User report: pressing Enter on 'System prompt (empty = use built-in)'
silently returned to the menu — no alias created, and step labels read
[1/4] [2/4] in a 5-step flow.
Detective (pre-existing, not a 2026-09-06 regression): menu_ask_value's
documented contract is 'rc 1 = cancel, or empty answer with no default';
the step-4 call passed an empty default so the advertised empty answer
hit rc 1 and '|| return 0' aborted the flow. Same latent trap at the
alias-name step (empty-name warn/re-prompt was dead code). 11 other
call sites are correct (6 external rely on empty=cancel, 4 pass
defaults) — no global semantic change allowed.
Architect: opt-in --allow-empty flag on menu_ask_value (backward
compatible; empty+no-default -> rc 0 + empty value; genuine cancel/EOF
stays rc 1; default still wins). Builder: implemented in lib/menu-lib.sh
+ bin/pos-ai-alias (steps 1-2 relabeled /5, flag at the two approved
sites); 7-case smoke matrix PASS.
Tests: tests/t-menu-allow-empty.sh (30 checks) — semantics matrix
against the real menu_ask_value via non-TTY stdin, reader-contract
probes (empty-Enter rc 0 vs EOF rc 1), static guards on step labeling,
the exactly-2 flag call sites, edit-flow untouched, and a scope fence
over all pos-* tools. Pty E2E proven feasible (script -qec, 3 scenarios)
and documented in the Tester report; the E2E file itself remains a
follow-up.
Verified: make gen idempotent; make check OK; make lint 0 FAIL, 0 WARN;
make test 17 files / 299 checks / 0 fail / 0 skip (~49s); bash -n clean.
User report after the llamacpp app install: 'installed llama.cpp unknown',
valid flags rejected (randomly per run), 'Model not found' for the HF
downloader's own layout, and a systemd user-bus failure over SSH. Detective
(real b10822 binary, FACT) found four independent causes:
- version: llama-server --version prints to STDERR; detect_llama_version's
2>/dev/null swallowed it -> always 'unknown'. Now captures 2>&1 + accepts
semver/build tokens (incl. build 1.2.3 edge)
- validation: printf|grep -q under pipefail -> SIGPIPE rc=141 race randomly
rejected flags present in the 59 KB --help. Now pipe-less grep (no race);
20x determinism regression test
- model resolution: resolve_model accepted files only, but the HF downloader
creates <models>/<repo>/file.gguf dirs. Now expands a dir with exactly one
*.gguf (never silently picks; multi-gguf lists + errs)
- port: llama.cpp default 8080 vs tool/adapter 8088; validation reliability
means --port is now always pinned in the unit
- user bus: headless/SSH sessions lack XDG_RUNTIME_DIR -> ensure_user_bus in
lib/common.sh pre-flights all three systemctl --user tools with remediation
text; pos ai server --no-unit direct-run escape hatch (pidfile) for boxes
with no bus
- find_llamacpp narrowed to llama-server/llama-server-cuda (bare 'server'
fallback hazard); installer post-install sanity (version+help execute,
symlink targets resolve)
Architect decisions DQ1-DQ6 recorded. Tester: 4 new regression files
(version-from-stderr, 25x flag-validation determinism, model dir expansion,
bus pre-flight + E2E) + 3 fixture updates; suite 16 files / 269 checks.
Verified: make gen idempotent; make check OK; make lint 0 FAIL, 0 WARN;
make test 269/269 (~49s); bash -n clean; git diff --check clean.
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