Merge remote-tracking branch 'tier2-clone/tier2/default_layout_install_20260629' into tier2/default_layout_install_20260629

The previous fix (commit 5ab23f9e) used no_default_window to preserve
the INI's dock tree structure, but that left the dockspace NOT anchored
to the native window. When the user resized the window, the panels
stayed at fixed positions because the dockspace had a fixed size from
the INI (1680x1172).

Switch back to provide_full_screen_dock_space so HelloImGui creates a
full-screen dockspace that follows window resize. The live apply in
_post_init still runs (added in the previous fix) so the bundled INI's
window DockIds are applied to the dockspace.

Trade-off: with provide_full_screen_dock_space, HelloImGui creates its
own dockspace at runtime and discards the INI's DockNode tree (the
Split/X and child DockNodes). The INI's per-window DockIds are mapped
to the DockSpace (0xAFC85805) instead of specific DockNodes. Result:
all 8 panels dock as tabs in the central node of the dockspace, which
is at least anchored to the window.

The user's primary complaint was that panels did not follow window
resize (floating behavior). This change addresses that by anchoring
the dockspace to the native window. The 2-column split structure is a
follow-up that requires programmatic dock_builder usage to preserve
DockNodes when HelloImGui auto-creates the dockspace.

Verification (imgui.save_ini_settings_to_memory at runtime):
- All 8 windows docked with DockId=0xAFC85805,N (the DockSpace)
- DockSpace ID=0xAFC85805 ... CentralNode=1 (anchored to window)
- [Docking][Data] block fully preserved

Tests (16/16 PASS):
- tests/test_default_layout_install.py: 3/3 PASS
- tests/test_api_hooks_gui_health_live.py: 1/1 PASS
- tests/test_command_palette_sim.py: 7/7 PASS
- tests/test_saved_presets_sim.py: 2/2 PASS
- tests/test_live_gui_integration_v2.py: 3/3 PASS

layouts/default.ini

@@ -4,22 +4,19 @@
 ;;; missing/empty/small).
 ;;;
 ;;; Mechanism: HelloImGui reads this INI at app startup via the
-;;; ini_folder_type/ini_filename on the RunnerParams. The DockSpace ID,
-;;; DockNode IDs, and per-window DockId lines below tell HelloImgui where
-;;; to place each panel. The literal IDs (0xAFC85805, 0x00000001,
-;;; 0x00000002) match the runtime-generated MainDockSpace ID (decimal
-;;; 2949142533) that HelloImGui computes deterministically per session.
+;;; ini_folder_type/ini_filename on the RunnerParams. The DockSpace ID
+;;; 0xAFC85805 (= decimal 2949142533) is the runtime-generated MainDockSpace
+;;; ID. The nested DockNode tree creates a 2-column layout:
+;;;   - LEFT column (DockNode 0x10, CentralNode=1): tabs for Theme, Project
+;;;     Settings, AI Settings, Files & Media, Operations Hub
+;;;   - RIGHT column (DockNode 0x01): tabs for Discussion Hub, Log
+;;;     Management, Diagnostics
 ;;;
-;;; Window list matches the post-config-merge effective visibility set
-;;; (8 default-true windows excluding Response (stale) and the four
-;;; Tier panels (disabled in config.toml)):
-;;;   Project Settings, Files & Media, AI Settings, AI operations,
-;;;   Discussion Hub, Operations Hub, Theme, Log Management, Diagnostics.
-;;; Per-window DockId:
-;;;   0x00000001,0..4 = left column tabs (Theme, Project Settings,
-;;;   AI Settings, Files & Media, Operations Hub)
-;;;   0x00000002,0..2 = right column tabs (Discussion Hub, Log Management,
-;;;   Diagnostics)
+;;; The nested structure (DockSpace -> DockNode 0x03 -> DockNode 0x0B ->
+;;; DockNode 0x05 -> DockNode 0x10) is REQUIRED for HelloImGui to honor
+;;; the docking. A simpler "DockSpace + 2 direct children" structure is
+;;; silently ignored by HelloImGui (verified empirically — runtime INI
+;;; shows DockSpace with no DockNodes, all windows float).
 ;;;
 ;;; All Collapsed=0 so the windows expand immediately on first render.
 ;;;
@@ -30,65 +27,70 @@
 ;;;
 ;;; To iterate on this layout: open sloppy.py, arrange windows as
 ;;; desired, quit (HelloImGui auto-saves), then copy the resulting
-;;; cwd/manualslop_layout.ini over this one. (HelloImGui adds SplitsIds,
-;;; Tables, and other internal sections on save; the bundled default
-;;; version is the minimal scaffold needed for first-run visibility.)
+;;; cwd/manualslop_layout.ini over this one.
 ;;;
 
 [Window][Project Settings]
 Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
+Size=881,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,1
+DockId=0x00000010,1
 
 [Window][Files & Media]
 Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
+Size=881,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,3
+DockId=0x00000010,2
 
 [Window][AI Settings]
 Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
+Size=881,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,2
+DockId=0x00000010,3
 
 [Window][Operations Hub]
 Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
+Size=881,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,4
+DockId=0x00000010,4
 
 [Window][Theme]
 Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
+Size=881,1697
+Collapsed=0
+DockId=0x00000010,0
+
+[Window][Discussion Hub]
+Pos=883,28
+Size=1183,1697
 Collapsed=0
 DockId=0x00000001,0
 
-[Window][Discussion Hub]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,0
-
 [Window][Log Management]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
+Pos=883,28
+Size=1183,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,1
+DockId=0x00000001,1
 
 [Window][Diagnostics]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
+Pos=883,28
+Size=1183,1697
 Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,2
+DockId=0x00000001,2
 
 [Docking][Data]
-DockSpace   ID=0xAFC85805 Window=0x079D3A04 Pos=0,28 Size=1680,1172 Split=X
-  DockNode  ID=0x00000001 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=481,1172 CentralNode=1 Selected=0x3F1379AF
-  DockNode  ID=0x00000002 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=1197,1172 Selected=0xB4CBF21A
+DockSpace         ID=0xAFC85805 Window=0x079D3A04 Pos=0,28 Size=1680,1172 Split=X
+  DockNode        ID=0x00000003 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=2357,1183 Split=X
+    DockNode      ID=0x0000000B Parent=0x00000003 SizeRef=404,1186 Split=X Selected=0xF4139CA2
+      DockNode    ID=0x00000005 Parent=0x0000000B SizeRef=820,1681 Split=Y Selected=0x3F1379AF
+        DockNode  ID=0x00000010 Parent=0x00000005 SizeRef=983,1140 CentralNode=1 Selected=0x3F1379AF
+        DockNode  ID=0x00000011 Parent=0x00000005 SizeRef=983,184 Selected=0x432BAE4E
+      DockNode    ID=0x00000006 Parent=0x0000000B SizeRef=1754,1681 Split=X Selected=0x6F2B5B04
+        DockNode  ID=0x00000001 Parent=0x00000006 SizeRef=1183,1924 Selected=0xB4CBF21A
+        DockNode  ID=0x00000002 Parent=0x00000006 SizeRef=569,1924 Selected=0x0D5A5273
+    DockNode      ID=0x0000000D Parent=0x00000003 SizeRef=435,1186 Selected=0x363E93D6
+  DockNode        ID=0x00000004 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=488,1183 Selected=0x3AEC3498
 
-;;;<<<HelloImGui_Misc>>>;;;
 [Layout]
 Name=Default
 [StatusBar]
@@ -97,5 +99,4 @@ ShowFps=true
 [Theme]
 Name=ImGuiColorsDark
 
-;;;<<<SplitIds>>>;;;
-{"gImGuiSplitIDs":{"MainDockSpace":2949142533}}
+{"gImGuiSplitIDs":{"MainDockSpace":2949142533}}

manualslop_layout.ini

@@ -1,101 +0,0 @@
-;;;
-;;; Manual Slop default docking layout for live_gui test sessions AND
-;;; first-run production launches (when cwd/manualslop_layout.ini is
-;;; missing/empty/small).
-;;;
-;;; Mechanism: HelloImGui reads this INI at app startup via the
-;;; ini_folder_type/ini_filename on the RunnerParams. The DockSpace ID,
-;;; DockNode IDs, and per-window DockId lines below tell HelloImgui where
-;;; to place each panel. The literal IDs (0xAFC85805, 0x00000001,
-;;; 0x00000002) match the runtime-generated MainDockSpace ID (decimal
-;;; 2949142533) that HelloImGui computes deterministically per session.
-;;;
-;;; Window list matches the post-config-merge effective visibility set
-;;; (8 default-true windows excluding Response (stale) and the four
-;;; Tier panels (disabled in config.toml)):
-;;;   Project Settings, Files & Media, AI Settings, AI operations,
-;;;   Discussion Hub, Operations Hub, Theme, Log Management, Diagnostics.
-;;; Per-window DockId:
-;;;   0x00000001,0..4 = left column tabs (Theme, Project Settings,
-;;;   AI Settings, Files & Media, Operations Hub)
-;;;   0x00000002,0..2 = right column tabs (Discussion Hub, Log Management,
-;;;   Diagnostics)
-;;;
-;;; All Collapsed=0 so the windows expand immediately on first render.
-;;;
-;;; This INI does NOT include any of the _STALE_WINDOW_NAMES from
-;;; src/gui_2.py:603-607 (Projects, Files, Screenshots, Discussion History,
-;;; Provider, Message, Response, Tool Calls, Comms History, System Prompts).
-;;; _diag_layout_state will not emit a "stale window name" warning.
-;;;
-;;; To iterate on this layout: open sloppy.py, arrange windows as
-;;; desired, quit (HelloImGui auto-saves), then copy the resulting
-;;; cwd/manualslop_layout.ini over this one. (HelloImGui adds SplitsIds,
-;;; Tables, and other internal sections on save; the bundled default
-;;; version is the minimal scaffold needed for first-run visibility.)
-;;;
-
-[Window][Project Settings]
-Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,1
-
-[Window][Files & Media]
-Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,3
-
-[Window][AI Settings]
-Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,2
-
-[Window][Operations Hub]
-Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,4
-
-[Window][Theme]
-Pos=0,28
-Size=481,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000001,0
-
-[Window][Discussion Hub]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,0
-
-[Window][Log Management]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,1
-
-[Window][Diagnostics]
-Pos=483,28
-Size=1197,1172
-Collapsed=0
-DockId=0x00000002,2
-
-[Docking][Data]
-DockSpace   ID=0xAFC85805 Window=0x079D3A04 Pos=0,28 Size=1680,1172 Split=X
-  DockNode  ID=0x00000001 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=481,1172 CentralNode=1 Selected=0x3F1379AF
-  DockNode  ID=0x00000002 Parent=0xAFC85805 SizeRef=1197,1172 Selected=0xB4CBF21A
-
-;;;<<<HelloImGui_Misc>>>;;;
-[Layout]
-Name=Default
-[StatusBar]
-Show=false
-ShowFps=true
-[Theme]
-Name=ImGuiColorsDark
-
-;;;<<<SplitIds>>>;;;
-{"gImGuiSplitIDs":{"MainDockSpace":2949142533}}

scripts/tier2/artifacts/default_layout_install_20260629/diag_bisect.py

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Find the orphan by disabling each default-visible window in turn via API hook."""
+import sys, time, subprocess, json, urllib.request, shutil
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PROJ = Path("C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+
+VISIBLE = [
+    "AI Settings",
+    "Diagnostics",
+    "Discussion Hub",
+    "Files & Media",
+    "Log Management",
+    "Operations Hub",
+    "Project Settings",
+    "Response",
+    "Theme",
+]
+
+def make_wrapper(visible):
+    return '''
+import sys
+sys.path.insert(0, "C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+sys.argv = ["sloppy.py", "--enable-test-hooks"]
+from src.gui_2 import App as _App
+_orig_init = _App.__init__
+def _patched_init(self, *a, **kw):
+    _orig_init(self, *a, **kw)
+    for k in list(self.show_windows.keys()):
+        self.show_windows[k] = False
+    for k in %r:
+        if k in self.show_windows:
+            self.show_windows[k] = True
+_App.__init__ = _patched_init
+
+import argparse
+from pathlib import Path
+from src.paths import initialize_paths
+initialize_paths(None)
+from src.gui_2 import main as _sloppy_main
+_sloppy_main()
+''' % visible
+
+def run_test(visible_subset, label, wait_after_health=6):
+    WORK = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag4_{label}"
+    LOG = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag4_{label}.log"
+    if WORK.exists():
+        shutil.rmtree(WORK)
+    WORK.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    if LOG.exists():
+        LOG.unlink()
+    WRAP = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag4_wrap_{label}.py"
+    WRAP.write_text(make_wrapper(visible_subset), encoding='utf-8')
+
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        ["uv", "run", "python", "-u", str(WRAP.absolute())],
+        stdout=open(LOG, "w"),
+        stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+        cwd=str(WORK),
+        creationflags=subprocess.CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP if sys.platform == "win32" else 0,
+    )
+
+    ready = False
+    for i in range(30):
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+        try:
+            urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/status", timeout=1)
+            ready = True
+            break
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+    if not ready:
+        subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=False)
+        time.sleep(1)
+        return "NO_HOOK"
+
+    # Wait for first frame to render
+    time.sleep(wait_after_health)
+
+    try:
+        r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/gui_health", timeout=2)
+        body = json.loads(r.read().decode())
+    except Exception:
+        body = {"healthy": None}
+
+    subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=False)
+    time.sleep(1)
+    return "HEALTHY" if body.get("healthy") else f"DEGRADED: {body.get('degraded_reason', '')[:80]}"
+
+
+print("BASELINE (all 9 visible):", flush=True)
+print(f"  -> {run_test(VISIBLE, 'all')}", flush=True)
+
+for skip in VISIBLE:
+    visible_subset = [w for w in VISIBLE if w != skip]
+    print(f"DISABLE {skip}:", flush=True)
+    print(f"  -> {run_test(visible_subset, f'skip_{skip.replace(chr(32), chr(95)).replace(chr(58), chr(95))}')}", flush=True)

scripts/tier2/artifacts/default_layout_install_20260629/diag_health.py

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Quick diagnostic: start sloppy.py as subprocess, hit /api/gui_health, print everything."""
+import subprocess
+import time
+import json
+import urllib.request
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PROJ = Path("C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+WORK = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / "diag_workspace"
+LOG = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / "diag_sloppy.log"
+
+# Clean workspace
+import shutil
+if WORK.exists():
+    shutil.rmtree(WORK)
+WORK.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+if LOG.exists():
+    LOG.unlink()
+
+# Spawn
+print(f"Starting sloppy.py in {WORK}...", flush=True)
+proc = subprocess.Popen(
+    ["uv", "run", "python", "-u", str(PROJ / "sloppy.py"), "--enable-test-hooks"],
+    stdout=open(LOG, "w"),
+    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+    cwd=str(WORK),
+)
+print(f"PID: {proc.pid}", flush=True)
+
+# Wait for hook server
+ready = False
+for i in range(30):
+    time.sleep(1.0)
+    try:
+        r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/status", timeout=2)
+        ready = True
+        print(f"Hook server ready after {i+1}s", flush=True)
+        print(f"  /status: {r.read().decode()}", flush=True)
+        break
+    except Exception as e:
+        if i % 5 == 0:
+            print(f"  waiting ({i+1}s)... {e.__class__.__name__}", flush=True)
+
+if not ready:
+    print("Hook server never came up!", flush=True)
+
+# Get health
+try:
+    r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/gui_health", timeout=2)
+    body = r.read().decode()
+    print(f"\n/api/gui_health: {body}", flush=True)
+    data = json.loads(body)
+    print(f"  healthy: {data.get('healthy')}", flush=True)
+    print(f"  degraded_reason: {data.get('degraded_reason')!r}", flush=True)
+    print(f"  last_assert: {data.get('last_assert')!r}", flush=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"health check failed: {e}", flush=True)
+
+# Get startup timeline
+try:
+    r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/startup_timeline", timeout=2)
+    print(f"\n/api/startup_timeline: {r.read().decode()}", flush=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"startup_timeline failed: {e}", flush=True)
+
+# Get warmup status
+try:
+    r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/warmup_status", timeout=2)
+    print(f"\n/api/warmup_status: {r.read().decode()}", flush=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"warmup_status failed: {e}", flush=True)
+
+# Give it another 5 seconds to render
+print("\nWaiting 5s for first frame...", flush=True)
+time.sleep(5)
+
+# Re-check health
+try:
+    r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/gui_health", timeout=2)
+    body = r.read().decode()
+    print(f"\n/api/gui_health (after 5s): {body}", flush=True)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"re-check health failed: {e}", flush=True)
+
+# Kill
+print(f"\nKilling PID {proc.pid}...", flush=True)
+try:
+    subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], check=False)
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"taskkill failed: {e}", flush=True)
+
+# Print log
+print("\n=== STDOUT/STDERR LOG ===", flush=True)
+print(LOG.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace"))

scripts/tier2/artifacts/default_layout_install_20260629/diag_isolate.py

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+"""Diagnostic: disable each default-visible window one at a time, find which fixes the error."""
+import sys, time, subprocess, json, urllib.request, shutil
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PROJ = Path("C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+
+# Default-visible windows per the diag log
+VISIBLE = [
+    "AI Settings",
+    "Diagnostics",
+    "Discussion Hub",
+    "Files & Media",
+    "Log Management",
+    "Operations Hub",
+    "Project Settings",
+    "Response",
+    "Theme",
+]
+
+def make_wrapper(visible):
+    """Build a wrapper that monkey-patches show_windows before App() is constructed."""
+    visible_set = set(visible)
+    return '''
+import sys
+sys.path.insert(0, "C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+sys.argv = ["sloppy.py", "--enable-test-hooks"]
+from src.gui_2 import App as _App
+_orig_init = _App.__init__
+def _patched_init(self, *a, **kw):
+    _orig_init(self, *a, **kw)
+    for k in list(self.show_windows.keys()):
+        self.show_windows[k] = False
+    for k in %r:
+        if k in self.show_windows:
+            self.show_windows[k] = True
+_App.__init__ = _patched_init
+
+# Replicate sloppy.py main path
+import argparse
+from pathlib import Path
+from src.paths import initialize_paths
+initialize_paths(None)
+from src.gui_2 import main as _sloppy_main
+_sloppy_main()
+''' % visible
+
+def run_diag(visible_subset, label):
+    WORK = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag3_{label}"
+    LOG = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag3_{label}.log"
+    if WORK.exists():
+        shutil.rmtree(WORK)
+    WORK.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    if LOG.exists():
+        LOG.unlink()
+    WRAP = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / f"diag3_wrap_{label}.py"
+    WRAP.write_text(make_wrapper(visible_subset), encoding='utf-8')
+
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        ["uv", "run", "python", "-u", str(WRAP.absolute())],
+        stdout=open(LOG, "w"),
+        stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+        cwd=str(WORK),
+        creationflags=subprocess.CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP if sys.platform == "win32" else 0,
+    )
+
+    ready = False
+    for i in range(15):
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+        try:
+            urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/status", timeout=1)
+            ready = True
+            break
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+    if not ready:
+        subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=False)
+        time.sleep(1)
+        return "NO_HOOK"
+
+    try:
+        r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/gui_health", timeout=2)
+        body = json.loads(r.read().decode())
+    except Exception:
+        body = {"healthy": None}
+
+    subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL, check=False)
+    time.sleep(1)
+    return "HEALTHY" if body.get("healthy") else f"DEGRADED: {body.get('degraded_reason', '')[:60]}"
+
+# Baseline: all 9 visible
+print("BASELINE (all 9 visible):")
+result = run_diag(VISIBLE, "all")
+print(f"  -> {result}")
+
+# Disable each one
+for skip in VISIBLE:
+    visible_subset = [w for w in VISIBLE if w != skip]
+    print(f"DISABLE {skip}:")
+    result = run_diag(visible_subset, f"skip_{skip.replace(' ', '_').replace(':', '')}")
+    print(f"  -> {result}")

scripts/tier2/artifacts/default_layout_install_20260629/diag_trace.py

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+"""Find the exact unbalanced begin/end by monkey-patching imgui."""
+import sys, json, time, subprocess, urllib.request, traceback
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PROJ = Path("C:/projects/manual_slop_tier2")
+WORK = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / "diag2_workspace"
+LOG = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / "diag2_sloppy.log"
+
+import shutil
+if WORK.exists():
+    shutil.rmtree(WORK)
+WORK.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+if LOG.exists():
+    LOG.unlink()
+
+WRAPPER = PROJ / "tests" / "artifacts" / "diag2_wrapper.py"
+# Wrapper content is pre-written; this script just runs it.
+
+# Spawn the wrapper
+print(f"Starting wrapper in {WORK}...", flush=True)
+proc = subprocess.Popen(
+    ["uv", "run", "python", "-u", str(WRAPPER.absolute())],
+    stdout=open(LOG, "w"),
+    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+    cwd=str(WORK),
+)
+print(f"PID: {proc.pid}", flush=True)
+
+# Wait for hook server
+ready = False
+for i in range(30):
+    time.sleep(1.0)
+    try:
+        r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/status", timeout=2)
+        ready = True
+        print(f"Hook server ready after {i+1}s", flush=True)
+        break
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+if not ready:
+    print("Hook server never came up!", flush=True)
+else:
+    # Get health
+    try:
+        r = urllib.request.urlopen("http://127.0.0.1:8999/api/gui_health", timeout=2)
+        body = r.read().decode()
+        print(f"health: {body}", flush=True)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"health failed: {e}", flush=True)
+    time.sleep(3)
+
+# Kill
+print(f"\nKilling PID {proc.pid}...", flush=True)
+subprocess.run(["taskkill", "/F", "/T", "/PID", str(proc.pid)], check=False)
+
+# Print log (only the IMGUI lines)
+print("\n=== IMGUI TRACE ===", flush=True)
+content = LOG.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+for line in content.splitlines():
+    if "imgui-error" in line or "Missing End" in line or "MAIN_CALL" in line or "first frame" in line or "first _gui_func" in line:
+        print(line, flush=True)
+
+# Also dump the FULL log
+print("\n=== FULL LOG (last 50 lines) ===", flush=True)
+for line in content.splitlines()[-50:]:
+    print(line, flush=True)

src/gui_2.py

@@ -580,6 +580,19 @@ class App:
   if not install_result.ok:
    if not hasattr(self, "_startup_timeline_errors"): self._startup_timeline_errors = []
    self._startup_timeline_errors.append(("_install_default_layout", install_result.errors[0]))
+  # Always re-apply the bundled layout to the live imgui session after
+  # the first frame is rendered. HelloImGui reads ini_filename from disk
+  # BEFORE post_init fires (during immapp.run's load_user_pref phase),
+  # so even a perfect on-disk INI may not be honored unless we also
+  # apply it via imgui.load_ini_settings_from_memory here. The pre-run
+  # install writes the INI for the NEXT launch; this live apply
+  # makes the CURRENT launch render the bundled layout correctly.
+  try:
+   src_text = src_layout_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace")
+   imgui.load_ini_settings_from_memory(src_text)
+  except OSError as e:
+   if not hasattr(self, "_startup_timeline_errors"): self._startup_timeline_errors = []
+   self._startup_timeline_errors.append(("_post_init.live_apply", str(e)))
   if hasattr(self.controller, "on_warmup_complete"):
    cb_result = _post_init_callback_result(self)
    if not cb_result.ok: