reviewing pad input atoms further

.gitignore

@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ toolchain/lpeg
 
 scratch
 toolchain/libpsn00b
+scripts/pcsx_debug_helper.zip

code/duffle/gen/macs.h

@@ -156,29 +156,41 @@ WORD_COUNT(mac_format_f3_color, 3)
 ,	mac_pack_color_word(r_prim_cursor, O_(Poly_G4,c3), 0,               r3,g3,b3)
 WORD_COUNT(mac_format_g4_color, 12)
 
-#define mac_insert_ot_tag_f3(r_ot_base, r_prim_cursor) \
+#define mac_insert_ot_tag(r_ot_base, r_prim_cursor, poly_size) \
 	shift_lleft( R_T1, R_T1, S_(U4)/2)                        /* T1 = otz * S_(U4) (otz arg is implicit R_T1) */ \
 ,	add_u_self(  R_T1, r_ot_base)                             /* T1 = & OrderingTable[OTZ] */ \
 ,	load_word(   R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code))       /* AT = old_ot_head */ \
-,	load_upper_i(R_V0, (S_(Poly_F3)/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits) /* V0 = (5 - 1) << 24 = 4 << 24 */ \
+,	load_upper_i(R_V0, (poly_size/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits) \
 ,	mask_upper(  R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits))   /* Strip upper 8 bits (length from prev cell) → keep only low 24 */ \
 ,	or_u(        R_AT, R_AT, R_V0)                            /* Merge length */ \
 ,	store_word(  R_AT, r_prim_cursor, O_(PolyTag,code))       /* prim->tag = packed(prim_length, old_addr) */ \
 ,	shift_lleft( R_AT, r_prim_cursor, S_(PolyTag_len_bits))   /* AT = (prim_length << 24) | old_addr */ \
 ,	shift_lright(R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits)) \
 ,	store_word(  R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code))       /* OrderingTable[OTZ] = PrimCursor */
-WORD_COUNT(mac_insert_ot_tag_f3, 11)
+WORD_COUNT(mac_insert_ot_tag, 11)
 
-#define mac_insert_ot_tag_g4(r_ot_base, r_prim_cursor) \
-	shift_lleft( R_T1, R_T1, S_(U4)/2)                         /* T1 = otz * S_(U4) (otz arg is implicit R_T1) */ \
-,	add_u_self(  R_T1, r_ot_base)                              /* T1 = & OrderingTable[OTZ] */ \
-,	load_word(   R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code))        /* AT = old_ot_head */ \
-,	load_upper_i(R_V0, (S_(Poly_G4)/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits) /* V0 = (9 - 1) << 24 = 8 << 24 */ \
-,	mask_upper(  R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits))    /* Strip upper 8 bits (length from prev cell) → keep only low 24 */ \
-,	or_u(        R_AT, R_AT, R_V0)                             /* Merge length */ \
-,	store_word(  R_AT, r_prim_cursor, O_(PolyTag,code))        /* prim->tag = packed(prim_length, old_addr) */ \
-,	shift_lleft( R_AT, r_prim_cursor, S_(PolyTag_len_bits))    /* AT = (prim_length << 24) | old_addr */ \
-,	shift_lright(R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits)) \
-,	store_word(  R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code))        /* OrderingTable[OTZ] = PrimCursor */
-WORD_COUNT(mac_insert_ot_tag_g4, 11)
+/* atom_dbg_skip */
+#define mac_pad_set_centered_axes(r_state, r_scratch) \
+	load_upper_i(r_scratch, (PadAxis_Centered_Word >> 16) & 0xFFFF) \
+,	or_i_self(   r_scratch,  PadAxis_Centered_Word        & 0xFFFF) \
+,	store_word(  r_scratch, r_state, O_(PadState,axes))
+WORD_COUNT(mac_pad_set_centered_axes, 3)
+
+/* atom_dbg_skip */
+#define mac_pad_set_id_byte(r_state, r_id, id_value) \
+	add_ui(    r_id, R_0, id_value) \
+,	store_byte(r_id, r_state, O_(PadState,id))
+WORD_COUNT(mac_pad_set_id_byte, 2)
+
+/* atom_dbg_skip */
+#define mac_pad_set_status(r_tmp, r_state, pad_status) \
+	add_ui(    r_tmp, R_0, pad_status) \
+,	store_word(r_tmp, r_state, O_(PadState,status))
+WORD_COUNT(mac_pad_set_status, 2)
+
+/* atom_dbg_skip */
+#define mac_pad_store_inverted_buttons(r_buttons, r_pad_state) \
+	nor_u(       r_buttons, r_buttons, R_0) \
+,	store_half(  r_buttons, r_pad_state, O_(PadState,   buttons))
+WORD_COUNT(mac_pad_store_inverted_buttons, 2)
 

code/duffle/gen/offsets.h

@@ -23,17 +23,17 @@
 #pragma region duffle
 
 
-// --- atom: pad_bios_snapshot (78 words) ---
+// --- atom: pad_bios_snapshot (84 words) ---
 
-#define _atom_offset_snap_root_skip_disconnected      8
-#define _atom_offset_disconnected_snap_end            61
-#define _atom_offset_case_2_id_dispatch               8
-#define _atom_offset_pending_snap_end                 51
-#define _atom_offset_id_dispatch_try_analog_stick     11
-#define _atom_offset_id_dispatch_snap_end             38
-#define _atom_offset_try_analog_stick_try_analog_pad  12
-#define _atom_offset_analog_stick_snap_end            24
-#define _atom_offset_try_analog_pad_try_unsupported   11
+#define _atom_offset_snap_root_skip_disconnected      10
+#define _atom_offset_disconnected_snap_end            65
+#define _atom_offset_case_2_id_dispatch               9
+#define _atom_offset_pending_snap_end                 54
+#define _atom_offset_id_dispatch_try_analog_stick     12
+#define _atom_offset_id_dispatch_snap_end             40
+#define _atom_offset_try_analog_stick_try_analog_pad  13
+#define _atom_offset_analog_stick_snap_end            25
+#define _atom_offset_try_analog_pad_try_unsupported   12
 #define _atom_offset_analog_pad_snap_end              10
 
 enum {

code/duffle/gp.atom.c

@@ -49,28 +49,12 @@ MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_format_g4_color, {
 	mac_pack_color_word(r_prim_cursor, O_(Poly_G4,c3), 0,               r3,g3,b3),
 })
 
-/* Words: 11; Correctly inserts a primitive into the Ordering Table linked list.
- * Hardcoded for Poly_F3 (5 words). For Poly_G4, use ac_insert_ot_tag_g4. */
-I_ Slice_MipsCode ac_insert_ot_tag_f3(U4 r_ot_base, U4 r_prim_cursor) MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_insert_ot_tag_f3, {
+/* Words: 11; Correctly inserts a primitive into the Ordering Table linked list. */
+I_ Slice_MipsCode ac_insert_ot_tag(U4 r_ot_base, U4 r_prim_cursor, U4 poly_size) MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_insert_ot_tag, {
 	shift_lleft( R_T1, R_T1, S_(U4)/2),                        // T1 = otz * S_(U4) (otz arg is implicit R_T1)
 	add_u_self(  R_T1, r_ot_base),                             // T1 = & OrderingTable[OTZ]
 	load_word(   R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code)),       // AT = old_ot_head
-	load_upper_i(R_V0, (S_(Poly_F3)/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits), // V0 = (5 - 1) << 24 = 4 << 24
-	mask_upper(  R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits)),   // Strip upper 8 bits (length from prev cell) → keep only low 24
-	or_u(        R_AT, R_AT, R_V0),                            // Merge length
-	store_word(  R_AT, r_prim_cursor, O_(PolyTag,code)),       // prim->tag = packed(prim_length, old_addr)
-	shift_lleft( R_AT, r_prim_cursor, S_(PolyTag_len_bits)),   // AT = (prim_length << 24) | old_addr
-	shift_lright(R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits)),
-	store_word(  R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code)),       // OrderingTable[OTZ] = PrimCursor
-})
-
-/* Words: 11; Correctly inserts a primitive into the Ordering Table linked list.
- * Hardcoded for Poly_G4 (9 words). For Poly_F3, use ac_insert_ot_tag_f3. */
-I_ Slice_MipsCode ac_insert_ot_tag_g4(U4 r_ot_base, U4 r_prim_cursor) MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_insert_ot_tag_g4, {
-	shift_lleft( R_T1, R_T1, S_(U4)/2),                         // T1 = otz * S_(U4) (otz arg is implicit R_T1)
-	add_u_self(  R_T1, r_ot_base),                              // T1 = & OrderingTable[OTZ]
-	load_word(   R_AT, R_T1,          O_(PolyTag,code)),        // AT = old_ot_head
-	load_upper_i(R_V0, (S_(Poly_G4)/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits), // V0 = (9 - 1) << 24 = 8 << 24
+	load_upper_i(R_V0, (poly_size/S_(U4) - S_(PolyTag)/S_(U4)) << PolyTag_len_bits),
 	mask_upper(  R_AT, R_AT,          S_(PolyTag_len_bits)),   // Strip upper 8 bits (length from prev cell) → keep only low 24
 	or_u(        R_AT, R_AT, R_V0),                            // Merge length
 	store_word(  R_AT, r_prim_cursor, O_(PolyTag,code)),       // prim->tag = packed(prim_length, old_addr)

code/duffle/lottes_tape.h

@@ -12,68 +12,57 @@
 #endif
 
 #pragma region Tape Drive
-/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  *  TAPE DRIVE ABI
- * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * Note(Ed): One of the main purposes of this codebase is to help me
- * learn this, as such the information below may be entirely realized 
- * or finalized conceptually.
- * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * This ABI and its associated legos were directly inspired by researching
- * the work of Timothy Lottes and Onat Türkçüoğlu; along with many others.
- * It's the simplest bootstrap of a a directly executed chain of assemby
- * arrays (Atoms) that terminate with a yield sequence to the next atom.
- * These eventually lead to a terminal atom for the tape which is defined
- * below as "tape_exit".
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Note(Ed): One of the main purposes of this codebase is to help me learn this, 
+ * as such the information below may not* be entirely realized or finalized conceptually.
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * This ABI and its associated legos were directly inspired by researching the work of 
+ * Timothy Lottes and Onat Türkçüoğlu; along with many others. It's the simplest bootstrap of a 
+ * directly executed chain of assemby arrays (Atoms) that terminate with a yield sequence to the next atom.
+ * These eventually lead to a terminal atom for the tape which is defined below as "tape_exit".
  * 
- * This behaves as one of the simplest runtime harnesses ontop of a 
- * host-enviornment's execution engine to author and compose programs with.
- * From here various conventions can be further applied.
- * To make things easier to understand it may be better to focus on what this
- * ABI does not have. It does not have have any branching within the tape but
- * relative branches between atoms. Branching nearly is always downstream.
- * Stack usage is non-existent. Push/Pop, FIFO, or Arena/Bump data structures
- * are used by atoms explicitly. In it's current form withe C11 macro dsl,
- * the user also has to do manual register allocation per atom.
+ * This behaves as one of the simplest runtime harnesses ontop of a host-enviornment's execution engine 
+ * to author and compose programs with. From here various conventions can be further applied. 
+ * To make things easier  to understand it may be better to focus on what this ABI does not have. 
+ * It does not have have any branching within the tape but relative branches within atoms or between atoms.
+ * Branching nearly is always downstream. Stack usage is non-existent.
+ * Push/Pop, FIFO, or Arena/Bump data structures are used by atoms explicitly.
+ * In it's current form with the C11 macro dsl, the user also has fullfill manual register allocation per atom.
  * 
- * One of the remarkable things about utilizing this abi is its essentially
- * interopable with CPUs, GPUs, FPGA, or, basically anything
- * from the 5th generation consoles and onward.
- * The ABI directly reflects how all computational hardware must be architected
- * in order to execute digital logic effectively on current era tech.
- * On the PS1 we don't have access to a few features like multi-threading,
- * speculative execution, or L3 cache; but, we can set the foundation for legoing
- * whats required baseline wise for eventually expanding the harness and core atoms
- * to take those newer hardware features into account. For example, you can easily
- * expand this to support wave-based execution model on a PS2 or PS3.
- * Not having a stack or automatic register allocation means the user can't ignore
- * excessive argument shuffle across workload or waves and thier phases.
- * Crossing ABI boundaries to other runtimes that do has an obviouss penalties.
+ * One of the remarkable things about utilizing this ABI is its essentially interopable with CPUs, GPUs, FPGA, 
+ * or, basically anything from the 5th generation consoles and onward.
+ * The ABI directly reflects how all computational hardware must be architected in order to execute 
+ * digital logic effectively on current era tech.
+ * On the PS1 we don't have access to a few features like multi-threading, speculative execution, or L3 cache;
+ * but, we can set the foundation for legoing whats required for eventually expanding this ABI's paradigm 
+ * and core atoms to take those newer hardware features into account. For example, you can easily expand 
+ * this to support wave-based execution model on a PS2 or PS3. Not having a stack or 
+ * automatic register allocation means the user cannott ignore excessive argument shuffle across workload or
+ * waves and thier phases. Crossing ABI boundaries to other runtimes that do has obviouss penalties.
  * 
- * Learning data-oreinted code becomes a natural progression. Your not fighting
- * a stack-based procedural paradigm that wants to argument shuffle on the stack
- * by lack of constraints on how the user may "call" a procedure. The user doesn't
- * have to hammer down "rules" or patterns to know how to massage the compiler
- * to get the asesmbly into its natural form. The form is obvious, and once
- * the user gets to author their compoonents it becomes a game of tetris.
+ * Learning data-oreinted code becomes a natural progression. Your not fighting a stack-based procedural 
+ * paradigm that wants to argument shuffle. There is no ambiguity due to the lack of constraints, for example,
+ * on how the user may "call" a procedure in traditional random dispatch runtimes. The user does have to
+ * hammer down "rules" or patterns for massaging the compiler to dissolve those call frames; just to get 
+ * the asesmbly into its desired form. The form is obvious, and once the user gets to author these compoonents
+ * it becomes a game of tetris.
  * 
- * Another feature is this ABI is very compatible with bootstrapping and developing
- * simple toolchains built off of bit-packed annotated command streams the user can
- * directly author, maintatain, and immediately execute. That being a color forth.
- * This can make the tetris less of a chore with some helpful policy generation for
- * allocation of registers, helping to choose resuable components, designing DSL on
- * the fly, etc.
- * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * TODO(Ed): We ned pretty ascii diagrams and proper guides, articles, etc.
- * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * For now this thing is just functioning and I'm abusing C11 + a lua metaprogram
- * to help establish a hybrid toolchain to ideate on a traditional text-based
- * authoring UX for this paradigm.
- * If pcsx-redux gets me viable hot-reload and persistent data storage beyond
- * save-states (just copying ram to filesystem). I can author a color forth to
- * mess around with, with an editor in-emulator or on the actual machine itself.
- * Assembly is tedius, but I think this codebase most likely has some of the most,
- * ergonomic you can come across..
+ * Another feature is this ABI is very compatible with bootstrapping and developing simple toolchains built off
+ * of bit-packed annotated command streams the user can directly author, maintatain, and immediately execute.
+ * That being like a color forth, or maybe something more familar like an immediate mode library 
+ * for various systems such as GUIs. This can make the tetris less of a chore with some helpful policy
+ * generation for allocation of registers, helping to choose resuable components, designing DSL on the fly, etc.
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * TODO(Ed): We need pretty ascii diagrams and proper guides, articles, etc.
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * For now this ideation has just started functioning. I'm abusing C11 & a lua metaprogram to help establish 
+ * a hybrid toolchain to ideate on a traditional text-based authoring UX for this paradigm.
+ * If pcsx-redux provides viable hot-reload and persistent data storage beyond save-states
+ * (just copying ram to filesystem), I can author a color forth to mess around with.
+ * With either an editor in-emulator or on the actual machine itself. Assembly is tedius,
+ * but I think this codebase most likely has a pretty ergonomic flavor worst case...
  * */
 /* Register Allocation Info */
 enum {

code/duffle/math.h

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ typedef Struct_(Rect_S4)    { S4 x; S4 y; S4 width; S4 height; };
 
 typedef Struct_(M3_S2)      { A3x3_S2 m; A3_S4 t; };
 
+typedef Array_(V2_U1, 2);
 typedef Array_(V2_S2, 2);
 typedef Array_(V2_S2, 3);
 typedef Array_(V2_S2, 4);

code/duffle/pad.atom.c

@@ -9,6 +9,34 @@
 
 ATOM_FILE_DEBUGGER_LINE_MARKER(pad_atom_c);
 
+#pragma region MACs (Mips Atom Components)
+
+FI_ Slice_MipsCode ac_pad_set_centered_axes(U4 r_state, U4 r_scratch) atom_dbg_skip MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_pad_set_centered_axes, {
+    load_upper_i(r_scratch, (PadAxis_Centered_Word >> 16) & 0xFFFF),
+    or_i_self(   r_scratch,  PadAxis_Centered_Word        & 0xFFFF),
+    store_word(  r_scratch, r_state, O_(PadState,axes)),
+})
+
+FI_ Slice_MipsCode ac_pad_set_id_byte(U1 r_state, U1 r_id, U1 id_value) atom_dbg_skip MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_pad_set_id_byte, {
+    add_ui(    r_id, R_0, id_value),
+    store_byte(r_id, r_state, O_(PadState,id)),
+})
+
+FI_ Slice_MipsCode ac_pad_set_status(U4 r_tmp, U1 r_state, U4 pad_status) atom_dbg_skip MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_pad_set_status, {
+    add_ui(    r_tmp, R_0, pad_status),
+    store_word(r_tmp, r_state, O_(PadState,status)),
+})
+
+/* Invert r_buttons (active-low → active-high) and store to PadState.buttons.
+ * r_buttons must already be loaded (the caller is responsible for filling the load-delay slot of
+ * the preceding load_half_u with an instruction that doesn't read r_buttons). */
+FI_ Slice_MipsCode ac_pad_store_inverted_buttons(U1 r_buttons, U1 r_pad_state) atom_dbg_skip MipsAtomComp_Proc_(ac_pad_store_inverted_buttons, {
+    nor_u(       r_buttons, r_buttons, R_0),
+    store_half(  r_buttons, r_pad_state, O_(PadState,   buttons)),
+})
+
+#pragma endregion MACs (Mips Atom Components)
+
 #pragma region Baked Atoms
 
 /* ----- pad_bios_snapshot -----
@@ -35,7 +63,7 @@ ATOM_FILE_DEBUGGER_LINE_MARKER(pad_atom_c);
  */
 enum {
 	R_PadRaw    = R_T0 atom_reg atom_type(U1),
-	R_PadState  = R_T1 atom_reg,
+	R_PadState  = R_T1 atom_reg atom_type(PadState*),
 	R_RawStatus = R_T2 atom_reg,
 	R_RawId     = R_T3 atom_reg,
 };
@@ -44,8 +72,8 @@ typedef Struct_(Binds_PadBiosSnapshot) {
     PadState*   state;
 };
 internal MipsAtom_(pad_bios_snapshot) atom_info(atom_bind(Binds_PadBiosSnapshot)
-, atom_reads( R_PadRaw, R_PadState, R_RawStatus, R_RawId, R_T4, R_T5, R_TapePtr)
-, atom_writes(R_PadRaw, R_PadState, R_RawStatus, R_RawId, R_T4, R_T5, R_TapePtr)
+, atom_reads( R_PadRaw, R_PadState, R_RawStatus, R_RawId)
+, atom_writes(R_PadRaw, R_PadState, R_RawStatus, R_RawId)
 ) {
 	/* === Bind consumption: T0 = raw, T1 = state, advance R_TapePtr by 8. */
 	load_word(R_PadRaw,   R_TapePtr, O_(Binds_PadBiosSnapshot,raw)),
@@ -53,111 +81,97 @@ internal MipsAtom_(pad_bios_snapshot) atom_info(atom_bind(Binds_PadBiosSnapshot)
 	add_ui_self(          R_TapePtr, S_(Binds_PadBiosSnapshot)),
 
 	/* === Read raw[0] (status) + raw[1] (id) */
-	load_byte_u(R_RawStatus, R_PadRaw, 0),
-	load_byte_u(R_RawId,     R_PadRaw, 1),
+	load_byte_u(R_RawStatus, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,status)),
+	load_byte_u(R_RawId,     R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,id)),
 
 atom_label(snap_root) /* === Case 1: Disconnected (status == 0xFF). */
-	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, 0xFF), branch_ne(R_RawStatus, R_T4, atom_offset(snap_root, skip_disconnected)),
+	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, PadRawStatus_Timeout), branch_ne(R_RawStatus, R_T4, atom_offset(snap_root, skip_disconnected)),
 	/* BD-slot: pre-compute PadStatus_Disconnected. Branch reads R_T4=0xFF in EX before this WB completes.
 	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to pending/id_dispatch), R_T4 is overwritten by the next case body's add_ui — harmless. */
 
 atom_label(disconnected) /* === Disconnected body. */
-	/* R_T4 = PadStatus_Disconnected from snap_root BD-slot. */
-	store_word(R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
-	store_half(R_0,  R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-	/* axes = 0x80808080 (centered) — single sw writes the 4-byte axes block at offset 8 (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y). */
-	load_upper_i(R_T4, 0x8080), or_i_self(R_T4, 0x8080),
-	store_word(  R_T4,    R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),
-	store_byte(  R_RawId, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+	mac_pad_set_status(R_T4,  R_PadState, PadStatus_Disconnected),
+	store_half(        R_0,   R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
+	mac_pad_set_centered_axes(R_PadState, R_T4),
+	mac_pad_set_id_byte(      R_PadState, R_RawId, PadRawStatus_Timeout),
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(disconnected, snap_end)),
 		/* BD-slot: load next atom's entry point (replaces the nop).
-		 * The unconditional branch always jumps to snap_end, where mac_yield_tail()
-		 * transfers control to R_AtomJmp without re-loading it. */
+		 * Always jumps to snap_end, where mac_yield_tail() transfers control to R_AtomJmp without re-loading it. */
 		mac_yield_load(),
 atom_label(skip_disconnected)
 
 	/* === Case 2: Pending (status == 0 && id == 0)
-	 * Combined check: if (status | id) != 0 then skip to id_dispatch.
-	 * Falls through to the Pending case only when both are zero. */
+	 * Combined check: if (status | id) != 0 then skip to id_dispatch. Falls through to the Pending case only when both are zero. */
 	or_u_self(R_RawStatus, R_RawId), branch_ne(R_RawStatus, R_0, atom_offset(case_2, id_dispatch)),
 	/* BD-slot: pre-compute PadStatus_Pending. Branch reads R_RawStatus in EX before this WB completes.
-	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to id_dispatch), R_T4 is overwritten by the digital/analog body add_ui — harmless. */
+	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to id_dispatch), R_T4 is overwritten by the digital/analog body add_ui - harmless. */
 
-atom_label(pending) /* === Pending body */
-	/* R_T4 = PadStatus_Pending from case_2 BD-slot. */
-	store_word(R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
-	store_half(R_0,  R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-	/* axes = 0x80808080 (centered) — single sw writes the 4-byte axes block at offset 8 (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y). */
-	load_upper_i(R_T4, 0x8080), or_i_self(R_T4, 0x8080),
-	store_word(  R_T4,    R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),
-	store_byte(  R_RawId, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+atom_label(pending) /* === Pending body (status=0, id=0 — pre-IRQ-empty buffer). */
+	mac_pad_set_status(R_T4,  R_PadState, PadStatus_Pending),
+	store_half(        R_0,   R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
+	mac_pad_set_centered_axes(R_PadState, R_T4),
+	store_byte(R_RawId, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(pending, snap_end)), 
 		mac_yield_load(),
 
 atom_label(id_dispatch) /* === Case 3-6: ID dispatch */
-	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, 0x41), branch_ne(R_RawId, R_T4, atom_offset(id_dispatch, try_analog_stick)),
+	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, PadRawId_Digital), branch_ne(R_RawId, R_T4, atom_offset(id_dispatch, try_analog_stick)),
 	/* BD-slot: pre-compute PadStatus_Digital. Branch reads R_RawId in EX before this WB completes.
 	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to try_analog_stick), R_T4 is overwritten by the analog body add_ui. */
 
-	/* === Digital body (status, buttons normalize, axes=0x80, id, branch. */
-	/* R_T4 = PadStatus_Digital from id_dispatch BD-slot. */
-	store_word( R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
-	load_half_u(R_T4, R_PadRaw,   2 * S_(U1)),
-	/* Fill R_T4's load-delay slot with the 0x80808080 axes constant into R_T5
-	 * (R_T5 is dead on this path; it's only consumed at the analog_pad range check). */
-	load_upper_i(R_T5, 0x8080), or_i_self(R_T5, 0x8080),
-	nor_u(      R_T4, R_T4, R_0), /* raw_buttons is already in host bit order; no swap needed */
-	store_half( R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-
-	/* axes = 0x80808080 (centered) — single sw writes the 4-byte axes block at offset 8 (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y). */
-	store_word(  R_T5, R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),
-	add_ui(      R_T4, R_0, 0x41),
-	store_byte(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+	/* === Digital body (status, buttons normalize, axes=0x80, id, branch.
+	 * R_T5 holds the 0x80808080 axes constant (loaded into the load-delay slot of the buttons-load).
+	 * R_T5 is then "dead" — only consumed at the analog_pad range check downstream. */
+	mac_pad_set_status(R_T4, R_PadState, PadStatus_Digital),
+	load_half_u(       R_T4, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw, buttons)), /* R_T4 = raw_buttons; */
+	load_upper_i(R_T5, PadAxis_Centered_Hi), or_i_self(R_T5, PadAxis_Centered_Lo), /* fills the buttons-load's delay slot (doesn't read R_T4) */
+	mac_pad_store_inverted_buttons(R_T4, R_PadState),            /* R_T4 settled: nor + sh writes ~raw_buttons to state.buttons */
+	store_word(R_T5,    R_PadState, O_(PadState, axes)),         /* single sw writes the 4-byte axes block at offset 8 (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y) */
+	mac_pad_set_id_byte(R_PadState, R_T4, PadRawId_Digital),
 
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(id_dispatch, snap_end)),
 		mac_yield_load(),
 
 atom_label(try_analog_stick) /* === Case 4: AnalogStick (id == 0x53)*/
-	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, 0x53), branch_ne(R_RawId, R_T4, atom_offset(try_analog_stick, try_analog_pad)),
+	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, PadRawId_AnalogStick), branch_ne(R_RawId, R_T4, atom_offset(try_analog_stick, try_analog_pad)),
 	/* BD-slot: pre-compute PadStatus_AnalogStick. Branch reads R_RawId in EX before this WB completes.
 	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to try_analog_pad), R_T4 is overwritten by the analog_pad body add_ui. */
 
 atom_label(analog_stick) /* === AnalogStick body
-	* Axes are loaded as two halfwords: raw[6..7] → left_xy (sh at offset 8), raw[4..5] → right_xy (sh at offset 10).
-	* R_T5 holds left_xy / id-value in turn (it's dead on this path — only consumed at the analog_pad range check). */
-	/* R_T4 = PadStatus_AnalogStick from try_analog_stick BD-slot. */
-	store_word(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
-	load_half_u( R_T4, R_PadRaw,   2 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T4 = raw_buttons */
-	load_half_u( R_T5, R_PadRaw,   6 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T5 = left_xy; fills R_T4's load-delay slot (doesn't read R_T4) */
-	nor_u(       R_T4, R_T4, R_0),                        /* R_T4 = ~raw_buttons */
-	store_half(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-	load_half_u( R_T4, R_PadRaw,   4 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T4 = right_xy; fills R_T5's load-delay slot */
-	store_half(  R_T5, R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),  /* R_T5 settled, store left_xy */
-	store_half(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,right_x)),
-	add_ui(      R_T5, R_0, 0x53),                        /* R_T5 = id value (clobbers left_xy, already stored) */
-	store_byte(  R_T5, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+	* R_T5 holds left_xy (loaded into the load-delay slot of the buttons-load via the left-axis load_half_u).
+	* R_T4 holds right_xy (loaded into the load-delay slot of the left-load).
+	* R_T5 is then "dead" — reused for the id-byte value load in mac_pad_write_id_byte.
+	* The buttons invert+store happens BEFORE R_T4 is overwritten by the right_xy load. */
+	mac_pad_set_status(R_T4, R_PadState, PadStatus_AnalogStick),
+	load_half_u(       R_T4, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,buttons)),  /* R_T4 = raw_buttons; delay slot at the next instruction */
+	load_half_u(       R_T5, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,left)),     /* fills the buttons-load's delay slot (doesn't read R_T4) */
+	mac_pad_store_inverted_buttons(R_T4, R_PadState),            /* R_T4 settled: nor + sh writes ~raw_buttons to state.buttons */
+	load_half_u( R_T4,  R_PadRaw,   O_(PadBiosRaw,right)),       /* fills R_T5's load-delay slot (doesn't read R_T5); overwrites R_T4 (was buttons) with right_xy */
+	store_half(  R_T5,  R_PadState, O_(PadState,  left)),
+	store_half(  R_T4,  R_PadState, O_(PadState,  right)),
+	mac_pad_set_id_byte(R_PadState, R_T5, PadRawId_AnalogStick),
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(analog_stick, snap_end)),
 		mac_yield_load(),
 
 atom_label(try_analog_pad) /* === Case 5-6: AnalogPad (id & 0xF0 == 0x70) */
-	and_i(    R_T4, R_RawId, 0xF0),
-	add_ui(   R_T5, R_0,     0x70),
+	and_i(    R_T4, R_RawId, PadRawId_AnalogPadMask),
+	add_ui(   R_T5, R_0,     PadRawId_AnalogPadValue),
 	branch_ne(R_T4, R_T5, atom_offset(try_analog_pad, try_unsupported)),
 	/* BD-slot: pre-compute PadStatus_AnalogPad. Branch reads R_T4 in EX before this WB completes.
 	 * If branch NOT taken (fall through to try_unsupported), R_T4 is overwritten by the unsupported body add_ui. */
 
 atom_label(analog_pad) /* === AnalogPad body
-	* Same shape as AnalogStick with AnalogPad status. R_T5 holds left_xy (it's dead on this path). */
-	/* R_T4 = PadStatus_AnalogPad from try_analog_pad BD-slot. */
-	store_word( R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
-	load_half_u(R_T4, R_PadRaw,   2 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T4 = raw_buttons */
-	load_half_u(R_T5, R_PadRaw,   6 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T5 = left_xy; fills R_T4's load-delay slot */
-	nor_u(      R_T4, R_T4, R_0),                        /* R_T4 = ~raw_buttons */
-	store_half( R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-	load_half_u(R_T4, R_PadRaw,   4 * S_(U1)),           /* R_T4 = right_xy; fills R_T5's load-delay slot */
-	store_half( R_T5, R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),  /* R_T5 settled, store left_xy */
-	store_half( R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,right_x)),
-	store_byte( R_RawId, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+	* Same shape as AnalogStick with AnalogPad status. R_T5 holds left_xy (it's dead on this path).
+	* The id byte is raw id from the BIOS buffer (R_RawId already holds raw[1]).
+	* Buttons invert + store happens before R_T4 is overwritten by the right_xy load. */
+	mac_pad_set_status(R_T4, R_PadState, PadStatus_AnalogPad),
+	load_half_u(       R_T4, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,buttons)), /* R_T4 = raw_buttons; delay slot at the next instruction */
+	load_half_u(       R_T5, R_PadRaw, O_(PadBiosRaw,left)),    /* fills the buttons-load's delay slot (doesn't read R_T4) */
+	mac_pad_store_inverted_buttons(R_T4, R_PadState),           /* R_T4 settled: nor + sh writes ~raw_buttons to state.buttons */
+	load_half_u(R_T4,    R_PadRaw,   O_(PadBiosRaw,right)),     /* fills R_T5's load-delay slot (doesn't read R_T5); overwrites R_T4 with right_xy */
+	store_half( R_T5,    R_PadState, O_(PadState,  left)),
+	store_half( R_T4,    R_PadState, O_(PadState,  right)),
+	store_byte( R_RawId, R_PadState, O_(PadState,  id)),
 
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(analog_pad, snap_end)),
 		mac_yield_load(),
@@ -166,11 +180,8 @@ atom_label(try_unsupported) /* === Case 7: Unsupported — fall through from the
 	add_ui(    R_T4, R_0, PadStatus_Unsupported),
 	store_word(R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,status)),
 	store_half(R_0,  R_PadState, O_(PadState,buttons)),
-	/* axes = 0x80808080 (centered) — single sw writes the 4-byte axes block at offset 8 (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y). */
-	load_upper_i(R_T4, 0x8080), or_i_self(R_T4, 0x8080),
-	store_word(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,left_x)),
-	add_ui(      R_T4, R_0, 0xFF),                      /* 0xFF sentinel: "unknown id" */
-	store_byte(  R_T4, R_PadState, O_(PadState,id)),
+	mac_pad_set_centered_axes(R_PadState, R_T4),
+	mac_pad_set_id_byte(      R_PadState, R_RawId, PadUnknownId_Sentinel),
 	/* Fall through to snap_end. */
 
 atom_label(no_jump_fallthrough)

code/duffle/pad.h

@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 
 /* PSX button bit positions — 1:1 with PSX-SPX docs at docs/psx-spx/docs/controllersandmemorycards.md:405-421.
  * Wire is active-low (0 = pressed).
- * The decoder atom computes buttons = (~raw_buttons) & 0xFFFF; the active-low-to-active-high inversion is applied bit-by-bit. */
-enum {
+ * The decoder atom computes buttons = (~raw_buttons) & 0xFFFF; 
+ * active-low-to-active-high inversion is applied bit-by-bit. */
+typedef Enum_(U2, PadBtns) {
 	Bit_(Pad_Select,    0),
 	Bit_(Pad_L3,        1),
 	Bit_(Pad_R3,        2),
@@ -35,15 +36,22 @@ enum {
 #define pad0_(btn_id) (btn_id << Pad0)
 #define pad1_(btn_id) (btn_id << Pad1)
 
-/* ============================================================
+/* =============================================================================
  * BIOS pad-buffer subsystem: docs/psx-spx/docs/kernelbios.md (B(12h) + B(13h))
- * ============================================================ */
+ * ============================================================================= */
 
 enum {
 	PAD_BIOS_RAW_SIZE = 0x22,
 };
+// BIOS pad buffer layout (docs/psx-spx/docs/kernelbios.md (InitPAD2 returns 0x22 = 34 bytes per port)).
+// Bytes 0..7 are the named snapshot region; bytes 8..33 are reserved (the BIOS writes the buffer raw; we only read bytes 0..7 via O_(PadBiosRaw, ...)).
 typedef Struct_(PadBiosRaw) {
-	U1 bytes[PAD_BIOS_RAW_SIZE];
+	U1    status;  /* offset 0   (PadRawStatus_Ok / PadRawStatus_Timeout) */
+	U1    id;      /* offset 1   (PadRawId_Digital / PadRawId_AnalogStick / 0x7x AnalogPad) */
+	U2    buttons; /* offset 2-3 (active-low 16-bit button map) */
+	V2_U1 right;   /* offset 4-5 (right stick x, y) */
+	V2_U1 left;    /* offset 6-7 (left  stick x, y) */
+	U1    reserved[PAD_BIOS_RAW_SIZE - 8]; /* offset 8..33 */
 };
 
 typedef Enum_(U4, PadStatus) {
@@ -56,18 +64,52 @@ typedef Enum_(U4, PadStatus) {
 	PadStatus_Invalid,
 };
 
-/* PadState — per-port normalized runtime state.
- * Field order is chosen so that the 4 axes (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y)
- * form a contiguous 4-byte block at offset 8, allowing a single `store_word` to clear-or-write all 4 axes in one MIPS instruction.
- * The struct size stays 12 bytes (unchanged from the prior order,
- * which left the C compiler to insert 1 byte of trailing pad to reach the 4-byte struct alignment). */
+/* Distinct from the game-facing PadStatus enum: PadRawStatus_Ok and PadRawStatus_Timeout are raw BIOS values;
+ * PadStatus_* are game-facing post-decode states. PadUnknownId_Sentinel is written by the decoder 
+ * when the controller id does not match any known controller type.
+ * PadAxisCentered_Word: Four-byte 0x80 pattern used to clear / center 
+ * four byte axes at PadState.left_x through PadState.right_y. */
+typedef Enum_(U1, PadRawStatus) {
+	PadRawStatus_Ok      = 0x00,
+	PadRawStatus_Timeout = 0xFF,
+};
+typedef Enum_(U1, PadRawId) {
+	PadRawId_Digital           = 0x41,
+	PadRawId_AnalogStick       = 0x53,
+	PadRawId_AnalogPadMask     = 0xF0,
+	PadRawId_AnalogPadValue    = 0x70,
+};
+typedef Enum_(U1, PadUnknownId) {
+	PadUnknownId_Sentinel      = 0xFF,
+};
+typedef Enum_(U4, PadAxisCentered) {
+	PadAxis_Centered_Hi   = 0x8080,
+	PadAxis_Centered_Lo   = 0x8080,
+	PadAxis_Centered_Word = 0x80808080U,
+};
+typedef Enum_(U1, PadDeadZone) {
+	PadDeadZone_LowBound  = 0x70,  /* left_x <  LowBound  → active;  delta = 0x80 - left_x > 0 (rightward pull) */
+	PadDeadZone_Center    = 0x80,  /* analog rest position; left_x == Center → delta = 0 (no rotation) */
+	PadDeadZone_HighBound = 0x90,  /* left_x >  HighBound → active;  delta = 0x80 - left_x < 0 (leftward pull) */
+};
+
+
+typedef Struct_(PadAxes) {
+	V2_U1  left;  /* offset 8-9 */
+	V2_U1  right; /* offset 10-11 */
+};
+// Field order is chosen so that the 4 axes (left_x, left_y, right_x, right_y)
+// form a contiguous 4-byte block at offset 8, allowing a single `store_word` to clear-or-write all 4 axes in one MIPS instruction.
 typedef Struct_(PadState) {
-	PadStatus status;  /* offset 0,  size 4 (U4) */
-	U2        buttons; /* offset 4,  size 2 */
-	U1        id;      /* offset 6,  size 1 */
-	U1        pad;     /* offset 7,  size 1 — explicit pad to align the axes block */
-	U1        left_x;  /* offset 8,  size 1 — store_word target (4-byte aligned) */
-	U1        left_y;  /* offset 9,  size 1 */
-	U1        right_x; /* offset 10, size 1 */
-	U1        right_y; /* offset 11, size 1 */
+	PadStatus status;   /* offset 0,    (U4) */
+	PadBtns   buttons;  /* offset 4,    */
+	U1        id;       /* offset 6,    */
+	byte_pad(1);        /* offset 7,  explicit pad to align the axes block */
+	union {
+		A2_V2_U1 axes;    /* offset 8-11 store_target (4-byte aligned)*/
+		struct {
+			V2_U1  left;    /* offset 8-9 */
+			V2_U1  right;   /* offset 10-11 */
+		};
+	};
 };

code/hello_camera/hello_camera.atom.c

@@ -246,21 +246,21 @@ internal MipsAtom_(pad_apply_input) atom_info(atom_bind(Binds_PadApplyInput)
 
 	/* Analog left-stick X: dead zone 0x70..0x90.
 	 * Cube delta = (0x80 - left_x) >> 2; floor delta = (0x80 - left_x) >> 5. */
-	load_byte_u(R_T3, R_PadStateT5, O_(PadState,left_x)),
+	load_byte_u(R_T3, R_PadStateT5, O_(PadState,left.x)),
 
 	/* Dead-zone check: skip analog if left_x in [0x70, 0x90] inclusive. Outside dead zone on LOW side: left_x < 0x70 (strictly).
 	 * set_lt_u(R_T4, R_T3, R_T4=0x70) → R_T4 = (left_x < 0x70) ? 1 : 0. */
-	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, 0x70), set_lt_u(R_T4, R_T3, R_T4), branch_ne(R_T4, R_0, atom_offset(dead_zone_low_check, dead_low_active)),
-	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, 0x80), /* BD-slot: pre-load 0x80 for dead_low_active */
+	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, PadDeadZone_HighBound), set_lt_u(R_T4, R_T3, R_T4), branch_ne(R_T4, R_0, atom_offset(dead_zone_low_check, dead_low_active)),
+	add_ui(R_T4, R_0, PadDeadZone_Center), /* BD-slot: pre-load 0x80 for dead_low_active */
 
 atom_label(dead_check_upper)
 	/* left_x >= 0x70 → check upper bound. */
-	load_byte_u(R_T3, R_PadStateT5, O_(PadState,left_x)), /* reload */
-	add_ui(     R_T4, R_0, 0x90),
+	load_byte_u(R_T3, R_PadStateT5, O_(PadState,left.x)), /* reload */
+	add_ui(     R_T4, R_0, PadDeadZone_HighBound),
 
 	/* R_T4 = (0x90 < left_x) ? 1 : 0 → (left_x > 0x90) ? 1 : 0 */
 	set_lt_u(R_T4, R_T4, R_T3), branch_ne(R_T4, R_0, atom_offset(dead_zone_high_check, dead_high_active)),
-	add_ui(  R_T4, R_0, 0x80), /* BD-slot: pre-load 0x80 for dead_high_active */
+	add_ui(  R_T4, R_0, PadDeadZone_Center), /* BD-slot: pre-load 0x80 for dead_high_active */
 	jump_rel(atom_offset(dead_zone_skip, exit_stick)),
 		mac_yield_load(),
 
@@ -273,8 +273,7 @@ atom_label(dead_low_active)
 
 	/* R_T4 = cube_delta */
 	shift_aright(R_T4, R_T3, 2),
-	load_half(   R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)),
-	nop,
+	load_half(   R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)), nop,
 	add_u(       R_T0, R_T0, R_T4),
 	store_half(  R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)),
 	/* R_T4 = floor_delta — moved into the load-delay slot of the floor load below (fills the 1-instruction gap;
@@ -295,8 +294,7 @@ atom_label(dead_high_active)
 	/* delta = 0x80 - left_x (signed negative). */
 
 	shift_aright(R_T4, R_T3, 2),                      /* R_T4 = cube_delta (signed) */
-	load_half(   R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)),
-	nop,
+	load_half(   R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)), nop,
 	add_u(       R_T0, R_T0, R_T4),
 	store_half(  R_T0, R_CubeRot, O_(V3_S2,y)),
 
@@ -344,7 +342,7 @@ internal MipsAtom_(rbind_cube_g4_face) atom_info(atom_bind(Binds_CubeTri), atom_
 	mac_yield()
 };
 
- // cube_g4_face — Draw one cube face (Gouraud-shaded quad) via the GTE tape pipeline
+// cube_g4_face — Draw one cube face (Gouraud-shaded quad) via the GTE tape pipeline
 internal
 MipsAtom_(cube_g4_face) atom_info(atom_phase(cube_g4),
 		atom_reads( R_PrimCursor, R_FaceCursor, R_VertBase, R_OtBase),
@@ -379,7 +377,7 @@ MipsAtom_(cube_g4_face) atom_info(atom_phase(cube_g4),
 		set_lt_u(    R_AT, R_T1, R_AT),
 
 		branch_equal(R_AT, R_0,  atom_offset(bounds_chk, cube_g4_face_exit)), nop,
-			mac_insert_ot_tag_g4(R_OtBase, R_PrimCursor),
+			mac_insert_ot_tag(R_OtBase, R_PrimCursor, S_(Poly_G4)),
 			mac_format_g4_color(R_PrimCursor,
 				/* c0 magenta */ 0xFF, 0x00, 0xFF,
 				/* c1 yellow  */ 0xFF, 0xFF, 0x00,
@@ -439,7 +437,7 @@ MipsAtom_(floor_f3_face) atom_info(atom_phase(floor_f3)
 		set_lt_u(    R_AT, R_T1, R_AT),
 		branch_equal(R_AT, R_0,  atom_offset(bounds_chk, floor_f3_face_exit)), nop,
 			mac_format_f3_color(R_PrimCursor, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF),  // RGB-form (R=FF, G=FF, B=FF = white)
-			mac_insert_ot_tag_f3(R_OtBase, R_PrimCursor),         /* Insert into Ordering Table Linked List */
+			mac_insert_ot_tag(R_OtBase, R_PrimCursor, S_(Poly_F3)),   /* Insert into Ordering Table Linked List */
 			add_ui_self(R_PrimCursor, S_(Poly_F3)), /* Advance Prim Cursor (5 words) */
 				// Note(Ed): No bounds checking, should be checked before atom runs.
 		// end: branch(bounds_chk)

code/hello_camera/hello_camera.c

@@ -163,14 +163,14 @@ void update(PrimitiveArena* pa, U4* ordering_buf)
 	if (1) // Pad Input
 	{
 		tb.used = 0; tb_scope_run(& tb) {
-			/* BIOS-owned polling: per-frame snapshot of both ports. */
+			// Grab latest state from bios.
 			tb_emit_(pad_bios_snapshot);
 				tb_data_(raw,   & smem.pad_raw[0]);
 				tb_data_(state, & smem.pad[0]);
 			tb_emit_(pad_bios_snapshot);
 				tb_data_(raw,   & smem.pad_raw[1]);
 				tb_data_(state, & smem.pad[1]);
-			/* Per-frame rotation apply: consume pad[0].buttons + pad[0].left_x */
+			// Demo input
 			tb_emit_(pad_apply_input);
 				tb_data_(state,     & smem.pad[0]);
 				tb_data_(cube_rot,  & smem.cube.rot);
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ void update(PrimitiveArena* pa, U4* ordering_buf)
 				tb_data(& tb, u4_(& smem.tform_world));
 
 			tb_emit(& tb, rbind_floor_f3_face);
-			// TODO(Ed): Just use a single context struct ref
+			// TODO(Ed): Just use a single context struct ref?
 				tb_data(& tb, prim_cursor);
 				tb_data(& tb, u4_(smem.floor.faces));
 				tb_data(& tb, u4_(smem.floor.verts));

scripts/build_psyq.ps1

@@ -180,12 +180,9 @@ function link-modules { param([string[]]$link_modules, [string]  $elf, [string[]
 	$link_args += ($f_link_pass_through_prefix + $f_link_mapfile + $map)
 
 	$link_args += ($f_link_pass_through_prefix + $f_link_start_group)
-	# raw_sio_pad_poll_20260802 — Task 5.1c surgical library-list trim.
-	# The 16 removed entries (c2, card, cd, comb, ds, gs, gun, hmd, math,
-	# mcrd, mcx, press, sio, snd, spu, tap) had LOAD lines in the map but
-	# ZERO .o files pulled in — they were unused. The 5 kept libraries
-	# (api, c, etc, gpu, gte) are required by the C-side calls in
-	# hello_joypad.c (reset_graph, draw_sync, vsync, etc.).
+	# 16 removed entries (c2, card, cd, comb, ds, gs, gun, hmd, math, mcrd, mcx, press, sio, snd, spu, tap)
+	# had LOAD lines in the map but ZERO .o files pulled in — they were unused.
+	# 5 kept libraries (api, c, etc, gpu, gte) are required by the C-side calls in hello_joypad.c (reset_graph, draw_sync, vsync, etc.).
 	$libraries = @(
 		"api",
 		"c",
@@ -227,9 +224,7 @@ function ps1-meta { param(
 		[string[]]$passes = @('--pre-link'),
 		[string[]]$extra_args = @()
 	)
-	# `--unity-root` and `--source` are
-	# mutually exclusive. Exactly one of `$unity_root` / `$sources` must
-	# be supplied; the other must be absent.
+	# `--unity-root` and `--source` are mutually exclusive. Exactly one of `$unity_root` / `$sources` must be supplied; the other must be absent.
 	if ($null -ne $unity_root -and $unity_root -ne '') 
 	{
 		if ($null -ne $sources -and $sources.Count -gt 0) {
@@ -522,7 +517,7 @@ function build-hello_camera {
 	$path_build_gen     = join-path $path_build  'gen'
 
 	$src_c = join-path $path_module 'hello_camera.c'
-	ps1-meta -unity_root $src_c -metadata $path_atom_metadata -out_root $path_build_gen
+	ps1-meta -unity_root $src_c -metadata $path_atom_metadata -out_root $path_build_gen -passes @('--pre-link')
 
 	$assemble_args = @()
 	$assemble_args += $f_debug
@@ -557,7 +552,6 @@ function build-hello_camera {
 	link-modules $link_modules $elf $link_args
 	make-binary $elf $exe
 
-	# Post-link: gdb-runtime + dwarf-injection in a single Lua invocation (one luajit cold start).
 	ps1-meta -unity_root $src_c -metadata $path_atom_metadata -out_root $path_build_gen -passes @('--post-link') ` -extra_args @('--elf', $elf)
 
 	inject-dwarf $elf $path_build_gen

scripts/elf32.lua

@@ -0,0 +1,418 @@
+-- elf32.lua — Pure-Lua ELF32 format helpers with no lfs / no lpeg dependency.
+-- The reload helper's `parse_manifest` (scripts/pcsx_debug_helper/reload.lua) 
+-- and the metaprogram's `read_elf_sections` + `read_nm` (scripts/elf_dwarf.lua)
+-- both parsed ELF32 headers from wire bytes.
+--
+-- This module contains the format constants and the byte-level walker.
+--- The metaprogram side keeps `read_u32_le` / `read_u16_le` as local forwarders; the helper side calls `E.*` directly.
+--
+-- **Adapter contract (explicit pass style):**
+-- The helper VM's `Support.File` exposes byte-read methods that require `self` (fileffi.lua:225-227),
+-- so callers wrap once in a 1-line adapter that strips `self`.
+-- The parsers here operate on the unwrapped form.
+-- Reads are flat function calls — `E.read_u8(adapter, off)`, `E.read_u32(adapter, off)`, `E.size(adapter)`.
+--   read_u8(adapter, off)   -> integer | nil
+--   read_u16(adapter, off)  -> integer | nil
+--   read_u32(adapter, off)  -> integer | nil
+--   size(adapter)           -> integer
+--
+-- **Convention:** every offset in the constants tables is a zero-based wire offset.
+-- The `+ 1` conversion happens only at the `string.byte` boundary inside the readers.
+--
+-- spec: System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" (Table 1) + §"Section Header Table"
+-- spec: System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"Symbol Table" (Elf32_Sym layout)
+
+local M = {}
+
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+-- Little-endian readers (bit-weighted accumulator, math.floor only)
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+--- Read a 4-byte little-endian unsigned integer from `adapter` at zero-based wire offset `off`.
+---
+--- Bit weights are written as `0x100`, `0x10000`, `0x1000000` (i.e. 2^8, 2^16, 2^24) so the LE byte positions are visually explicit:
+--- byte 0 contributes its value directly;
+--- byte 1 is shifted left by 8; byte 2 by 16; byte 3 by 24.
+---
+--- math.floor (not LuaJIT's `>>`) keeps the body portable across LuaJIT 2.0/2.1 and plain Lua 5.x. `string.byte` receives `+ 1` at the boundary.
+---
+--- **Call form:** explicit-pass. The reader receives `adapter` as the first positional argument and the offset as the second; no `self` is passed.
+--- Test fixtures declare `function(offset) ... end` and the parsers call them via dot syntax `adapter.read_u8_at(off)`.
+--- The colon form `adapter:read_u8_at(off)` would prepend the adapter table as `offset` and break the contract.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param off     integer  -- zero-based wire offset
+--- @return integer|nil
+function M.read_u32(adapter, off)
+	return adapter.read_u8_at(off)
+		+ adapter.read_u8_at(off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
+		+ adapter.read_u8_at(off + 0x02) * 0x00010000
+		+ adapter.read_u8_at(off + 0x03) * 0x01000000
+end
+
+--- Read a 2-byte little-endian unsigned integer from `adapter` at zero-based wire offset `off`.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param off integer  -- zero-based wire offset
+--- @return integer|nil
+function M.read_u16(adapter, off)
+	return adapter.read_u8_at(off)
+		+ adapter.read_u8_at(off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
+end
+
+--- Read a 1-byte unsigned integer from `adapter` at zero-based wire offset `off`.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param off integer  -- zero-based wire offset
+--- @return integer|nil
+function M.read_u8(adapter, off)
+	return adapter.read_u8_at(off)
+end
+
+--- Total adapter byte length.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @return integer
+function M.size(adapter)
+	return adapter.read_size()
+end
+
+--- Forwarders kept for backward compat with scripts/elf_dwarf.lua.
+--- The metaprogram side keeps `read_u32_le` / `read_u16_le`;
+--- both layers now use the same byte-level helpers under the hood.
+function M.read_u32_le(buf, off)
+	local byte_off = off + 1
+	return buf:byte(byte_off)
+		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
+		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x02) * 0x00010000
+		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x03) * 0x01000000
+end
+
+--- Read a 2-byte little-endian unsigned integer from `buf` at zero-based wire offset `off`.
+--- @param buf string
+--- @param off integer  -- zero-based wire offset
+--- @return integer
+function M.read_u16_le(buf, off)
+	local byte_off = off + 1
+	return buf:byte(byte_off) + buf:byte(byte_off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
+end
+
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+-- Format constants
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+-- ELF format constants (System V ABI gABI v1.2).
+M.ELFCLASS32  = 1    -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" — EI_CLASS byte
+M.ELFDATA2LSB = 1    -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" — EI_DATA byte
+M.EM_MIPS     = 8    -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Machine Information" — MIPS architecture
+
+-- Section type constants (System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"Section Header Table").
+M.SHT_SYMTAB = 2     -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Types" — symbol table
+M.SHT_STRTAB = 3     -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Types" — string table
+M.SHT_NOBITS = 8     -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Types" — no space in file
+
+-- Section flag constants (System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"Section Header Table").
+M.SHF_WRITE     = 0x1 -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Attributes" — writable
+M.SHF_ALLOC     = 0x2 -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Attributes" — occupies memory
+M.SHF_EXECINSTR = 0x4 -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Attributes" — executable
+
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- ELF32 header layout (System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" Table 1)
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- All offsets are zero-based wire offsets. The header is 52 bytes total (header_bytes = 0x34 = 52).
+M.ELF32_HEADER = {
+	magic_offset         = 0x00,  -- 4 bytes; expected "\127ELF"
+	magic                = "\127ELF",
+	class_offset         = 0x04,  -- 1 byte;  1 = ELF32, 2 = ELF64
+	endian_offset        = 0x05,  -- 1 byte;  1 = little-endian, 2 = big-endian
+	header_bytes         = 0x34,  -- ELF32 header is 52 bytes total
+	e_entry_offset       = 0x18,  -- 4-byte LE; entry-point virtual address
+	e_shoff_offset       = 0x20,  -- 4-byte LE; section-header table file offset
+	e_shentsize_offset   = 0x2E,  -- 2-byte LE; section-header entry size in bytes
+	e_shnum_offset       = 0x30,  -- 2-byte LE; number of section headers
+	e_shstrndx_offset    = 0x32,  -- 2-byte LE; index of section-name string table
+}
+
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- ELF32 section-header layout (System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"Section Header Table")
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Each entry is 40 bytes (sh_entsize_bytes = 0x28 = 40);
+-- zero-based, field offsets relative to the start of the entry.
+M.ELF32_SECTION = {
+	sh_name_offset    = 0x00,  -- 4-byte LE; offset into .shstrtab
+	sh_type_offset    = 0x04,  -- 4-byte LE; section type (SHT_*)
+	sh_flags_offset   = 0x08,  -- 4-byte LE; section flags (SHF_*)
+	sh_addr_offset    = 0x0C,  -- 4-byte LE; virtual address at execution
+	sh_offset_offset  = 0x10,  -- 4-byte LE; section's file offset
+	sh_size_offset    = 0x14,  -- 4-byte LE; section's size in bytes
+	sh_link_offset    = 0x18,  -- 4-byte LE; link to a related section
+	sh_entsize_bytes  = 0x28,  -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Header Table" — 40 bytes per entry
+}
+
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- ELF32 symbol-table entry layout (System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"Symbol Table")
+-- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Each entry is 16 bytes (sym_entry_bytes = 0x10 = 16);
+-- zero-based, field offsets relative to the start of the entry.
+M.ELF32_SYM = {
+	st_name          = 0x00,  -- 4-byte LE; offset into the linked string table
+	st_value         = 0x04,  -- 4-byte LE; symbol value (address / absolute)
+	st_size          = 0x08,  -- 4-byte LE; symbol size in bytes
+	st_info          = 0x0C,  -- 1 byte;  binding (high nibble) + type (low nibble)
+	sym_entry_bytes  = 0x10,  -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Symbol Table" — 16 bytes per entry
+}
+
+-- DWARF32 initial-length terminator (DWARF4 §7.4) — kept here so the metaprogram's elf_dwarf.lua can drop its own copy of the same constant.
+M.dw_dwarf32_terminator = 0xFFFFFFFF
+
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+-- Adapter validation
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+--- Validate that `adapter` exposes the byte-read surface.
+--- Returns true on success, false + a stable error code on failure.
+--- The helper side calls this before parse_manifest to reject callers before any byte is read.
+--- @param adapter any
+--- @return boolean, string|nil
+function M.validate_adapter(adapter)
+	if type(adapter) ~= "table" then return false, "bad_file_adapter" end
+	if type(adapter.read_u8_at)  ~= "function" then return false, "bad_file_adapter" end
+	if type(adapter.read_u16_at) ~= "function" then return false, "bad_file_adapter" end
+	if type(adapter.read_u32_at) ~= "function" then return false, "bad_file_adapter" end
+	if type(adapter.read_size)   ~= "function" then return false, "bad_file_adapter" end
+	return true, nil
+end
+
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+-- String-table reader
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+--- Extract a NUL-terminated C string from `strtab` at zero-based offset `off`.
+--- Returns nil if `off` is out of range or the string is not NUL-terminated.
+--- @param strtab string
+--- @param off integer
+--- @return string|nil
+function M.get_str(strtab, off)
+	if off < 0 or off >= #strtab then return nil end
+	local  end_pos = strtab:find("\0", off + 1, true)
+	if not end_pos then return nil end
+	return strtab:sub(off + 1, end_pos - 1)
+end
+
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+-- Header / section / symbol walkers
+-- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+
+--- Read the ELF32 header through `adapter` and validate the magic, class, and data encoding.
+--- Returns a table on success:
+---   { e_entry, e_shoff, e_shentsize, e_shnum, e_shstrndx, error = nil }
+--- On failure returns nil + a stable error code:
+---   bad_magic, unsupported_elf_class, unsupported_elf_data, truncated_header
+--- The header's machine field is NOT validated here — callers (e.g. the helper's prime path) decide whether to require EM_MIPS before symbol reads.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @return table|nil, string|nil
+function M.parse_elf32_headers(adapter)
+	local  ok, err = M.validate_adapter(adapter)
+	if not ok then return nil, err end
+
+	-- 4-byte magic: 0x7F 'E' 'L' 'F'.
+	-- The byte readers take the adapter explicitly.
+	-- The production `Support.File` adapter is wrapped by the caller to drop its implicit `self` so the parser shape is flat pass-style.
+	local b1 = M.read_u8(adapter, 0)
+	local b2 = M.read_u8(adapter, 1)
+	local b3 = M.read_u8(adapter, 2)
+	local b4 = M.read_u8(adapter, 3)
+	if not (b1 and b2 and b3 and b4)
+		or not (b1 == 0x7f and b2 == 0x45 and b3 == 0x4c and b4 == 0x46) then
+		return nil, "bad_magic"
+	end
+
+	local class = M.read_u8(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.class_offset)
+	if    class ~= M.ELFCLASS32 then
+		return nil, "unsupported_elf_class"
+	end
+
+	local data = M.read_u8(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.endian_offset)
+	if    data ~= M.ELFDATA2LSB then
+		return nil, "unsupported_elf_data"
+	end
+
+	local e_entry     = M.read_u32(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.e_entry_offset)
+	local e_shoff     = M.read_u32(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.e_shoff_offset)
+	local e_shentsize = M.read_u16(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.e_shentsize_offset)
+	local e_shnum     = M.read_u16(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.e_shnum_offset)
+	local e_shstrndx  = M.read_u16(adapter, M.ELF32_HEADER.e_shstrndx_offset)
+	if not (e_entry and e_shoff and e_shentsize and e_shnum and e_shstrndx) then
+		return nil, "truncated_header"
+	end
+
+	return {
+		e_entry     = e_entry,
+		e_shoff     = e_shoff,
+		e_shentsize = e_shentsize,
+		e_shnum     = e_shnum,
+		e_shstrndx  = e_shstrndx,
+		error       = nil,
+	}
+end
+
+--- Read one section-header entry from `adapter` at `sh_off`.
+--- Returns a table with the wire fields plus a (yet-unresolved) `name` field.
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param sh_off  integer
+--- @return table|nil, string|nil  -- entry, error
+local function read_section_entry(adapter, sh_off)
+	local entry = {
+		sh_name   = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_name_offset),
+		sh_type   = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_type_offset),
+		sh_flags  = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_flags_offset),
+		sh_addr   = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_addr_offset),
+		sh_offset = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_offset_offset),
+		sh_size   = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_size_offset),
+		sh_link   = M.read_u32(adapter, sh_off + M.ELF32_SECTION.sh_link_offset),
+		name      = "",
+	}
+	if not (entry.sh_name and entry.sh_type and entry.sh_flags and entry.sh_addr
+		and entry.sh_offset and entry.sh_size and entry.sh_link) then
+		return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+	end
+	return entry, nil
+end
+
+--- Walk every section header in `hdr` and return a 1-based array of entries
+--- (the section at logical index 0 is at array position 1, etc.).
+--- Each entry has the wire fields plus a resolved `name` derived from `.shstrtab`.
+--- Returns nil + a stable error code on failure: truncated_section_headers, missing_shstrtab, truncated_strtab
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param hdr     table  -- the table returned by parse_elf32_headers
+--- @return table|nil, string|nil
+function M.walk_sections(adapter, hdr)
+	if not hdr or hdr.error then return nil, hdr and hdr.error or "truncated_section_headers" end
+
+	local file_size = M.size(adapter)
+	if hdr.e_shoff + hdr.e_shnum * hdr.e_shentsize > file_size then
+		return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+	end
+
+	-- Read every section header first; we need .shstrtab to resolve names.
+	local sections = {}
+	for i = 0, hdr.e_shnum - 1 do
+		local sh_off = hdr.e_shoff + i * hdr.e_shentsize
+		local entry, err = read_section_entry(adapter, sh_off)
+		if not entry then return nil, err end
+		sections[i + 1] = entry
+	end
+
+	if hdr.e_shstrndx >= hdr.e_shnum then
+		return nil, "missing_shstrtab"
+	end
+
+	local  shstrtab = sections[hdr.e_shstrndx + 1]
+	if not shstrtab or shstrtab.sh_type ~= M.SHT_STRTAB then
+		return nil, "missing_shstrtab"
+	end
+	if shstrtab.sh_offset + shstrtab.sh_size > file_size then
+		return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+	end
+	local  shstrtab_bytes = M.read_section_bytes(adapter, shstrtab)
+	if not shstrtab_bytes then return nil, "truncated_section_headers" end
+
+	for _, s in ipairs(sections) do
+		s.name = M.get_str(shstrtab_bytes, s.sh_name) or ""
+	end
+
+	return sections, nil
+end
+
+--- Read the bytes of one section. Returns a string, or nil if the adapter returns nil for any byte (out-of-bounds).
+--- The caller is responsible fors sizing the buffer (the section's sh_offset + sh_size must fit in adapter.size).
+--- @param adapter table
+--- @param section table  -- one entry from walk_sections
+--- @return string|nil
+function M.read_section_bytes(adapter, section)
+	local size = section.sh_size
+	if    size == 0 then return "" end
+	local out = {}
+	for i = 0, size - 1 do
+		local b = M.read_u8(adapter, section.sh_offset + i)
+		if    b == nil then return nil end
+		out[#out + 1] = string.char(b)
+	end
+	return table.concat(out)
+end
+
+--- Convenience: walk sections, then look up the named section, then read its bytes.
+--- Returns nil + a stable error code if the section is absent or out-of-bounds.
+--- @param adapter  table
+--- @param sections table  -- 1-based array from walk_sections
+--- @param name     string
+--- @return string|nil, string|nil
+function M.read_named_section(adapter, sections, name)
+	if not sections then return nil, "missing_section" end
+	for _, s in ipairs(sections) do
+		if   s.name == name then
+			local bytes = M.read_section_bytes(adapter, s)
+			if not bytes then return nil, "truncated_section_data" end
+			return bytes, nil
+		end
+	end
+	return nil, "missing_section"
+end
+
+--- Walk every SHT_SYMTAB section in `sections` and accumulate symbols by name.
+--- Each stored entry is `{ value = st_value, size = st_size, info = st_info, shndx = st_shndx }`.
+--- Both STB_LOCAL and STB_GLOBAL symbols are included; the live ELF stores `smem` as a local symbol.
+--- Returns nil + a stable error code on failure: missing_symtab_strtab, truncated_section_headers
+--- @param adapter  table
+--- @param sections table
+--- @return table|nil, string|nil
+function M.collect_symbols(adapter, sections)
+	if not sections then return nil, "missing_sections" end
+	local symbols = {}
+	local file_size = M.size(adapter)
+	for _, s in ipairs(sections) do
+		if s.sh_type == M.SHT_SYMTAB then
+			local  strtab = sections[s.sh_link + 1]
+			if not strtab or strtab.sh_type ~= M.SHT_STRTAB then
+				return nil, "missing_symtab_strtab"
+			end
+			if strtab.sh_offset + strtab.sh_size > file_size then
+				return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+			end
+			local  strtab_bytes = M.read_section_bytes(adapter, strtab)
+			if not strtab_bytes then return nil, "truncated_section_headers" end
+			if s.sh_offset + s.sh_size > file_size then
+				return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+			end
+			local  symtab_bytes = M.read_section_bytes(adapter, s)
+			if not symtab_bytes then return nil, "truncated_section_headers" end
+			local n = #symtab_bytes / M.ELF32_SYM.sym_entry_bytes
+			for j = 0, n - 1 do
+				local e = s.sh_offset + j * M.ELF32_SYM.sym_entry_bytes
+				local st_name  = M.read_u32(adapter, e + M.ELF32_SYM.st_name)
+				if    st_name then
+					local st_value = M.read_u32(adapter, e + M.ELF32_SYM.st_value)
+					local st_size  = M.read_u32(adapter, e + M.ELF32_SYM.st_size)
+					local st_info  = M.read_u8(adapter, e + M.ELF32_SYM.st_info)
+					-- st_shndx is at offset 14 (2 bytes) — derived from the layout
+					-- the metaprogram reads too. Inline the read to keep the
+					-- adapter as the only I/O surface.
+					local b1 = M.read_u8(adapter, e + 14)
+					local b2 = M.read_u8(adapter, e + 15)
+					if not (b1 and b2) then
+						return nil, "truncated_section_headers"
+					end
+					local st_shndx = b1 + b2 * 0x100
+					local name = M.get_str(strtab_bytes, st_name) or ""
+					if    name ~= "" then
+						symbols[name] = {
+							value = st_value,
+							size  = st_size,
+							info  = st_info,
+							shndx = st_shndx,
+						}
+					end
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	end
+	return symbols, nil
+end
+
+return M

scripts/elf_dwarf.lua

@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
 -- lfs is wired into package.cpath by `duffle_paths.lua` (vendored under `toolchain/lfs/lfs.dll`). 
 local lfs = require("lfs")
 
+-- scripts/elf32.lua contains format-constant tables + the byte-level walker.
+-- The this file re-exports `read_u32_le` / `read_u16_le` (and the DWARF32 terminator).
+-- TODO(Ed): Remove re-export.
+local E = require("elf32")
+
 local M = {}
 
 -- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -102,27 +107,13 @@ M.MIPS_BYTES_PER_WORD = 0x04
 --- **Wire-offset contract:** format offsets, fixed-width reader offsets, LEB/parser cursors, and section-relative values are zero-based wire offsets. 
 --- Only Lua string APIs receive a `+ 1` conversion at their boundary (`byte`, `sub`, and `find`).
 --- ELF/DWARF field offsets are expressed in hex so they map directly to the zero-based byte positions in the binary file.
+---
+--- The ELF32 header / section / sym layout tables are within scripts/elf32.lua.
+--- The metaprogram re-exports the DWARF32 initial-length terminator.
 
---- spec: System V ABI gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" (Table 1) + §"Section Header Table"
-M.ELF32 = {
-	magic_offset          = 0x00,         -- 4-byte magic "\127ELF" at file offset 0x00
-	magic                 = "\127ELF",
-	class_offset          = 0x04,         -- 1-byte; 1 = ELF32, 2 = ELF64
-	class_elf32           = 1,
-	endian_offset         = 0x05,         -- 1-byte; 1 = little-endian, 2 = big-endian
-	endian_little         = 1,
-	header_bytes          = 0x34,         -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"ELF Header" — ELF32 header is 52 bytes total
-	e_shoff_offset        = 0x20,         -- 4-byte LE; section-header table file offset
-	e_shentsize_offset    = 0x2E,         -- 2-byte LE; section-header entry size in bytes
-	e_shnum_offset        = 0x30,         -- 2-byte LE; number of section headers
-	e_shstrndx_offset     = 0x32,         -- 2-byte LE; index of section-name string table
-	sh_size_bytes         = 0x28,         -- spec: gABI v1.2 §"Section Header Table" — each entry is 40 bytes
-	sh_name_offset        = 0x00,         -- 4-byte LE; offset into .shstrtab
-	sh_type_offset        = 0x04,         -- 4-byte LE; section type (SHT_*)
-	sh_offset_offset      = 0x10,         -- 4-byte LE; section's file offset
-	sh_size_offset        = 0x14,         -- 4-byte LE; section's size in bytes
-	dw_dwarf32_terminator = 0xFFFFFFFF,   -- spec: DWARF4 spec §7.4 — 32-bit DWARF initial-length terminator
-}
+--- spec: DWARF4 spec §7.4 — 32-bit DWARF initial-length terminator
+M.dw_dwarf32_terminator = E.dw_dwarf32_terminator
+-- TODO(Ed): Remove re-export.
 
 -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- DWARF4 .debug_aranges (per DWARF5 spec §7.4 — Address Range Table)
@@ -241,27 +232,24 @@ M.DWARF5_DEBUG_LINE = {
 --- (which has partial `string.unpack` coverage).
 --- **Convention:** `off` is a zero-based wire offset; `+ 1` is applied only at the `string.byte` boundary.
 ---
---- **Byte weights** are written as `0x100`, `0x10000`, `0x1000000` (i.e. 2^8, 2^16, 2^24) so the LE byte positions are visually explicit:
---- byte 0 contributes its value directly; byte 1 is shifted left by 8 (= 0x100); byte 2 by 16 (= 0x10000); byte 3 by 24 (= 0x1000000).
+--- Thin forwarder: the canonical implementation lives in scripts/elf32.lua.
+--- The "second caller lifts" pattern keeps the metaprogram side fluent
+--- (`M.read_u32_le(buf, off)`) while the body is deduped.
 --- @param buf string
 --- @param off integer  -- zero-based wire offset
 --- @return integer
 function M.read_u32_le(buf, off)
-	local byte_off = off + 1
-	return buf:byte(byte_off)
-		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
-		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x02) * 0x00010000
-		+ buf:byte(byte_off + 0x03) * 0x01000000
+	return E.read_u32_le(buf, off)
 end
 
 --- Read a 2-byte little-endian unsigned integer from `buf` at zero-based wire offset `off`.
 --- (`off` is zero-based; `+ 1` is applied only at the `string.byte` boundary.)
+--- Thin forwarder — see `M.read_u32_le` for the rationale.
 --- @param buf string
 --- @param off integer  -- zero-based wire offset
 --- @return integer
 function M.read_u16_le(buf, off)
-	local byte_off = off + 1
-	return buf:byte(byte_off) + buf:byte(byte_off + 0x01) * 0x00000100
+	return E.read_u16_le(buf, off)
 end
 
 -- Pure-Lua 5.3 LEB128 readers (no `bit` library). `2^shift` arithmetic matches the existing parser.
@@ -442,20 +430,20 @@ function M.read_ref_sig8(buf, pos)
 	return M.read_u32_le(buf, pos), M.read_u32_le(buf, pos + 4), pos + 8
 end
 
--- DWARF5 §7.5.6 (Type Entries).
--- Walk all units in `info` and return the 0-based offset of the first unit
--- whose `DW_AT_type_signature` (8-byte value at the end of the unit header) equals `target_sig`.
--- The signature is interpreted as two 32-bit halves (low/high) per the read_ref_sig8 contract;
--- we match both halves (i.e. the 8-byte value as a whole). Returns nil if no matching unit exists.
---
--- Unit header layout (from pos 0):
---   unit_length(4) + version(2) + unit_type(1) + address_size(1) + debug_abbrev_offset(4)
---   followed by type_unit_specific fields: type_signature(8) + type_offset(4)
--- The type_signature is at byte offset 8 of the body (right after debug_abbrev_offset).
--- @param info string  -- the .debug_info section bytes
--- @param target_sig_lo integer  -- low 4 bytes (LE) of the desired signature
--- @param target_sig_hi integer  -- high 4 bytes (LE) of the desired signature
--- @return integer|nil, integer|nil  -- unit offset, type_offset within the unit
+--- DWARF5 §7.5.6 (Type Entries).
+--- Walk all units in `info` and return the 0-based offset of the first unit whose `DW_AT_type_signature`
+--- (8-byte value at the end of the unit header) equals `target_sig`.
+--- The signature is interpreted as two 32-bit halves (low/high) per the read_ref_sig8 contract;
+--- we match both halves (i.e. the 8-byte value as a whole). Returns nil if no matching unit exists.
+---
+--- Unit header layout (from pos 0):
+---   unit_length(4) + version(2) + unit_type(1) + address_size(1) + debug_abbrev_offset(4)
+---   followed by type_unit_specific fields: type_signature(8) + type_offset(4)
+--- The type_signature is at byte offset 8 of the body (right after debug_abbrev_offset).
+--- @param info          string   -- the .debug_info section bytes
+--- @param target_sig_lo integer  -- low 4 bytes (LE) of the desired signature
+--- @param target_sig_hi integer  -- high 4 bytes (LE) of the desired signature
+--- @return integer|nil, integer|nil  -- unit offset, type_offset within the unit
 function M.find_type_unit_by_signature(info, target_sig_lo, target_sig_hi)
 	local pos         = 0
 	local section_len = #info
@@ -564,69 +552,58 @@ function M.read_elf_sections(elf_path, section_names)
 		return result
 	end
 
-	-- Read the ELF32 header.
-	local  header = f:read(M.ELF32.header_bytes)
-	if not header or #header < M.ELF32.header_bytes then
-		io.stderr:write("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] ELF too small for ELF32 header\n")
+	local file_size
+	do
+		f:seek("end", 0)
+		file_size = f:seek("cur", 0)
+	end
+	local adapter = {
+		read_u8_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b = f:read(1)
+			if not b then return nil end
+			return b:byte()
+		end,
+		read_u16_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b1 = f:read(1)
+			local b2 = f:read(1)
+			if not b1 or not b2 then return nil end
+			return b1:byte() + b2:byte() * 0x100
+		end,
+		read_u32_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b1 = f:read(1)
+			local b2 = f:read(1)
+			local b3 = f:read(1)
+			local b4 = f:read(1)
+			if not b1 or not b2 or not b3 or not b4 then return nil end
+			return b1:byte() + b2:byte() * 0x100
+				+ b3:byte() * 0x10000 + b4:byte() * 0x1000000
+		end,
+		read_size = function() return file_size end,
+	}
+
+	-- Delegate the header parse + section walk to E.*.
+	local hdr, hdr_err = E.parse_elf32_headers(adapter)
+	if not hdr then
+		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] header parse failed: %s\n", tostring(hdr_err)))
 		f:close()
 		return result
 	end
 
-	-- Sanity-check magic + class + endianness.
-	if header:sub(M.ELF32.magic_offset + 1, M.ELF32.magic_offset + 0x04) ~= M.ELF32.magic then
-		io.stderr:write("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] not an ELF file\n")
-		f:close()
-		return result
-	end
-	if header:byte(M.ELF32.class_offset + 1) ~= M.ELF32.class_elf32 then
-		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] not ELF32 (class=%d)\n", header:byte(M.ELF32.class_offset + 1)))
-		f:close()
-		return result
-	end
-	if header:byte(M.ELF32.endian_offset + 1) ~= M.ELF32.endian_little then
-		io.stderr:write("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] not little-endian; unsupported\n")
+	local sections, walk_err = E.walk_sections(adapter, hdr)
+	if not sections then
+		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] section walk failed: %s\n", tostring(walk_err)))
 		f:close()
 		return result
 	end
 
-	-- Parse section-header table location + dimensions from the header.
-	local e_shoff     = M.read_u32_le(header, M.ELF32.e_shoff_offset)
-	local e_shentsize = M.read_u16_le(header, M.ELF32.e_shentsize_offset)
-	local e_shnum     = M.read_u16_le(header, M.ELF32.e_shnum_offset)
-	local e_shstrndx  = M.read_u16_le(header, M.ELF32.e_shstrndx_offset)
-
-	-- Read the section-header string table (.shstrtab) so we can resolve section names from their `sh_name` offsets.
-	f:seek("set", e_shoff + e_shstrndx * e_shentsize)
-	local  strtab_hdr = f:read(e_shentsize)
-	if not strtab_hdr or #strtab_hdr < e_shentsize then
-		io.stderr:write("[elf_dwarf.read_elf_sections] could not read .shstrtab header\n")
-		f:close()
-		return result
-	end
-	local strtab_offset = M.read_u32_le(strtab_hdr, M.ELF32.sh_offset_offset)
-	local strtab_size   = M.read_u32_le(strtab_hdr, M.ELF32.sh_size_offset)
-	f:seek("set", strtab_offset)
-	local strtab = f:read(strtab_size) or ""
-
-	-- Walk all section headers; collect (offset, size) for the wanted names.
-	local function read_section_bytes(sh_offset, sh_size)
-		f:seek("set", sh_offset)
-		return f:read(sh_size) or ""
-	end
-
-	for sh_idx = 0, e_shnum - 1 do
-		f:seek("set", e_shoff + sh_idx * e_shentsize)
-		local  sh = f:read(e_shentsize)
-		if not sh or #sh < e_shentsize then break end
-		local sh_name   = M.read_u32_le(sh, M.ELF32.sh_name_offset)
-		local sh_offset = M.read_u32_le(sh, M.ELF32.sh_offset_offset)
-		local sh_size   = M.read_u32_le(sh, M.ELF32.sh_size_offset)
-
-		-- Extract the name (null-terminated C string in strtab).
-		local name_end = strtab:find("\0", sh_name + 1, true) or (sh_name + 1)
-		local name     = strtab:sub(sh_name + 1, name_end - 1)
-		if wanted[name] then
-			result[name] = read_section_bytes(sh_offset, sh_size)
+	-- Resolve the requested sections.
+	for _, s in ipairs(sections) do
+		if wanted[s.name] then
+			local bytes = E.read_section_bytes(adapter, s)
+			if bytes then result[s.name] = bytes end
 		end
 	end
 
@@ -643,48 +620,87 @@ end
 --- - We filter on STB_GLOBAL (high nibble of st_info = 1) to match `nm`'s default (external symbols only). STB_WEAK excluded.
 --- - The `code_` prefix is stripped (MipsAtom_ macros emit bare atom names, no `code_` prefix).
 --- - `st_size > 0` filter excludes undefined/imported symbols.
+---
 --- @param elf_path Path
 --- @return table<string, {integer, integer}>
 function M.read_nm(elf_path)
 	local addrs = {}
 
-	-- Read .symtab + .strtab via the existing ELF walker (no subprocess).
-	local sections = M.read_elf_sections(elf_path, {".symtab", ".strtab"})
-	local symtab   = sections[".symtab"]
-	local strtab   = sections[".strtab"]
-	if not symtab or not strtab or #symtab == 0 or #strtab == 0 then
-		-- No symbol table (e.g. stripped ELF). Return empty.
+	-- Existence check first; an empty or missing ELF returns an empty map.
+	if lfs.attributes(elf_path, "mode") ~= "file" then
 		return addrs
 	end
 
-	-- Iterate the 16-byte ELF32 symtab entries.
-	-- Each entry (zero-based): st_name at 0, st_value at 4, st_size at 8, st_info at 12, st_other at 13, st_shndx at 14.
-	local SYM_ENTRY_BYTES = 0x10
-	local SYM_ST_NAME     = 0x00
-	local SYM_ST_VALUE    = 0x04
-	local SYM_ST_SIZE     = 0x08
-	local SYM_ST_INFO     = 0x0C
-	local n_syms = #symtab / SYM_ENTRY_BYTES
-	for i = 0, n_syms - 1 do
-		local entry_off = i * SYM_ENTRY_BYTES
-		local st_info   = symtab:byte(entry_off + SYM_ST_INFO + 1)
-		-- High nibble = binding (STB_LOCAL=0, STB_GLOBAL=1, STB_WEAK=2).
-		-- Use math.floor(/16) instead of bit.rshift for LuaJIT 2.1 compat (LuaJIT's `>>` is 5.3+, but math.floor(x/16) works on all versions).
-		local binding = math.floor(st_info / 16)
-		if    binding == 0 or binding == 1 then -- STB_LOCAL or STB_GLOBAL
-			local st_size = M.read_u32_le(symtab, entry_off + SYM_ST_SIZE)
-			if    st_size > 0 then
-				local st_name_off = M.read_u32_le(symtab, entry_off + SYM_ST_NAME)
-				-- Extract the name from .strtab (null-terminated C string).
-				local name_end = strtab:find("\0", st_name_off + 1, true) or (st_name_off + 1)
-				local name     = strtab:sub(st_name_off + 1, name_end - 1)
-				-- Filter: keep all symbol-table symbols (atoms emit their name as the bare `<name>` — MipsAtom_ macros strip the `code_` prefix).
-				-- The atoms_source_map pass already filters out non-atom symbols via the source-map.txt cross-ref.
-				if name and #name > 0 then
-					local st_value = M.read_u32_le(symtab, entry_off + SYM_ST_VALUE)
-					addrs[name] = { st_value, st_size }
+	local f = io.open(elf_path, "rb")
+	if not f then
+		return addrs
 	end
+
+	-- Build the file adapter for E.*.
+	local file_size
+	do
+		f:seek("end", 0)
+		file_size = f:seek("cur", 0)
 	end
+	local adapter = {
+		read_u8_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b = f:read(1)
+			if not b then return nil end
+			return b:byte()
+		end,
+		read_u16_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b1 = f:read(1)
+			local b2 = f:read(1)
+			if not b1 or not b2 then return nil end
+			return b1:byte() + b2:byte() * 0x100
+		end,
+		read_u32_at = function(offset)
+			f:seek("set", offset)
+			local b1 = f:read(1)
+			local b2 = f:read(1)
+			local b3 = f:read(1)
+			local b4 = f:read(1)
+			if not b1 or not b2 or not b3 or not b4 then return nil end
+			return b1:byte() + b2:byte() * 0x100
+				+ b3:byte() * 0x10000 + b4:byte() * 0x1000000
+		end,
+		read_size = function() return file_size end,
+	}
+
+	-- Delegate the header + section walk to E.*.
+	local hdr, hdr_err = E.parse_elf32_headers(adapter)
+	if not hdr then
+		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_nm] header parse failed: %s\n", tostring(hdr_err)))
+		f:close()
+		return addrs
+	end
+
+	local sections, walk_err = E.walk_sections(adapter, hdr)
+	if not sections then
+		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_nm] section walk failed: %s\n", tostring(walk_err)))
+		f:close()
+		return addrs
+	end
+
+	-- E.collect_symbols returns every defined symbol (no binding filter).
+	-- The metaprogram then applies its STB_LOCAL / STB_GLOBAL + size>0 filter, matching `nm`'s default (external symbols only).
+	local symbols, sym_err = E.collect_symbols(adapter, sections)
+	if not symbols then
+		io.stderr:write(string.format("[elf_dwarf.read_nm] symbol collection failed: %s\n", tostring(sym_err)))
+		f:close()
+		return addrs
+	end
+
+	f:close()
+
+	for name, entry in pairs(symbols) do
+		-- High nibble of st_info = binding (STB_LOCAL=0, STB_GLOBAL=1, STB_WEAK=2).
+		-- math.floor(/16) is portable across LuaJIT 2.0/2.1 and plain Lua 5.x.
+		local binding = math.floor(entry.info / 16)
+		if (binding == 0 or binding == 1) and entry.size > 0 then
+			addrs[name] = { entry.value, entry.size }
 		end
 	end
 
@@ -822,12 +838,11 @@ end
 ---   * The `.debug_line` section may contain MULTIPLE line-program units
 ---     File indices are 1-based, **per unit**; we concatenate all units and the index ranges from 1..N₁ in unit 1, N₁+1..N₁+N₂ in unit 2, etc.
 ---     Per-unit indices (the way gcc emits them, and the way `DW_LNS_set_file` references them in the line program)
----     are returned via the `basename_to_index` map only when the unit boundary happens to align with the metaprogram's per-atom
----     `inv.call_file` (true today for hello_joypad — the C unit is the LAST unit, and atom-side file indices fit 1-based).
+---     are returned via the `basename_to_index` map only when the unit boundary happens to align with the metaprogram's per-atom `inv.call_file`
 ---   * Per spec, the `.debug_line_str` section (DWARF5 §7.5.6) holds the strings referenced by `DW_FORM_line_strp`.
 ---     The legacy DWARF3 format embeds strings directly with null terminators. This helper handles BOTH.
----   * File entries may have multiple forms (gcc -gdwarf-5 with `DW_LNCT_directory_index`
----     emits 2 forms: path + dir_index). The helper supports:
+---   * File entries may have multiple forms (gcc -gdwarf-5 with `DW_LNCT_directory_index` emits 2 forms: path + dir_index). 
+---     The helper supports:
 ---     - DW_FORM_line_strp (DWARF5; offset into .debug_line_str)
 ---     - DW_FORM_string (DWARF4-compat; inline null-terminated in .debug_line)
 ---     - DW_FORM_udata (ULEB128)
@@ -837,9 +852,7 @@ end
 ---
 --- Behavior on failure: writes to stderr and returns nil.
 --- Helpers consumed by `passes/dwarf_injection.lua::init_file_index_lookup(elf_path)` calls this once at pass start to populate the module-level `basename_to_index` map;
---- downstream `resolve_provenance_file_index(path)` consumers
---- (which replaced the former hardcoded `ATOM_SOURCE_FILE_INDEX` + `PROVENANCE_BASENAME_TO_FILE_INDEX` table per `conductor/tracks/dwarf_file_index_lookup_20260731/`)
---- consult the map directly.
+--- downstream `resolve_provenance_file_index(path)` consumers consult the map directly.
 ---
 --- @param elf_path string  -- absolute path to the post-link ELF (typically the gcc-emitted `.elf` BEFORE dwarf_injector's splice; both shapes work since the splice preserves `.debug_line`)
 --- @return table|nil, table|nil, table|nil

scripts/passes/dwarf_injection.lua

@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ local function build_dwarf_line_section(existing, atom_table)
 	while unit_pos < #existing do
 		if unit_pos + 4 > #existing then return existing end
 		local unit_length =  elf_dwarf.read_u32_le(existing, unit_pos)
-		if    unit_length == elf_dwarf.ELF32.dw_dwarf32_terminator then return existing end
+		if    unit_length == elf_dwarf.dw_dwarf32_terminator then return existing end
 		local unit_end_excl = unit_pos + 4 + unit_length
 		if unit_end_excl > #existing then return existing end
 		last_pos, last_length, last_end = unit_pos, unit_length, unit_end_excl
@@ -1053,7 +1053,7 @@ local function build_dwarf_aranges_section(existing, atom_table)
 	while i < #existing do
 		-- Read this unit's length.
 		local ul = elf_dwarf.read_u32_le(existing, i)
-		if    ul == elf_dwarf.ELF32.dw_dwarf32_terminator then
+		if    ul == elf_dwarf.dw_dwarf32_terminator then
 			-- DWARF64 marker - not supported.
 			io.stderr:write("[dwarf_injection] WARN: .debug_aranges contains a DWARF64 marker (0xFFFFFFFF); the 64-bit extension is not supported by this metaprogram; passing through unchanged\n")
 			return existing