+
+
+def _write(tmp_path, name, body='{}'):
+    p = tmp_path / name
+    p.write_text(body, encoding='utf-8')
+    return p
+
+
+class TestWhatCountsAsAnOrphan:
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('name', [
+        '.weather.json.a1b2c3d4',
+        '.odds_espn_football_nfl_401.json.xyz00000',
+        '.a.json.b',
+    ])
+    def test_our_temp_files_are_orphans(self, name):
+        assert DiskCache._is_orphaned_temp(name)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('name', [
+        'weather.json',            # real data
+        '.weather.json',           # a dotted key that completed
+        '.gitignore',              # not ours
+        '.hidden',                 # not ours
+        'weather.json.bak',        # no leading dot: someone else's
+        '.json.abc',               # no key between the dot and .json.
+        '.weather.json.',          # no random component
+        'notes.txt',
+    ])
+    def test_everything_else_is_left_alone(self, name):
+        assert not DiskCache._is_orphaned_temp(name)
+
+    def test_the_names_set_actually_creates_are_matched(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        """Guard against the predicate and the writer drifting apart."""
+        created = []
+        real = os.replace
+
+        def capture(src, dst):
+            created.append(os.path.basename(src))
+            return real(src, dst)
+
+        import src.cache.disk_cache as mod
+        mod.os.replace = capture
+        try:
+            cache.set('weather', {'v': 1})
+        finally:
+            mod.os.replace = real
+
+        assert created, "set() did not go through the temp-file path"
+        assert all(DiskCache._is_orphaned_temp(n) for n in created), created
+
+
+class TestTheSweep:
+    def test_an_old_orphan_is_removed(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        p = _write(tmp_path, '.weather.json.a1b2c3d4', 'x' * 5000)
+        _age(p, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+        stats = cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert not p.exists()
+        assert stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'] == 1
+        assert stats['space_freed_bytes'] >= 5000
+
+    def test_an_in_flight_write_is_not_snatched_away(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        # The whole risk of this sweep: deleting a temp file another thread is
+        # about to os.replace into place.
+        p = _write(tmp_path, '.weather.json.inflight')
+
+        cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert p.exists()
+
+    def test_real_cache_files_survive(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        fresh = _write(tmp_path, 'weather.json')
+        dotted = _write(tmp_path, '.weather.json')
+        _age(dotted, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+        cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert fresh.exists()
+        assert dotted.exists(), "a completed .json was treated as a temp file"
+
+    def test_unrelated_dotfiles_survive(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        keep = _write(tmp_path, '.gitignore')
+        _age(keep, 400 * 86400)
+
+        cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert keep.exists()
+
+    def test_expiry_still_works_alongside_it(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        stale = _write(tmp_path, 'old.json')
+        _age(stale, 40 * 86400)          # past the 30-day default
+        orphan = _write(tmp_path, '.old.json.zz999999')
+        _age(orphan, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+        stats = cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert not stale.exists()
+        assert not orphan.exists()
+        assert stats['files_deleted'] == 2
+        assert stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'] == 1
+
+    def test_the_rig_scenario(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        """76 orphans of assorted ages, none of them reachable before."""
+        for i in range(76):
+            p = _write(tmp_path, '.sched_%d.json.r%06d' % (i, i), 'x' * 1000)
+            _age(p, (i + 2) * 86400)
+        keep = _write(tmp_path, 'sched.json')
+
+        stats = cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert stats['orphan_temp_files_deleted'] == 76
+        assert keep.exists()
+        assert not list(tmp_path.glob('.sched_*'))
+        # The summary line is "<deleted>/<scanned>", so an orphan that is
+        # deleted but never counted as scanned renders as "76/1".
+        assert stats['files_scanned'] == 77
+        assert stats['files_deleted'] <= stats['files_scanned']
+
+    def test_deleted_never_exceeds_scanned(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        p = _write(tmp_path, '.only.json.a1b2c3d4')
+        _age(p, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+        stats = cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+
+        assert stats['files_deleted'] == 1
+        assert stats['files_scanned'] == 1
+
+    def test_a_missing_file_mid_sweep_is_not_an_error(self, cache, tmp_path):
+        p = _write(tmp_path, '.weather.json.a1b2c3d4')
+        _age(p, _ORPHAN_TEMP_MAX_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+        import src.cache.disk_cache as mod
+        real = mod.os.path.getsize
+
+        def vanish(path):
+            if path.endswith('.a1b2c3d4'):
+                os.remove(path)
+                raise FileNotFoundError(path)
+            return real(path)
+
+        mod.os.path.getsize = vanish
+        try:
+            stats = cache.cleanup_expired_files(FakeStrategy(), POLICIES)
+        finally:
+            mod.os.path.getsize = real
+
+        assert stats['errors'] == 0

test/test_cache_ttl_honoured.py

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+"""Tests that a per-entry ttl actually controls expiry.
+
+Regression under test: `CacheManager.set(key, data, ttl=...)` stored the value
+and no read path ever consulted it. Expiry came from a `max_age` inferred from
+substrings in the key ("live", "odds", "stock"), so every caller passing `ttl=`
+-- 48 sites across the plugins and 4 in the core -- was writing a number that
+did nothing. The old docstring admitted as much: "stored for compatibility but
+expiration is still controlled via max_age when reading".
+
+Measured against a real device's cache (8,873 entries carrying a ttl), the
+inferred value and the intended one disagreed almost everywhere:
+
+    stocks    max_age  600  vs ttl   1800   4903 entries
+    news      max_age 3600  vs ttl    600   1770 entries
+    odds      max_age 1800  vs ttl   3600   1301 entries
+    images    max_age  300  vs ttl 2592000    20 entries
+
+No `sports_live` entry carries a ttl, so live scores keep their inferred
+30-second freshness either way.
+"""
+
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.cache.memory_cache import MemoryCache
+from src.cache.disk_cache import DiskCache
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def disk(tmp_path):
+    return DiskCache(cache_dir=str(tmp_path))
+
+
+def _record(ttl=None, age=0.0):
+    rec = {"data": {"v": 1}, "timestamp": time.time() - age}
+    if ttl is not None:
+        rec["ttl"] = ttl
+    return rec
+
+
+class TestDiskCacheHonoursTtl:
+    def test_ttl_longer_than_max_age_keeps_the_entry(self, disk):
+        # The odds case: written wanting an hour, expired at 30 minutes.
+        disk.set("odds_espn_football_nfl_401", _record(ttl=3600, age=1900))
+        assert disk.get("odds_espn_football_nfl_401", max_age=1800) is not None
+
+    def test_ttl_shorter_than_max_age_expires_the_entry(self, disk):
+        # The news case: written wanting 10 minutes, kept for an hour.
+        disk.set("news_NHL_1", _record(ttl=600, age=900))
+        assert disk.get("news_NHL_1", max_age=3600) is None
+
+    def test_without_a_ttl_max_age_still_applies(self, disk):
+        disk.set("plain_key", _record(age=400))
+        assert disk.get("plain_key", max_age=300) is None
+        disk.set("plain_key2", _record(age=100))
+        assert disk.get("plain_key2", max_age=300) is not None
+
+    def test_a_fresh_entry_within_its_ttl_survives(self, disk):
+        disk.set("k", _record(ttl=600, age=10))
+        assert disk.get("k", max_age=30) is not None
+
+    def test_ttl_zero_expires_immediately(self, disk):
+        # 0 means zero seconds, not "forever" -- max_age=None is how a caller
+        # asks for no expiry.
+        disk.set("k", _record(ttl=0, age=1))
+        assert disk.get("k", max_age=99999) is None
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("bad", ["600", None, True, False, -5, {"a": 1}])
+    def test_a_nonsense_ttl_falls_back_to_max_age(self, disk, bad):
+        # Including bools: True is an int in Python and must not become a 1s ttl.
+        rec = _record(age=400)
+        rec["ttl"] = bad
+        disk.set("k_%s" % type(bad).__name__, rec)
+        assert disk.get("k_%s" % type(bad).__name__, max_age=300) is None
+
+
+class TestMemoryCacheHonoursTtl:
+    def test_ttl_longer_than_max_age_keeps_the_entry(self):
+        m = MemoryCache()
+        m.set("k", _record(ttl=3600))
+        m._timestamps["k"] = time.time() - 1900
+        assert m.get("k", max_age=1800) is not None
+
+    def test_ttl_shorter_than_max_age_expires_the_entry(self):
+        m = MemoryCache()
+        m.set("k", _record(ttl=600))
+        m._timestamps["k"] = time.time() - 900
+        assert m.get("k", max_age=3600) is None
+
+    def test_without_a_ttl_max_age_still_applies(self):
+        m = MemoryCache()
+        m.set("k", _record())
+        m._timestamps["k"] = time.time() - 400
+        assert m.get("k", max_age=300) is None
+
+    def test_both_layers_agree(self, tmp_path):
+        """A record must not be live in one layer and expired in the other."""
+        rec = _record(ttl=3600, age=1900)
+        d = DiskCache(cache_dir=str(tmp_path))
+        d.set("k", rec)
+        m = MemoryCache()
+        m.set("k", rec)
+        m._timestamps["k"] = rec["timestamp"]
+        assert (d.get("k", max_age=1800) is not None) == (m.get("k", max_age=1800) is not None)
+
+
+class TestEndToEnd:
+    def test_set_then_get_respects_the_ttl(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """The behaviour a caller of CacheManager.set(ttl=...) expects."""
+        from src.cache_manager import CacheManager
+
+        cm = CacheManager()
+        cm._disk_cache_component = DiskCache(cache_dir=str(tmp_path))
+        cm._memory_cache_component = MemoryCache()
+
+        cm.set("odds_espn_football_nfl_401", {"spread": 6.5}, ttl=3600)
+
+        # Age the stored record past the inferred max_age for odds (1800s) but
+        # within the ttl the caller asked for.
+        path = cm._disk_cache_component.get_cache_path("odds_espn_football_nfl_401")
+        import json
+        rec = json.load(open(path))
+        rec["timestamp"] = time.time() - 1900
+        json.dump(rec, open(path, "w"))
+        cm._memory_cache_component.clear() if hasattr(
+            cm._memory_cache_component, "clear") else None
+
+        got = cm.get_with_auto_strategy("odds_espn_football_nfl_401")
+        assert got is not None, "the ttl the caller asked for was ignored"

test/test_checkbox_group_stale_values.py

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+"""A checkbox group must not post back options it cannot show.
+
+The enum that lets the widget draw checkboxes is also what validates the
+saved value. When a league retires a team code -- OAK for the Athletics, ARI
+for the Coyotes -- or a schema drops an option, a config that still holds the
+old value has nothing to render for it. The value stayed in the hidden
+``_data`` input regardless, because that input is seeded from the stored array
+and only rebuilt by ``updateCheckboxGroupData()`` on change. Editing any other
+field on that plugin therefore posted the stale value back, the schema
+rejected it, and the save endpoint returned 400
+``CONFIG_VALIDATION_FAILED`` -- so the whole plugin became uneditable until
+the user worked out which invisible entry was at fault.
+
+Runtime was never affected: plugin loading treats schema violations as
+warn/degrade, and the stale code already matched no team. Only the web UI
+blocked.
+
+These tests render the checkbox-group block lifted *out of the shipped
+template*, following test_enum_option_labels.py, so they exercise the
+production expression rather than a copy that could drift from it.
+"""
+import json
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from jinja2 import DictLoader, Environment
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+CONFIG_FORM = (PROJECT_ROOT / 'web_interface' / 'templates' / 'v3' / 'partials'
+               / 'plugin_config.html')
+
+# The checkbox-group branch: from its `{% elif %}` guard through the sentinel
+# hidden input that closes it. Anchored on the guard so the match cannot run on
+# into a neighbouring widget branch.
+BLOCK_RE = re.compile(
+    r"\{%\s*elif x_widget == 'checkbox-group'\s*%\}(.*?)"
+    r"<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"\{\{ full_key \}\}\[\]\" value=\"\">",
+    re.S,
+)
+
+
+def _shipped_block() -> str:
+    """Return the live checkbox-group block lifted from plugin_config.html."""
+    source = CONFIG_FORM.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+    match = BLOCK_RE.search(source)
+    assert match, (
+        'could not find the checkbox-group block in plugin_config.html — the '
+        'template changed shape and this guard needs updating'
+    )
+    block = match.group(1)
+    assert 'data-option-value' in block, 'extracted the wrong branch'
+    assert '{% elif' not in block, 'extraction ran past the checkbox-group branch'
+    return block
+
+
+def _render(prop: dict, value=None) -> str:
+    env = Environment(loader=DictLoader({'f': _shipped_block()}), autoescape=True)
+    return env.get_template('f').render(
+        prop=prop, value=value, field_id='fid', full_key='k'
+    )
+
+
+def _submitted(html: str) -> list:
+    """The array the form will actually post: the hidden _data input."""
+    match = re.search(r'id="fid_data"[^>]*\svalue=\'([^\']*)\'', html)
+    assert match, f'hidden _data input not found in:\n{html}'
+    return json.loads(match.group(1).replace('&#39;', "'"))
+
+
+def _checked(html: str) -> list:
+    return re.findall(r'data-option-value="([^"]+)"[^>]*checked', html)
+
+
+MLB = {'type': 'array', 'items': {'type': 'string', 'enum': ['NYY', 'BOS', 'ATH']},
+       'x-widget': 'checkbox-group'}
+
+
+def test_a_retired_code_is_not_posted_back() -> None:
+    """The regression: OAK became ATH, and OAK used to ride along on save."""
+    html = _render(MLB, ['NYY', 'OAK'])
+    assert _submitted(html) == ['NYY'], 'stale value would still be submitted'
+
+
+def test_the_dropped_value_is_named_rather_than_vanishing() -> None:
+    html = _render(MLB, ['NYY', 'OAK'])
+    assert 'OAK' in html
+    assert 'data-stale-options' in html
+
+
+def test_valid_values_are_untouched_and_still_checked() -> None:
+    html = _render(MLB, ['NYY', 'ATH'])
+    assert _submitted(html) == ['NYY', 'ATH']
+    assert sorted(_checked(html)) == ['ATH', 'NYY']
+    assert 'data-stale-options' not in html
+
+
+def test_an_all_stale_selection_clears_rather_than_blocking() -> None:
+    html = _render(MLB, ['OAK', 'SD'])
+    assert _submitted(html) == []
+
+
+def test_an_empty_enum_leaves_the_value_alone() -> None:
+    """No options means nothing to validate against — filtering would wipe it."""
+    prop = {'type': 'array', 'items': {'type': 'string'}, 'x-widget': 'checkbox-group'}
+    html = _render(prop, ['ANYTHING', 'GOES'])
+    assert _submitted(html) == ['ANYTHING', 'GOES']
+
+
+def test_unset_value_falls_back_to_the_default() -> None:
+    prop = dict(MLB, default=['BOS'])
+    html = _render(prop, None)
+    assert _submitted(html) == ['BOS']
+    assert _checked(html) == ['BOS']

test/test_compatibility.py

@@ -0,0 +1,271 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/plugin_system/compatibility.py — the "can this plugin run on
+this core?" gate used by both the plugin loader (advisory) and the store
+manager (blocking at install/update time).
+
+This module had zero direct test coverage despite guarding every install.
+These tests pin the documented contract: refuse only on evidence, resolve
+every uncertain case (unparseable versions, missing fields, untrustworthy
+core) to compatible.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.plugin_system.compatibility import (
+    TRUSTWORTHY_FLOOR,
+    parse_semver,
+    _parse_strict,
+    _satisfies_range,
+    satisfies_compatible_versions,
+    declared_min_version,
+    check,
+)
+
+
+class TestParseSemver:
+    def test_plain_triplet(self):
+        assert parse_semver("1.2.3") == (1, 2, 3)
+
+    def test_leading_v_tolerated(self):
+        assert parse_semver("v3.2.1") == (3, 2, 1)
+
+    def test_prerelease_suffix_stripped(self):
+        # "3.2.0-rc1" must NOT parse as (3, 2, 1) — a release candidate must
+        # not rank above its own release.
+        assert parse_semver("3.2.0-rc1") == (3, 2, 0)
+
+    def test_build_suffix_stripped(self):
+        # "3.2.0+build42" must NOT parse as (3, 2, 42).
+        assert parse_semver("3.2.0+build42") == (3, 2, 0)
+
+    def test_two_part_version_pads_zero(self):
+        assert parse_semver("1.2") == (1, 2, 0)
+
+    def test_one_part_version_pads_zeros(self):
+        assert parse_semver("2") == (2, 0, 0)
+
+    def test_extra_parts_ignored(self):
+        assert parse_semver("1.2.3.4") == (1, 2, 3)
+
+    def test_non_string_returns_none(self):
+        assert parse_semver(None) is None
+        assert parse_semver(123) is None
+        assert parse_semver((1, 2, 3)) is None
+
+    def test_garbage_with_no_digits_is_lenient_zero(self):
+        # Documented leniency: digit-scraping yields (0, 0, 0) for pure
+        # garbage. Fine for a floor (0.0.0 never blocks), wrong for ranges —
+        # which is why ranges go through _parse_strict instead.
+        assert parse_semver("garbage") == (0, 0, 0)
+
+    def test_whitespace_stripped(self):
+        assert parse_semver("  1.2.3  ") == (1, 2, 3)
+
+
+class TestParseStrict:
+    def test_accepts_real_versions(self):
+        assert _parse_strict("1.2.3") == (1, 2, 3)
+        assert _parse_strict("v1.2.3-rc1") == (1, 2, 3)
+        assert _parse_strict("2.0") == (2, 0, 0)
+
+    def test_rejects_garbage(self):
+        assert _parse_strict("not-a-version") is None
+        assert _parse_strict("") is None
+
+    def test_rejects_non_string(self):
+        assert _parse_strict(None) is None
+
+
+class TestSatisfiesRange:
+    CORE = (3, 1, 0)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("spec,expected", [
+        (">=3.0.0", True),
+        (">=3.1.0", True),
+        (">=3.2.0", False),
+        ("<=3.1.0", True),
+        ("<=3.0.9", False),
+        (">3.0.9", True),
+        (">3.1.0", False),
+        ("<3.2.0", True),
+        ("<3.1.0", False),
+    ])
+    def test_comparison_operators(self, spec, expected):
+        assert _satisfies_range(self.CORE, spec) is expected
+
+    def test_tilde_allows_patch_only(self):
+        # ~3.1.0 means >=3.1.0, <3.2.0
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 1, 5), "~3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 2, 0), "~3.1.0") is False
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 0, 9), "~3.1.0") is False
+
+    def test_caret_allows_minor_and_patch(self):
+        # ^3.1.0 means >=3.1.0, <4.0.0
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 9, 9), "^3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((4, 0, 0), "^3.1.0") is False
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 0, 0), "^3.1.0") is False
+
+    def test_bare_exact_version(self):
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 1, 0), "3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 1, 1), "3.1.0") is False
+
+    def test_inclusive_dash_range(self):
+        assert _satisfies_range((2, 5, 0), "2.0.0 - 3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((2, 0, 0), "2.0.0 - 3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 1, 0), "2.0.0 - 3.1.0") is True
+        assert _satisfies_range((3, 1, 1), "2.0.0 - 3.1.0") is False
+
+    def test_unparseable_spec_returns_none_not_false(self):
+        # Garbage must read as "no evidence", never as a refusal — an
+        # unrecognised spelling must not cost a user a working install.
+        assert _satisfies_range(self.CORE, "banana") is None
+        assert _satisfies_range(self.CORE, ">=banana") is None
+        assert _satisfies_range(self.CORE, "") is None
+        assert _satisfies_range(self.CORE, "banana - 3.0.0") is None
+
+
+class TestSatisfiesCompatibleVersions:
+    def test_any_entry_satisfying_wins(self):
+        manifest = {"compatible_versions": ["<1.0.0", ">=3.0.0"]}
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(manifest, (3, 1, 0)) is True
+
+    def test_all_entries_failing_is_false(self):
+        manifest = {"compatible_versions": ["<1.0.0", "2.0.0 - 2.9.9"]}
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(manifest, (3, 1, 0)) is False
+
+    def test_absent_field_returns_none(self):
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions({}, (3, 1, 0)) is None
+
+    def test_empty_list_returns_none(self):
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(
+            {"compatible_versions": []}, (3, 1, 0)) is None
+
+    def test_non_list_returns_none(self):
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(
+            {"compatible_versions": ">=2.0.0"}, (3, 1, 0)) is None
+
+    def test_all_unparseable_entries_returns_none(self):
+        manifest = {"compatible_versions": ["banana", 42, None]}
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(manifest, (3, 1, 0)) is None
+
+    def test_mixed_parseable_and_garbage_uses_parseable(self):
+        manifest = {"compatible_versions": ["banana", ">=3.0.0"]}
+        assert satisfies_compatible_versions(manifest, (3, 1, 0)) is True
+
+
+class TestDeclaredMinVersion:
+    def test_top_level_field(self):
+        assert declared_min_version({"min_ledmatrix_version": "2.1.0"}) == "2.1.0"
+
+    def test_requires_dict_fallback(self):
+        manifest = {"requires": {"min_ledmatrix_version": "2.2.0"}}
+        assert declared_min_version(manifest) == "2.2.0"
+
+    def test_versions_array_fallback(self):
+        manifest = {"versions": [{"ledmatrix_min_version": "2.3.0"}]}
+        assert declared_min_version(manifest) == "2.3.0"
+
+    def test_versions_array_deprecated_spelling(self):
+        manifest = {"versions": [{"ledmatrix_min": "2.4.0"}]}
+        assert declared_min_version(manifest) == "2.4.0"
+
+    def test_top_level_wins_over_versions_array(self):
+        manifest = {
+            "min_ledmatrix_version": "2.1.0",
+            "versions": [{"ledmatrix_min_version": "9.9.9"}],
+        }
+        assert declared_min_version(manifest) == "2.1.0"
+
+    def test_requires_as_list_does_not_raise(self):
+        # A hand-edited manifest can carry `requires` as a list; this used to
+        # raise AttributeError and one malformed manifest would take down the
+        # whole install path.
+        assert declared_min_version({"requires": ["something"]}) is None
+
+    def test_versions_as_dict_does_not_raise(self):
+        # Same for `versions` as a mapping (used to raise KeyError).
+        assert declared_min_version({"versions": {"0": {}}}) is None
+
+    def test_nothing_declared_returns_none(self):
+        assert declared_min_version({}) is None
+
+
+class TestCheck:
+    def test_compatible_when_nothing_declared(self):
+        assert check({}, "3.1.0") == (True, None)
+
+    def test_min_version_blocks_older_core(self):
+        manifest = {"name": "Test Plugin", "min_ledmatrix_version": "3.2.0"}
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "3.1.0")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "3.2.0" in reason and "3.1.0" in reason
+
+    def test_min_version_allows_equal_core(self):
+        manifest = {"min_ledmatrix_version": "3.1.0"}
+        assert check(manifest, "3.1.0") == (True, None)
+
+    def test_compatible_versions_upper_bound_blocks(self):
+        # A range is the only field that can express "not compatible with
+        # newer cores" — it must win even when the floor passes.
+        manifest = {
+            "name": "Old Plugin",
+            "min_ledmatrix_version": "2.0.0",
+            "compatible_versions": ["2.0.0 - 2.9.9"],
+        }
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "3.1.0")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "2.0.0 - 2.9.9" in reason
+
+    def test_unparseable_core_with_high_floor_is_blocked(self):
+        manifest = {"min_ledmatrix_version": "3.2.0",
+                    "compatible_versions": [">=3.2.0"]}
+        # An unparseable core version is "unknown", not "old"... but note
+        # parse_semver("garbage") == (0,0,0) which is below TRUSTWORTHY_FLOOR,
+        # so this rides the untrustworthy-core branch: floor > 2.0.0 blocks.
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "garbage")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "too old to identify reliably" in reason
+
+    def test_untrustworthy_core_allows_ecosystem_baseline_floor(self):
+        # A core reporting 1.0.0 may really be v3.1.0 (which shipped with a
+        # wrong __version__). Floors at or below TRUSTWORTHY_FLOOR must not
+        # block, or that population could install nothing.
+        manifest = {"min_ledmatrix_version": "2.0.0",
+                    "compatible_versions": [">=2.0.0"]}
+        assert check(manifest, "1.0.0") == (True, None)
+
+    def test_untrustworthy_core_blocks_floor_above_baseline(self):
+        # But a floor above 2.0.0 needs modules that no core reporting below
+        # the floor can have — the one refusal on that branch.
+        manifest = {"name": "New Plugin", "min_ledmatrix_version": "3.2.0"}
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "1.0.0")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "too old to identify reliably" in reason
+
+    def test_untrustworthy_core_ignores_compatible_versions(self):
+        # On the untrustworthy branch only the declared floor is consulted;
+        # ranges cannot be evaluated against a version that isn't evidence.
+        manifest = {"compatible_versions": ["2.0.0 - 2.9.9"]}
+        assert check(manifest, "1.0.0") == (True, None)
+
+    def test_floor_exactly_at_trustworthy_floor_is_allowed(self):
+        floor = ".".join(str(n) for n in TRUSTWORTHY_FLOOR)
+        manifest = {"min_ledmatrix_version": floor}
+        assert check(manifest, "1.0.0") == (True, None)
+
+    def test_reason_uses_manifest_name(self):
+        manifest = {"name": "Fancy Clock", "min_ledmatrix_version": "9.0.0"}
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "3.1.0")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert reason.startswith("Fancy Clock")
+
+    def test_reason_falls_back_to_id(self):
+        manifest = {"id": "fancy-clock", "min_ledmatrix_version": "9.0.0"}
+        ok, reason = check(manifest, "3.1.0")
+        assert ok is False
+        assert reason.startswith("fancy-clock")
+
+    def test_prerelease_core_compares_equal_to_release(self):
+        # Documented: prereleases compare equal to their release.
+        manifest = {"min_ledmatrix_version": "3.2.0"}
+        assert check(manifest, "3.2.0-rc1") == (True, None)

test/test_config_helper.py

@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/common/config_helper.py — pins the ConfigHelper contract.
+
+Covers: load/save round trips (missing/malformed files return {} rather
+than raising, non-ASCII preserved via ensure_ascii=False, top-level JSON
+lists returned as-is), dot-notation get/set including the silent-failure
+contract when an intermediate key holds a non-dict, merge_configs deep
+semantics with NO aliasing of the base config (the fixed bug — the old
+shallow copy let mutations of the merged result leak into base's nested
+dicts), simplified schema validation including the caught-TypeError path
+when a schema 'type' is given as a string, plugin config key conventions
+('{plugin_id}_config', enabled defaults True), and required-key checks
+where a key present with value None counts as present.
+"""
+
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.common.config_helper import ConfigHelper
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def helper():
+    return ConfigHelper()
+
+
+class TestLoadConfig:
+    def test_missing_file_returns_empty_dict(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        assert helper.load_config(tmp_path / "nope.json") == {}
+
+    def test_malformed_json_returns_empty_dict(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        path = tmp_path / "bad.json"
+        path.write_text("{ this is not json", encoding="utf-8")
+        assert helper.load_config(path) == {}
+
+    def test_top_level_list_returned_as_is(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        # load_config does not enforce a dict shape: a JSON list comes
+        # straight back. Pinned as a characterization of current behavior.
+        path = tmp_path / "list.json"
+        path.write_text("[1, 2, 3]", encoding="utf-8")
+        assert helper.load_config(path) == [1, 2, 3]
+
+
+class TestSaveConfig:
+    def test_round_trip(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        path = tmp_path / "config.json"
+        config = {'display': {'hardware': {'rows': 32}}, 'timezone': 'UTC'}
+        assert helper.save_config(config, path) is True
+        assert helper.load_config(path) == config
+
+    def test_creates_parent_directories(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        path = tmp_path / "deep" / "nested" / "config.json"
+        assert helper.save_config({'a': 1}, path) is True
+        assert path.exists()
+        assert helper.load_config(path) == {'a': 1}
+
+    def test_non_ascii_survives_round_trip(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        path = tmp_path / "config.json"
+        config = {'city': 'Zürich', 'note': 'météo ☀'}
+        assert helper.save_config(config, path) is True
+        assert helper.load_config(path) == config
+        # ensure_ascii=False: characters are written raw, not \u-escaped
+        assert 'Zürich' in path.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+
+    def test_directory_path_returns_false_not_raise(self, helper, tmp_path):
+        assert helper.save_config({'a': 1}, tmp_path) is False
+
+
+class TestGetConfigValue:
+    def test_dot_notation_hit(self, helper):
+        config = {'display': {'hardware': {'rows': 32}}}
+        assert helper.get_config_value(config, 'display.hardware.rows') == 32
+
+    def test_missing_returns_default(self, helper):
+        sentinel = object()
+        assert helper.get_config_value({}, 'display.rows', default=sentinel) is sentinel
+
+    def test_intermediate_non_dict_returns_default(self, helper):
+        config = {'display': 'not-a-dict'}
+        assert helper.get_config_value(config, 'display.hardware.rows', default=64) == 64
+
+    def test_required_missing_raises_keyerror(self, helper):
+        with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+            helper.get_config_value({}, 'display.rows', required=True)
+
+
+class TestSetConfigValue:
+    def test_sets_top_level(self, helper):
+        config = {}
+        helper.set_config_value(config, 'timezone', 'UTC')
+        assert config == {'timezone': 'UTC'}
+
+    def test_auto_creates_intermediates(self, helper):
+        config = {}
+        helper.set_config_value(config, 'display.hardware.rows', 32)
+        assert config == {'display': {'hardware': {'rows': 32}}}
+
+    def test_silent_failure_on_non_dict_intermediate(self, helper):
+        # 'a' exists but holds an int; the assignment attempt raises
+        # TypeError internally, which set_config_value swallows and logs.
+        # The config is left unchanged — pinned silent-failure contract.
+        config = {'a': 5}
+        helper.set_config_value(config, 'a.b', 1)
+        assert config == {'a': 5}
+
+
+class TestMergeConfigs:
+    def test_nested_dicts_merge_recursively(self, helper):
+        base = {'display': {'rows': 32, 'cols': 64}, 'timezone': 'UTC'}
+        override = {'display': {'cols': 128, 'brightness': 90}}
+        merged = helper.merge_configs(base, override)
+        assert merged == {
+            'display': {'rows': 32, 'cols': 128, 'brightness': 90},
+            'timezone': 'UTC',
+        }
+
+    def test_scalar_override_wins_over_dict(self, helper):
+        merged = helper.merge_configs({'display': {'rows': 32}}, {'display': 7})
+        assert merged['display'] == 7
+
+    def test_dict_override_wins_over_scalar(self, helper):
+        merged = helper.merge_configs({'display': 7}, {'display': {'rows': 32}})
+        assert merged['display'] == {'rows': 32}
+
+    def test_no_aliasing_of_base(self, helper):
+        # Post-fix: merge deep-copies base, so mutating the result never
+        # leaks back into the caller's base config.
+        base = {'display': {'x': 1}}
+        merged = helper.merge_configs(base, {})
+        assert merged['display'] is not base['display']
+        merged['display']['x'] = 99
+        assert base['display']['x'] == 1
+
+    def test_inputs_unchanged(self, helper):
+        base = {'a': {'b': 1}}
+        override = {'a': {'c': 2}}
+        helper.merge_configs(base, override)
+        assert base == {'a': {'b': 1}}
+        assert override == {'a': {'c': 2}}
+
+    def test_no_aliasing_of_override_values(self, helper):
+        # The non-recursive branch must deep-copy the override value too:
+        # mutating a merged-in list or dict must not reach back into
+        # override_config.
+        override = {'teams': ['A', 'B'], 'nested': {'x': [1]}}
+        merged = helper.merge_configs({}, override)
+        merged['teams'].append('C')
+        merged['nested']['x'].append(2)
+        assert override == {'teams': ['A', 'B'], 'nested': {'x': [1]}}
+
+
+class TestValidateConfig:
+    def test_no_schema_dict_is_valid(self, helper):
+        assert helper.validate_config({'a': 1}) is True
+
+    def test_no_schema_list_is_invalid(self, helper):
+        assert helper.validate_config([1, 2]) is False
+
+    def test_required_key_missing_is_invalid(self, helper):
+        schema = {'rows': {'required': True, 'type': int}}
+        assert helper.validate_config({}, schema) is False
+
+    def test_optional_key_missing_is_valid(self, helper):
+        schema = {'rows': {'required': False, 'type': int}}
+        assert helper.validate_config({}, schema) is True
+
+    def test_wrong_type_is_invalid(self, helper):
+        schema = {'rows': {'type': int}}
+        assert helper.validate_config({'rows': 'thirty-two'}, schema) is False
+        assert helper.validate_config({'rows': 32}, schema) is True
+
+    def test_allowed_values_violation_is_invalid(self, helper):
+        schema = {'mode': {'allowed_values': ['clock', 'weather']}}
+        assert helper.validate_config({'mode': 'stocks'}, schema) is False
+        assert helper.validate_config({'mode': 'clock'}, schema) is True
+
+    def test_string_type_in_schema_is_invalid_via_typeerror(self, helper):
+        # 'type' given as the STRING "int" makes isinstance() raise
+        # TypeError; validate_config catches it and returns False rather
+        # than raising. Pinned characterization.
+        schema = {'rows': {'type': 'int'}}
+        assert helper.validate_config({'rows': 32}, schema) is False
+
+
+class TestPluginConfigHelpers:
+    def test_get_plugin_config_uses_suffixed_key(self, helper):
+        plugin_cfg = {'enabled': True, 'display_duration': 30}
+        assert helper.get_plugin_config({'clock_config': plugin_cfg}, 'clock') == plugin_cfg
+
+    def test_get_plugin_config_bare_id_key_not_found(self, helper):
+        # Only '{plugin_id}_config' is consulted — a bare 'clock' section
+        # is invisible to this helper. Pinned key contract.
+        assert helper.get_plugin_config({'clock': {'enabled': True}}, 'clock') == {}
+
+    def test_create_default_config_wraps_in_suffixed_key(self, helper):
+        defaults = {'enabled': True}
+        assert helper.create_default_config('clock', defaults) == {'clock_config': defaults}
+
+    def test_is_plugin_enabled_defaults_true_for_unknown(self, helper):
+        assert helper.is_plugin_enabled({}, 'clock') is True
+
+    def test_is_plugin_enabled_false_when_disabled(self, helper):
+        config = {'clock_config': {'enabled': False}}
+        assert helper.is_plugin_enabled(config, 'clock') is False
+
+    def test_is_plugin_enabled_ignores_bare_id_key(self, helper):
+        # Disabled under the wrong key -> still reported enabled (default).
+        config = {'clock': {'enabled': False}}
+        assert helper.is_plugin_enabled(config, 'clock') is True
+
+
+class TestSportsAndDisplayHelpers:
+    def test_get_display_config(self, helper):
+        display = {'hardware': {'rows': 32}}
+        assert helper.get_display_config({'display': display}) == display
+        assert helper.get_display_config({}) == {}
+
+    def test_get_sports_config_uses_scoreboard_suffix(self, helper):
+        sport_cfg = {'favorite_teams': ['TB']}
+        config = {'football_scoreboard': sport_cfg}
+        assert helper.get_sports_config(config, 'football') == sport_cfg
+        assert helper.get_sports_config(config, 'hockey') == {}
+
+    def test_get_favorite_teams(self, helper):
+        config = {'football_scoreboard': {'favorite_teams': ['TB', 'DAL']}}
+        assert helper.get_favorite_teams(config, 'football') == ['TB', 'DAL']
+        assert helper.get_favorite_teams({}, 'football') == []
+
+    def test_get_display_modes(self, helper):
+        modes = {'live': True, 'recent': False}
+        config = {'football_scoreboard': {'display_modes': modes}}
+        assert helper.get_display_modes(config, 'football') == modes
+        assert helper.get_display_modes({}, 'football') == {}
+
+
+class TestValidateRequiredKeys:
+    def test_returns_missing_subset(self, helper):
+        config = {'a': 1, 'c': {'d': 2}}
+        missing = helper.validate_required_keys(config, ['a', 'b', 'c.d', 'c.e'])
+        assert missing == ['b', 'c.e']
+
+    def test_dot_notation_present(self, helper):
+        config = {'display': {'hardware': {'rows': 32}}}
+        assert helper.validate_required_keys(config, ['display.hardware.rows']) == []
+
+    def test_empty_requirements(self, helper):
+        assert helper.validate_required_keys({'a': 1}, []) == []
+
+    def test_present_with_none_counts_as_present(self, helper):
+        # _has_key checks key membership, not truthiness — a key set to
+        # None is NOT reported missing. Pinned semantics.
+        assert helper.validate_required_keys({'a': None}, ['a']) == []

test/test_config_manager_secrets.py

@@ -0,0 +1,335 @@
+"""
+Tests for the ConfigManager secrets round-trip and the load_config fast path.
+
+The contract under test: config_secrets.json values are deep-merged INTO the
+in-memory config at load time, and stripped back OUT before anything is
+written to config.json — so secrets live in exactly one file on disk. This
+suite pins that round-trip plus its sharp edges, including the guard that a
+save REFUSES (ConfigError) when the secrets file exists but can't be loaded,
+rather than leaking merged secrets into config.json in plaintext.
+
+Complements test_config_manager.py, which covers loading/migration/validation.
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.config_manager import ConfigManager
+from src.exceptions import ConfigError
+
+
+def make_manager(tmp_path, config=None, secrets=None):
+    """A ConfigManager over tmp_path files, template migration neutralized."""
+    config_file = tmp_path / "config.json"
+    secrets_file = tmp_path / "config_secrets.json"
+    config_file.write_text(json.dumps(config if config is not None else {}))
+    if secrets is not None:
+        secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps(secrets))
+    manager = ConfigManager(config_path=str(config_file),
+                            secrets_path=str(secrets_file))
+    # Point the (CWD-relative) template at nothing so migration never runs —
+    # these tests assert exact on-disk contents.
+    manager.template_path = str(tmp_path / "no-template.json")
+    return manager
+
+
+class TestLoadMergesSecrets:
+    def test_secrets_deep_merged_into_config(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {"city": "Austin"}, "timezone": "UTC"},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}},
+        )
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        assert loaded["weather"] == {"city": "Austin", "api_key": "s3cret"}
+        assert loaded["timezone"] == "UTC"
+
+    def test_secret_scalar_overrides_config_value(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {"api_key": "YOUR_API_KEY"}},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "real-key"}},
+        )
+        assert manager.load_config()["weather"]["api_key"] == "real-key"
+
+    def test_missing_secrets_file_loads_config_fine(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path, config={"timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert manager.load_config() == {"timezone": "UTC"}
+
+    def test_corrupt_secrets_file_loads_config_without_secrets(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path, config={"timezone": "UTC"})
+        (tmp_path / "config_secrets.json").write_text("{not json")
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        assert loaded["timezone"] == "UTC"
+
+
+class TestSaveStripsSecrets:
+    def test_round_trip_keeps_secrets_out_of_config_json(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {"city": "Austin"}},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}},
+        )
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        assert loaded["weather"]["api_key"] == "s3cret"  # merged in memory
+
+        manager.save_config(loaded)
+
+        on_disk = json.loads((tmp_path / "config.json").read_text())
+        assert "api_key" not in on_disk.get("weather", {})
+        assert on_disk["weather"]["city"] == "Austin"
+        # In-memory config still carries the secret for runtime use.
+        assert manager.config["weather"]["api_key"] == "s3cret"
+
+    def test_group_dropped_when_only_secrets_remain(self, tmp_path):
+        # _strip_secrets_recursive drops a group entirely when nothing
+        # non-secret is left in it.
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}},
+        )
+        manager.save_config({"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        on_disk = json.loads((tmp_path / "config.json").read_text())
+        assert on_disk == {"timezone": "UTC"}
+
+    def test_scalar_secret_key_stripped_at_top_level(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path, config={}, secrets={"token": "t"})
+        manager.save_config({"token": "t", "timezone": "UTC"})
+        on_disk = json.loads((tmp_path / "config.json").read_text())
+        assert on_disk == {"timezone": "UTC"}
+
+    def test_corrupt_secrets_file_refuses_save_no_plaintext_leak(self, tmp_path):
+        # Regression guard: when the secrets file exists but is corrupt at
+        # save time, stripping is impossible — the save must raise instead of
+        # writing the merged secrets into config.json in plaintext (the
+        # historical behavior).
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {"city": "Austin"}},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}},
+        )
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        (tmp_path / "config_secrets.json").write_text("{corrupt")
+
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigError):
+            manager.save_config(loaded)
+
+        # On-disk config untouched: no secret leaked.
+        on_disk = json.loads((tmp_path / "config.json").read_text())
+        assert "api_key" not in on_disk.get("weather", {})
+
+    def test_corrupt_secrets_file_refuses_atomic_save_too(self, tmp_path):
+        # Same refusal on the atomic save path, which shared the leak.
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {"city": "Austin"}},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "s3cret"}},
+        )
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        (tmp_path / "config_secrets.json").write_text("{corrupt")
+
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigError):
+            manager.save_config_atomic(loaded)
+
+        on_disk = json.loads((tmp_path / "config.json").read_text())
+        assert "api_key" not in on_disk.get("weather", {})
+
+
+class TestLoadFastPath:
+    def test_unchanged_files_return_cached_dict(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path, config={"timezone": "UTC"})
+        first = manager.load_config()
+        second = manager.load_config()
+        assert second is first  # same aliased dict, no re-read
+
+    def test_touching_secrets_file_invalidates_cache(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"weather": {}},
+            secrets={"weather": {"api_key": "old"}},
+        )
+        assert manager.load_config()["weather"]["api_key"] == "old"
+
+        secrets_file = tmp_path / "config_secrets.json"
+        secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps({"weather": {"api_key": "new"}}))
+        # Force a different mtime_ns in case the write landed within the
+        # filesystem's timestamp granularity.
+        os.utime(secrets_file, ns=(1, 1))
+
+        assert manager.load_config()["weather"]["api_key"] == "new"
+
+    def test_same_mtime_same_size_change_served_stale(self, tmp_path):
+        # Characterized fast-path blind spot: the signature is (mtime_ns,
+        # size) only, so a same-length content swap with a forged identical
+        # mtime is not detected. Real writes bump mtime_ns, so this is
+        # acceptable — but it is a contract worth pinning.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path, config={"timezone": "AAA"})
+        config_file = tmp_path / "config.json"
+        os.utime(config_file, ns=(1_000_000_000, 1_000_000_000))
+        manager._loaded_sig = None
+        first = manager.load_config()
+        assert first["timezone"] == "AAA"
+
+        config_file.write_text(json.dumps({"timezone": "BBB"}))  # same length
+        os.utime(config_file, ns=(1_000_000_000, 1_000_000_000))
+
+        assert manager.load_config()["timezone"] == "AAA"  # stale, by design
+
+
+class TestArraySecretStripAndMerge:
+    """Array-item secrets round-trip (parallel-placeholder lists).
+
+    secret_helpers.separate_secrets emits array secrets as a list parallel
+    to the regular list, with {} for items that carry no secrets. Strip
+    must remove the secret fields from config.json while preserving item
+    indices; load must merge them back into the right items. The regular
+    list's length is authoritative in both directions.
+    """
+
+    def test_strip_removes_array_item_secrets_keeps_indices(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        data = {"plugin": {"accounts": [
+            {"name": "a", "token": "ta"},
+            {"name": "b"},
+        ]}}
+        secrets = {"plugin": {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {}]}}
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(data, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {"plugin": {"accounts": [{"name": "a"}, {"name": "b"}]}}
+
+    def test_strip_keeps_all_placeholder_items(self, tmp_path):
+        # Even when every item strips to nothing extra, the list survives
+        # with its indices — required for merge-on-load alignment.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        data = {"accounts": [{"token": "t1"}, {"token": "t2"}]}
+        secrets = {"accounts": [{"token": "t1"}, {"token": "t2"}]}
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(data, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {"accounts": [{}, {}]}
+
+    def test_strip_whole_scalar_array_secret_drops_key(self, tmp_path):
+        # A list of secret scalars is a whole-key secret, not the parallel
+        # shape — the key must vanish from config.json entirely.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        data = {"recovery_codes": ["a", "b"], "city": "Austin"}
+        secrets = {"recovery_codes": ["a", "b"]}
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(data, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {"city": "Austin"}
+
+    def test_strip_shape_mismatch_drops_key(self, tmp_path):
+        # Conservative contract: if the shapes disagree, never leak.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        data = {"accounts": {"name": "not-a-list"}}
+        secrets = {"accounts": [{"token": "t"}]}
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(data, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {}
+
+    def test_strip_ignores_extra_secrets_entries(self, tmp_path):
+        # Regular list length is authoritative: a user deleted an item.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        data = {"accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "ta"}]}
+        secrets = {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {"token": "tb"}]}
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(data, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {"accounts": [{"name": "a"}]}
+
+    def test_merge_restores_array_item_secrets(self, tmp_path):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        target = {"accounts": [{"name": "a"}, {"name": "b"}]}
+        manager._deep_merge(target, {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {}]})
+        assert target == {"accounts": [
+            {"name": "a", "token": "ta"},
+            {"name": "b"},
+        ]}
+
+    def test_merge_ignores_extra_secrets_entries_with_warning(self, tmp_path, caplog):
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        target = {"accounts": [{"name": "a"}]}
+        with caplog.at_level("WARNING"):
+            manager._deep_merge(
+                target, {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {"token": "ghost"}]})
+        assert target == {"accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "ta"}]}
+        assert any("longer than the config list" in r.message for r in caplog.records)
+
+    def test_merge_non_dict_item_replaced_by_secret(self, tmp_path):
+        # Shape drift inside the list: the secret wins for that index.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        target = {"accounts": ["oddball", {"name": "b"}]}
+        manager._deep_merge(target, {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {}]})
+        assert target == {"accounts": [{"token": "ta"}, {"name": "b"}]}
+
+    def test_merge_whole_scalar_array_still_replaces(self, tmp_path):
+        # Legacy behavior preserved: a non-parallel list replaces wholesale.
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        target = {"recovery_codes": ["old"]}
+        manager._deep_merge(target, {"recovery_codes": ["new1", "new2"]})
+        assert target == {"recovery_codes": ["new1", "new2"]}
+
+    def test_full_save_load_round_trip(self, tmp_path):
+        # End to end on real files: save strips array secrets out of
+        # config.json; load merges them back into the right items.
+        manager = make_manager(
+            tmp_path,
+            config={"plugin": {"accounts": [
+                {"name": "a", "token": "s3cret-a"},
+                {"name": "b", "token": "s3cret-b"},
+            ]}},
+            secrets={"plugin": {"accounts": [
+                {"token": "s3cret-a"}, {"token": "s3cret-b"},
+            ]}},
+        )
+        loaded = manager.load_config()
+        assert loaded["plugin"]["accounts"][0]["token"] == "s3cret-a"
+
+        manager.save_config(loaded)
+
+        raw = (tmp_path / "config.json").read_text()
+        assert "s3cret" not in raw
+        on_disk = json.loads(raw)
+        assert on_disk["plugin"]["accounts"] == [{"name": "a"}, {"name": "b"}]
+
+        # A fresh manager (constructed directly — make_manager would
+        # overwrite the just-saved config.json) re-merges from the secrets
+        # file on load.
+        fresh = ConfigManager(config_path=str(tmp_path / "config.json"),
+                              secrets_path=str(tmp_path / "config_secrets.json"))
+        fresh.template_path = str(tmp_path / "no-template.json")
+        reloaded = fresh.load_config()
+        assert reloaded["plugin"]["accounts"] == [
+            {"name": "a", "token": "s3cret-a"},
+            {"name": "b", "token": "s3cret-b"},
+        ]
+
+    def test_whole_item_secret_list_never_leaks_values(self, tmp_path):
+        # When the ENTIRE array item is secret (schema marks both key[]
+        # and key[].field), separate_secrets stores the full item dicts in
+        # the secrets file. That shape also matches the parallel-list
+        # discriminator — which is safe: strip drops every leaf key that
+        # appears in the secret item, so only empty {} skeletons (item
+        # count, no values) can reach config.json, and merge-on-load
+        # restores the full items from those skeletons.
+        from src.web_interface.secret_helpers import (
+            find_secret_fields, separate_secrets)
+        schema_props = {"accounts": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "items": {"type": "object", "x-secret": True, "properties": {
+                "id": {"type": "string"},
+                "token": {"type": "string", "x-secret": True},
+            }},
+        }}
+        paths = find_secret_fields(schema_props)
+        assert paths == {"accounts[]", "accounts[].token"}
+        full = {"accounts": [{"id": "i1", "token": "s3cret-a"},
+                             {"id": "i2", "token": "s3cret-b"}]}
+        _, secrets = separate_secrets(full, paths)
+        assert secrets == full  # whole items are secret
+
+        manager = make_manager(tmp_path)
+        stripped = manager._strip_secrets_recursive(full, secrets)
+        assert stripped == {"accounts": [{}, {}]}
+
+        raw = json.dumps(stripped)
+        assert "s3cret" not in raw and "i1" not in raw
+
+        manager._deep_merge(stripped, secrets)
+        assert stripped == full  # round trip restores the items

test/test_discovery_path_contract.py

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+"""
+Drift guard: three components independently answer "where is plugin X?" and
+their answers must stay coherent — plus the `.standalone-backup-` naming
+contract that install/rollback shares with discovery.
+
+The three resolvers:
+1. PluginManager._scan_directory_for_plugins — scans ONLY the configured dir.
+2. PluginStoreManager._find_plugin_path — configured dir, then a sibling
+   `plugins/` fallback derived from the configured dir's parent.
+3. SchemaManager.get_schema_path — configured dir, then project-root
+   `plugins/`, then `plugin-repos/`, then case-insensitive scans.
+
+The divergence is characterized (a plugin visible to the store/schema
+fallbacks but invisible to discovery is a real support-issue shape) so any
+change to the fallback chains is a deliberate one.
+
+The `.standalone-backup-` contract: store_manager renames a plugin dir aside
+with that substring during install/rollback; discovery MUST skip such dirs
+or a half-finished install would surface a ghost plugin. The substring is
+duplicated as a literal in both files — this test breaks if either side
+changes it unilaterally.
+"""
+
+import json
+import logging
+import threading
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.plugin_system.plugin_manager import PluginManager
+from src.plugin_system.schema_manager import SchemaManager
+from src.plugin_system.store_manager import PluginStoreManager
+
+
+def _write_plugin(base: Path, plugin_id: str, dir_name: str = None):
+    plugin_dir = base / (dir_name or plugin_id)
+    plugin_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (plugin_dir / "manifest.json").write_text(json.dumps({
+        "id": plugin_id, "name": plugin_id, "version": "1.0.0",
+    }))
+    (plugin_dir / "config_schema.json").write_text(json.dumps({
+        "type": "object", "properties": {"enabled": {"type": "boolean"}},
+    }))
+    return plugin_dir
+
+
+def _scanner():
+    """A PluginManager stripped to just its discovery machinery — the full
+    constructor wires config/schema/health managers this test doesn't need."""
+    pm = object.__new__(PluginManager)
+    pm.logger = logging.getLogger("test_discovery_path_contract")
+    pm._discovery_lock = threading.Lock()
+    pm.plugin_manifests = {}
+    pm.plugin_directories = {}
+    return pm
+
+
+class TestResolversAgreeOnConfiguredDir:
+    def test_all_three_find_a_plugin_in_the_configured_dir(self, tmp_path):
+        plugins_dir = tmp_path / "plugin-repos"
+        plugin_dir = _write_plugin(plugins_dir, "demo-plugin")
+
+        found = _scanner()._scan_directory_for_plugins(plugins_dir)
+        assert found == ["demo-plugin"]
+
+        store = PluginStoreManager(
+            plugins_dir=str(plugins_dir),
+            uninstalled_registry_path=str(tmp_path / "uninstalled.json"))
+        assert store._find_plugin_path("demo-plugin") == plugin_dir
+
+        schema = SchemaManager(plugins_dir=plugins_dir, project_root=tmp_path)
+        assert schema.get_schema_path("demo-plugin") == \
+            plugin_dir / "config_schema.json"
+
+
+class TestFallbackDivergence:
+    def test_plugin_only_in_plugins_dir_fallback(self, tmp_path):
+        """Characterized divergence: configured dir is plugin-repos/, but the
+        plugin sits in a sibling plugins/. The store and schema fallbacks
+        find it; discovery does NOT — so the plugin is installable/
+        configurable but never loads. Pinned so a change to any fallback
+        chain shows up here."""
+        configured = tmp_path / "plugin-repos"
+        configured.mkdir()
+        legacy_dir = _write_plugin(tmp_path / "plugins", "legacy-plugin")
+
+        # Discovery: invisible.
+        assert _scanner()._scan_directory_for_plugins(configured) == []
+
+        # Store fallback: visible (parent-of-configured / 'plugins').
+        store = PluginStoreManager(
+            plugins_dir=str(configured),
+            uninstalled_registry_path=str(tmp_path / "uninstalled.json"))
+        assert store._find_plugin_path("legacy-plugin") == legacy_dir
+
+        # Schema fallback: visible (project_root / 'plugins').
+        schema = SchemaManager(plugins_dir=configured, project_root=tmp_path)
+        assert schema.get_schema_path("legacy-plugin") == \
+            legacy_dir / "config_schema.json"
+
+    def test_schema_manager_probes_plugins_before_plugin_repos(self, tmp_path):
+        # Documented order (also in CLAUDE.md): plugins/ wins over
+        # plugin-repos/ when the same id exists in both.
+        in_plugins = _write_plugin(tmp_path / "plugins", "dupe")
+        _write_plugin(tmp_path / "plugin-repos", "dupe")
+        schema = SchemaManager(plugins_dir=None, project_root=tmp_path)
+        assert schema.get_schema_path("dupe") == \
+            in_plugins / "config_schema.json"
+
+    def test_schema_manager_case_insensitive_fallback(self, tmp_path):
+        plugin_dir = _write_plugin(tmp_path / "plugins", "MyPlugin",
+                                   dir_name="MyPlugin")
+        schema = SchemaManager(plugins_dir=None, project_root=tmp_path)
+        assert schema.get_schema_path("myplugin") == \
+            plugin_dir / "config_schema.json"
+
+
+class TestStandaloneBackupContract:
+    def test_discovery_skips_backup_dirs(self, tmp_path):
+        plugins_dir = tmp_path / "plugins"
+        _write_plugin(plugins_dir, "real-plugin")
+        # A rollback-in-progress dir with a valid manifest must NOT surface.
+        _write_plugin(plugins_dir, "real-plugin",
+                      dir_name="real-plugin.standalone-backup-migrating")
+
+        found = _scanner()._scan_directory_for_plugins(plugins_dir)
+        assert found == ["real-plugin"]
+
+    def test_backup_substring_literal_matches_across_files(self):
+        """The substring is duplicated in plugin_manager (skip check) and
+        store_manager (rename-aside names). If either side changes it, the
+        other silently stops honoring the contract — this test is the
+        tripwire."""
+        root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+        pm_text = (root / "src/plugin_system/plugin_manager.py").read_text()
+        sm_text = (root / "src/plugin_system/store_manager.py").read_text()
+        assert "'.standalone-backup-'" in pm_text.replace('"', "'")
+        assert ".standalone-backup-" in sm_text
+
+
+class TestSkinTargetResolution:
+    def _store(self, tmp_path):
+        return PluginStoreManager(
+            plugins_dir=str(tmp_path / "plugins"),
+            uninstalled_registry_path=str(tmp_path / "uninstalled.json"))
+
+    def test_valid_skin_id_resolves_inside_skins_dir(self, tmp_path):
+        from src.skin_system import skin_runtime
+        store = self._store(tmp_path)
+        target = store._resolve_skin_target("my-skin")
+        assert target is not None
+        assert target.parent == skin_runtime.get_skins_directory().resolve()
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("bad_id", [
+        "../evil",
+        "..",
+        "a/../../etc",
+        "/etc/passwd",
+        "skin/../../outside",
+        "",
+        None,
+        123,
+    ])
+    def test_traversal_and_malformed_ids_rejected(self, tmp_path, bad_id):
+        store = self._store(tmp_path)
+        assert store._resolve_skin_target(bad_id) is None

test/test_display_controller.py

@@ -15,13 +15,6 @@ class TestDisplayControllerInitialization:
         assert test_display_controller.plugin_manager is not None
         assert test_display_controller.available_modes == []
 
-    @pytest.mark.skip(reason="No assertions; init logic is covered by test_init_success and fixture setup")
-    def test_plugin_discovery_and_loading(self, test_display_controller):
-        """Test plugin discovery and loading during initialization."""
-        pm = test_display_controller.plugin_manager
-        pm.discover_plugins.return_value = ["plugin1", "plugin2"]
-        pm.get_plugin.return_value = MagicMock()
-
 
 class TestDisplayControllerModeRotation:
     """Test display mode rotation logic."""
@@ -345,29 +338,46 @@ class TestDisplayControllerSchedule:
     """Test schedule management."""
     
     def test_schedule_disabled(self, test_display_controller):
-        """Test when schedule is disabled."""
+        """schedule.enabled=False keeps the display active even outside the
+        configured window. (This test used to patch config_service, which
+        _check_schedule never reads — it asserted the init default.)"""
         controller = test_display_controller
-        schedule_config = {"schedule": {"enabled": False}}
+        controller.config['schedule'] = {
-        with patch.object(controller.config_service, 'get_config', return_value=schedule_config):
+            "enabled": False,
+            "start_time": "09:00",
+            "end_time": "17:00",
+        }
+        controller._schedule_checked_minute = None
+        controller._tz = None
+        controller.is_display_active = False  # prove the method flips it back
+
+        with patch('src.display_controller.datetime') as mock_datetime:
+            mock_datetime.now.return_value.strftime.return_value.lower.return_value = "monday"
+            mock_datetime.now.return_value.time.return_value = datetime.strptime("20:00", "%H:%M").time()
+            mock_datetime.strptime = datetime.strptime
+
             controller._check_schedule()
             assert controller.is_display_active is True
 
     def test_active_hours(self, test_display_controller):
-        """Test active hours check."""
+        """A time inside the window activates the display. (This test used
+        to patch config_service, which _check_schedule never reads — it
+        asserted the init default.)"""
         controller = test_display_controller
+        controller.config['schedule'] = {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "start_time": "09:00",
+            "end_time": "17:00",
+        }
+        controller._schedule_checked_minute = None
+        controller._tz = None
+        controller.is_display_active = False  # prove the method flips it on
+
         with patch('src.display_controller.datetime') as mock_datetime:
             mock_datetime.now.return_value.strftime.return_value.lower.return_value = "monday"
             mock_datetime.now.return_value.time.return_value = datetime.strptime("12:00", "%H:%M").time()
             mock_datetime.strptime = datetime.strptime
 
-            schedule_config = {
-                "schedule": {
-                    "enabled": True,
-                    "start_time": "09:00",
-                    "end_time": "17:00"
-                }
-            }
-            with patch.object(controller.config_service, 'get_config', return_value=schedule_config):
             controller._check_schedule()
             assert controller.is_display_active is True
 

test/test_display_controller_schedule.py

@@ -0,0 +1,277 @@
+"""
+Behavioral tests for DisplayController._check_schedule and
+_check_dim_schedule — the on/off window and night-dimming logic.
+
+test_display_controller_optimizations.py::TestScheduleMinuteGate already
+covers the once-per-minute gating; this file covers what it doesn't:
+midnight-crossing windows, mode selection (global / per-day / legacy
+inference), per-day disabled days, invalid time strings, unknown
+timezones, boundary equality, and the transition-tracking flags.
+
+Both methods read only self.config and a handful of instance attributes,
+so a bare stub via object.__new__ (the test_display_controller_vegas_tick
+pattern) is enough — no managers needed.
+"""
+
+import os
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+os.environ.setdefault("EMULATOR", "true")
+
+from src.display_controller import DisplayController  # noqa: E402
+
+
+def make_controller(config=None, *, normal_brightness=90):
+    dc = object.__new__(DisplayController)
+    dc.config = config or {}
+    dc._tz = None
+    dc._schedule_checked_minute = None
+    dc.is_display_active = True
+    dc._was_display_active = True
+    dc._normal_brightness = normal_brightness
+    dc._dim_checked_minute = None
+    dc._cached_target_brightness = None
+    dc.is_dimmed = False
+    dc._was_dimmed = False
+    return dc
+
+
+def at(time_str, day="monday"):
+    """Context manager patching the controller module's clock."""
+    patcher = patch("src.display_controller.datetime")
+    mock_dt = patcher.start()
+    mock_dt.strptime = datetime.strptime
+    mock_dt.now.return_value.time.return_value = (
+        datetime.strptime(time_str, "%H:%M").time())
+    mock_dt.now.return_value.strftime.return_value.lower.return_value = day
+    mock_dt.now.return_value.hour = int(time_str.split(":")[0])
+    mock_dt.now.return_value.minute = int(time_str.split(":")[1])
+    return patcher
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def clock():
+    patchers = []
+
+    def _at(time_str, day="monday"):
+        patchers.append(p := at(time_str, day))
+        return p
+
+    yield _at
+    for p in patchers:
+        p.stop()
+
+
+def check_at(dc, time_str, day="monday", clock=None):
+    """Run _check_schedule at a mocked wall time, resetting the minute gate."""
+    dc._schedule_checked_minute = None
+    p = at(time_str, day)
+    try:
+        dc._check_schedule()
+    finally:
+        p.stop()
+    return dc.is_display_active
+
+
+def dim_at(dc, time_str, day="monday"):
+    dc._dim_checked_minute = None
+    p = at(time_str, day)
+    try:
+        return dc._check_dim_schedule()
+    finally:
+        p.stop()
+
+
+class TestScheduleWindows:
+    def _config(self, start, end, **extra):
+        return {"schedule": {"enabled": True, "start_time": start,
+                             "end_time": end, **extra},
+                "timezone": "UTC"}
+
+    def test_same_day_window(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config("09:00", "17:00"))
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00") is True
+        assert check_at(dc, "20:00") is False
+        assert check_at(dc, "08:59") is False
+
+    def test_boundaries_are_inclusive(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config("09:00", "17:00"))
+        assert check_at(dc, "09:00") is True   # now == start
+        assert check_at(dc, "17:00") is True   # now == end
+
+    def test_midnight_crossing_window(self):
+        # 21:00 -> 07:00: active late evening AND early morning, inactive
+        # mid-day.
+        dc = make_controller(self._config("21:00", "07:00"))
+        assert check_at(dc, "23:00") is True
+        assert check_at(dc, "03:00") is True
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00") is False
+        assert check_at(dc, "21:00") is True   # boundary
+        assert check_at(dc, "07:00") is True   # boundary
+
+    def test_no_schedule_config_is_always_active(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"timezone": "UTC"})
+        dc.is_display_active = False
+        dc._check_schedule()
+        assert dc.is_display_active is True
+
+    def test_invalid_time_string_falls_back_to_active(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config("9 o'clock", "17:00"))
+        dc.is_display_active = False
+        assert check_at(dc, "03:00") is True  # ValueError -> stay on
+
+    def test_unknown_timezone_falls_back_to_utc(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {"enabled": True,
+                                           "start_time": "09:00",
+                                           "end_time": "17:00"},
+                              "timezone": "Mars/Olympus_Mons"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00") is True
+        import pytz
+        assert dc._tz is pytz.UTC
+
+
+class TestScheduleModes:
+    DAYS = {
+        "monday": {"enabled": True, "start_time": "10:00",
+                   "end_time": "18:00"},
+        "tuesday": {"enabled": False},
+    }
+
+    def test_global_mode_ignores_days(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True, "mode": "global",
+            "start_time": "09:00", "end_time": "17:00",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        # 09:30 is inside the global window but outside monday's per-day one.
+        assert check_at(dc, "09:30", day="monday") is True
+
+    def test_per_day_mode_uses_day_window(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True, "mode": "per-day",
+            "start_time": "09:00", "end_time": "17:00",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "09:30", day="monday") is False  # before 10:00
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00", day="monday") is True
+
+    def test_per_day_underscore_spelling_accepted(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True, "mode": "per_day",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00", day="monday") is True
+
+    def test_legacy_no_mode_infers_per_day_from_days_config(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "start_time": "09:00", "end_time": "17:00",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "09:30", day="monday") is False  # per-day won
+
+    def test_per_day_disabled_day_turns_display_off(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True, "mode": "per-day",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "12:00", day="tuesday") is False
+
+    def test_per_day_missing_day_falls_back_to_global(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "enabled": True, "mode": "per-day",
+            "start_time": "09:00", "end_time": "17:00",
+            "days": self.DAYS}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        # Wednesday has no per-day entry -> global window applies.
+        assert check_at(dc, "09:30", day="wednesday") is True
+
+    def test_missing_enabled_key_means_enabled(self):
+        # Backward compat: schedules written before the enabled flag.
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {
+            "start_time": "09:00", "end_time": "17:00"}, "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert check_at(dc, "20:00") is False
+
+
+class TestScheduleTransitions:
+    def test_was_display_active_tracks_state(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"schedule": {"enabled": True,
+                                           "start_time": "09:00",
+                                           "end_time": "17:00"},
+                              "timezone": "UTC"})
+        check_at(dc, "12:00")
+        assert dc._was_display_active is True
+        check_at(dc, "20:00")
+        assert dc._was_display_active is False
+        check_at(dc, "12:05")
+        assert dc._was_display_active is True
+
+
+class TestDimSchedule:
+    def _config(self, start="20:00", end="07:00", **extra):
+        return {"dim_schedule": {"enabled": True, "start_time": start,
+                                 "end_time": end, "dim_brightness": 25,
+                                 **extra},
+                "timezone": "UTC"}
+
+    def test_disabled_by_default(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"dim_schedule": {"start_time": "20:00",
+                                               "end_time": "07:00"},
+                              "timezone": "UTC"})
+        # Unlike the on/off schedule, dimming defaults to DISABLED when the
+        # enabled key is missing.
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00") == 90
+        assert dc.is_dimmed is False
+
+    def test_overnight_dim_window(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config())
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00") == 25
+        assert dc.is_dimmed is True
+        assert dim_at(dc, "03:00") == 25
+        assert dim_at(dc, "12:00") == 90
+        assert dc.is_dimmed is False
+
+    def test_dim_brightness_defaults_to_30(self):
+        dc = make_controller({"dim_schedule": {"enabled": True,
+                                               "start_time": "20:00",
+                                               "end_time": "07:00"},
+                              "timezone": "UTC"})
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00") == 30
+
+    def test_inactive_display_short_circuits_undimmed(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config())
+        dc.is_display_active = False
+        dc.is_dimmed = True
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00") == 90
+        assert dc.is_dimmed is False
+
+    def test_per_day_mode(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config(mode="per-day", days={
+            "monday": {"enabled": True, "start_time": "22:00",
+                       "end_time": "06:00"},
+            "tuesday": {"enabled": False},
+        }))
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00", day="monday") == 25
+        assert dim_at(dc, "21:00", day="monday") == 90  # before per-day start
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00", day="tuesday") == 90  # day disabled
+        assert dc.is_dimmed is False
+
+    def test_no_legacy_inference_for_dim(self):
+        # Unlike _check_schedule, dim mode defaults to GLOBAL even when a
+        # days config exists — no legacy inference.
+        dc = make_controller(self._config(days={
+            "monday": {"enabled": True, "start_time": "22:00",
+                       "end_time": "06:00"},
+        }))
+        # 21:00 is inside the global 20:00-07:00 window but outside monday's
+        # per-day 22:00 start; global mode wins.
+        assert dim_at(dc, "21:00", day="monday") == 25
+
+    def test_invalid_time_string_returns_normal(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config(start="late"))
+        assert dim_at(dc, "23:00") == 90
+
+    def test_was_dimmed_tracks_transitions(self):
+        dc = make_controller(self._config())
+        dim_at(dc, "23:00")
+        assert dc._was_dimmed is True
+        dim_at(dc, "12:00")
+        assert dc._was_dimmed is False

test/test_display_controller_vegas_tick.py

@@ -11,9 +11,18 @@ orphaning VegasModeCoordinator.mark_plugin_updated() -- it has had zero
 callers since.
 """
 
+import os
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
+# display_controller imports display_manager, which imports the hardware
+# rgbmatrix module unless EMULATOR=true was set before import. Use the
+# emulator (same convention as test_display_dirty_tracking.py and
+# test/plugins/conftest.py) so this file collects on machines without the
+# hardware library — and so display_manager gets the emulator binding no
+# matter which test module imports it first.
+os.environ.setdefault("EMULATOR", "true")
+
 from src.display_controller import DisplayController
 
 

test/test_display_helper.py

@@ -0,0 +1,307 @@
+"""Tests for src/common/display_helper.py (DisplayHelper).
+
+Pure-PIL tests, no hardware or mocks required. Pixel assertions rely on
+getbbox()/getpixel() rather than exact text pixel counts, because the
+default-font metrics vary across Pillow versions.
+
+These tests pin the FIXED behaviors on this branch:
+- draw_error_message / draw_no_data_message return a rendered image
+  (they previously crashed with AttributeError),
+- draw_scorebug_layout draws period/status/clock as one combined top
+  line (previously overprinted at the same y),
+- draw_ticker_layout draws at x=0 (previously started at
+  x=display_width, i.e. entirely off-canvas -> blank frames).
+"""
+
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont
+
+from src.common.display_helper import DisplayHelper
+
+
+def default_font():
+    return ImageFont.load_default()
+
+
+def make_helper(width=128, height=32):
+    return DisplayHelper(width, height)
+
+
+class TestCreateBaseImage:
+    def test_default_is_black_rgb_display_sized(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.create_base_image()
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 0)) == (0, 0, 0)
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 31)) == (0, 0, 0)
+        # Entirely black -> no bounding box in luminance
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is None
+
+    def test_custom_background_color(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.create_base_image(background_color=(10, 20, 30))
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 0)) == (10, 20, 30)
+        assert img.getpixel((64, 16)) == (10, 20, 30)
+
+    def test_mode_rgba_is_honored(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.create_base_image(mode='RGBA')
+        assert img.mode == 'RGBA'
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+
+
+class TestCreateOverlay:
+    def test_overlay_is_transparent_rgba(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        overlay = helper.create_overlay()
+        assert overlay.mode == 'RGBA'
+        assert overlay.size == (128, 32)
+        assert overlay.getpixel((0, 0)) == (0, 0, 0, 0)
+        assert overlay.getpixel((127, 31)) == (0, 0, 0, 0)
+
+
+class TestCompositeImages:
+    def test_rgb_inputs_are_upconverted_and_result_is_rgba(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        base = Image.new('RGB', (128, 32), (0, 0, 0))
+        overlay = Image.new('RGB', (128, 32), (255, 0, 0))
+        result = helper.composite_images(base, overlay)
+        assert result.mode == 'RGBA'
+        assert result.size == base.size
+        # RGB->RGBA conversion yields a fully opaque overlay
+        assert result.getpixel((0, 0)) == (255, 0, 0, 255)
+
+    def test_transparent_overlay_leaves_base_visible(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        base = Image.new('RGB', (128, 32), (5, 6, 7))
+        overlay = helper.create_overlay()
+        result = helper.composite_images(base, overlay)
+        assert result.mode == 'RGBA'
+        assert result.getpixel((64, 16)) == (5, 6, 7, 255)
+
+
+class TestScorebugLayout:
+    def test_full_game_data_renders(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        font = default_font()
+        fonts = {'time': font, 'status': font, 'score': font, 'team': font}
+        game_data = {
+            'home_score': 3, 'away_score': 2,
+            'home_abbr': 'NYY', 'away_abbr': 'BOS',
+            'status_text': 'LIVE', 'period_text': 'T9', 'clock': '2:30',
+        }
+        img = helper.draw_scorebug_layout(game_data, fonts)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+
+    def test_empty_game_data_uses_defaults_without_raising(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        font = default_font()
+        fonts = {'time': font, 'status': font, 'score': font, 'team': font}
+        img = helper.draw_scorebug_layout({}, fonts)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        # Defaults '0'/'HOME'/'AWAY' actually render something
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+
+    def test_empty_fonts_dict_falls_back_to_default_font(self):
+        # Pin: fonts={} must not raise — PIL falls back to the default
+        # font when font=None is passed through.
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_scorebug_layout(
+            {'status_text': 'FINAL', 'period_text': 'Q4', 'clock': '0:00'}, {})
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+
+    def test_top_line_is_one_combined_centered_draw(self):
+        # FIXED behavior: period/status/clock are joined into a single
+        # top line drawn once at y=1 instead of three overprinted draws.
+        helper = make_helper()
+        calls = []
+        original = helper._draw_centered_text
+
+        def spy(draw, text, font, y_position):
+            calls.append({'text': text, 'y_position': y_position})
+            original(draw, text, font, y_position)
+
+        helper._draw_centered_text = spy
+        font = default_font()
+        fonts = {'time': font, 'status': font, 'score': font, 'team': font}
+        helper.draw_scorebug_layout(
+            {'period_text': 'Q4', 'status_text': 'LIVE', 'clock': '2:30'},
+            fonts)
+
+        top_calls = [c for c in calls if c['y_position'] == 1]
+        assert len(top_calls) == 1
+        text = top_calls[0]['text']
+        assert 'Q4' in text
+        assert 'LIVE' in text
+        assert '2:30' in text
+
+    def test_no_top_line_when_all_parts_empty(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        calls = []
+        original = helper._draw_centered_text
+
+        def spy(draw, text, font, y_position):
+            calls.append(y_position)
+            original(draw, text, font, y_position)
+
+        helper._draw_centered_text = spy
+        font = default_font()
+        helper.draw_scorebug_layout({}, {'score': font, 'team': font})
+        assert 1 not in calls  # no combined top line drawn
+
+    def test_logo_positions_bleed_off_edges(self):
+        # Home logo pastes at x = width - logo.width + 10 (right edge,
+        # bleeding off-screen right); away at x = -10 (bleeding left).
+        helper = make_helper()
+        home_logo = Image.new('RGBA', (20, 20), (0, 0, 255, 255))   # blue
+        away_logo = Image.new('RGBA', (20, 20), (255, 0, 0, 255))   # red
+        # Empty abbrs/status so text can't land on the probed pixels.
+        game_data = {'home_abbr': '', 'away_abbr': ''}
+        font = default_font()
+        img = helper.draw_scorebug_layout(game_data, {'score': font},
+                                          home_logo=home_logo,
+                                          away_logo=away_logo)
+        # center_y = 16; logos span y 6..25 -> probe y=16 at both edges.
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 16)) == (255, 0, 0)     # away (left edge)
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 16)) == (0, 0, 255)   # home (right edge)
+        # And the off-screen parts are truly clipped: image is still 128 wide
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+
+
+class TestTickerLayout:
+    def test_frame_is_not_blank(self):
+        # FIXED behavior: text now starts at x=0. Previously it was drawn
+        # at x=display_width, entirely off-canvas, so frames were blank.
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_ticker_layout('HELLO WORLD', default_font())
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+
+    def test_text_starts_at_left_edge(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_ticker_layout('HELLO', default_font())
+        bbox = img.convert('L').getbbox()
+        assert bbox is not None
+        # Text is positioned at x=0 (outline extends 1px left, clipped),
+        # so ink begins hugging the left edge. Allow a couple of pixels of
+        # slack for font-dependent left-side bearing.
+        assert bbox[0] <= 2
+
+    def test_scroll_speed_does_not_affect_frame(self):
+        # Pin: scroll_speed is accepted for API compatibility only.
+        helper = make_helper()
+        font = default_font()
+        img1 = helper.draw_ticker_layout('SCROLLING', font, scroll_speed=1)
+        img5 = helper.draw_ticker_layout('SCROLLING', font, scroll_speed=5)
+        assert img1.tobytes() == img5.tobytes()
+
+    def test_custom_colors(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_ticker_layout('X', default_font(),
+                                        background_color=(0, 0, 40),
+                                        text_color=(0, 255, 0))
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 0)) == (0, 0, 40)  # background corner
+        colors = {img.getpixel((x, y))
+                  for x in range(img.width) for y in range(img.height)}
+        # Text color appears somewhere (anti-aliasing may blend it, so
+        # check for a green-dominant pixel rather than the exact color).
+        assert any(g > 150 and r < 100 for (r, g, b) in colors)
+
+
+class TestCenteredText:
+    def test_renders_centered_text_on_background(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_centered_text('HI', default_font(),
+                                        background_color=(0, 0, 60),
+                                        text_color=(255, 255, 0))
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+        # Corners stay pure background
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 0)) == (0, 0, 60)
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 0)) == (0, 0, 60)
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 31)) == (0, 0, 60)
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 31)) == (0, 0, 60)
+
+
+class TestErrorAndNoDataMessages:
+    def test_draw_error_message_returns_rendered_image(self):
+        # FIXED behavior: used to crash with AttributeError; now returns
+        # a rendered image on a dark red background.
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_error_message('Boom')
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 0)) == (50, 0, 0)  # dark red background
+
+    def test_draw_error_message_default_text(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_error_message()
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.getpixel((127, 31)) == (50, 0, 0)
+
+    def test_draw_no_data_message_returns_rendered_image(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = helper.draw_no_data_message()
+        assert img.size == (128, 32)
+        assert img.mode == 'RGB'
+        assert img.convert('L').getbbox() is not None
+        assert img.getpixel((0, 0)) == (0, 0, 0)  # black background
+
+
+class TestDrawTextWithOutline:
+    def test_fill_color_appears_in_output(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = Image.new('RGB', (40, 20), (0, 0, 255))
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
+        helper._draw_text_with_outline(draw, 'X', (5, 2), default_font(),
+                                       fill=(255, 0, 0))
+        pixels = {img.getpixel((x, y))
+                  for x in range(img.width) for y in range(img.height)}
+        # Anti-aliased fonts blend edge pixels, so look for red-dominant
+        # (fill) and near-black (outline) pixels rather than exact colors.
+        assert any(r > 150 and g < 50 for (r, g, b) in pixels)   # fill
+        assert any(max(p) < 80 for p in pixels)                  # outline
+
+    def test_default_fill_is_white(self):
+        helper = make_helper()
+        img = Image.new('RGB', (40, 20), (0, 0, 255))
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(img)
+        helper._draw_text_with_outline(draw, 'X', (5, 2), default_font())
+        pixels = {img.getpixel((x, y))
+                  for x in range(img.width) for y in range(img.height)}
+        # White-dominant pixel present (exact white may be anti-aliased)
+        assert any(r > 200 and g > 200 for (r, g, b) in pixels)
+
+
+class TestOrientationAndDimensions:
+    def test_landscape_display(self):
+        helper = DisplayHelper(128, 32)
+        assert helper.is_landscape() is True
+        assert helper.is_portrait() is False
+
+    def test_portrait_display(self):
+        helper = DisplayHelper(32, 128)
+        assert helper.is_portrait() is True
+        assert helper.is_landscape() is False
+
+    def test_square_display_is_neither(self):
+        # Pin: a square display is neither portrait nor landscape.
+        helper = DisplayHelper(64, 64)
+        assert helper.is_portrait() is False
+        assert helper.is_landscape() is False
+
+    def test_get_center_position(self):
+        assert DisplayHelper(128, 32).get_center_position() == (64, 16)
+
+    def test_get_center_position_floors_odd_dimensions(self):
+        assert DisplayHelper(65, 33).get_center_position() == (32, 16)
+
+    def test_get_display_dimensions(self):
+        assert DisplayHelper(128, 32).get_display_dimensions() == (128, 32)
+        assert DisplayHelper(64, 64).get_display_dimensions() == (64, 64)

test/test_display_manager.py

@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
+import os
 import pytest
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 from PIL import ImageDraw
+
+# display_manager imports the hardware rgbmatrix module at import time unless
+# EMULATOR=true. Use the emulator (same convention as
+# test_display_dirty_tracking.py) so this file collects standalone instead of
+# relying on collection order — the tests below patch RGBMatrix/
+# RGBMatrixOptions explicitly, so the underlying binding doesn't matter here.
+os.environ.setdefault("EMULATOR", "true")
+
 from src.display_manager import DisplayManager
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -77,18 +86,26 @@ class TestDisplayManagerDrawing:
             assert dm.matrix.Clear.called
             
     def test_draw_text(self, test_config, mock_rgb_matrix):
-        """Test text drawing."""
+        """Text drawn through draw_text must actually light pixels."""
+        from PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont
+        import src.display_manager as dm_mod
         with patch.dict('os.environ', {'EMULATOR': 'false'}):
-            dm = DisplayManager(test_config)
+            DisplayManager._instance = None
+            dm = DisplayManager(test_config, suppress_test_pattern=True)
+            # The fixture replaces the module's freetype with a MagicMock,
+            # which breaks draw_text's isinstance(font, freetype.Face) check
+            # (and silently swallows the draw). Give the mock a real class so
+            # isinstance works and the PIL path is taken.
+            dm_mod.freetype.Face = type("_FakeFace", (), {})
+            # Start from a known-black canvas so the assertion below can only
+            # pass if draw_text itself lit something.
+            dm.image = Image.new('RGB', (dm.width, dm.height))
+            dm.draw = ImageDraw.Draw(dm.image)
 
-            # Mock font
+            dm.draw_text("Test", 0, 0, font=ImageFont.load_default())
-            font = MagicMock()
 
-            dm.draw_text("Test", 0, 0, font)
+            assert dm.image.convert("L").getbbox() is not None, \
-            
+                "draw_text lit no pixels"
-            # Verify draw_text was called (DisplayManager uses freetype/PIL)
-            # The actual implementation uses freetype or PIL, not graphics module
-            assert True  # draw_text should execute without error
             
     def test_draw_image(self, test_config, mock_rgb_matrix):
         """Test image drawing."""
@@ -220,3 +237,45 @@ class TestDisplayManagerDoubleSided:
                                 suppress_test_pattern=True)
             assert dm.set_brightness(70) is True
             assert mock_rgb_matrix['matrix_instance'].brightness == 70
+
+
+class TestDisplayManagerOrientation:
+    """The orientation setting composes onto pixel_mapper_config for panels
+    mounted upside down, without disturbing a custom pixel_mapper_config."""
+
+    def _config(self, **hardware_overrides):
+        config = {
+            'display': {
+                'hardware': {
+                    'rows': 32, 'cols': 64, 'chain_length': 2, 'parallel': 1,
+                    'hardware_mapping': 'adafruit-hat-pwm', 'brightness': 90,
+                },
+                'runtime': {'gpio_slowdown': 2},
+            },
+            'timezone': 'UTC',
+            'plugin_system': {'plugins_directory': 'plugins'},
+        }
+        config['display']['hardware'].update(hardware_overrides)
+        return config
+
+    def test_default_orientation_leaves_pixel_mapper_config_untouched(self, mock_rgb_matrix):
+        DisplayManager._instance = None
+        with patch.dict('os.environ', {'EMULATOR': 'false'}):
+            DisplayManager(self._config(), suppress_test_pattern=True)
+            options = mock_rgb_matrix['options_class'].return_value
+            assert options.pixel_mapper_config == ''
+
+    def test_orientation_180_appends_rotate_mapper(self, mock_rgb_matrix):
+        DisplayManager._instance = None
+        with patch.dict('os.environ', {'EMULATOR': 'false'}):
+            DisplayManager(self._config(orientation='180'), suppress_test_pattern=True)
+            options = mock_rgb_matrix['options_class'].return_value
+            assert options.pixel_mapper_config == 'Rotate:180'
+
+    def test_orientation_180_composes_with_existing_pixel_mapper_config(self, mock_rgb_matrix):
+        DisplayManager._instance = None
+        with patch.dict('os.environ', {'EMULATOR': 'false'}):
+            DisplayManager(self._config(orientation='180', pixel_mapper_config='U-mapper'),
+                           suppress_test_pattern=True)
+            options = mock_rgb_matrix['options_class'].return_value
+            assert options.pixel_mapper_config == 'U-mapper;Rotate:180'

test/test_dynamic_team_resolver.py

@@ -0,0 +1,259 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/dynamic_team_resolver.py (DynamicTeamResolver).
+
+Covers dynamic team expansion (AP_TOP_5/10/25), order-preserving dedup,
+unknown dynamic-name dropping, rankings parsing, the fixed genuinely
+class-shared rankings cache (fetch and clear_cache write through
+DynamicTeamResolver._rankings_cache / _cache_timestamp), TTL expiry,
+network-failure resilience, and the resolve_dynamic_teams module function.
+
+No real network: src.dynamic_team_resolver.requests.get is always patched.
+"""
+
+import types
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+
+import src.dynamic_team_resolver as dtr_module
+from src.dynamic_team_resolver import DynamicTeamResolver, resolve_dynamic_teams
+
+
+TOP_TEAMS = ['UGA', 'MICH', 'OSU', 'TEX', 'ALA', 'ORE', 'PSU', 'ND', 'FSU', 'OU']
+
+
+def _rankings_payload(teams=None):
+    teams = TOP_TEAMS if teams is None else teams
+    return {
+        'rankings': [{
+            'name': 'AP Top 25',
+            'ranks': [
+                {'current': i + 1, 'team': {'abbreviation': abbr}}
+                for i, abbr in enumerate(teams)
+            ],
+        }]
+    }
+
+
+def _make_response(payload):
+    response = MagicMock()
+    response.json.return_value = payload
+    response.raise_for_status.return_value = None
+    return response
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def reset_class_cache():
+    """Reset the CLASS-level shared cache between tests."""
+    DynamicTeamResolver._rankings_cache = {}
+    DynamicTeamResolver._cache_timestamp = 0
+    yield
+    DynamicTeamResolver._rankings_cache = {}
+    DynamicTeamResolver._cache_timestamp = 0
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_get():
+    with patch('src.dynamic_team_resolver.requests.get') as m:
+        m.return_value = _make_response(_rankings_payload())
+        yield m
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def resolver():
+    return DynamicTeamResolver()
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# resolve_teams basics
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestResolveTeamsBasics:
+    def test_empty_list_returns_empty_no_http(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        assert resolver.resolve_teams([]) == []
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_no_dynamic_names_passthrough_no_http(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        assert resolver.resolve_teams(['UGA', 'AUB', 'LSU']) == [
+            'UGA', 'AUB', 'LSU']
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_expansion_inserted_in_place_order_preserved(
+            self, resolver, mock_get):
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(['UGA', 'AP_TOP_5', 'AUB'])
+
+        # UGA is also ranked #1, so dedup keeps its first occurrence; the
+        # top-5 expansion lands where AP_TOP_5 appeared, AUB stays after.
+        assert result == ['UGA', 'MICH', 'OSU', 'TEX', 'ALA', 'AUB']
+
+    def test_order_preserving_dedup(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(['UGA', 'AP_TOP_5', 'UGA'])
+
+        assert result == ['UGA', 'MICH', 'OSU', 'TEX', 'ALA']
+        assert result.count('UGA') == 1
+        assert result[0] == 'UGA'
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# AP_TOP_N slicing
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestSlicing:
+    def test_top_n_counts_and_order(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        teams_25 = [f'T{i:02d}' for i in range(1, 26)]
+        mock_get.return_value = _make_response(_rankings_payload(teams_25))
+
+        top5 = resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        top10 = resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_10'])
+        top25 = resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_25'])
+
+        assert top5 == teams_25[:5]
+        assert top10 == teams_25[:10]
+        assert top25 == teams_25
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Unknown dynamic-looking names
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestUnknownDynamicNames:
+    def test_unknown_dynamic_looking_names_dropped(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(
+            ['AP_TOP_100', 'TOP_10', 'RANKED_ALL', 'PLAYOFF_TEAMS'])
+
+        assert result == []
+        mock_get.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_top_substring_hazard(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        # Hazard pin: _is_potential_dynamic_team matches the substring
+        # 'TOP_' anywhere in the (upper-cased) name, so a team literally
+        # named 'TOP_GUN' is dropped as an unknown dynamic team too.
+        assert resolver.resolve_teams(['TOP_GUN']) == []
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Rankings parsing
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestRankingsParsing:
+    def test_drops_zero_rank_and_empty_abbreviation_sorts_ascending(
+            self, resolver, mock_get):
+        payload = {
+            'rankings': [{
+                'name': 'AP Top 25',
+                'ranks': [
+                    {'current': 3, 'team': {'abbreviation': 'C3'}},
+                    {'current': 1, 'team': {'abbreviation': 'A1'}},
+                    {'current': 0, 'team': {'abbreviation': 'ZERO'}},
+                    {'current': 4, 'team': {'abbreviation': ''}},
+                    {'current': 2, 'team': {'abbreviation': 'B2'}},
+                ],
+            }]
+        }
+        mock_get.return_value = _make_response(payload)
+
+        rankings = resolver._fetch_ncaa_fb_rankings()
+
+        assert list(rankings.keys()) == ['A1', 'B2', 'C3']
+        assert list(rankings.values()) == [1, 2, 3]
+
+    def test_empty_rankings_returns_empty_and_caches_nothing(
+            self, resolver, mock_get):
+        mock_get.return_value = _make_response({'rankings': []})
+
+        assert resolver._fetch_ncaa_fb_rankings() == {}
+        # Nothing was cached, so the next call hits HTTP again.
+        assert resolver._fetch_ncaa_fb_rankings() == {}
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 2
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Shared class cache (fixed behavior)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestSharedCache:
+    def test_cache_shared_across_instances(self, mock_get):
+        resolver1 = DynamicTeamResolver()
+        resolver1.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1
+
+        resolver2 = DynamicTeamResolver()
+        result = resolver2.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+
+        # Post-fix: the class-level cache serves the second instance with
+        # ZERO additional HTTP calls.
+        assert result == TOP_TEAMS[:5]
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1
+
+    def test_ttl_expiry_refetches(self, resolver, mock_get, monkeypatch):
+        resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1
+
+        stamp = DynamicTeamResolver._cache_timestamp
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            dtr_module, 'time', types.SimpleNamespace(time=lambda: stamp + 3601))
+
+        resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 2
+
+    def test_clear_cache_through_one_instance_affects_all(self, mock_get):
+        resolver1 = DynamicTeamResolver()
+        resolver1.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1
+
+        resolver2 = DynamicTeamResolver()
+        resolver2.clear_cache()
+
+        # Post-fix: clear_cache writes through the class, so resolver1
+        # must refetch even though resolver2 did the clearing.
+        resolver1.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 2
+
+    def test_module_function_benefits_from_class_cache(self, mock_get):
+        # resolve_dynamic_teams constructs a fresh resolver per call, but
+        # the class-shared cache means only the first call hits HTTP.
+        first = resolve_dynamic_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+        second = resolve_dynamic_teams(['AP_TOP_5'])
+
+        assert first == second == TOP_TEAMS[:5]
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Failure handling
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestFailureHandling:
+    def test_network_failure_drops_dynamic_keeps_static_caches_nothing(
+            self, resolver, mock_get):
+        mock_get.side_effect = [
+            requests.exceptions.RequestException('boom'),
+            _make_response(_rankings_payload()),
+        ]
+
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(['UGA', 'AP_TOP_5'])
+
+        # Dynamic name silently dropped, static name kept, nothing raises.
+        assert result == ['UGA']
+
+        # Nothing was cached on failure: a subsequent call refetches and
+        # succeeds.
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(['UGA', 'AP_TOP_5'])
+        assert result == ['UGA', 'MICH', 'OSU', 'TEX', 'ALA']
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 2
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# sport argument
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestSportArgument:
+    def test_sport_arg_ignored_for_expansion(self, resolver, mock_get):
+        # Pin: the sport argument is effectively ignored — each pattern
+        # carries its own sport ('ncaa_fb'), so passing sport='nfl' still
+        # expands from the college-football rankings.
+        result = resolver.resolve_teams(['AP_TOP_5'], sport='nfl')
+
+        assert result == TOP_TEAMS[:5]
+        assert mock_get.call_count == 1

test/test_enum_option_labels.py

@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+"""Guard: enum dropdowns in the plugin config form honour x-options.labels.
+
+The form derives an option's visible text from its value — underscores
+replaced, title case applied ("day_first" -> "Day First"). That cannot
+express every label a schema needs: "vs" reads as "Vs", and "abbrev" says
+nothing about the "Sep 19" it produces. Schemas can supply x-options.labels
+instead, the same convention the checkbox-group widget already uses.
+
+These tests extract the enum <select> block *out of the shipped template*
+and render that, so they exercise the production expression rather than a
+copy of it. If the fallback or the lookup changes, these tests render the
+changed code and fail — a duplicated fragment here would silently keep
+passing.
+"""
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from jinja2 import DictLoader, Environment
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+CONFIG_FORM = (PROJECT_ROOT / 'web_interface' / 'templates' / 'v3' / 'partials'
+               / 'plugin_config.html')
+ARRAY_TABLE_JS = (PROJECT_ROOT / 'web_interface' / 'static' / 'v3' / 'js'
+                  / 'widgets' / 'array-table.js')
+
+# The enum branch: from the `{% set enum_labels %}` line through `</select>`.
+ENUM_BLOCK_RE = re.compile(
+    r"(\{%\s*set enum_labels\s*=.*?</select>)", re.S
+)
+
+
+def _shipped_enum_block() -> str:
+    """Return the live enum <select> block lifted from plugin_config.html."""
+    source = CONFIG_FORM.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+    match = ENUM_BLOCK_RE.search(source)
+    assert match, (
+        'could not find the enum <select> block in plugin_config.html — the '
+        'template changed shape and this guard needs updating'
+    )
+    return match.group(1)
+
+
+def _render(prop: dict, value=None) -> str:
+    """Render the shipped enum block with a minimal fixture."""
+    env = Environment(loader=DictLoader({'f': _shipped_enum_block()}),
+                      autoescape=True)
+    return env.get_template('f').render(
+        prop=prop, value=value, field_id='fid', full_key='k'
+    )
+
+
+def _option_labels(html: str) -> dict:
+    """Map each rendered option's value to its visible text."""
+    return {
+        value: text.strip()
+        for value, text in re.findall(
+            r'<option value="([^"]*)"[^>]*>(.*?)</option>', html, re.S
+        )
+    }
+
+
+def test_labels_are_used_when_supplied() -> None:
+    html = _render({
+        'enum': ['vs', 'date_time'],
+        'x-options': {'labels': {'vs': 'VS', 'date_time': 'Date and time'}},
+    })
+    assert _option_labels(html) == {'vs': 'VS', 'date_time': 'Date and time'}
+
+
+def test_unlabelled_values_keep_the_humanised_fallback() -> None:
+    """Schemas without labels must render exactly as they did before."""
+    html = _render({'enum': ['day_first', 'weekday']})
+    assert _option_labels(html) == {'day_first': 'Day First', 'weekday': 'Weekday'}
+
+
+def test_partial_labels_fall_back_per_value() -> None:
+    """A labels map covering some values leaves the rest humanised."""
+    html = _render({'enum': ['vs', 'day_first'],
+                    'x-options': {'labels': {'vs': 'VS'}}})
+    assert _option_labels(html) == {'vs': 'VS', 'day_first': 'Day First'}
+
+
+def test_option_values_are_unchanged_by_labelling() -> None:
+    """Labels are display-only: the submitted value stays the enum value."""
+    html = _render({'enum': ['abbrev'],
+                    'x-options': {'labels': {'abbrev': 'Sep 19'}}})
+    assert _option_labels(html) == {'abbrev': 'Sep 19'}
+
+
+def test_selected_option_still_tracks_the_current_value() -> None:
+    """Labelling must not disturb which option is marked selected."""
+    html = _render({'enum': ['abbrev', 'numeric'],
+                    'x-options': {'labels': {'abbrev': 'Sep 19'}}},
+                   value='numeric')
+    selected = re.search(r'<option value="([^"]+)"[^>]*selected', html)
+    assert selected and selected.group(1) == 'numeric'
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('key', ['x-options', 'x_options'])
+def test_both_option_key_spellings_work(key: str) -> None:
+    """The template accepts either spelling, as its other widgets do."""
+    html = _render({'enum': ['vs'], key: {'labels': {'vs': 'VS'}}})
+    assert _option_labels(html) == {'vs': 'VS'}
+
+
+def test_table_column_enum_falls_back_to_the_raw_value() -> None:
+    """Array-table columns must not title-case values that were never labelled.
+
+    Those columns hold values such as ticker symbols, where "aapl" -> "Aapl"
+    would be wrong, so their fallback stays the raw value.
+    """
+    source = CONFIG_FORM.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+    assert 'col_labels.get(opt, opt)' in source, (
+        'array-table column options must fall back to the raw value, not the '
+        'humanised one'
+    )
+
+
+def test_dynamically_added_table_rows_use_the_same_labels() -> None:
+    """Rows added client-side must label options like the server-rendered ones.
+
+    array-table.js builds new rows in the browser; if it printed the raw value
+    a column would read differently before and after a page reload.
+    """
+    js = ARRAY_TABLE_JS.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+    assert 'function enumOptionLabel' in js, (
+        'array-table.js lost its enum label helper'
+    )
+    raw_option_text = re.findall(r'o\.textContent\s*=\s*opt\s*;', js)
+    assert not raw_option_text, (
+        'array-table.js renders an enum option as its raw value; it must go '
+        'through enumOptionLabel() so dynamic rows match server-rendered ones'
+    )

test/test_font_manager.py

@@ -1,82 +1,126 @@
+"""
+Tests for src/font_manager.py — FontManager loading, caching, fallback,
+and BDF handling, exercised against the real bundled fonts in assets/fonts.
+
+This file replaces an earlier version whose tests were try/except blocks
+ending in `assert True` — they executed the code but could not fail. Every
+test here asserts observable behavior: returned font types, cache identity,
+fallback selection, and BDF native-size reading.
+"""
+
+import freetype
 import pytest
-from unittest.mock import patch
+from PIL import ImageFont
+
 from src.font_manager import FontManager
 
+
 @pytest.fixture
-def mock_freetype():
+def fm():
-    """Mock freetype module."""
+    """A FontManager over the real assets/fonts catalog."""
-    with patch('src.font_manager.freetype') as mock_freetype:
+    return FontManager({})
-        yield mock_freetype
 
-class TestFontManager:
-    """Test FontManager functionality."""
 
-    def test_init(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
+class TestCatalog:
-        """Test FontManager initialization."""
+    def test_bundled_common_fonts_are_registered(self, fm):
-        # Ensure BDF files exist check passes
+        # These aliases are hardcoded in FontManager.common_fonts and the
-        with patch('os.path.exists', return_value=True):
+        # files ship in assets/fonts — all three must resolve.
-            fm = FontManager(test_config)
+        for family in ("press_start", "four_by_six", "five_by_seven"):
-            assert fm.config == test_config
+            assert family in fm.font_catalog, f"{family} missing from catalog"
-            assert hasattr(fm, 'font_cache')  # FontManager uses font_cache, not fonts
 
-    def test_get_font_success(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
+    def test_catalog_families_are_lowercase_filenames(self, fm):
-        """Test successful font loading."""
+        # _scan_fonts_directory lowercases the filename stem.
-        with patch('os.path.exists', return_value=True), \
+        assert all(name == name.lower() for name in fm.font_catalog)
-             patch('os.path.join', side_effect=lambda *args: "/".join(args)):
 
-            fm = FontManager(test_config)
 
-            # Request a font (get_font requires family and size_px)
+class TestGetFont:
-            # Font may be None if font file doesn't exist in test, that's ok
+    def test_ttf_family_returns_usable_pil_font(self, fm):
-            try:
+        font = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
-                font = fm.get_font("small", 12)  # family and size_px required
+        assert isinstance(font, ImageFont.FreeTypeFont)
-                # Just verify the method can be called
+        # Usable: it can measure text.
-                assert True  # FontManager.get_font() executed
+        bbox = font.getbbox("Hi")
-            except (TypeError, AttributeError):
+        assert bbox[2] > bbox[0]
-                # If method signature doesn't match, that's ok for now
-                assert True
 
-    def test_get_font_missing_file(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
+    def test_bdf_family_returns_freetype_face(self, fm):
-        """Test handling of missing font file."""
+        font = fm.get_font("five_by_seven", 7)
-        with patch('os.path.exists', return_value=False):
+        assert isinstance(font, freetype.Face)
-            fm = FontManager(test_config)
 
-            # Request a font where file doesn't exist
+    def test_repeat_call_returns_cached_identity(self, fm):
-            # get_font requires family and size_px
+        first = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
-            try:
+        hits_before = fm.performance_stats["cache_hits"]
-                font = fm.get_font("small", 12)  # family and size_px required
+        second = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
-                # Font may be None if file doesn't exist, that's ok
+        assert second is first
-                assert True  # Method executed
+        assert fm.performance_stats["cache_hits"] == hits_before + 1
-            except (TypeError, AttributeError):
-                assert True  # Method signature may differ
 
-    def test_get_font_invalid_name(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
+    def test_different_sizes_get_distinct_cache_entries(self, fm):
-        """Test requesting invalid font name."""
+        small = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
-        with patch('os.path.exists', return_value=True):
+        large = fm.get_font("press_start", 16)
-            fm = FontManager(test_config)
+        assert small is not large
+        assert "press_start_8" in fm.font_cache
+        assert "press_start_16" in fm.font_cache
 
-            # Request unknown font (get_font requires family and size_px)
+    def test_unknown_family_falls_back_to_default_without_raising(self, fm):
-            try:
+        failed_before = fm.performance_stats["failed_loads"]
-                font = fm.get_font("nonexistent_font", 12)  # family and size_px required
+        font = fm.get_font("no-such-family", 10)
-                # Font may be None for unknown font, that's ok
+        # The documented fallback is PIL's default font (whose concrete type
-                assert True  # Method executed
+        # varies across Pillow versions), recorded as a failed load. It must
-            except (TypeError, AttributeError):
+        # still be usable for measurement.
-                assert True  # Method signature may differ
+        assert type(font) is type(ImageFont.load_default())
+        assert font.getbbox("Hi")[2] > 0
+        assert fm.performance_stats["failed_loads"] == failed_before + 1
 
-    def test_get_font_with_fallback(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
+    def test_corrupt_font_file_falls_back_to_default(self, fm, tmp_path):
-        """Test font loading with fallback."""
+        bad = tmp_path / "broken.ttf"
-        # FontManager.get_font() requires family and size_px
+        bad.write_text("this is not a font file")
-        # This test verifies the method exists and can be called
+        fm.font_catalog["broken"] = str(bad)
-        fm = FontManager(test_config)
+        failed_before = fm.performance_stats["failed_loads"]
-        assert hasattr(fm, 'get_font')
+        font = fm.get_font("broken", 10)
-        assert True  # Method exists, implementation may vary
+        assert type(font) is type(ImageFont.load_default())
+        assert font.getbbox("Hi")[2] > 0
+        assert fm.performance_stats["failed_loads"] == failed_before + 1
 
-    def test_load_custom_font(self, test_config, mock_freetype):
-        """Test loading a custom font file directly."""
-        with patch('os.path.exists', return_value=True):
-            fm = FontManager(test_config)
 
-            # FontManager uses add_font or get_font, not load_font
+class TestBdfNativeSize:
-            # Just verify the manager can handle font operations
+    def test_five_by_seven_reports_native_height(self, fm):
-            # The actual method depends on implementation
+        # 5x7.bdf declares a 7px strike; requesting other sizes still renders
-            assert hasattr(fm, 'get_font') or hasattr(fm, 'add_font')
+        # the native size, so callers need this to know the truth.
+        assert fm.get_native_bdf_size("five_by_seven") == 7
+
+    def test_ttf_family_has_no_native_size(self, fm):
+        assert fm.get_native_bdf_size("press_start") is None
+
+    def test_unknown_family_has_no_native_size(self, fm):
+        assert fm.get_native_bdf_size("no-such-family") is None
+
+
+class TestMeasureText:
+    def test_ttf_measurement_is_positive_and_cached(self, fm):
+        font = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
+        width, height, baseline = fm.measure_text("SCORE", font)
+        assert width > 0 and height > 0
+        # Cached: same result object path on second call.
+        assert fm.measure_text("SCORE", font) == (width, height, baseline)
+        assert ("SCORE", id(font)) in fm.metrics_cache
+
+    def test_longer_text_measures_wider(self, fm):
+        font = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
+        short, _, _ = fm.measure_text("AB", font)
+        long, _, _ = fm.measure_text("ABCD", font)
+        assert long > short
+
+
+class TestCacheLifecycle:
+    def test_clear_cache_empties_both_caches(self, fm):
+        font = fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
+        fm.measure_text("X", font)
+        assert fm.font_cache and fm.metrics_cache
+        fm.clear_cache()
+        assert not fm.font_cache
+        assert not fm.metrics_cache
+
+    def test_reload_config_bumps_generation_and_clears(self, fm):
+        fm.get_font("press_start", 8)
+        gen_before = fm.cache_generation
+        fm.reload_config({})
+        assert fm.cache_generation == gen_before + 1
+        assert not fm.font_cache

test/test_git_pull_resolution.py

@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+"""Guard: the update button works on branches without tracking information.
+
+`git pull --rebase` fails outright on a branch with no upstream:
+
+    There is no tracking information for the current branch.
+    Please specify which branch you want to rebase against.
+
+That is easy to land on — checking out a branch by name, restoring a
+backup, or following a guide that names one — and the Tools tab reported it
+as a bare "Update failed; check logs for details", which the user cannot act
+on. resolve_pull_command() falls back to an explicit `origin <branch>` pull
+when that remote branch exists, and returns an actionable message when it
+does not.
+
+These tests build real git repositories in a temp dir, so they exercise git's
+actual behaviour rather than a mock of it.
+"""
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from web_interface.blueprints.api_v3 import (
+    checkout_branch,
+    is_valid_branch_name,
+    resolve_pull_command,
+)
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    subprocess.run(['git', '--version'], capture_output=True).returncode != 0,
+    reason='git not available',
+)
+
+
+def _git(*args, cwd):
+    return subprocess.run(['git', *args], cwd=str(cwd),
+                          capture_output=True, text=True, check=True)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def repos(tmp_path):
+    """An 'origin' repo with a main branch, and a clone of it."""
+    origin = tmp_path / 'origin'
+    origin.mkdir()
+    _git('init', '--initial-branch=main', '--bare', cwd=origin)
+
+    work = tmp_path / 'work'
+    _git('clone', str(origin), str(work), cwd=tmp_path)
+    _git('config', 'user.email', 'test@example.com', cwd=work)
+    _git('config', 'user.name', 'Test', cwd=work)
+    (work / 'README.md').write_text('hello\n')
+    _git('add', 'README.md', cwd=work)
+    _git('commit', '-m', 'initial', cwd=work)
+    _git('push', '-u', 'origin', 'main', cwd=work)
+    return work
+
+
+def test_branch_with_upstream_uses_a_plain_pull(repos):
+    args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert error is None
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase']
+    assert note == ''
+
+
+def test_branch_without_upstream_falls_back_to_origin_branch(repos):
+    """The reported bug: a local branch that also exists on origin."""
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:audit', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+    # A branch created this way has no tracking information.
+    _git('checkout', '-b', 'audit', cwd=repos)
+    assert subprocess.run(['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', '@{u}'],
+                          cwd=str(repos), capture_output=True).returncode != 0
+
+    args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert error is None
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', 'origin', 'audit']
+    assert 'audit' in note
+
+
+def test_pull_fallback_actually_succeeds(repos):
+    """The fallback command must work, not merely look right."""
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:audit', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+    _git('checkout', '-b', 'audit', cwd=repos)
+
+    args, _, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert error is None
+    done = subprocess.run(args, cwd=str(repos), capture_output=True, text=True)
+    assert done.returncode == 0, done.stderr
+
+
+def test_local_only_branch_reports_an_actionable_message(repos):
+    """No upstream and no origin/<branch>: say so, don't just fail."""
+    _git('checkout', '-b', 'local-experiment', cwd=repos)
+    args, _, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert args is None
+    assert error and 'local-experiment' in error
+    assert 'no origin/local-experiment' in error
+
+
+def test_detached_head_reports_an_actionable_message(repos):
+    head = subprocess.run(['git', 'rev-parse', 'HEAD'], cwd=str(repos),
+                          capture_output=True, text=True).stdout.strip()
+    _git('checkout', head, cwd=repos)
+    args, _, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert args is None
+    assert error and 'detached HEAD' in error
+
+
+def test_missing_directory_does_not_raise(tmp_path):
+    """A bad path must return an error, not blow up the request."""
+    args, _, error = resolve_pull_command(str(tmp_path / 'nope'))
+    assert args is None
+    assert error
+
+
+# ── branch switching ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('name', [
+    'main', 'audit', 'feat/thing', 'release-1.2', 'a_b.c',
+])
+def test_valid_branch_names_accepted(name):
+    assert is_valid_branch_name(name)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('name', [
+    '', '   ', 'a b', 'a;rm -rf /', '--upload-pack=evil', '-x',
+    'a..b', 'a\nb', 'x' * 201, 'branch$(whoami)', '../escape',
+])
+def test_unsafe_branch_names_rejected(name):
+    """The value reaches a subprocess argument list, so refuse the exotic."""
+    assert not is_valid_branch_name(name)
+
+
+def test_switch_to_remote_only_branch_creates_it_with_tracking(repos):
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:release', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+
+    payload, code = checkout_branch(str(repos), 'release')
+    assert code == 200 and payload['status'] == 'success', payload
+
+    assert _git('branch', '--show-current', cwd=repos).stdout.strip() == 'release'
+    upstream = subprocess.run(['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', '@{u}'],
+                              cwd=str(repos), capture_output=True, text=True)
+    assert upstream.stdout.strip() == 'origin/release'
+
+
+def test_switching_attaches_tracking_so_pull_needs_no_fallback(repos):
+    """The whole point: after switching, a plain `git pull` works."""
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:audit', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+    payload, _ = checkout_branch(str(repos), 'audit')
+    assert payload['status'] == 'success'
+
+    args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
+    assert error is None
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase']
+    assert note == ''
+
+
+def test_unknown_branch_is_reported_not_created(repos):
+    payload, code = checkout_branch(str(repos), 'does-not-exist')
+    assert code == 404
+    assert 'does-not-exist' in payload['message']
+    assert _git('branch', '--show-current', cwd=repos).stdout.strip() == 'main'
+
+
+def test_local_edits_block_the_switch_and_name_the_files(repos):
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:other', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+    _git('checkout', '-b', 'other', 'origin/other', cwd=repos)
+    (repos / 'README.md').write_text('changed on other\n')
+    _git('add', 'README.md', cwd=repos)
+    _git('commit', '-m', 'diverge', cwd=repos)
+    _git('checkout', 'main', cwd=repos)
+    (repos / 'README.md').write_text('uncommitted local edit\n')
+
+    payload, code = checkout_branch(str(repos), 'other')
+    assert code == 200 and payload['status'] == 'error'
+    assert payload['can_retry_with_stash'] is True
+    assert 'README.md' in payload['detail']
+    assert _git('branch', '--show-current', cwd=repos).stdout.strip() == 'main'
+
+
+def test_stash_option_lets_the_switch_through_and_keeps_the_work(repos):
+    """stash=True must switch *and* leave the edit recoverable."""
+    _git('push', 'origin', 'main:other', cwd=repos)
+    _git('fetch', 'origin', cwd=repos)
+    _git('checkout', '-b', 'other', 'origin/other', cwd=repos)
+    (repos / 'README.md').write_text('changed on other\n')
+    _git('add', 'README.md', cwd=repos)
+    _git('commit', '-m', 'diverge', cwd=repos)
+    _git('checkout', 'main', cwd=repos)
+    (repos / 'README.md').write_text('uncommitted local edit\n')
+
+    payload, code = checkout_branch(str(repos), 'other', stash=True)
+    assert code == 200 and payload['status'] == 'success', payload
+    assert 'stashed' in payload['message']
+    assert _git('branch', '--show-current', cwd=repos).stdout.strip() == 'other'
+    # The edit is not lost — it is on the stash.
+    assert 'switch to other' in _git('stash', 'list', cwd=repos).stdout

test/test_harness_empty_claimed.py

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""Tests for the harness empty-frame check (src/plugin_system/testing/harness.py).
+
+The display controller skips a mode whose display() returns False and treats
+anything else -- including None -- as "content was shown". A mode that draws
+nothing without returning False is therefore never skipped, and since a mode
+switch clears the panel first, it sits on a blank screen for its whole display
+duration.
+
+Two sports plugins shipped exactly that: their display() returned None on every
+path, so an out-of-season league held a blank panel instead of being rotated
+past. The harness rendered those modes and passed them, because it discarded
+the return value entirely.
+"""
+
+from PIL import Image
+
+from src.plugin_system.testing.harness import RenderResult, check_empty_claimed
+
+
+def _blank(w=64, h=32):
+    return Image.new("RGB", (w, h), (0, 0, 0))
+
+
+def _drawn(w=64, h=32):
+    img = _blank(w, h)
+    img.paste(Image.new("RGB", (10, 10), (255, 255, 255)), (5, 5))
+    return img
+
+
+def _result(image, returned=None, **kw):
+    return RenderResult("p", 64, 32, "mode", image=image,
+                        display_returned=returned, **kw)
+
+
+class TestCheckEmptyClaimed:
+    def test_blank_frame_returning_none_is_flagged(self):
+        # The shape that shipped: nothing drawn, nothing reported.
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=None)
+        check_empty_claimed([r])
+        assert r.empty_claimed is True
+
+    def test_blank_frame_returning_true_is_flagged(self):
+        # Just as broken, and more explicit about it.
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=True)
+        check_empty_claimed([r])
+        assert r.empty_claimed is True
+
+    def test_blank_frame_returning_false_is_fine(self):
+        # The plugin correctly said "no content"; the controller will skip it.
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=False)
+        check_empty_claimed([r])
+        assert r.empty_claimed is None
+
+    def test_a_drawn_frame_is_fine_whatever_it_returns(self):
+        for returned in (None, True, False):
+            r = _result(_drawn(), returned=returned)
+            check_empty_claimed([r])
+            assert r.empty_claimed is None, returned
+
+    def test_near_black_still_counts_as_drawn(self):
+        # Guard the threshold: content dim enough to look black to the eye is
+        # still content, and flagging it would train people to ignore this.
+        img = _blank()
+        img.paste(Image.new("RGB", (4, 4), (60, 60, 60)), (2, 2))
+        r = _result(img, returned=None)
+        check_empty_claimed([r])
+        assert r.empty_claimed is None
+
+
+class TestWarnVersusStrict:
+    def test_warn_only_by_default(self):
+        # A scroll mode's first frame is legitimately its blank scroll-in
+        # buffer, so this must not fail a run unless opted in.
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=None)
+        check_empty_claimed([r])
+        assert r.empty_ok is None
+        assert r.ok is True
+
+    def test_strict_fails_the_result(self):
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=None)
+        check_empty_claimed([r], strict=True)
+        assert r.empty_ok is False
+        assert r.ok is False
+
+    def test_strict_still_allows_an_honest_false(self):
+        r = _result(_blank(), returned=False)
+        check_empty_claimed([r], strict=True)
+        assert r.empty_ok is None
+        assert r.ok is True
+
+
+class TestSkippedResults:
+    def test_a_crashed_render_is_left_alone(self):
+        # error already fails the result; adding a second reason just muddies
+        # the report.
+        r = _result(None, returned=None, error="boom")
+        check_empty_claimed([r], strict=True)
+        assert r.empty_claimed is None
+
+    def test_a_result_with_no_image_is_left_alone(self):
+        r = _result(None, returned=None)
+        check_empty_claimed([r], strict=True)
+        assert r.empty_claimed is None

test/test_initial_update_budget.py

@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+"""Tests that startup does not wait indefinitely for plugins to fetch data.
+
+DisplayController.__init__ calls _update_modules() once, to populate plugin
+data before the first frame. It walks every loaded plugin in turn, and each
+update blocks the calling thread for up to the executor's 30s timeout, so the
+uncapped total is the sum of every slow plugin on the system.
+
+Profiled on a live rig with py-spy, the main thread sat 9.34s in
+
+    display_controller._update_modules
+      -> plugin_executor.execute_update
+        -> execute_with_timeout -> threading.join
+
+and the controller's own log put the full pass at 82 seconds on the worst
+boot measured (55 and 26 on the two before). The panel shows nothing for all
+of it.
+
+Nothing is lost by stopping early: a plugin that has never updated is
+immediately due, so run_scheduled_updates() collects it seconds later with the
+display already running.
+"""
+
+import os
+import time
+from unittest.mock import Mock
+
+import pytest
+
+# display_controller imports display_manager, which binds the hardware
+# rgbmatrix module unless EMULATOR=true is set before import (same convention
+# as test_display_controller_vegas_tick.py).
+os.environ.setdefault("EMULATOR", "true")
+
+from src.display_controller import (  # noqa: E402
+    DisplayController, _INITIAL_UPDATE_BUDGET_SECONDS,
+    _MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
+
+
+class FakeExecutor:
+    """Records which plugins were updated, and can make some of them slow."""
+
+    def __init__(self, cost=0.0, slow=()):
+        self.updated = []
+        self.cost = cost
+        self.slow = set(slow)
+
+    def execute_update(self, plugin, plugin_id, timeout=None):
+        self.updated.append(plugin_id)
+        if plugin_id in self.slow:
+            time.sleep(self.cost)
+        return True
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tiny_floor(monkeypatch):
+    """Shrink the "worth starting" floor so timing tests stay quick."""
+    import src.display_controller as mod
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mod, "_MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS", 0.01)
+
+
+def _controller(plugin_ids, executor):
+    c = DisplayController.__new__(DisplayController)
+    c.plugin_manager = Mock()
+    # Both attributes, because _update_modules reads
+    # `loaded_plugins or plugins` and an empty dict is falsy.
+    c.plugin_manager.loaded_plugins = {pid: Mock() for pid in plugin_ids}
+    c.plugin_manager.plugins = dict(c.plugin_manager.loaded_plugins)
+    c.plugin_manager.plugin_executor = executor
+    c.plugin_manager.plugin_last_update = {}
+    c.plugin_manager.health_tracker = None
+    return c
+
+
+class TestTheBudgetIsRespected:
+    def test_without_a_deadline_every_plugin_is_updated(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        _controller(['a', 'b', 'c'], ex)._update_modules()
+        assert ex.updated == ['a', 'b', 'c']
+
+    def test_a_passed_deadline_stops_the_pass(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        _controller(['a', 'b', 'c'], ex)._update_modules(deadline=time.time() - 1)
+        assert ex.updated == [], "updated %r after the deadline" % ex.updated
+
+    def test_slow_plugins_do_not_drag_in_the_rest(self, tiny_floor):
+        # One plugin burns the whole budget; the remainder must be left alone
+        # rather than each adding its own wait.
+        ex = FakeExecutor(cost=0.3, slow={'slow'})
+        c = _controller(['slow'] + ['p%d' % i for i in range(20)], ex)
+        started = time.time()
+        c._update_modules(deadline=started + 0.2)
+        elapsed = time.time() - started
+
+        assert ex.updated == ['slow'], "updated %r" % ex.updated
+        # Bounded by the one in-flight update, not by twenty more.
+        assert elapsed < 1.0, "%.2fs" % elapsed
+
+    def test_a_generous_deadline_still_gets_everything(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        c = _controller(['a', 'b', 'c'], ex)
+        c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() + 30)
+        assert ex.updated == ['a', 'b', 'c']
+
+    def test_the_deadline_is_checked_before_each_plugin(self, tiny_floor):
+        # Not just once up front: the budget can be spent partway through.
+        ex = FakeExecutor(cost=0.15, slow={'a', 'b', 'c', 'd'})
+        c = _controller(['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'], ex)
+        c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() + 0.2)
+        assert 0 < len(ex.updated) < 4, "updated %r" % ex.updated
+
+
+class TestThePassIsBoundedInPractice:
+    def test_the_last_plugin_cannot_overrun_the_budget(self):
+        # Checking the deadline before each plugin is not enough on its own:
+        # one that starts with a moment left could still block for the
+        # executor's full timeout. On the rig that turned a 20s budget into a
+        # 31.8s pass, so the remaining budget is passed down as the timeout.
+        seen = []
+
+        class Executor:
+            def execute_update(self, plugin, plugin_id, timeout=None):
+                seen.append(timeout)
+                return True
+
+        c = _controller(['a', 'b', 'c'], Executor())
+        deadline = time.time() + 5
+        c._update_modules(deadline=deadline)
+
+        assert seen and all(t is not None for t in seen), seen
+        assert all(t <= 5.01 for t in seen), seen
+        # The exact remainder, never clamped up: clamping would let the pass
+        # run past its deadline. Anything below the floor is deferred instead,
+        # so what does start always has a usable slot.
+        assert all(t >= _MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS for t in seen), seen
+
+    def test_without_a_deadline_the_executor_default_is_left_alone(self):
+        seen = []
+
+        class Executor:
+            def execute_update(self, plugin, plugin_id, timeout=None):
+                seen.append(timeout)
+                return True
+
+        _controller(['a'], Executor())._update_modules()
+        assert seen == [None], seen
+
+
+class TestTheBudgetItself:
+    def test_it_is_short_enough_to_be_worth_having(self):
+        # The measured uncapped worst case was 82s; a budget near that would
+        # not bound anything.
+        assert _INITIAL_UPDATE_BUDGET_SECONDS <= 30
+
+    def test_it_is_long_enough_for_a_quick_plugin_or_two(self):
+        assert _INITIAL_UPDATE_BUDGET_SECONDS >= 5
+
+
+class TestNothingIsSilentlyDropped:
+    def test_deferred_plugins_are_named_in_the_log(self, caplog):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        c = _controller(['a', 'b'], ex)
+        with caplog.at_level('INFO'):
+            c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() - 1)
+        text = "\n".join(r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records)
+        assert 'a' in text and 'b' in text, text
+        assert 'budget' in text.lower(), text
+
+    def test_nothing_is_logged_when_all_of_them_ran(self, caplog):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        c = _controller(['a'], ex)
+        with caplog.at_level('INFO'):
+            c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() + 30)
+        assert not any('budget' in r.getMessage().lower() for r in caplog.records)
+
+
+class TestItDoesNotBreakTheOrdinaryPaths:
+    def test_no_plugin_manager_is_harmless(self):
+        c = DisplayController.__new__(DisplayController)
+        c.plugin_manager = None
+        c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() - 1)      # must not raise
+
+    def test_an_empty_plugin_set_is_harmless(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        _controller([], ex)._update_modules(deadline=time.time() + 5)
+        assert ex.updated == []
+
+
+class TestTooLittleBudgetDefersRatherThanClamps:
+    def test_a_plugin_starting_below_the_floor_is_deferred(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        c = _controller(['a'], ex)
+        # Just under the floor: previously this was clamped up to the floor and
+        # run anyway, which pushed the pass past its deadline.
+        c._update_modules(
+            deadline=time.time() + _MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS - 0.05)
+        assert ex.updated == [], "started a plugin it could not give a slot to"
+
+    def test_a_plugin_starting_above_the_floor_still_runs(self):
+        ex = FakeExecutor()
+        c = _controller(['a'], ex)
+        c._update_modules(
+            deadline=time.time() + _MIN_INITIAL_UPDATE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS + 1)
+        assert ex.updated == ['a']
+
+    def test_the_timeout_is_the_remainder_not_the_floor(self):
+        seen = []
+
+        class Executor:
+            def execute_update(self, plugin, plugin_id, timeout=None):
+                seen.append(timeout)
+                return True
+
+        c = _controller(['a'], Executor())
+        c._update_modules(deadline=time.time() + 9)
+        assert seen and 8.5 <= seen[0] <= 9.01, seen
+
+    def test_the_pass_cannot_outlast_its_deadline(self, tiny_floor):
+        # Every plugin sleeps well past the budget; the deferral keeps the
+        # whole pass inside it rather than overrunning by a floor's worth.
+        ex = FakeExecutor(cost=0.4, slow={'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e'})
+        c = _controller(['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e'], ex)
+        started = time.time()
+        c._update_modules(deadline=started + 0.5)
+        assert time.time() - started < 1.2, "%.2fs" % (time.time() - started)