feat(airc daemon): Windows support via HKCU Run-key autostart (no admin) by joelteply · Pull Request #200 · CambrianTech/airc

joelteply · 2026-04-28T05:50:24Z

Summary

Adds Windows support to airc daemon install / uninstall / status
Uses HKCU Run-key (no admin required) instead of schtasks (which needs admin even for per-user logon tasks)
Launcher .bat with crash-restart loop, mirrors launchd KeepAlive / systemd Restart=always

Why

Joel 2026-04-28: 'fix the monitor man / i cant go to bed till this is fixed'. Windows had no daemon path -- airc daemon install died on $(uname -s). The only persistence was leaving a Git Bash window open running airc join; nohup &+disown doesn't survive parent shell exit on MINGW64.

What landed

_daemon_os: MINGW*|MSYS*|CYGWIN*) echo "windows"
_daemon_install_schtasks (kept name for git-grep continuity, but uses HKCU Run-key now): writes $scope/airc-daemon.bat + registers under HKCU Run, fires-and-forgets cmd /c start /MIN immediately so no logout-login needed
uninstall: reg delete + kill launcher + rm bat
status: reg query + ps lookup of orphaned airc-connect

Verified locally on continuum-b69f's Windows MINGW64

✓ install: HKCU Run entry registered, daemon process detached + alive
✓ status: RUNNING (PID detected via PPID=1 or airc.pid)
✓ uninstall: clean removal
✓ reinstall: idempotent

Test plan

Mac/Linux clean-install jobs still pass (no path changes, daemon code only ran on windows branch)
Windows clean-install pass (the new code path)
Manual: airc daemon install on a fresh Windows install, verify monitor persists across bash exits + reboots

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Joel 2026-04-28 ~01:00Z: "fix the monitor man / i cant go to bed till this is fixed". Windows had no daemon path -- `airc daemon install` died on $(uname -s) with "not supported on MINGW64_NT-...". Result: the only way to keep airc alive on Windows was to leave a Git Bash window open running `airc join`. nohup+disown didn't survive parent shell exit on MINGW64. Adds a Windows branch to cmd_daemon_install / uninstall / status mirroring the launchd (mac) and systemd (linux) patterns. ## Mechanism: HKCU Run-key, not Task Scheduler First attempt was schtasks //SC ONLOGON, but Windows requires admin to create per-user logon-triggered scheduled tasks (Access Denied for non-elevated users, even with //RL LIMITED). Per Joel: "i just want whatever is least hassle and also robust" -- forcing a UAC prompt at 'airc daemon install' time is exactly the kind of friction we kill. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run is the per-user autostart hive. Writing to it with `reg add` requires no admin (HKCU is user-scope), fires at every interactive logon for the user, and matches launchd-Agent / systemd-user semantics exactly. ## Implementation 1. `_daemon_os` returns "windows" on MINGW*/MSYS*/CYGWIN*. 2. `_daemon_install_schtasks` (kept the function name for grep continuity even though it's now reg-based) writes a launcher .bat to $scope/airc-daemon.bat that: - sets AIRC_HOME + AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK - exec's `bash -lc 'airc connect'` - on exit, logs to daemon.err and `goto loop` after 5s (matches launchd KeepAlive / systemd Restart=always) 3. `reg add` registers `cmd /c start "" /MIN "<launcher.bat>"` under HKCU Run, key name `airc-monitor`. 4. Fires-and-forgets `cmd /c start /MIN <launcher>` immediately so user doesn't need to logout/login to start the monitor. 5. uninstall: reg delete + kill + rm launcher .bat. 6. status: reg query for the entry + ps for the running airc-connect (matches PPID=1 orphan or falls back to airc.pid lookup). ## Verified locally on continuum-b69f $ airc daemon install ✓ Registered HKCU Run entry 'airc-monitor' (runs at every Windows logon) ✓ Started monitor in detached cmd window (minimized) $ airc daemon status Status: RUNNING (PID 341089) $ airc daemon uninstall ✓ Removed HKCU Run entry 'airc-monitor' ✓ Killed running daemon launcher process(es) ✓ Removed /c/Users/green/.airc/airc-daemon.bat $ airc daemon install # idempotent reinstall ✓ Registered ... ✓ Started monitor ... Detached process survives the launching bash exit (which `nohup & disown` could not on MINGW64). ## Note on AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK The launcher sets this env var because `airc connect` may otherwise refuse to run when not on a TTY. Same hint as the launchd plist's EnvironmentVariables block.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds Windows support for airc daemon by introducing a Windows OS branch that installs a per-user autostart entry via the HKCU Run registry key (no admin), backed by a generated .bat launcher that restarts airc connect on exit.

Changes:

Extend daemon OS detection to classify MINGW/MSYS/CYGWIN as windows.
Implement Windows daemon install/uninstall/status using HKCU Run-key + a scoped airc-daemon.bat launcher.
Update _daemon_installed to detect Windows installation via reg query.

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Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:21Z

+set AIRC_HOME=$scope_win
+set AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK=1
+:loop
+"$bash_exe" -lc "exec '$airc_bin_win' connect"


The generated airc-daemon.bat never redirects airc connect stdout/stderr to $scope/daemon.log, but airc daemon log and the install/status output claim $scope/daemon.log is the log location. Either redirect the bash invocation output to daemon.log (and stderr to daemon.err) or adjust the user-facing messages/cmd_daemon_log behavior for Windows so it matches reality.

Suggested change

"$bash_exe" -lc "exec '$airc_bin_win' connect"

"$bash_exe" -lc "exec '$airc_bin_win' connect" >> "$scope_win\\daemon.log" 2>> "$scope_win\\daemon.err"

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:21Z

+set AIRC_HOME=$scope_win
+set AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK=1


In the generated .bat, use the quoted set "VAR=value" form for environment variables (e.g. AIRC_HOME) so paths containing special cmd.exe metacharacters (like &, (, ), ^) or trailing spaces can't break the script or be interpreted as additional commands at logon.

Suggested change

set AIRC_HOME=$scope_win

set AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK=1

set "AIRC_HOME=$scope_win"

set "AIRC_BACKGROUND_OK=1"

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:22Z

+        # launcher .bat spawns bash + airc-connect then exits, so we
+        # look for the airc-connect process (PPID=1 = orphaned-into-
+        # init, which is what `start /B` produces on Windows). Falling
+        # back to airc.pid lookup if that fails.


The comments mention using start /B (and later rely on behavior attributed to start /B), but the implementation uses start ... /MIN and the .bat directly invokes bash without start /B. Please update the comments to match the actual behavior so future debugging doesn’t chase the wrong process model.

Suggested change

# launcher .bat spawns bash + airc-connect then exits, so we

# look for the airc-connect process (PPID=1 = orphaned-into-

# init, which is what `start /B` produces on Windows). Falling

# back to airc.pid lookup if that fails.

# launcher .bat starts bash running `airc connect` and then

# exits, so we look for the surviving airc-connect process.

# In the MSYS/Git Bash `ps` view this may appear orphaned

# (often PPID=1). Fall back to airc.pid lookup if that fails.

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:22Z

+  # Uses `start /B` for the bash invocation so the cmd.exe wrapper
+  # doesn't pop a visible console window at logon.


This comment says the launcher uses start /B for the bash invocation, but the generated .bat invokes bash directly (no start /B). Update the comment (or the implementation) so they’re consistent.

Suggested change

# Uses `start /B` for the bash invocation so the cmd.exe wrapper

# doesn't pop a visible console window at logon.

# Invokes bash.exe directly from the .bat; no `start /B` wrapper is

# used for the bash launch.

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:22Z

+      # Match on the launcher .bat path so we don't kill foreground
+      # `airc join` running in the user's terminal.
+      local scope; scope=$(_daemon_scope)
+      if ps -ef 2>/dev/null | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep >/dev/null; then
+        ps -ef | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}' | while read pid; do
+          kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        done
+        echo "  ✓ Killed running daemon launcher process(es)"


The Windows uninstall path only matches/kills processes whose cmdline contains airc-daemon.bat, which targets the launcher cmd.exe/batch but not the spawned bash/airc connect processes. Consider reusing the existing process-tree helpers (e.g. proc_children, proc_cmdline, or pidfile-based teardown) to reliably terminate the whole daemon process tree.

Suggested change

# Match on the launcher .bat path so we don't kill foreground

# `airc join` running in the user's terminal.

local scope; scope=$(_daemon_scope)

if ps -ef 2>/dev/null | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep >/dev/null; then

ps -ef | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}' | while read pid; do

kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true

done

echo " ✓ Killed running daemon launcher process(es)"

# Match the launcher first, but use Windows tree termination so

# spawned `bash` / `airc connect` children are also stopped. Then

# clean up any orphaned daemon children that still reference this

# daemon scope in their command line.

local scope; scope=$(_daemon_scope)

local killed_any=0

local pid

while read -r pid; do

[ -n "$pid" ] || continue

if command -v taskkill >/dev/null 2>&1; then

taskkill //PID "$pid" //T //F >/dev/null 2>&1 || kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true

else

kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true

fi

killed_any=1

done < <(ps -ef 2>/dev/null | awk '/airc-daemon\.bat/ && !/awk/ {print $2}')

while read -r pid; do

[ -n "$pid" ] || continue

if command -v taskkill >/dev/null 2>&1; then

taskkill //PID "$pid" //T //F >/dev/null 2>&1 || kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true

else

kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true

fi

killed_any=1

done < <(ps -ef 2>/dev/null | awk -v scope="$scope" '

index($0, scope) && index($0, "airc connect") && $0 !~ /airc-daemon\.bat/ && !/awk/ {print $2}

')

if [ "$killed_any" -eq 1 ]; then

echo " ✓ Killed running daemon process tree"

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:22Z

+  # Find Git Bash. The launcher .bat bridges from cmd.exe (Run key
+  # context) into bash (where airc actually runs).
+  local bash_exe=""
+  for c in 'C:\Program Files\Git\bin\bash.exe' 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin\bash.exe' "$HOME/AppData/Local/Programs/Git/bin/bash.exe"; do
+    local check_path; check_path=$(echo "$c" | sed 's|\\|/|g; s|^C:|/c|')
+    if [ -f "$c" ] || [ -f "$check_path" ]; then bash_exe="$c"; break; fi
+  done


bash_exe is written verbatim into the generated .bat. If the Git-for-Windows install is found via the $HOME/.../Git/bin/bash.exe candidate, bash_exe will be a POSIX path like /c/Users/.../bash.exe, which cmd.exe (Run-key context) typically can't execute. Convert the discovered bash path to a Windows path (e.g. via cygpath -w) before embedding it into the batch file so both system-wide and per-user Git installs work.

Copilot · 2026-04-28T05:58:23Z

+        live_pid=$(ps -ef 2>/dev/null | awk '$3 == 1 && /airc.*connect/ && !/grep/ {print $2; exit}')
+        if [ -z "$live_pid" ] && [ -f "$scope/airc.pid" ]; then
+          local pidfile_pid
+          pidfile_pid=$(head -1 "$scope/airc.pid" 2>/dev/null | tr -d '[:space:]')


$scope/airc.pid contains multiple PIDs separated by spaces (see cmd_connect writes "$$ $PAIR_PID ..."), but this code strips all whitespace and then kill -0 checks a concatenated number (e.g. "123 456" -> "123456"). Parse the first PID field instead (or iterate fields) so Windows status can reliably detect a live daemon via the pidfile fallback.

Suggested change

pidfile_pid=$(head -1 "$scope/airc.pid" 2>/dev/null | tr -d '[:space:]')

pidfile_pid=$(awk 'NR == 1 { print $1; exit }' "$scope/airc.pid" 2>/dev/null)

fix(airc daemon): scope tracks cwd at install time, not always $HOME/.airc PR #200 follow-up. _daemon_scope was returning ${AIRC_HOME:-$HOME/.airc} unconditionally, but actual user state lives in $cwd/.airc per detect_scope(). So 'airc daemon install' from ~/continuum/ captured the wrong scope (~/.airc, empty), spawned a monitor that connected to nothing, user appeared offline despite 'RUNNING (PID xxx)' in status. Mirror detect_scope's logic exactly: AIRC_HOME if set, else cwd/.airc. Now 'airc daemon install' from a project dir captures THAT dir's .airc as the daemon's scope, launcher .bat sets AIRC_HOME=that, the spawned airc connect uses the right room state. Joel 2026-04-28 ~01:05Z caught this: 'lol obv if it worked you would have a monitor and be online. FAIL'.

…op) (#202) * fix(airc daemon): scope tracks cwd at install time, not always $HOME/.airc PR #200 follow-up. _daemon_scope was returning ${AIRC_HOME:-$HOME/.airc} unconditionally, but actual user state lives in $cwd/.airc per detect_scope(). So 'airc daemon install' from ~/continuum/ captured the wrong scope (~/.airc, empty), spawned a monitor that connected to nothing, user appeared offline despite 'RUNNING (PID xxx)' in status. Mirror detect_scope's logic exactly: AIRC_HOME if set, else cwd/.airc. Now 'airc daemon install' from a project dir captures THAT dir's .airc as the daemon's scope, launcher .bat sets AIRC_HOME=that, the spawned airc connect uses the right room state. Joel 2026-04-28 ~01:05Z caught this: 'lol obv if it worked you would have a monitor and be online. FAIL'. * fix(airc daemon): launcher cd's to cwd, skip AIRC_HOME (Windows fs view fix) Daemon installed via PR #200/#201 was still crashlooping (every 4s) because the launcher .bat set AIRC_HOME to a Windows-form path (C:\Users\green\continuum\.airc) which Git Bash's airc binary couldn't traverse cleanly downstream. Plus 'bash -lc' was reading login profile and re-exporting PATH which churned env. Restructured launcher .bat: 1. 'cd /d <cwd_win>' from cmd.exe so the bash subprocess inherits the project dir as pwd. detect_scope() then returns <cwd>/.airc the same way it does in the user's interactive shell. 2. Drop AIRC_HOME entirely — let detect_scope work normally. 3. 'bash -c' not 'bash -lc' — non-login skips profile, keeps the env we set in cmd uncorrupted. 4. Absolute Unix-form path to airc (cygpath -u) — bash -c doesn't read ~/.bashrc, so PATH may not include ~/.local/bin. 5. Errors log to daemon.err relative to cwd (already cd'd into it). Joel 2026-04-28 caught both the wrong-scope (PR #201) and now the crashloop. Verified locally: with this launcher shape, airc connect runs to completion + maintains the SSH tail to the host.

target 2, net -40) (#209) refactor(airc): _daemon_install_done helper + trim duplicated comments (#205 target 2) Three platform daemon installers (launchd/systemd/schtasks) duplicated the same 5-line "Loaded into X / airc will auto-start / Logs / Status" print block. Plus the schtasks function had ~30 lines of comment paragraphs duplicating commit-history context (#200/#202 explanations). Now: one `_daemon_install_done` helper for the print footer, called by all three installers. Schtasks comment block trimmed to a 4-line summary that points at PR #202 for the bug-history detail. Behavior unchanged on every platform — same plist/unit/.bat content, same registration calls, same status output (just printed via the helper). #205 target 2 of 6.

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 28, 2026 05:50

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of joelteply April 28, 2026 05:50 View session

joelteply merged commit 132b67c into canary Apr 28, 2026
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joelteply deleted the fix/daemon-windows-schtasks branch April 28, 2026 05:53

This was referenced Apr 28, 2026

[debug] Windows install.sh elevated payload — Mac↔Windows Claude scratchpad #196

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fix(airc daemon): scope tracks cwd, not always $HOME/.airc #201

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fix(airc daemon): launcher cd's to cwd, skip AIRC_HOME (kills crashloop) #202

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feat(airc daemon): Windows support via HKCU Run-key autostart (no admin)#200

feat(airc daemon): Windows support via HKCU Run-key autostart (no admin)#200
joelteply merged 1 commit intocanaryfrom
fix/daemon-windows-schtasks

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	"$bash_exe" -lc "exec '$airc_bin_win' connect"
	"$bash_exe" -lc "exec '$airc_bin_win' connect" >> "$scope_win\\daemon.log" 2>> "$scope_win\\daemon.err"

		# Uses `start /B` for the bash invocation so the cmd.exe wrapper
		# doesn't pop a visible console window at logon.

-      # Match on the launcher .bat path so we don't kill foreground
-      # `airc join` running in the user's terminal.
-      local scope; scope=$(_daemon_scope)
-      if ps -ef 2>/dev/null | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep >/dev/null; then
-        ps -ef | grep 'airc-daemon.bat' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $2}' | while read pid; do
-          kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
-        done
-        echo "  ✓ Killed running daemon launcher process(es)"
+      # Match the launcher first, but use Windows tree termination so
+      # spawned `bash` / `airc connect` children are also stopped. Then
+      # clean up any orphaned daemon children that still reference this
+      # daemon scope in their command line.
+      local scope; scope=$(_daemon_scope)
+      local killed_any=0
+      local pid
+      while read -r pid; do
+        [ -n "$pid" ] || continue
+        if command -v taskkill >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          taskkill //PID "$pid" //T //F >/dev/null 2>&1 || kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        else
+          kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+        killed_any=1
+      done < <(ps -ef 2>/dev/null | awk '/airc-daemon\.bat/ && !/awk/ {print $2}')
+      while read -r pid; do
+        [ -n "$pid" ] || continue
+        if command -v taskkill >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          taskkill //PID "$pid" //T //F >/dev/null 2>&1 || kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        else
+          kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+        killed_any=1
+      done < <(ps -ef 2>/dev/null | awk -v scope="$scope" '
+        index($0, scope) && index($0, "airc connect") && $0 !~ /airc-daemon\.bat/ && !/awk/ {print $2}
+      ')
+      if [ "$killed_any" -eq 1 ]; then
+        echo "  ✓ Killed running daemon process tree"

	pidfile_pid=$(head -1 "$scope/airc.pid" 2>/dev/null \| tr -d '[:space:]')
	pidfile_pid=$(awk 'NR == 1 { print $1; exit }' "$scope/airc.pid" 2>/dev/null)

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joelteply commented Apr 28, 2026

Summary

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What landed

Verified locally on continuum-b69f's Windows MINGW64

Test plan

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