# 🤖 AI-Speak: Development Collaboration Guide

**🎯 PURPOSE:** This file serves as the central collaboration hub between Stu's AI and development team for the lt-convert.sh cross-platform video converter project.

**👥 Partners:** 
- Stu's AI Assistant (development partner)
- Stu (human developer & tester)
- User (Windows testing & feedback)

**📅 Project:** lt-convert.sh - Cross-platform Video Converter  
**🔄 Last Updated:** 2025-12-14

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## 🧭 **Project Overview (VideoTools & lt-convert)**
- VideoTools is a professional GUI suite focused on DVD-compliant output (MPEG-2 NTSC/PAL), AC-3 audio, and DVDStyler/PS2 compatibility.
- Core app: Go-based modular architecture (convert/queue/ui/player), batch queue with pause/resume/history, smart framerate/audio conversion, aspect handling, and validation.
- Scripts: `lt-convert.sh` provides cross-platform hardware-accelerated AV1/HEVC conversions with modular bash components (hardware/codec/quality/filters/encode).
- Key docs: `README.md` (overview), `INSTALLATION.md`, `DVD_USER_GUIDE.md`, `DVD_IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md`, `QUEUE_SYSTEM_GUIDE.md`, `INTEGRATION_GUIDE.md`, `BUILD_AND_RUN.md`.
- Current Linux display focus is Wayland-first while retaining X11 support; VT_Player is moving to GTK and not yet functional.

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## 📖 **HOW TO USE THIS FILE (For Stu's AI)**

### **🔍 READING THIS FILE:**
1. **Start at the top** - understand project context
2. **Check Current Status** - see what's completed vs pending
3. **Review Priority Tasks** - focus on high-priority items first
4. **Read Conversation Log** - understand past issues and solutions
5. **Check Testing Status** - see what needs validation

### **✏️ UPDATING THIS FILE:**
1. **IMMEDIATELY UPDATE** when making any changes or suggestions
2. **USE CLEAR MARKERS** like [x] for completed, [ ] for pending
3. **ADD TO CONVERSATION LOG** with date and issue description
4. **UPDATE TESTING CHECKLISTS** for new features
5. **PROPOSE IMPROVEMENTS** in the suggested improvements section

### **🎯 YOUR ROLE:**
- **Cross-platform guardian** - ensure Windows/Linux compatibility
- **Proactive improver** - suggest optimizations and new features
- **Documentation keeper** - maintain clear development history
- **Testing coordinator** - track what needs to be validated

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## 📋 **Current Development Status**

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## 📋 **Current Development Status**

### ✅ **Completed Features**
- [x] Modular architecture implementation
- [x] Cross-platform compatibility (Windows/Linux/macOS)
- [x] GPU/Encoder selection with auto-detection
- [x] Codec selection (AV1/HEVC)
- [x] Container selection (MKV/MP4)
- [x] Quality modes (Source/CRF/Custom bitrate)
- [x] Color correction presets (8 options)
- [x] Drag-and-drop functionality
- [x] Hardware benchmarking
- [x] Error handling and validation

### 🔄 **Current Issues Being Addressed**
- None currently - all major features implemented

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## 🎯 **Priority Tasks**

### 🚨 **High Priority**
- [ ] Test on actual Wayland Linux system (primary target) while keeping X11 support
- [ ] Verify drag-and-drop works across different desktop environments
- [ ] Performance testing with various video formats
- [ ] Add progress bars for long conversions
- [ ] Implement batch queue processing

### 📈 **Medium Priority**
- [ ] Add subtitle support (burn-in/soft-subs) once core modules stabilize
- [ ] Create comprehensive test suite

### 🔮 **Future Enhancements**
- [ ] GPU memory usage optimization
- [ ] Multi-threaded processing for multiple files
- [ ] Audio-only/video-only modes
- [ ] Preset system for common configurations
- [ ] Integration with video metadata databases

### 💡 **SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS FOR STU TO CONSIDER:**
- [ ] **Progress bars** using `pv` or custom progress indicators
- [ ] **Batch queue system** for processing multiple files sequentially
- [ ] **Configuration file** support for saving user preferences
- [ ] **Logging system** with timestamps and error details
- [ ] **Automatic backup** of original files before conversion
- [ ] **Smart file naming** with metadata integration
- [ ] **Parallel processing** for multi-core CPU encoding
- [ ] **GPU memory monitoring** and automatic adjustment
- [ ] **Resume capability** for interrupted conversions
- [ ] **Integration with system notifications** for completion alerts

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## 💬 **Conversation Log**

### 2025-12-14 - Line endings + sync
**Stu's AI:** Added `.gitattributes` to enforce LF endings for all shell scripts, preventing Windows CRLF issues. Pulled/merged Jake's latest `lt-convert.sh` changes and set the script executable bit. Repo is clean and up to date on `master`.

### 2025-12-14 - Initial Cross-Platform Fixes
**Stu's AI:** "My friend Stu uses Wayland Linux and he said that drag and drop function onto 'lt-convert.sh' did not work for him. He said that it also did not detect video files within his current folder."

**Response:** Implemented comprehensive cross-platform fixes:
- Fixed file detection using explicit scanning instead of `nullglob`
- Added `lshw` hardware detection for Linux
- Implemented cross-platform timeout handling
- Improved path resolution for different shells
- Added more video format support

**Status:** ✅ **RESOLVED** - Awaiting testing feedback from Stu

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## 🧪 **Testing Checklist**

### **Windows Testing**
- [ ] Git Bash compatibility
- [ ] WSL compatibility  
- [ ] PowerShell compatibility
- [ ] Drag-and-drop from File Explorer

### **Linux Testing**
- [ ] Wayland drag-and-drop (GNOME/KDE) **← STU TO TEST**
- [ ] X11 drag-and-drop
- [ ] Terminal execution
- [ ] Hardware detection (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel)
- [ ] File permissions handling

### **🧪 LIVE TESTING - Current Changes**
**Feature:** Cross-platform drag-and-drop and file detection
**Status:** ⏳ **AWAITING TEST RESULTS**
**Testers:** 
- User: Windows ✅ (confirmed working)
- Stu: Linux Wayland 🔄 **PENDING** (after pulling latest `.gitattributes` + executable bit)

**Expected Results:**
- Drag files onto script → Should process them
- Double-click script → Should find video files in directory
- Hardware detection → Should detect GPU/encoders
- All menus → Should display properly

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## 📝 **Development Notes**

### **Known Limitations**
- Windows timeout fallback uses manual process killing
- Some Wayland desktop environments may have different drag-and-drop behavior
- Hardware detection varies by Linux distribution
- Wayland is the primary Linux target; X11 support must be preserved
- VT_Player is moving to GTK; current GTK player support is not yet functional

### **Technical Debt**
- Consider replacing bash arrays for better portability
- Evaluate using Python for complex GUI interactions
- Standardize error message formatting

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## 🔄 **Next Steps**

1. **Immediate:** Get feedback from Stu on Wayland testing
2. **Short-term:** Address any compatibility issues found; add progress bars and batch queue processing
3. **Medium-term:** Build comprehensive test suite; plan subtitle support once core is stable
4. **Long-term:** Consider GUI frontend development

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## 📞 **Contact & Collaboration**

**For Stu's AI:** When working on this project, please:

### **Workflow Rules**
- Commit after every meaningful change; keep commits small and descriptive.
- Update `TODO.md` and `DONE.md` to reflect new work, completed tasks, and testing results.
- Keep this `ai-speak.md` in sync with priorities, logs, and testing status.

### **🔄 When Changes Are Made:**
1. **IMMEDIATELY UPDATE** this file with any suggestions or changes
2. Mark completed tasks with [x]
3. Add new tasks to appropriate priority section
4. Update conversation log with user feedback

### **💡 PROACTIVE IMPROVEMENTS:**
5. **REGULARLY SUGGEST** improvements and optimizations to Stu
6. **IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES** for:
   - Performance enhancements
   - User experience improvements
   - Code quality and maintainability
   - New feature ideas
7. **PROPOSE SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS** with code examples when possible
8. **RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES** for video conversion and shell scripting

### **🔍 Cross-Platform Compatibility Review:**
9. **ALWAYS CHECK** for compatibility issues across:
   - Windows (Git Bash, WSL, PowerShell)
   - Linux (Wayland, X11, various distros)
10. **IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BREAKING CHANGES** before implementation
11. **SUGGEST ALTERNATIVES** if a feature won't work cross-platform

### **📋 Documentation Requirements:**
12. **UPDATE TESTING CHECKLISTS** for new features
13. **ADD TECHNICAL NOTES** for any platform-specific workarounds
14. **VERIFY** all module dependencies are cross-platform (Windows/Linux only)

### **⚠️ CRITICAL:**
- **NEVER IMPLEMENT** a feature without cross-platform consideration
- **ALWAYS NOTIFY** in this file when platform-specific code is added
- **COORDINATE TESTING** with Stu and user feedback before marking complete

**Goal:** Create the most robust, cross-platform video converter available.

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## 🚨 **Compatibility Alert System**

### **Recent Changes Requiring Review:**
- *None currently - all changes cross-platform verified*

### **Platform-Specific Code Sections:**
- Windows: `wmic` hardware detection, timeout fallback
- Linux: `lspci`/`lshw` hardware detection, `timeout` command

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