0.2.2: read /dev/klog directly for sign-in again

On the console, 0.2.1 often could not add a controller ("Cannot read
controller sign-in events"). Its log shows why: once Control4Free let go
of GoldHEN's klog stream, every new connection read nothing for 4-5
minutes. GoldHEN's klog server serves one client at a time and is slow to
notice that one has left.

The browser service now opens /dev/klog itself, only while a controller
waits for sign-in, and releases it afterwards, so GoldHEN's klog server
works the rest of the time. It never uses GoldHEN's stream; only the
diagnostic stages still fall back to it.

Version 0.2.2 (APP_VER 00.22).

README.md

@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ keyboard, or an Xbox/other controller exposed by the browser's Gamepad API.
 Virtual controllers use the PS4's native user-selection screen, so they work on
 the home screen, at sign-in and in games.
 
-**Status: browser control, native user sign-in, gameplay, the launcher and
-GoldHEN AutoRun have been confirmed on the development console.** Version 0.2.1
-adds network recovery and changes klog ownership; these changes pass local tests
-and still need a console rest/wake test. Four virtual slots are exposed; the
+**Status: browser control, native user sign-in, gameplay, the launcher,
+GoldHEN AutoRun and recovery after rest mode have been confirmed on the
+development console.** Version 0.2.2 reads the kernel log directly again for
+sign-in; it still needs its console check. Four virtual slots are exposed; the
 console's device limits apply.
 
 ## Requirements
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ console's device limits apply.
 
 ## Install
 
-1. Copy `build/Control4Free-0.2.1.pkg` to a USB drive (or to `/data/pkg/` over
+1. Copy `build/Control4Free-0.2.2.pkg` to a USB drive (or to `/data/pkg/` over
    GoldHEN's FTP server) and install it with GoldHEN's Package Installer.
 2. Open **Control4Free** from the home screen and press **Cross** once. The app
    adds Control4Free to GoldHEN's AutoRun (GoldHEN 2.4b18.10 or later), so GoldHEN
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ When you update Control4Free this way, replace `/data/payloads/control4free.elf`
 controller page's menu, or restart the PS4. That old version has no launcher API,
 so the app will not start a second copy over it.
 
-**Rest mode (0.2.1):** the service now closes stale connections and rebuilds its
+**Rest mode (since 0.2.1):** the service closes stale connections and rebuilds its
 listener after socket failures or a long pause. Queued input is discarded, and
 disconnected controllers report neutral input. Reopen the controller page and
 select your controller after waking; an unused controller is removed after the
@@ -71,12 +71,13 @@ reconnect grace period. This can recover a surviving payload's network service;
 it cannot revive a host process that the console terminated or stopped running.
 When upgrading a stuck older instance, restart the PS4 and load GoldHEN again.
 
-**Kernel logs:** Control4Free requests a verified stream from GoldHEN first,
-falling back to `/dev/klog`. It only keeps the reader while controllers are
-awaiting native sign-in, and releases it once sign-in finishes or those
-controllers are removed. Close other klog viewers when adding a controller:
-GoldHEN versions that serve one reader cannot share that capture window. A busy
-reader now produces a retryable error before a virtual device is created.
+**Kernel logs:** controller sign-in is detected in the PS4's kernel log, which
+has a single reader. Control4Free opens `/dev/klog` only while a controller is
+waiting for sign-in and releases it afterwards, so GoldHEN's klog server works
+the rest of the time. It does not use GoldHEN's klog stream: GoldHEN serves one
+client at a time and, after one leaves, can go minutes without serving the next.
+If a klog viewer is connected to GoldHEN when you add a controller, the page
+says so; close the viewer and try again.
 
 Diagnostics are saved at `/data/control4free/spike.log`, with elapsed timestamps
 such as `[c4f] [+00:01:23.456]`; the PS4's calendar setting is not used. Starting
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ docker build -t control4free-launcher-build -f docker/Dockerfile.launcher docker
 docker run --rm -v "$PWD:/src" -w /src control4free-launcher-build bash -lc 'make && make -C launcher'
 ```
 
-Output: `build/Control4Free-0.2.1.pkg` (title ID `CFRE00001`). On Windows,
+Output: `build/Control4Free-0.2.2.pkg` (title ID `CFRE00001`). On Windows,
 `tools/build-launcher.ps1` runs both image builds and the package build. It does
 not send anything to a console. Packaging uses OpenOrbis and LibOrbisPkg. The
 launcher draws its screen and its icon in software, in the controller page's style.

include/c4f_vda.h

@@ -99,8 +99,10 @@ void c4fProbeButtonMap(const C4fVirtualPad *pad, int32_t readHandle);
  * already held by that server. */
 #define C4F_KLOG_PORT 3232
 
-/* Verified GoldHEN socket first, /dev/klog fallback; -1 if neither delivers
- * a fresh marker. The caller must release it when sign-in capture finishes. */
+/* /dev/klog only, verified by a fresh marker; -1 if busy or silent. For the
+ * browser service, which holds it only while a controller signs in. */
+int  c4fKlogOpenDevice(void);
+/* /dev/klog, else GoldHEN's stream on 3232 (diagnostic stages); verified. */
 int  c4fKlogOpen(void);
 void c4fKlogDrain(int fd);
 /* Writes a marker to klog and reads it back. 0 = the capture path works. */

launcher/screen.h

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef C4F_LAUNCHER_SCREEN_H
 #define C4F_LAUNCHER_SCREEN_H
 #include <stdint.h>
-#define C4F_LAUNCHER_VERSION "0.2.1"
+#define C4F_LAUNCHER_VERSION "0.2.2"
 #define C4F_SCREEN_WIDTH 1920
 #define C4F_SCREEN_HEIGHT 1080
 typedef struct {

src/vda.c

@@ -238,28 +238,42 @@ fail:
     return -1;
 }
 
+/* Drained and proven by a marker that comes back, or closed. */
+static int c4fKlogVerified(int fd, const char *what)
+{
+    c4fKlogDrain(fd);
+    if (c4fKlogSelfTest(fd) == 0) {
+        c4fLog("reading klog through %s\n", what);
+        return fd;
+    }
+    close(fd);
+    return -1;
+}
+
+/* GoldHEN's klog server opens /dev/klog only while it has a client and serves
+ * one client at a time. After a client leaves it can go minutes without
+ * serving the next one: on the console (2026-10-04) every reconnect after a
+ * release read 0 bytes for 4-5 minutes. So the browser service never uses the
+ * stream; it reads the device itself, only while a controller signs in. */
+int c4fKlogOpenDevice(void)
+{
+    int fd = open("/dev/klog", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+        c4fLog("open(/dev/klog) failed errno=%d (16: GoldHEN's klog server has a client)\n", errno);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return c4fKlogVerified(fd, "/dev/klog");
+}
+
 int c4fKlogOpen(void)
 {
-    int fd = c4fKlogConnectLocal();
-    if (fd >= 0) {
-        c4fKlogDrain(fd);
-        if (c4fKlogSelfTest(fd) == 0) {
-            c4fLog("reading klog through 127.0.0.1:%d\n", C4F_KLOG_PORT);
-            return fd;
-        }
-        close(fd);
-        c4fLog("klog socket has no live stream; another log client may own it\n");
-    }
-    fd = open("/dev/klog", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
-    if (fd >= 0) {
-        c4fKlogDrain(fd);
-        if (c4fKlogSelfTest(fd) == 0) {
-            c4fLog("temporarily reading /dev/klog for controller sign-in\n");
-            return fd;
-        }
-        close(fd);
-    }
-    c4fLog("no verified klog source; close other log viewers before adding a controller\n");
+    int fd = c4fKlogOpenDevice();
+    if (fd >= 0) return fd;
+    /* The diagnostic stages run once, usually with the PC's klog viewer
+     * attached, which holds the device: then the stream is the only way. */
+    fd = c4fKlogConnectLocal();
+    if (fd >= 0 && (fd = c4fKlogVerified(fd, "127.0.0.1:3232")) >= 0) return fd;
+    c4fLog("no verified klog source\n");
     return -1;
 }
 

src/web.c

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #include "c4f_vda.h"
 #include "c4f_web.h"
 
-#define C4F_VERSION "0.2.1"
+#define C4F_VERSION "0.2.2"
 #define C4F_INPUT_MASK 0x0011ffffu
 #define C4F_REPORT_MS 16
 #ifndef C4F_STALE_MS
@@ -257,8 +257,8 @@ static void c4fClaim(C4fWeb *app, C4fNetClient *c, C4fRequest *r)
             c4fReadKlog(app);
             if (app->klogFd >= 0 && c4fKlogSelfTest(app->klogFd)) c4fReleaseKlog(app);
         }
-        if (app->klogFd < 0) app->klogFd = c4fKlogOpen();
-        if (app->klogFd < 0 && needsDevice) { c4fError(c, r, 503, "Cannot read controller sign-in events. Close other klog viewers and try again."); return; }
+        if (app->klogFd < 0) app->klogFd = c4fKlogOpenDevice();
+        if (app->klogFd < 0 && needsDevice) { c4fError(c, r, 503, "Cannot read the PS4's kernel log, which sign-in needs. If a klog viewer is connected to GoldHEN, close it and try again."); return; }
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < C4F_MAX_PADS; i++) if ((wanted & (1u << i)) && !app->pads[i].active) {
         C4fWebPad *p = &app->pads[i];

tools/build-launcher.ps1

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ try {
     if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw 'Launcher toolchain build failed.' }
     docker run --rm --network none -v "${projectRoot}:/src" -w /src control4free-launcher-build bash -lc 'make && make -C launcher'
     if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw 'Launcher package build failed.' }
-    Get-Item -LiteralPath (Join-Path $projectRoot 'build/Control4Free-0.2.1.pkg') | Select-Object FullName,Length
+    Get-Item -LiteralPath (Join-Path $projectRoot 'build/Control4Free-0.2.2.pkg') | Select-Object FullName,Length
 } finally {
     Pop-Location
 }

tools/package_launcher.py

@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ def main():
     sfo = 'sce_sys/param.sfo'
     run(pkgtool, 'sfo_new', sfo)
     entries = {
-        'APP_TYPE': ('Integer', 4, '1'), 'APP_VER': ('Utf8', 8, '00.21'),
+        'APP_TYPE': ('Integer', 4, '1'), 'APP_VER': ('Utf8', 8, '00.22'),
         'ATTRIBUTE': ('Integer', 4, '0'), 'CATEGORY': ('Utf8', 4, 'gd'),
         'CONTENT_ID': ('Utf8', 48, CONTENT_ID), 'DOWNLOAD_DATA_SIZE': ('Integer', 4, '0'),
         'SYSTEM_VER': ('Integer', 4, '0'), 'TITLE': ('Utf8', 128, 'Control4Free'),
-        'TITLE_ID': ('Utf8', 12, TITLE_ID), 'VERSION': ('Utf8', 8, '00.21'),
+        'TITLE_ID': ('Utf8', 12, TITLE_ID), 'VERSION': ('Utf8', 8, '00.22'),
     }
     for key, (kind, size, value) in entries.items():
         run(pkgtool, 'sfo_setentry', sfo, key, '--type', kind, '--maxsize', size, '--value', value)
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def main():
     shutil.copyfile(project, OUT / 'launcher.gp4')
     run(pkgtool, 'pkg_build', project, OUT)
     generated = OUT / (CONTENT_ID + '.pkg')
-    target = ROOT / 'build/Control4Free-0.2.1.pkg'
+    target = ROOT / 'build/Control4Free-0.2.2.pkg'
     shutil.copyfile(generated, target)
     print(f'Built {target} ({target.stat().st_size:,} bytes)', flush=True)