ci: drop upload-artifact step from build.yml

actions/upload-artifact@v7 fails on Gitea Actions — the GitHub
artifact API has compatibility gaps the Gitea runtime layer does not
fully cover, and v7 specifically tripped exitcode 1 on the Strato
runner. The build itself runs fine; the artefact was never consumed
by anything (release.yml does its own latest.zip lookup), so the
cleanest fix is to make build.yml a pure compile-health check
without artefact upload.

.githooks/pre-push

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# .githooks/pre-push — invokes preflight.sh (A/B/C/D=build).
+exec scripts/preflight.sh

.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md

@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/security/advisories/new
 - [ ] Documentation only
 - [ ] Translation update
 - [ ] Build, CI or tooling change
-- [ ] Upstream cherry-pick from Chat 2
 
 ## Linked issue
 
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ new commands, new translations, removed behaviour. If none, write
   bump and is it covered by the existing migration tests?
 - Does this change the schema in MessageStore?
 - Does this change the repo.json or HellionChat.yaml manifest fields?
-- Does this affect the upstream cherry-pick path? See docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md.
 -->
 
 ## Checklist

.github/forge-posts/v1.4.0.md

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+---
+subtitle: Critical Lifecycle Fixes
+versionsnatur: Stability-Hotfix
+---
+
+**Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**
+
+Erster Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Sieben
+bekannte Lifecycle- und Race-Bugs aus den Audit-Pässen
+abgearbeitet, bevor Performance- und Architektur-Refactors
+draufkommen.
+
+- **SQLite-Dispose** lehnt sich nicht mehr an GC-Druck zur
+  Datei-Freigabe an, Pooling=false auf der Connection macht
+  den manuellen GC.Collect überflüssig
+- **Worker-Threads** (PendingMessage, RetentionSweep) sind
+  jetzt explizit IsBackground=true, das Plugin-Domain kann
+  sauber unloaden bei XIVLauncher-Reload ohne darauf zu warten
+- **EmoteCache-Loader** von async-void auf async-Task mit
+  shared Task-Tracker, drain-on-Dispose. Kein Schreib-Risiko
+  mehr auf disposed EmoteImages-Einträge nach Plugin-Reload
+- **DisposeAsync-Timeout** (10s) warnt jetzt laut statt silent
+  zu failen
+- **Plugin-Dispose** flushed pending DeferredSave bevor Services
+  abgebaut werden, Settings-Änderungen aus den letzten Frames
+  vor Disable überleben jetzt zuverlässig
+- **v13→v14 Config-Migration** liest pre-v13-Backup und überträgt
+  HellionThemeWindowOpacity in das neue WindowOpacity-Feld statt
+  auf 0.85 zurückzufallen
+
+Keine Schema-Bumps, keine User-sichtbaren Funktions-Änderungen
+außer dass Reload und Shutdown spürbar sauberer laufen.

.github/forge-posts/v1.4.1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+---
+subtitle: Theme Engine Performance
+versionsnatur: Performance-Patch
+---
+
+**Hellion Chat 1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance**
+
+Zweiter Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Heap-Pressure
+aus dem Theme-Engine-Render-Pfad eliminiert, Custom-Theme-
+Hot-Reload überlebt transiente File-Locks beim Editor-Save.
+Plus zehnter Built-In und überarbeitete Author-Credits.
+
+- **ABGR-Cache auf den Theme-Records.** Beim Theme-Register
+  (Built-In oder Custom) werden alle Color-Slots einmalig in
+  ABGR-Pack-Form vor-konvertiert. HellionStyle.PushGlobal
+  liest aus dem Cache statt pro Slot pro Frame durch
+  ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr zu jagen. Real gemessene
+  Frame-Time-Recovery: **~13 %** in typischer Render-Szene
+  (Plan-Erwartung war 2-6 % konservativ, real ~10-15 %)
+- **Custom-Theme File-Lock-Härtung.** Wenn der User ein
+  Theme-JSON gerade speichert während HellionChat reloaden
+  will, fängt der Loader jetzt explizit Sharing-Violation
+  und Lock-Violation ab. Last-Known-Good-Snapshot bleibt im
+  Picker, beim nächsten Tick wird automatisch retry'd —
+  vorher fiel das Theme aus der Liste bis zum Plugin-Reload
+- **Defensive Cache-Refresh beim Theme-Switch.** Falls ein
+  Theme auf einem alten Pfad ohne Cache-Fill in den Speicher
+  gekommen ist, holt Switch() das beim Anwenden nach
+- **Synthwave Sunset als zehnter Built-In.** Hot Magenta +
+  Cyan auf Mitternachts-Violett, 80s-Neon-Grid-Vibes für
+  Late-Night-Raids
+- **Author-Credits konsolidiert.** Brand-Themes laufen jetzt
+  unter „Hellion Forge". Mint Grove und Forge Merchantman
+  werden Carla Beleandis als Community-Geste zugeschrieben.
+
+Keine Schema-Bumps, keine User-sichtbaren Funktions-
+Änderungen außer dass die Frames in Theme-getrieben
+rendernden Szenen merklich glatter laufen und ein neues
+Theme im Picker steht.

.github/forge-posts/v1.4.2.md

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+---
+subtitle: ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path
+versionsnatur: Performance-Patch
+---
+
+**Hellion Chat 1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path**
+
+Dritter Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Drei
+Per-Frame-Allokations-Quellen aus dem ChatLogWindow-Render-
+Pfad und der Settings-StatusBar eliminiert.
+
+- **Card-Mode-Border-Loop entlastet.** DrawMessages hebt
+  Theme, DrawList, Window-Left, Window-Right und die ABGR-
+  Border-Color einmalig vor den Per-Message-Loop. Bei 100
+  sichtbaren Messages sind das gut 500 redundante P/Invokes
+  und Property-Reads, die der Hoist eliminiert. Pop-Out-
+  Heavy-Setups (mehrere parallele Chat-Windows) profitieren
+  proportional, weil der Hoist pro DrawMessages-Call greift,
+  also pro Window
+- **Auto-Tell Tab-Tint und Icon gecached.** Die Hash-Color-
+  Berechnung für Auto-Tell-Tabs lief pro Tab pro Frame, mit
+  zwei String-Allokationen pro Tab (eine für Tint-Hash, eine
+  für Icon-Hash). Der neue TabTintCache liest pre-computed
+  Werte aus dem Tab und rechnet nur neu wenn das Tell-Target
+  drifted. Beide Caches haben separate Validation-Keys, also
+  keine Cross-Invalidation zwischen Tint- und Icon-Pfad.
+  AutoTellTabTint selbst bleibt pure Hash-Helper, weiterhin
+  ohne Tab-Awareness
+- **StatusBar-Aggregation hinter Cache-Gate.** Die Status-
+  Leiste am unteren Window-Rand summiert die Tab-Message-
+  Counts und zählt die Auto-Tell-Tabs pro Frame. Der Cache-
+  Gate (1 Sekunde) lag bisher hinter den LINQ-Pfaden, also
+  liefen Sum und Count trotzdem pro Frame. Jetzt vor dem
+  Gate, plus die LINQ-Pfade durch eine Single-Pass-Foreach
+  ersetzt. Die Aggregation läuft auf etwa 1 % der Frames
+
+Realistische Frame-Time-Recovery: 2-5 % in typischen Szenen,
+Pop-Out-Heavy-Setups potenziell mehr durch die Card-Border-
+Multiplikation pro Window.
+
+Keine Schema-Bumps, keine User-sichtbaren Funktions-
+Änderungen außer dass die Frames im Chat-Log und in der
+Settings-Statusleiste merklich glatter laufen.

.github/release-footer.md

@@ -8,19 +8,19 @@ Dalamud main plugin repo. To install:
 
 1. In XIVLauncher: **Settings → Experimental → Custom Plugin Repositories**
 2. Add the URL:
-   `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/repo.json`
+   `https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/raw/branch/main/repo.json`
 3. Enable, save, then `/xlplugins` → search **Hellion Chat** → install
 
 ## Project documents
 
-- [README](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/README.md) — features, architecture, build
+- [README](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/README.md) — features, architecture, build
-- [Privacy notice](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/PRIVACY.md) — what the plugin stores and sends
+- [Privacy notice](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/PRIVACY.md) — what the plugin stores and sends
-- [Third-party notices](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md) — dependencies and licences
+- [Third-party notices](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md) — dependencies and licences
-- [Security policy](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/SECURITY.md) — vulnerability reporting
+- [Security policy](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/SECURITY.md) — vulnerability reporting
-- [Support](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/SUPPORT.md) — bug reports, questions, contact paths
+- [Support](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/SUPPORT.md) — bug reports, questions, contact paths
 
 ## Licence
 
-[EUPL-1.2](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/blob/main/LICENSE).
+[EUPL-1.2](https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/src/branch/main/LICENSE).
 Based on [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) by Infi and Anna,
 also EUPL-1.2.

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ name: Build
 # Verifies that every push to main and every PR still builds against the
 # current Dalamud staging branch. Does not produce release artefacts; the
 # release workflow handles that on tag.
+#
+# Linux runner: gitea.com Cloud Actions provides ubuntu-latest. The plugin
+# csproj targets net10.0-windows, but `dotnet build` cross-compiles on
+# Linux as long as the Dalamud staging assemblies are present at the
+# expected lookup path ($(HOME)/.xlcore/dalamud/Hooks/dev/, which the
+# Dalamud SDK 15 uses on Linux).
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -21,7 +27,7 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   build:
     name: Build (Release)
-    runs-on: windows-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 15
 
     steps:
@@ -34,23 +40,14 @@ jobs:
           dotnet-version: 10.0.x
 
       - name: Download Dalamud staging
-        shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          $hooks = Join-Path $env:APPDATA "XIVLauncher\addon\Hooks\dev"
+          hooks="$HOME/.xlcore/dalamud/Hooks/dev"
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $hooks | Out-Null
+          mkdir -p "$hooks"
-          Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://goatcorp.github.io/dalamud-distrib/stg/latest.zip -OutFile dalamud.zip
+          curl -fsSL https://goatcorp.github.io/dalamud-distrib/stg/latest.zip -o dalamud.zip
-          Expand-Archive -Force -Path dalamud.zip -DestinationPath $hooks
+          unzip -oq dalamud.zip -d "$hooks"
 
       - name: Restore
         run: dotnet restore HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj
 
       - name: Build (Release)
         run: dotnet build HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj --configuration Release --no-restore
-
-      - name: Upload build output
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
-        with:
-          name: HellionChat-build-${{ github.run_number }}
-          path: HellionChat/bin/Release/**/HellionChat/**
-          if-no-files-found: warn
-          retention-days: 14

.github/workflows/codeql.yml

@@ -1,93 +0,0 @@
-name: CodeQL
-
-# Replaces the GitHub default-setup CodeQL scan. The default setup runs
-# without resolving the Dalamud assemblies (they live in a user-AppData
-# path) and reports "Low C# analysis quality" because call-target
-# resolution sits at ~64%. This workflow downloads the Dalamud staging
-# distribution before the build, runs a manual dotnet build, and then
-# lets CodeQL analyse the fully-resolved compilation. Quality climbs
-# back above the 85% thresholds.
-#
-# This workflow only consumes trusted inputs: the tag/branch ref via
-# the standard checkout action, and the Dalamud distribution URL which
-# is pinned to a goatcorp-controlled GitHub Pages target. No user-
-# controlled event payload (issue title, PR body, commit message) flows
-# into a run-step.
-#
-# Disable the default setup in the repo before this workflow lands:
-# Settings -> Code security -> Code scanning -> "CodeQL analysis" tile
-# -> Switch to advanced.
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: [main]
-  pull_request:
-    branches: [main]
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '17 6 * * 1'
-
-permissions:
-  actions: read
-  contents: read
-  security-events: write
-
-jobs:
-  analyze-csharp:
-    name: Analyze (csharp)
-    runs-on: windows-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 30
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd  # v6.0.2
-
-      - name: Setup .NET 10
-        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@c2fa09f4bde5ebb9d1777cf28262a3eb3db3ced7  # v5.2.0
-        with:
-          dotnet-version: 10.0.x
-
-      - name: Download Dalamud staging
-        shell: pwsh
-        run: |
-          $hooks = Join-Path $env:APPDATA "XIVLauncher\addon\Hooks\dev"
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $hooks | Out-Null
-          Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://goatcorp.github.io/dalamud-distrib/stg/latest.zip -OutFile dalamud.zip
-          Expand-Archive -Force -Path dalamud.zip -DestinationPath $hooks
-
-      - name: Initialize CodeQL
-        uses: github/codeql-action/init@e46ed2cbd01164d986452f91f178727624ae40d7  # v4.35.3
-        with:
-          languages: csharp
-          build-mode: manual
-          queries: security-extended
-
-      - name: Restore
-        run: dotnet restore HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj
-
-      - name: Build (Release)
-        run: dotnet build HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj --configuration Release --no-restore
-
-      - name: Perform CodeQL analysis
-        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@e46ed2cbd01164d986452f91f178727624ae40d7  # v4.35.3
-        with:
-          category: /language:csharp
-
-  analyze-actions:
-    name: Analyze (actions)
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd  # v6.0.2
-
-      - name: Initialize CodeQL
-        uses: github/codeql-action/init@e46ed2cbd01164d986452f91f178727624ae40d7  # v4.35.3
-        with:
-          languages: actions
-          build-mode: none
-
-      - name: Perform CodeQL analysis
-        uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@e46ed2cbd01164d986452f91f178727624ae40d7  # v4.35.3
-        with:
-          category: /language:actions

.github/workflows/forge-announce.yml

@@ -34,10 +34,9 @@ jobs:
   announce:
     name: Post changelog to Hellion Forge
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    # The DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK secret lives under Settings → Environments
+    # The DISCORD_FORGE_WEBHOOK secret is set as a repo-level Actions Secret
-    # → Webhook (case-sensitive). Without this declaration the secret is
+    # on Gitea (Settings → Actions → Secrets). Repo-level secrets are in
-    # not in scope for the job.
+    # scope for every job by default, no environment: declaration needed.
-    environment: Webhook
     timeout-minutes: 5
 
     steps:
@@ -134,7 +133,7 @@ jobs:
           # ---------- Embed-Payload bauen ----------
           $payload = [ordered]@{
               username = "Forge Herald"
-              avatar_url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/icon.png"
+              avatar_url = "https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/raw/branch/main/HellionChat/images/icon.png"
               content = "<@&1500489631555260446>"
               allowed_mentions = [ordered]@{
                   parse = @()
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ jobs:
               embeds = @(
                   [ordered]@{
                       title = $title
-                      url = "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/tag/$tag"
+                      url = "https://gitea.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/tag/$tag"
                       color = 12730636
                       description = $description
                       footer = [ordered]@{ text = $footerText }

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -2,15 +2,19 @@ name: Release
 
 # Triggered when a vX.Y.Z tag is pushed. Builds the plugin against the
 # current Dalamud staging branch, locates the latest.zip produced by
-# DalamudPackager and attaches it to the matching GitHub Release.
+# DalamudPackager and attaches it to the matching Gitea Release.
 #
 # User-controlled inputs touched by this workflow:
 #   - the tag name (filtered by on.tags = v*, validated again at runtime
 #     against ^v\d+\.\d+\.\d+$ before being used in any string)
 # All other values are either repo-controlled (paths under
-# HellionChat/bin/Release derived from Get-ChildItem) or pinned URLs to
+# HellionChat/bin/Release derived from find / Get-ChildItem) or pinned
-# goatcorp / GitHub. Nothing from a webhook event payload (issue/PR
+# URLs to goatcorp / gitea. Nothing from a webhook event payload (issue/PR
 # titles, commit messages, etc.) flows into a run-step.
+#
+# Linux runner: gitea.com Cloud Actions only ships ubuntu-latest. The
+# plugin csproj targets net10.0-windows, `dotnet build` cross-compiles on
+# Linux when the Dalamud staging assemblies sit under $(HOME)/.xlcore/...
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -33,7 +37,7 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   release:
     name: Build and attach release ZIP
-    runs-on: windows-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
 
     steps:
@@ -52,27 +56,25 @@ jobs:
           dotnet-version: 10.0.x
 
       - name: Download Dalamud staging
-        shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          $hooks = Join-Path $env:APPDATA "XIVLauncher\addon\Hooks\dev"
+          hooks="$HOME/.xlcore/dalamud/Hooks/dev"
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $hooks | Out-Null
+          mkdir -p "$hooks"
-          Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://goatcorp.github.io/dalamud-distrib/stg/latest.zip -OutFile dalamud.zip
+          curl -fsSL https://goatcorp.github.io/dalamud-distrib/stg/latest.zip -o dalamud.zip
-          Expand-Archive -Force -Path dalamud.zip -DestinationPath $hooks
+          unzip -oq dalamud.zip -d "$hooks"
 
       - name: Build (Release)
         run: dotnet build HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj --configuration Release
 
       - name: Locate latest.zip
         id: locate
-        shell: pwsh
         run: |
-          $zip = Get-ChildItem -Path HellionChat\bin\Release -Recurse -Filter latest.zip | Select-Object -First 1
+          zip="$(find HellionChat/bin/Release -name latest.zip -print -quit)"
-          if (-not $zip)
+          if [ -z "$zip" ]; then
-          {
+              echo "latest.zip not found under HellionChat/bin/Release" >&2
-              throw "latest.zip not found under HellionChat\bin\Release"
+              exit 1
-          }
+          fi
-          Write-Host "Found: $($zip.FullName)"
+          echo "Found: $zip"
-          "path=$($zip.FullName)" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT -Append
+          echo "path=$zip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       # Build a release body from the matching changelog block in
       # HellionChat.yaml plus a static install / docs footer. Fails the
@@ -150,8 +152,13 @@ jobs:
           Write-Host $body
           Write-Host "----------------------------------------"
 
-      - name: Attach to GitHub release
+      # Gitea-native release action. Creates the release if the tag has no
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3
+      # release yet, or updates the existing one. body_path provides the
+      # generated release body, files attaches latest.zip. The auto-injected
+      # GITHUB_TOKEN on Gitea Actions has Gitea-API scope and is sufficient
+      # for release write.
+      - name: Attach to Gitea release
+        uses: https://gitea.com/actions/release-action@main
         with:
           # Explicit tag_name so the action targets the correct release in
           # both push:tags (auto) and workflow_dispatch (manual recovery)
@@ -160,5 +167,4 @@ jobs:
           tag_name: ${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
           files: ${{ steps.locate.outputs.path }}
           body_path: release-body.md
-          fail_on_unmatched_files: true
+          api_key: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          generate_release_notes: false

.gitignore

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 .envrc
 !.env.example
 .vscode/
-scripts/
+scripts/setup-dev-env.sh
 
 # Local test project (stays out of the published plugin repo;
 # pure-function safety net for refactor cycles)

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@ to make a contribution land smoothly.
 - Read the [README](README.md) so you understand the scope: a
   privacy-focused, EUPL-1.2-licensed Dalamud plugin that intentionally
   removes the upstream webinterface and ships privacy-first defaults.
-- Read [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md). Cherry-picks
+- Read [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md). Active
-  from upstream Chat 2 are selective and deliberate; not everything
+  cherry-picking from upstream Chat 2 has ended in the v1.4.x cycle;
-  that lands there belongs here.
+  HellionChat continues as an independent codebase. Existing
+  upstream-derived code keeps its attribution. New contributions
+  stand on their own and do not need to be cherry-pick-compatible.
 - Read [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md). Anything security-sensitive goes
   through a private advisory, never a public issue or PR.
 - Read the [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).
@@ -43,9 +45,11 @@ to make a contribution land smoothly.
   "Was gegenüber Chat 2 fehlt".
 - Features that bypass the privacy filter or weaken the default
   retention behaviour without an explicit, documented opt-in.
-- Sweeping refactors that touch large parts of the codebase. They make
+- Sweeping refactors that touch large parts of the codebase. The
-  selective upstream cherry-picks much harder and the maintenance cost
+  maintenance cost outweighs the benefit for a one-person project.
-  outweighs the benefit for a one-person project.
+  (This used to be doubly important because of the upstream
+  cherry-pick path; that path is closed now, but the rule still
+  holds on its own merits.)
 - AI-generated code dropped in without disclosure or human review. See
   [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) for how I handle
   AI assistance on my side; I expect comparable transparency from
@@ -117,9 +121,15 @@ Hellion-specific strings live in
 direct pull requests.
 
 The upstream Chat 2 strings in `HellionChat/Resources/Language.*.resx`
-are **not** translated here. They are owned by the upstream project
+are **not** translated here. They are kept as-is from the last
-and synced in via cherry-pick. Please contribute those to
+upstream sync and remain the work of the Chat 2 Crowdin community.
-[Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) instead.
+Active cherry-picking from upstream ended in the v1.4.x cycle (see
+[`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md)), so future
+translation improvements to those upstream strings will not flow
+into HellionChat automatically anymore. If you have improvements
+for the original Chat 2 strings, please contribute them to
+[Infiziert90/ChatTwo](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo)
+directly.
 
 ## Licensing
 
@@ -145,3 +155,19 @@ I respond on weekdays during European business hours and take weekends
 and FFXIV patch days off. A pull request that sits for a few days has
 not been ignored. Pinging once after a week is fine; please do not
 ping daily.
+
+## First-time setup
+
+After cloning, run once:
+
+```bash
+./scripts/setup-hooks.sh
+```
+
+This wires `core.hooksPath` to `.githooks/`. The pre-push hook runs preflight
+(versions/manifest/changelog/build).
+
+### Test suite
+
+The plugin's test suite lives in a separate local repository and is not part of
+this codebase. If you need access for development, contact the maintainer.

HellionChat/Branding/BrandingLinks.cs

@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ namespace HellionChat.Branding;
 // Centralised so a future invite rotation only touches one file. The same
 // link is currently hard-coded in repo.json, README.md, SUPPORT.md,
 // CONTRIBUTORS.md and HellionChat.yaml — those will be migrated to consume
-// this constant in a separate housekeeping sweep, but that's out of scope
+// this constant in a separate housekeeping sweep
-// for this Cycle.
 internal static class BrandingLinks
 {
     public const string HellionForgeDiscordInvite = "https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR";

HellionChat/Configuration.cs

@@ -482,6 +482,16 @@ public class Tab
     // session. NonSerialized because the temp tab itself is session-only.
     [NonSerialized] public bool IsGreeted;
 
+    // v1.4.2 — TabTintCache uses separate validation keys per cache so a
+    // TellTarget change picked up by GetTint can't strand GetIcon (or vice
+    // versa) with a stale entry that looks fresh on the shared key.
+    [NonSerialized] internal string? _cachedTintTellName;
+    [NonSerialized] internal uint _cachedTintTellWorld;
+    [NonSerialized] internal uint _cachedTellTint;
+    [NonSerialized] internal string? _cachedIconTellName;
+    [NonSerialized] internal uint _cachedIconTellWorld;
+    [NonSerialized] internal string? _cachedTellIcon;
+
     public bool Matches(Message message)
     {
         if (!message.Matches(SelectedChannels, ExtraChatAll, ExtraChatChannels))

HellionChat/EmoteCache.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using System.Numerics;
+using System.Collections.Concurrent;
+using System.Numerics;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 using Dalamud.Interface.Textures;
@@ -73,6 +74,19 @@ public static class EmoteCache
     private static CancellationTokenSource Cts = new();
     internal static CancellationToken Token => Cts.Token;
 
+    // Drain target for in-flight loads on Dispose; without this an orphan
+    // continuation could still write to a torn-down Texture/Frames field.
+    private static readonly ConcurrentBag<Task> PendingLoads = new();
+
+    internal static void TrackLoad(Task loadTask, string emoteCode)
+    {
+        PendingLoads.Add(loadTask.ContinueWith(t =>
+        {
+            if (t.IsFaulted)
+                Plugin.Log.Error(t.Exception!, $"EmoteCache load failed for {emoteCode}");
+        }, TaskScheduler.Default));
+    }
+
     public static async Task LoadData()
     {
         if (State is not LoadingState.Unloaded)
@@ -135,10 +149,20 @@ public static class EmoteCache
 
     public static void Dispose()
     {
-        // Cancel in-flight downloads / texture creates so the async-void
-        // Load methods bail out before they touch a disposed TextureProvider.
         Cts.Cancel();
 
+        // 5s upper bound; anything still running gets abandoned.
+        try
+        {
+            Task.WaitAll(PendingLoads.ToArray(), TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        }
+        catch (AggregateException)
+        {
+            // Faults already logged in TrackLoad.
+        }
+
+        while (PendingLoads.TryTake(out _)) { }
+
         foreach (var emote in EmoteImages.Values)
             emote.InnerDispose();
     }
@@ -233,11 +257,12 @@ public static class EmoteCache
         public ImGuiEmote Prepare(Emote emote)
         {
             var ct = EmoteCache.Token;
-            Task.Run(() => Load(emote, ct), ct);
+            // Task.Run keeps the sync prefix off the ImGui render thread.
+            EmoteCache.TrackLoad(Task.Run(() => LoadAsyncTracked(emote, ct), ct), emote.Code);
             return this;
         }
 
-        private async void Load(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
+        private async Task LoadAsyncTracked(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
         {
             try
             {
@@ -251,8 +276,6 @@ public static class EmoteCache
             }
             catch (OperationCanceledException)
             {
-                // Plugin disposed mid-load; the EmoteImages entry is also
-                // being torn down, no extra cleanup needed.
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
@@ -310,11 +333,11 @@ public static class EmoteCache
         public ImGuiGif Prepare(Emote emote)
         {
             var ct = EmoteCache.Token;
-            Task.Run(() => Load(emote, ct), ct);
+            EmoteCache.TrackLoad(Task.Run(() => LoadAsyncTracked(emote, ct), ct), emote.Code);
             return this;
         }
 
-        private async void Load(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
+        private async Task LoadAsyncTracked(Emote emote, CancellationToken ct)
         {
             try
             {

HellionChat/GameFunctions/ChatBox.cs

@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@ public unsafe class ChatBox
     }
 
     public static void SendMessage(string message)
+    {
+        var bytes = ValidateMessage(message);
+        SendMessageUnsafe(bytes);
+    }
+
+    // Validation split out so the deterministic checks (UTF-8 length, sanitise
+    // round-trip) can run in xUnit without ClientStructs game memory. The
+    // sanitiser is injectable so tests can pin throw behaviour without invoking
+    // Utf8String->SanitizeString, which only resolves in-process. Returns the
+    // already-encoded bytes so SendMessage doesn't pay GetBytes twice.
+    // TEST-MIRROR: ../../../Hellion Build test/GameFunctions/ChatBoxTests.cs
+    internal static byte[] ValidateMessage(string message, Func<string, string>? sanitiserOverride = null)
     {
         var bytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(message);
         if (bytes.Length == 0)
@@ -24,10 +36,11 @@ public unsafe class ChatBox
         if (bytes.Length > 500)
             throw new ArgumentException(Language.ChatBox_Error_Too_Long, nameof(message));
 
-        if (message.Length != SanitiseText(message).Length)
+        var sanitiser = sanitiserOverride ?? SanitiseText;
+        if (message.Length != sanitiser(message).Length)
             throw new ArgumentException(Language.ChatBox_Error_Invalid, nameof(message));
 
-        SendMessageUnsafe(bytes);
+        return bytes;
     }
 
     private static string SanitiseText(string text)

HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
              0.1.0 is our bootstrap release; the underlying Chat 2 base is
              called out in the yaml changelog so users can see what it
              derives from. -->
-        <Version>1.3.0</Version>
+        <Version>1.4.2</Version>
         <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
         <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
         <!-- Honor packages.lock.json on restore so floating version ranges

HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml

@@ -31,20 +31,33 @@ description: |-
   - Independent plugin state — own config file and database directory,
     so Hellion Chat does not share state with upstream Chat 2
 
-  v1.1.0 — Theme engine with five built-in themes (Hellion Arctic,
-  Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove) plus
-  JSON-based custom-theme authoring. Settings rebuilt around a card
-  grid with section detail views. See docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md.
-
-  v1.2.3 — Theme catalogue grown to nine built-in themes:
-  Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum (CVD-safe Deuteran/Protan),
-  Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove,
-  Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman.
-
   v1.3.0 First plugin integration cycle. Honorific custom titles
   are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect
   and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.
 
+  v1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes. Plugin reload and shutdown
+  are cleaner: SQLite no longer leans on GC pressure to release
+  its file, worker threads are explicitly background, deferred
+  config saves no longer get lost mid-disable, and pre-v13 config
+  backups carry the user's custom theme opacity into the v14 schema
+  instead of falling back to the default.
+
+  v1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance plus a tenth built-in.
+  HellionStyle.PushGlobal reads pre-computed ABGR values from a
+  per-theme cache instead of converting RGBA per slot per frame
+  (~13 % render-time recovery in typical scenes). Custom-theme
+  hot-reload survives transient file locks (editor mid-save
+  keeps the last-known-good snapshot). Synthwave Sunset joins
+  as the tenth built-in theme — Hot Magenta + Cyan on midnight
+  violet, 80s neon-grid vibes.
+
+  v1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path. Three per-frame allocation
+  patterns gone from the chat-log render path: card-mode borders
+  hoist invariants out of the per-message loop, auto-tell tab
+  tint and icon get a per-tab cache, and the status bar gates
+  its tab aggregation behind the same one-second cache it uses
+  for the format strings.
+
   Based on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.
 
   Modding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at
@@ -64,6 +77,100 @@ tags:
   - Replacement
   - Privacy
 changelog: |-
+  **Hellion Chat 1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path**
+
+  Third sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Per-frame
+  allocations from the chat-log render path eliminated.
+
+  - DrawMessages card-mode hoists theme/drawList/winLeft/winRight/
+    borderColorAbgr out of the per-message loop. About 500
+    redundant calls per frame at 100 visible messages, multiplied
+    by every pop-out window
+  - Auto-tell tab tint and icon use a per-tab cache. Hash
+    computation and string allocation only happen when the tell
+    target name or world drifts. AutoTellTabTint stays a pure
+    hash helper; cache lives in a thin TabTintCache wrapper
+  - Status bar gates its tab aggregation behind the same
+    one-second cache it already used for the format strings.
+    LINQ Sum and Count replaced with a single foreach pass
+    that runs on roughly 1% of frames
+
+  Realistic frame-time recovery: 2-5% in typical scenes, more
+  on pop-out-heavy setups because the card-border hoist scales
+  per window.
+
+  Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+  **Hellion Chat 1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance**
+
+  Second sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Heap
+  pressure from the theme engine's per-frame render path
+  removed, plus a tenth built-in theme and hardening for
+  the custom-theme hot-reload.
+
+  - Theme records carry a pre-computed ABGR-packed cache
+    for every color slot; cache is filled when the theme
+    is registered and refreshed defensively on every
+    Switch()
+  - HellionStyle.PushGlobal reads ABGR values from the
+    cache instead of calling ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr per
+    slot per frame; ~13 % render-time recovery measured
+    in typical scenes (plan estimate was 2–6 %, real
+    ~10–15 %)
+  - ThemeRegistry custom-theme reload distinguishes a
+    recoverable file lock (editor mid-save) from a
+    permanent IO failure; locked themes keep their
+    last-known-good snapshot and retry on the next
+    lookup instead of dropping out of the picker
+  - New built-in: Synthwave Sunset — Hot Magenta + Cyan
+    on midnight violet, 80s neon-grid vibes; tenth theme
+    in the picker
+  - Author credits refreshed: brand themes are credited
+    as "Hellion Forge"; Mint Grove and Forge Merchantman
+    now credited to Carla Beleandis as a community thanks
+
+  No schema bump, no user-visible behaviour change other
+  than smoother frames on GC-sensitive setups and one
+  additional colour option.
+
+  Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+  **Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**
+
+  First sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven
+  known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any
+  performance refactor sits on top.
+
+  - MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect
+    globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means
+    there's nothing left to clean up by hand
+  - PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are
+    explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain
+    can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting
+    for them
+  - EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void
+    to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining
+    on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write
+    to a disposed EmoteImages entry
+  - DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of
+    silently leaving the worker behind
+  - Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames
+    before tearing services down, so settings changes
+    made in the last few frames before disable are no
+    longer lost
+  - The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13
+    backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the
+    new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to
+    the default 0.85
+
+  Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
   **Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**
 
   First step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now
@@ -84,32 +191,6 @@ changelog: |-
 
   Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
 
-  **Hellion Chat 1.2.3 — Theme Expansion**
-
-  Four new built-in themes round out the picker. No engine changes,
-  no settings touched — just more colour options.
-
-  - **Night Blue** — Royal Blue on deep marine. Cool tech-dashboard
-    mood, distinct from the brand themes.
-  - **Indigo Violet** — Royal Violet on deep indigo with a turquoise-
-    mint counter for an aurora glitter feel. Sister to Event Horizon
-    but darker and denser; the turquoise accent keeps the two
-    distinguishable.
-  - **Forge Merchantman** — Patina bronze on workshop slate, warm
-    amber counter. Hellion Forge given a theme of its own — sister
-    to Hellion Arctic but greener and warmer instead of cold cyan.
-  - **Hellion Spectrum** — Deuteran/Protan-safe channel colours
-    using Wong/Okabe-Ito palette tones. Channel identity (Tell pink,
-    Yell yellow, Shout orange, Party blue, FC green) is preserved;
-    tones are chosen so each channel stays distinguishable under
-    red-green colour vision deficiency. Covers the ~99% of CVD cases
-    that are red-green.
-
-  No schema bump, no migration. Default theme is unchanged (Hellion
-  Arctic). Existing custom themes keep working.
-
-  Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
-
   ---
 
   Earlier history: https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases

HellionChat/MessageManager.cs

@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
 
         Store = new MessageStore(DatabasePath());
 
-        PendingMessageThread = new Thread(() => ProcessPendingMessages(PendingThreadCancellationToken.Token));
+        // IsBackground so a stuck worker never blocks plugin unload.
+        // Cooperative cancel via PendingThreadCancellationToken first, background flag is the safety net.
+        PendingMessageThread = new Thread(() => ProcessPendingMessages(PendingThreadCancellationToken.Token))
+        {
+            IsBackground = true,
+        };
         PendingMessageThread.Start();
 
         ContentIdResolverHook = Plugin.GameInteropProvider.HookFromAddress<RaptureLogModule.Delegates.AddMsgSourceEntry>(RaptureLogModule.MemberFunctionPointers.AddMsgSourceEntry, ContentIdResolver);
@@ -85,19 +90,22 @@ internal class MessageManager : IAsyncDisposable
         Plugin.ChatGui.ChatMessageUnhandled -= ChatMessage;
 
         await PendingThreadCancellationToken.CancelAsync();
-        var timeout = 10_000; // 10s
-        while (timeout > 0)
-        {
-            if (!PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
-                break;
 
-            timeout -= 100;
+        // 10s cooperative window; Thread.Abort is gone since .NET 5, so a
+        // stuck worker has to ride out the next AppDomain unload.
+        var deadline = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10);
+        var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
+        while (stopwatch.Elapsed < deadline && PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
             await Task.Delay(100);
-            Plugin.Log.Debug("Sleeping because PendingMessageThread thread still alive");
-        }
 
-        // CancellationTokenSource owns an unmanaged WaitHandle; dispose after the
+        if (PendingMessageThread.IsAlive)
-        // worker thread has drained, otherwise it leaks across plugin reloads.
+            Plugin.Log.Warning(
+                "PendingMessageThread did not observe cancellation within 10s. " +
+                "Worker remains on a background thread; next plugin reload releases it. " +
+                "If this recurs, file a bug with /xllog after the previous reload.");
+
+        // CTS owns an unmanaged WaitHandle; dispose even if the worker is
+        // alive — it checks IsCancellationRequested via the linked token.
         PendingThreadCancellationToken.Dispose();
 
         Store.Dispose();

HellionChat/MessageStore.cs

@@ -131,11 +131,12 @@ internal class MessageStore : IDisposable
 
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        // Pooling=false (set in Connect) avoids ClearAllPools, which is
+        // provider-wide and would touch other plugins' SQLite connections.
+        // GC.Collect was here as a defensive flush; removed because explicit
+        // Close already releases everything we hold.
         Connection.Close();
         Connection.Dispose();
-        // Closing the connection doesn't immediately release the file.
-        GC.Collect();
-        GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
     }
 
     private SqliteConnection Connect()

HellionChat/Plugin.cs

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
     [PluginService] public static IAddonLifecycle AddonLifecycle { get; private set; } = null!;
     [PluginService] public static IPlayerState PlayerState { get; private set; } = null!;
     [PluginService] public static ISeStringEvaluator Evaluator { get; private set; } = null!;
+    [PluginService] public static ISelfTestRegistry SelfTestRegistry { get; private set; } = null!;
 
     public static Configuration Config = null!;
     public static FileDialogManager FileDialogManager { get; private set; } = null!;
@@ -245,11 +246,24 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             // HellionThemeEnabled-Flag wird deprecated und nur noch ein Release
             // als Safety-Net im JSON behalten. Window-Opacity wandert von
             // HellionThemeWindowOpacity in das neue WindowOpacity-Feld.
+            //
+            // v1.4.0 (F5.4): Pre-v13-Backup wird gelesen, HellionThemeWindowOpacity
+            // ins neue Feld gezogen. Override nur wenn WindowOpacity noch beim
+            // Default sitzt — sonst hat der User in der Zwischenzeit (z.B. via
+            // WindowAlpha → WindowOpacity in v15→v16) explizit etwas gesetzt.
             if (Config.Version < 14)
             {
                 Config.Theme = "hellion-arctic";
-                // v1.2.0: alter Opacity-Wert wird nicht mehr migriert (Field entfernt).
+
-                // User die direkt v13 → v15 springen bekommen den Default 0.85.
+                var oldThemeOpacity = TryReadPreV13ThemeOpacity();
+                if (oldThemeOpacity is { } legacy
+                    && Math.Abs(Config.WindowOpacity - 0.85f) < 0.001f)
+                {
+                    Config.WindowOpacity = Math.Clamp(legacy, 0.5f, 1.0f);
+                    Log.Information(
+                        $"Migrated pre-v13 HellionThemeWindowOpacity {legacy} to WindowOpacity {Config.WindowOpacity}");
+                }
+
                 Config.ReduceMotion = false;
                 Config.UseCompactDensity = false;
                 Config.Version = 14;
@@ -335,6 +349,8 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
                     }
                 }
 
+                // TEST-MIRROR: Hellion Build test/_Helpers/MigrationLogic.cs (local-only repo)
+                // If you change the formula here, change the mirror — tests assert the contract.
                 if (oldWindowAlpha != 100f
                     && Math.Abs(Config.WindowOpacity - 0.85f) < 0.001f)
                 {
@@ -439,6 +455,12 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             ThemeRegistry = new Themes.ThemeRegistry(customThemesDir);
             ThemeRegistry.Switch(Config.Theme);
 
+            // SelfTest hooks live alongside the live registry — the steps
+            // poll Active per frame and need the registry already wired.
+            SelfTestRegistry.RegisterTestSteps([
+                new SelfTests.ThemeSwitchSelfTestStep(this),
+            ]);
+
             // Plugin integrations register their IPC subscribers up-front so
             // Ready/Disposing events from the target plugins are caught from
             // the very first frame, even if the user's Honorific reloads
@@ -536,6 +558,14 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
         Framework.Update -= FrameworkUpdate;
         GameFunctions.GameFunctions.SetChatInteractable(true);
 
+        // FrameworkUpdate would have fired the pending save in N frames,
+        // but we just unsubscribed it. -1 is the idle sentinel.
+        if (DeferredSaveFrames >= 0)
+        {
+            SaveConfig();
+            DeferredSaveFrames = -1;
+        }
+
         HonorificService?.Dispose();
 
         WindowSystem?.RemoveAllWindows();
@@ -560,6 +590,40 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
         EmoteCache.Dispose();
     }
 
+    // Reads HellionThemeWindowOpacity from the pre-v13 backup the v12→v13
+    // block writes alongside the live config. Null when absent, unreadable,
+    // or schema-incompatible — all valid steady states (fresh install,
+    // backup pruned, pre-v12 config). Errors log at Warning so a corrupted
+    // backup stays visible in /xllog without breaking the migration.
+    private static float? TryReadPreV13ThemeOpacity()
+    {
+        var pluginConfigsDir = Interface.ConfigDirectory.Parent?.FullName;
+        if (pluginConfigsDir is null)
+            return null;
+
+        var backupPath = Path.Combine(pluginConfigsDir, $"{Interface.InternalName}.json.pre-v13-backup");
+        if (!File.Exists(backupPath))
+            return null;
+
+        try
+        {
+            using var stream = File.OpenRead(backupPath);
+            using var doc = System.Text.Json.JsonDocument.Parse(stream);
+            if (doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("HellionThemeWindowOpacity", out var prop)
+                && prop.ValueKind == System.Text.Json.JsonValueKind.Number
+                && prop.TryGetSingle(out var value))
+            {
+                return value;
+            }
+            return null;
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Log.Warning(ex, "HellionChat: pre-v13 backup lookup failed, defaulting WindowOpacity");
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+
     private static void MigrateFromChatTwoLayout()
     {
         var pluginConfigsDir = Interface.ConfigDirectory.Parent?.FullName;
@@ -691,6 +755,11 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IDalamudPlugin
             policy[(int)(ushort)type] = days;
         var defaultDays = Config.RetentionDefaultDays;
 
+        // IsBackground = true for the same reason as PendingMessageThread:
+        // a stuck sweep must never block plugin unload. RunRetentionSweepIfDue
+        // guards the run-frequency, and the sweep itself uses the framework's
+        // cooperative cancellation pattern. The background flag is the safety
+        // net if the sweep ever takes longer than expected.
         new Thread(() =>
         {
             // Bail out cheaply if a manual sweep is already in flight; the

HellionChat/SelfTests/ThemeSwitchSelfTestStep.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+using Dalamud.Bindings.ImGui;
+using Dalamud.Plugin.SelfTest;
+using HellionChat.Themes;
+
+namespace HellionChat.SelfTests;
+
+// Validates the runtime theme-switch contract from the user side. The
+// caller toggles the active theme via Settings -> Theme & Layout, the
+// step polls ThemeRegistry.Active per frame and only passes once the
+// slug has moved away from the initial value and back. The ABGR cache
+// is sanity-checked on every frame: a freshly switched theme must carry
+// a populated cache, otherwise Switch() forgot the recompute and the UI
+// would still draw, just with all-transparent slots.
+internal sealed class ThemeSwitchSelfTestStep : ISelfTestStep
+{
+    private readonly Plugin plugin;
+    private string? initialSlug;
+    private bool switchedAway;
+
+    public ThemeSwitchSelfTestStep(Plugin plugin)
+    {
+        this.plugin = plugin;
+    }
+
+    public string Name => "Hellion Chat - Theme switch";
+
+    public SelfTestStepResult RunStep()
+    {
+        var registry = this.plugin.ThemeRegistry;
+        if (registry is null)
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Fail;
+
+        var active = registry.Active;
+        if (active is null)
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Fail;
+
+        if (!HasPopulatedCache(active))
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Fail;
+
+        if (this.initialSlug is null)
+        {
+            this.initialSlug = active.Slug;
+            ImGui.Text($"Initial theme: \"{this.initialSlug}\". Open Settings -> Theme & Layout and pick a different theme.");
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Waiting;
+        }
+
+        if (!this.switchedAway)
+        {
+            if (!string.Equals(active.Slug, this.initialSlug, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            {
+                this.switchedAway = true;
+                return SelfTestStepResult.Waiting;
+            }
+
+            ImGui.Text($"Switch the active theme away from \"{this.initialSlug}\".");
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Waiting;
+        }
+
+        if (!string.Equals(active.Slug, this.initialSlug, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+        {
+            ImGui.Text($"Switch back to \"{this.initialSlug}\" to finish the test.");
+            return SelfTestStepResult.Waiting;
+        }
+
+        return SelfTestStepResult.Pass;
+    }
+
+    public void CleanUp()
+    {
+        this.initialSlug = null;
+        this.switchedAway = false;
+    }
+
+    // Any non-zero slot proves the cache was actually recomputed for the
+    // current theme. We don't compare against a reference, because custom
+    // themes can legitimately share slot values with a built-in.
+    private static bool HasPopulatedCache(Theme theme)
+    {
+        var cache = theme.AbgrCache;
+        return (cache.Primary
+              | cache.WindowBg
+              | cache.TextPrimary
+              | cache.Border) != 0u;
+    }
+}

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/EventHorizon.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ internal static class EventHorizon
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Event Horizon",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Hellion Forge",
         Description: "Cosmic Purple auf Near-Black. Deep-Space-Stimmung.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#7B3FCF"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/ForgeMerchantman.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ internal static class ForgeMerchantman
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Forge Merchantman",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Carla Beleandis",
         Description: "Patina Bronze auf Workshop-Slate — Hellion Forge im Plugin.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#1F8A82"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/HellionArctic.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ internal static class HellionArctic
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Hellion Arctic",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Hellion Forge",
         Description: "Arctic Cyan + Ember Glow on industrial slate. Plugin default.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#0097A7"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/HellionSpectrum.cs

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ internal static class HellionSpectrum
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Hellion Spectrum",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Hellion Forge",
         Description: "Deuteran/Protan-safe channels — Wong palette tones, channel identity preserved.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#005983"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/MintGrove.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ internal static class MintGrove
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Mint Grove",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Carla Beleandis",
         Description: "Mint Green + Honey Amber auf Deep Forest. Naturthemen-tauglich.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#3CB371"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/MoonlitBloom.cs

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ internal static class MoonlitBloom
     public static Theme Build() => new(
         Slug: Slug,
         Name: "Moonlit Bloom",
-        Author: "Hellion Online Media",
+        Author: "Hellion Forge",
         Description: "Bloom Magenta + Soft Sage auf Deep Violet Night.",
         Colors: new ThemeColors(
             PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#C957D0"),

HellionChat/Themes/Builtin/SynthwaveSunset.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+using HellionChat.Util;
+
+namespace HellionChat.Themes.Builtin;
+
+internal static class SynthwaveSunset
+{
+    public const string Slug = "synthwave-sunset";
+
+    public static Theme Build() => new(
+        Slug: Slug,
+        Name: "Synthwave Sunset",
+        Author: "Hellion Forge",
+        Description: "Hot Magenta + Cyan on midnight violet. 80s neon-grid vibes for late-night raids.",
+        Colors: new ThemeColors(
+            PrimaryDark:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#C71585"),
+            Primary:        ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D95"),
+            PrimaryLight:   ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF6BB6"),
+            PrimaryGlow:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D9599"),
+
+            AccentDark:     ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#0098B8"),
+            Accent:         ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#00F0FF"),
+            AccentLight:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#5CFFFE"),
+
+            Identity:       ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D95"),
+
+            WindowBg:       ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#13041F"),
+            ChildBg:        ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#1E0A35"),
+            FrameBg:        ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#2A1247"),
+            Surface:        ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#3A1860"),
+            SurfaceHover:   ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#4A2475"),
+            Border:         ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D9566"),
+
+            TextPrimary:    ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#F0DFFF"),
+            TextMuted:      ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#A88BC4"),
+            TextDim:        ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#6F4D8E"),
+
+            StatusSuccess:  ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#39FF14"),
+            StatusDanger:   ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF3838"),
+            StatusWarning:  ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FFD700"),
+            StatusInfo:     ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#00F0FF")
+        ),
+        Layout: new ThemeLayout(
+            WindowRounding: 5f, ChildRounding: 4f, PopupRounding: 4f,
+            FrameRounding: 3f, GrabRounding: 3f, TabRounding: 3f,
+            ScrollbarRounding: 3f, WindowBorderSize: 1f, FrameBorderSize: 1f
+        ),
+        Typography: new ThemeTypography(),
+        IsBuiltIn: true,
+        ChatColors: new ThemeChatColors(new Dictionary<HellionChat.Code.ChatType, uint>
+        {
+            // Synthwave Sunset — Magenta dominiert die warmen Channels (Yell/Shout/FC),
+            // Cyan dominiert die kühlen (Tell/Party). Neon-Akzente für Status-nahe Channels.
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Say]              = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#F0DFFF"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Yell]             = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D95"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Shout]            = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF6BB6"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.TellIncoming]     = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#00F0FF"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.TellOutgoing]     = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#5CFFFE"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Party]            = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#5CFFFE"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Alliance]         = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF8C00"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.FreeCompany]      = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D95"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.NoviceNetwork]    = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#39FF14"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.CrossParty]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#5CFFFE"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell1]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#39FF14"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell2]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF8C00"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell3]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FFD700"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell4]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#00F0FF"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell5]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF6BB6"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell6]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF2D95"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell7]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#A88BC4"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Linkshell8]       = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#5CFFFE"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.CustomEmote]      = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#FF6BB6"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.StandardEmote]    = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#A88BC4"),
+            [HellionChat.Code.ChatType.Echo]             = ColourUtil.HexToRgba("#A88BC4"),
+        })
+    );
+}

HellionChat/Themes/Theme.cs

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+using HellionChat.Util;
+
 namespace HellionChat.Themes;
 
 public sealed record Theme(
@@ -10,4 +12,47 @@ public sealed record Theme(
     ThemeTypography Typography,
     bool IsBuiltIn,
     ThemeChatColors? ChatColors = null
+)
+{
+    // Pre-computed ABGR mirror of ThemeColors so PushGlobal can skip the
+    // RgbaToAbgr conversion per slot per frame.
+    public ThemeAbgrCache AbgrCache { get; private set; }
+
+    public void RecomputeAbgrCache()
+    {
+        AbgrCache = new ThemeAbgrCache(
+            PrimaryDark:   ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.PrimaryDark),
+            Primary:       ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.Primary),
+            PrimaryLight:  ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.PrimaryLight),
+            PrimaryGlow:   ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.PrimaryGlow),
+            AccentDark:    ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.AccentDark),
+            Accent:        ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.Accent),
+            AccentLight:   ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.AccentLight),
+            Identity:      ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.Identity),
+            WindowBg:      ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.WindowBg),
+            ChildBg:       ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.ChildBg),
+            FrameBg:       ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.FrameBg),
+            Surface:       ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.Surface),
+            SurfaceHover:  ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.SurfaceHover),
+            Border:        ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.Border),
+            TextPrimary:   ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.TextPrimary),
+            TextMuted:     ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.TextMuted),
+            TextDim:       ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.TextDim),
+            StatusSuccess: ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.StatusSuccess),
+            StatusDanger:  ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.StatusDanger),
+            StatusWarning: ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.StatusWarning),
+            StatusInfo:    ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(Colors.StatusInfo));
+    }
+}
+
+// Mirrors ThemeColors slot-for-slot. The FillsAll21Slots test pins the
+// contract — a new slot without its mirror fails the build.
+public readonly record struct ThemeAbgrCache(
+    uint PrimaryDark, uint Primary, uint PrimaryLight, uint PrimaryGlow,
+    uint AccentDark, uint Accent, uint AccentLight,
+    uint Identity,
+    uint WindowBg, uint ChildBg, uint FrameBg,
+    uint Surface, uint SurfaceHover, uint Border,
+    uint TextPrimary, uint TextMuted, uint TextDim,
+    uint StatusSuccess, uint StatusDanger, uint StatusWarning, uint StatusInfo
 );

HellionChat/Themes/ThemeJsonLoader.cs

@@ -63,7 +63,11 @@ internal static class ThemeJsonLoader
 
     public static Theme LoadFromFile(string path)
     {
-        var json = File.ReadAllText(path);
+        // FileShare.Read lets concurrent readers and well-behaved editors share
+        // the handle; atomic-replace editors still raise IOException, caught upstream.
+        using var stream = new FileStream(path, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.Read);
+        using var reader = new StreamReader(stream);
+        var json = reader.ReadToEnd();
         return LoadFromString(json);
     }
 

HellionChat/Themes/ThemeRegistry.cs

@@ -24,7 +24,13 @@ public sealed class ThemeRegistry
             { IndigoViolet.Slug,      IndigoViolet.Build() },
             { ForgeMerchantman.Slug,  ForgeMerchantman.Build() },
             { MintGrove.Slug,         MintGrove.Build() },
+            { SynthwaveSunset.Slug,   SynthwaveSunset.Build() },
         };
+
+        // Centralised so the ten .Build() factories stay free of cache plumbing.
+        foreach (var theme in _builtIns.Values)
+            theme.RecomputeAbgrCache();
+
         _active = _builtIns[DefaultSlug];
         _customThemesDir = customThemesDir;
     }
@@ -45,7 +51,24 @@ public sealed class ThemeRegistry
 
     public IEnumerable<Theme> AllCustom() => RefreshCustomCache();
 
-    public void Switch(string slug) => _active = Get(slug);
+    public void Switch(string slug)
+    {
+        var theme = Get(slug);
+        // Defensive — idempotent and cheap, so any future theme source
+        // that forgets the cache fill still ends up with a populated one.
+        theme.RecomputeAbgrCache();
+        _active = theme;
+    }
+
+    // 0x80070020 = SHARING_VIOLATION, 0x80070021 = LOCK_VIOLATION. Other
+    // IO failures are permanent and get the theme dropped instead of retried.
+    internal static bool IsRecoverableFileLock(Exception? ex)
+    {
+        if (ex is not IOException io)
+            return false;
+        var code = (uint)io.HResult;
+        return code == 0x80070020u || code == 0x80070021u;
+    }
 
     // Custom-Themes werden lazy aus dem Verzeichnis geladen, Cache mit
     // LastWriteTime-Token. Eine geänderte JSON wird beim nächsten Lookup
@@ -81,14 +104,19 @@ public sealed class ThemeRegistry
                 try
                 {
                     theme = ThemeJsonLoader.LoadFromFile(path);
+                    theme.RecomputeAbgrCache();
                     _customCache[key] = (theme, stamp);
                 }
-                catch (Exception ex)
+                catch (Exception ex) when (IsRecoverableFileLock(ex))
+                {
+                    // Editor mid-save: keep the cached snapshot, leave the stamp
+                    // alone so the next refresh retries automatically.
+                    Plugin.Log.Debug($"Custom theme {Path.GetFileName(path)} is locked, keeping last known good");
+                    if (cached.Theme is not null)
+                        theme = cached.Theme;
+                }
+                catch (Exception)
                 {
-                    // Logging passiert in Plugin.cs durch den Aufrufer; hier still
-                    // ignorieren, damit ein einzelnes kaputtes JSON nicht alle
-                    // Custom-Themes blockt.
-                    _ = ex;
                     continue;
                 }
             }

HellionChat/Ui/ChatInputBar.cs

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using System;
 using System.Numerics;
+using HellionChat._Helpers;
 using HellionChat.Code;
 using HellionChat.Util;
 using Dalamud.Bindings.ImGui;
@@ -89,60 +90,42 @@ public sealed class ChatInputBar
         }
     }
 
-    private void SubmitCompact(Tab tab)
+    // TEST-MIRROR: ../_Helpers/CompactInputSubmitter.cs
-    {
+    private void SubmitCompact(Tab tab) =>
-        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_state.Buffer))
+        CompactInputSubmitter.TrySubmit(_state, tab, _host.SendChatBoxFromExternal);
-            return;
 
-        var text = _state.Buffer;
+    // History-navigation callback for the compact input. Cursor math is
-        _state.Buffer = string.Empty;
+    // delegated to CompactInputHistoryNavigator; only the ImGui buffer
-        _state.HistoryCursor = -1;
+    // splice stays here because it needs the live callback data.
-        _host.SendChatBoxFromExternal(tab, text);
+    // TEST-MIRROR: ../_Helpers/CompactInputHistoryNavigator.cs
-    }
-
-    // History-navigation callback for the compact input. Mirrors the main
-    // window's logic but operates on _state.HistoryCursor and the shared
-    // InputHistoryService. Index semantics match v0.5.x InputBacklog:
-    // 0 = oldest, Count-1 = newest.
     private int CompactCallback(scoped ref ImGuiInputTextCallbackData data)
     {
         if (data.EventFlag != ImGuiInputTextFlags.CallbackHistory)
             return 0;
 
-        var prev = _state.HistoryCursor;
+        var direction = data.EventKey switch
-        switch (data.EventKey)
         {
-            case ImGuiKey.UpArrow:
+            ImGuiKey.UpArrow => CompactInputHistoryNavigator.Direction.Up,
-                switch (_state.HistoryCursor)
+            ImGuiKey.DownArrow => CompactInputHistoryNavigator.Direction.Down,
-                {
+            _ => (CompactInputHistoryNavigator.Direction?)null,
-                    case -1:
+        };
-                        var offset = 0;
+        if (direction is null)
-                        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_state.Buffer))
-                        {
-                            InputHistoryService.Push(_state.Buffer);
-                            offset = 1;
-                        }
-                        _state.HistoryCursor = InputHistoryService.Count - 1 - offset;
-                        break;
-                    case > 0:
-                        _state.HistoryCursor--;
-                        break;
-                }
-                break;
-            case ImGuiKey.DownArrow:
-                if (_state.HistoryCursor != -1)
-                    if (++_state.HistoryCursor >= InputHistoryService.Count)
-                        _state.HistoryCursor = -1;
-                break;
-        }
-
-        if (prev == _state.HistoryCursor)
             return 0;
 
-        var historyStr = InputHistoryService.GetByCursor(_state.HistoryCursor) ?? string.Empty;
+        var (cursor, replacement) = CompactInputHistoryNavigator.Navigate(
-        data.DeleteChars(0, data.BufTextLen);
+            direction.Value,
-        data.InsertChars(0, historyStr);
+            _state.HistoryCursor,
+            _state.Buffer,
+            () => InputHistoryService.Count,
+            InputHistoryService.Push,
+            InputHistoryService.GetByCursor);
 
+        _state.HistoryCursor = cursor;
+        if (replacement is null)
+            return 0;
+
+        data.DeleteChars(0, data.BufTextLen);
+        data.InsertChars(0, replacement);
         return 0;
     }
 

HellionChat/Ui/ChatLogWindow.cs

@@ -1203,6 +1203,15 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
 
             var maxLines = Plugin.Config.MaxLinesToRender;
             var startLine = messages.Count > maxLines ? messages.Count - maxLines : 0;
+
+            // Card-mode pre-loop hoist: theme/drawList/winLeft/winRight/border
+            // are invariant per DrawMessages call; only cursorY moves per row.
+            var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
+            var drawList = ImGui.GetWindowDrawList();
+            var winLeft = ImGui.GetWindowPos().X;
+            var winRight = winLeft + ImGui.GetWindowSize().X;
+            var borderColorAbgr = ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr((theme.Colors.Border & 0xFFFFFF00u) | 0x33u);
+
             for (var i = startLine; i < messages.Count; i++)
             {
                 var message = messages[i];
@@ -1344,7 +1353,6 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                 {
                     if (message.Sender.Count > 0)
                     {
-                        var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
                         var senderColor = Plugin.Functions.Chat.GetChannelColor(message.Code.Type)
                                           ?? theme.Colors.TextPrimary;
                         using (ImRaii.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Text, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(senderColor)))
@@ -1363,15 +1371,11 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                     // Subtile Border-Bottom als Card-Trenner. Border-Farbe mit
                     // reduzierter Alpha (RGBA → 0x33) für dezente Trennung.
                     {
-                        var theme = Plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
                         var rowEndY = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos().Y;
-                        var winLeft = ImGui.GetWindowPos().X;
+                        drawList.AddLine(
-                        var winRight = winLeft + ImGui.GetWindowSize().X;
-                        var borderRgba = (theme.Colors.Border & 0xFFFFFF00u) | 0x33u;
-                        ImGui.GetWindowDrawList().AddLine(
                             new Vector2(winLeft + 4, rowEndY - 1),
                             new Vector2(winRight - 4, rowEndY - 1),
-                            ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(borderRgba),
+                            borderColorAbgr,
                             1f);
                         ImGui.Dummy(new Vector2(0, 2));
                     }
@@ -1567,7 +1571,7 @@ public sealed class ChatLogWindow : Window
                     {
                         // v1.2.0 — Hash-Color-Tint differenziert parallele Auto-Tell-Tabs
                         // visuell ohne dass User pro Tab manuell ein Custom-Icon setzen muss.
-                        iconColor = AutoTellTabTint.For(tab.TellTarget.Name, tab.TellTarget.World);
+                        iconColor = TabTintCache.GetTint(tab);
                     }
                     else
                     {

HellionChat/Ui/HellionStyle.cs

@@ -19,21 +19,21 @@ internal static class HellionStyle
     /// </summary>
     internal static IDisposable Push(Theme theme)
     {
-        var c = theme.Colors;
+        var a = theme.AbgrCache;
         var stack = new StackHandle();
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Button,           c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Button,           a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonHovered,    c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ButtonHovered,    a.PrimaryLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonActive,     c.PrimaryDark);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ButtonActive,     a.PrimaryDark);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBg,          c.FrameBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBg,          a.FrameBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgHovered,   c.SurfaceHover);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBgHovered,   a.SurfaceHover);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgActive,    c.Surface);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBgActive,    a.Surface);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Border,           c.Border);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Border,           a.Border);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Header,           c.Surface);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Header,           a.Surface);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered,    c.SurfaceHover);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered,    a.SurfaceHover);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.HeaderActive,     c.Identity);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.HeaderActive,     a.Identity);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.CheckMark,        c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.CheckMark,        a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SliderGrab,       c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SliderGrab,       a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SliderGrabActive, c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SliderGrabActive, a.PrimaryLight);
         return stack;
     }
 
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ internal static class HellionStyle
     {
         var c = theme.Colors;
         var l = theme.Layout;
+        var a = theme.AbgrCache;
         var stack = new StackHandle();
 
         var alphaByte = (uint)Math.Clamp((int)(windowOpacity * 255f), 0x55, 0xFF);
@@ -76,60 +77,61 @@ internal static class HellionStyle
         stack.PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar.WindowBorderSize,  l.WindowBorderSize);
         stack.PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar.FrameBorderSize,   l.FrameBorderSize);
 
-        // Surfaces
+        // Surfaces — WindowBg/ChildBg use the per-push opacity-modulated value,
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.WindowBg,    windowBgWithAlpha);
+        // so they go through the RGBA path; everything else reads from cache.
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ChildBg,     childBgWithAlpha);
+        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.WindowBg,         windowBgWithAlpha);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.PopupBg,     c.ChildBg);
+        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ChildBg,          childBgWithAlpha);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Border,      c.Border);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.PopupBg,      a.ChildBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.BorderShadow, 0u);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Border,       a.Border);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.BorderShadow, 0u);
 
         // Frames
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBg,        c.FrameBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBg,        a.FrameBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgHovered, c.SurfaceHover);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBgHovered, a.SurfaceHover);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.FrameBgActive,  c.Surface);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.FrameBgActive,  a.Surface);
 
         // Title bars
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TitleBg,          c.WindowBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TitleBg,          a.WindowBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TitleBgActive,    c.Identity);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TitleBgActive,    a.Identity);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TitleBgCollapsed, c.WindowBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TitleBgCollapsed, a.WindowBg);
 
         // Buttons
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Button,        c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Button,        a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonHovered, c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ButtonHovered, a.PrimaryLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ButtonActive,  c.PrimaryDark);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ButtonActive,  a.PrimaryDark);
 
         // Headers / selectables
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Header,        c.Surface);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Header,        a.Surface);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered, c.SurfaceHover);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.HeaderHovered, a.SurfaceHover);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.HeaderActive,  c.Identity);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.HeaderActive,  a.Identity);
 
         // Tabs
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Tab,                c.FrameBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Tab,                a.FrameBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TabHovered,         c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TabHovered,         a.PrimaryLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TabActive,          c.Identity);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TabActive,          a.Identity);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TabUnfocused,       c.ChildBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TabUnfocused,       a.ChildBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.TabUnfocusedActive, c.PrimaryDark);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.TabUnfocusedActive, a.PrimaryDark);
 
         // Scrollbar
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarBg,          c.WindowBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarBg,          a.WindowBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrab,        c.Surface);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrab,        a.Surface);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrabHovered, c.AccentLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrabHovered, a.AccentLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrabActive,  c.Accent);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ScrollbarGrabActive,  a.Accent);
 
         // Resize grip
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ResizeGrip,        c.FrameBg);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ResizeGrip,        a.FrameBg);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ResizeGripHovered, c.AccentLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ResizeGripHovered, a.AccentLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.ResizeGripActive,  c.Accent);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.ResizeGripActive,  a.Accent);
 
         // Check mark + slider grab
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.CheckMark,         c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.CheckMark,         a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SliderGrab,        c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SliderGrab,        a.Primary);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SliderGrabActive,  c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SliderGrabActive,  a.PrimaryLight);
 
         // Separator
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.Separator,         c.Border);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.Separator,         a.Border);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SeparatorHovered,  c.PrimaryLight);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SeparatorHovered,  a.PrimaryLight);
-        stack.PushColor(ImGuiCol.SeparatorActive,   c.Primary);
+        stack.PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol.SeparatorActive,   a.Primary);
 
         return stack;
     }
@@ -141,6 +143,9 @@ internal static class HellionStyle
         internal void PushColor(ImGuiCol slot, uint rgba)
             => _items.Add(ImRaii.PushColor(slot, ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr(rgba)));
 
+        internal void PushColorAbgr(ImGuiCol slot, uint abgr)
+            => _items.Add(ImRaii.PushColor(slot, abgr));
+
         internal void PushStyleVar(ImGuiStyleVar var, float value)
             => _items.Add(ImRaii.PushStyle(var, value));
 

HellionChat/Ui/StatusBar.cs

@@ -52,6 +52,19 @@ internal sealed class StatusBar
         return $"{count} {(count == 1 ? "tell" : "tells")}";
     }
 
+    // Single-pass replacement for the LINQ Sum+Count pair in Draw. Pure
+    // helper so a future LINQ regression gets pinned by xUnit.
+    internal static (int messages, int tells) AggregateForStatusBar(IList<Tab> tabs)
+    {
+        int messages = 0, tells = 0;
+        foreach (var t in tabs)
+        {
+            messages += t.Messages.Count;
+            if (t.IsTempTab) tells++;
+        }
+        return (messages, tells);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Test-Hook: Cache-Logic ohne reale Time-Source verifizieren.
     /// Nicht für Production-Render.
@@ -80,12 +93,13 @@ internal sealed class StatusBar
         var theme = plugin.ThemeRegistry.Active;
         var now = Environment.TickCount64;
 
-        // Counts pro Frame berechnen ist günstig (List<>.Count, kleine
+        // Outer gate keeps the foreach out of the hot path 99% of frames.
-        // Sums); Format-String wird gecached.
+        // UpdateCacheIfDue runs the same check internally — idempotent.
-        var tabs = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Count;
+        if (now - _lastUpdateMs >= UpdateIntervalMs)
-        var messages = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Sum(t => t.Messages.Count);
+        {
-        var tells = Plugin.Config.Tabs.Count(t => t.IsTempTab);
+            var (messages, tells) = AggregateForStatusBar(Plugin.Config.Tabs);
-        UpdateCacheIfDue(now, tabs, messages, tells);
+            UpdateCacheIfDue(now, Plugin.Config.Tabs.Count, messages, tells);
+        }
 
         // BorderTop als Trenner — DrawList-Line, ImGui-Separator hat zu viel Padding.
         var cursorY = ImGui.GetCursorScreenPos().Y;

HellionChat/Ui/TabIconMapping.cs

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ internal static class TabIconMapping
         string? autoTellGlyph = null;
         if (tab.IsTempTab && tab.TellTarget != null && tab.TellTarget.IsSet())
         {
-            autoTellGlyph = AutoTellTabTint.IconFor(tab.TellTarget.Name, tab.TellTarget.World);
+            autoTellGlyph = TabTintCache.GetIcon(tab);
         }
 
         var glyph = TabIconGlyphResolver.ResolveGlyphName(tab, autoTellGlyph);

HellionChat/Ui/TabTintCache.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+namespace HellionChat.Ui;
+
+// Per-Tab cache wrapper around the pure AutoTellTabTint hash helpers.
+// Each cache (tint, icon) carries its own name+world validation key so
+// neither read path mutates the other's state — refilling one never
+// invalidates the other. No string allocation in the steady-state lookup.
+internal static class TabTintCache
+{
+    public static uint GetTint(Tab tab)
+    {
+        var name = tab.TellTarget.Name;
+        var world = tab.TellTarget.World;
+        if (tab._cachedTintTellName != name || tab._cachedTintTellWorld != world)
+        {
+            tab._cachedTintTellName = name;
+            tab._cachedTintTellWorld = world;
+            tab._cachedTellTint = AutoTellTabTint.For(name, world);
+        }
+        return tab._cachedTellTint;
+    }
+
+    public static string GetIcon(Tab tab)
+    {
+        var name = tab.TellTarget.Name;
+        var world = tab.TellTarget.World;
+        if (tab._cachedTellIcon is null
+            || tab._cachedIconTellName != name
+            || tab._cachedIconTellWorld != world)
+        {
+            tab._cachedIconTellName = name;
+            tab._cachedIconTellWorld = world;
+            tab._cachedTellIcon = AutoTellTabTint.IconFor(name, world);
+        }
+        return tab._cachedTellIcon;
+    }
+}

HellionChat/_Helpers/CompactInputHistoryNavigator.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+using System;
+
+namespace HellionChat._Helpers;
+
+// Pure-helper mirror of the compact pop-out history-navigation cursor
+// math. The original CompactCallback was tangled with ImGuiInputTextCallbackData
+// (DeleteChars/InsertChars), which can't be exercised in xUnit. The
+// ImGui buffer mutation stays at the call site; only the deterministic
+// cursor-and-replacement decision lives here.
+//
+// Index semantics match InputHistoryService:
+//   index 0          = oldest entry
+//   index Count - 1  = newest entry
+//   cursor == -1     = "not browsing history"
+//
+// TEST-MIRROR: ../../../Hellion Build test/Ui/CompactInputHistoryNavigatorTests.cs
+public static class CompactInputHistoryNavigator
+{
+    public enum Direction { Up, Down }
+
+    // replacement == null means: caller must NOT touch the buffer. This
+    // distinguishes "cursor unchanged, leave the user's typing alone"
+    // from "cursor moved to an empty slot, clear the buffer".
+    public static (int cursor, string? replacement) Navigate(
+        Direction direction,
+        int currentCursor,
+        string currentBuffer,
+        Func<int> getCount,
+        Action<string> push,
+        Func<int, string?> getByCursor)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(getCount);
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(push);
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(getByCursor);
+
+        var prev = currentCursor;
+        var next = currentCursor;
+
+        switch (direction)
+        {
+            case Direction.Up:
+                if (currentCursor == -1)
+                {
+                    // First Up press from a fresh buffer: stash whatever
+                    // the user typed so they can recover it after browsing.
+                    var offset = 0;
+                    if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(currentBuffer))
+                    {
+                        push(currentBuffer);
+                        offset = 1;
+                    }
+                    next = getCount() - 1 - offset;
+                }
+                else if (currentCursor > 0)
+                {
+                    next--;
+                }
+                break;
+            case Direction.Down:
+                if (currentCursor != -1)
+                {
+                    next++;
+                    if (next >= getCount())
+                        next = -1;
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        if (prev == next)
+            return (next, null);
+
+        var replacement = getByCursor(next) ?? string.Empty;
+        return (next, replacement);
+    }
+}

HellionChat/_Helpers/CompactInputSubmitter.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+using System;
+using HellionChat.Ui;
+
+namespace HellionChat._Helpers;
+
+// Pure-helper mirror of the compact pop-out submit flow. ChatInputBar's
+// SubmitCompact used to inline this against a sealed ChatLogWindow, which
+// blocks Moq-based isolation. Lifting the deterministic part into a POCO
+// keeps the production call site a one-liner while letting xUnit assert
+// the buffer/cursor reset and the sender contract directly.
+// TEST-MIRROR: ../../../Hellion Build test/Ui/CompactInputSubmitterTests.cs
+public static class CompactInputSubmitter
+{
+    public static bool TrySubmit(InputState state, Tab tab, Action<Tab, string> sender)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(state);
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(tab);
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(sender);
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(state.Buffer))
+            return false;
+
+        var text = state.Buffer;
+        state.Buffer = string.Empty;
+        state.HistoryCursor = -1;
+        sender(tab, text);
+        return true;
+    }
+}

NOTICE.md

@@ -35,9 +35,19 @@ edits minimal, isolated to clearly-marked Hellion files, and reversible.
 
 Concrete example: when API 15 hit, I cherry-picked your fix for the
 BetterTTV emote regression with `git cherry-pick -x` so authorship and
-co-author trail stay intact. That is the standard I want to keep using as
+co-author trail stay intact. That was the standard I held to as long
-long as both projects are alive. You should never have to look at this
+as cherry-picking was viable, and you should never have to look at
-fork and wonder if I quietly ate your work.
+this fork and wonder if I quietly ate your work.
+
+With ChatTwo entering its rework cycle, the active cherry-pick
+pipeline is closed since v1.4.x — see [docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md)
+for the full reasoning. The attribution standard stays exactly the
+same: every existing `(cherry picked from commit ...)` line remains
+in the git history, the EUPL-1.2 anchor lines in source files are
+untouched, and this NOTICE.md remains canonical. If anything from
+this point forward originates from Chat 2 it will be a hand-port at
+most, called out as such in the commit message and source comments,
+not a `git cherry-pick`.
 
 If anything in this fork ever steps on something you would not be okay
 with, please reach out and I will fix it. Genuinely. The list of contacts
@@ -62,8 +72,10 @@ full-history-by-default position fits a much larger one, including the
 roleplaying community where chat archive is part of the play experience.
 Trying to upstream HellionChat's defaults would have meant arguing that
 Chat 2's defaults are wrong, and they are not. They are right for the
-user base ChatTwo serves. So I keep the fork separate, attribute clearly,
+user base ChatTwo serves. So I keep the fork separate and attribute
-and pull selected upstream patches when they apply.
+clearly. Active cherry-picking from upstream stopped in the v1.4.x
+cycle once Chat 2's rework made selective patches no longer portable;
+the existing cherry-pick trail stays in the git history.
 
 ## Why HellionChat left the GitHub fork network
 
@@ -72,8 +84,9 @@ that a fork is either a development branch or a dead mirror. HellionChat
 is neither. It is an independently-maintained EUPL-1.2 fork with its own
 release cadence, its own custom repo, its own user base. Detaching the
 fork-network relation just makes the situation honest. The git history,
-the cherry-pick trail, and the attribution stay exactly the same. The
+the existing cherry-pick trail, and the attribution stay exactly the
-only thing that changes is the GitHub UI no longer says "forked from".
+same. The only thing that changes is the GitHub UI no longer says
+"forked from".
 
 ## Trademarks and naming
 

README.md

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@
   <img src="docs/images/hellion-forge.png" alt="Hellion Forge" width="180" />
 </p>
 
-**Version 1.3.0** — Privacy-First-Chat-Plugin für FINAL FANTASY XIV / Dalamud, basierend auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) (EUPL-1.2).
+**Version 1.4.2** — Privacy-First-Chat-Plugin für FINAL FANTASY XIV / Dalamud, basierend auf [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo) (EUPL-1.2).
 
 Hellion Chat ist ein Privacy-First-Plugin auf dem Chat-2-Fundament. Der größte Teil der Engine kommt aus Chat 2 (Message-Store, Channel-Logik, Hook-System), die meisten Tastenkürzel funktionieren weiterhin wie gewohnt. Was sich ändert: schärfere Privacy-Defaults von Haus aus, eigene Slash-Commands unter `/hellionchat`, kein Webinterface mehr, und mit v1.1.0 eine Theme-Engine als Schritt in Richtung eigenes UI-Look-and-Feel.
 
 Der Daten-Handling-Fokus liegt auf den DSGVO/EU-, US- und JP-Regelungen, soweit für ein Chat-Plugin praktisch umsetzbar: Speicherzeit pro Kanal, granulare Filter, Selbstauskunft per Export. Eine ausführliche Auflistung steht in [`PRIVACY.md`](PRIVACY.md).
 
-Eigenständiges Repository, EUPL-1.2-lizenziert. Mit v1.0.0 ist der Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen: eigener Namespace `HellionChat.*`, eigene IPC-Kanäle, eigene Source-Tree-Struktur. Distribution über Custom-Repo. Selektive Cherry-Picks von Upstream-Chat-2 nach Bedarf, dokumentiert in [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md).
+Eigenständiges Repository, EUPL-1.2-lizenziert. Mit v1.0.0 ist der Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen: eigener Namespace `HellionChat.*`, eigene IPC-Kanäle, eigene Source-Tree-Struktur. Distribution über Custom-Repo. Aktiver Upstream-Sync ist mit dem v1.4.x-Cycle beendet: Chat 2 befindet sich in einem grundlegenden Rework und Cherry-Picks sind nicht mehr portierbar. Hellion Chat geht ab da als unabhängige Codebase weiter, Hintergrund und Attribution in [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md).
 
 ## Acknowledgements
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Hellion Chat wird unter **Hellion Forge** entwickelt, der spezialisierten Moddin
 
 #### Custom Themes (v1.1.0)
 
-HellionChat bringt eine Theme-Engine mit derzeit neun eingebauten Themes (Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove, Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman) und ein JSON-basiertes Authoring-Format für eigene Themes. Schema und Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung in [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md). Hellion Spectrum ist Deuteran/Protan-safe (rot-grün-Farbenblindheit) auf Basis der Wong/Okabe-Ito-Palette.
+HellionChat bringt eine Theme-Engine mit derzeit zehn eingebauten Themes (Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove, Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman, Synthwave Sunset) und ein JSON-basiertes Authoring-Format für eigene Themes. Schema und Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung in [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md). Hellion Spectrum ist Deuteran/Protan-safe (rot-grün-Farbenblindheit) auf Basis der Wong/Okabe-Ito-Palette.
 
 #### Plugin-Integrationen (v1.3.0)
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ Eine optionale Submission ans Dalamud-Main-Plugin-Repo (zusätzlich zum eigenen
 
 ## Projektstatus
 
-**Version 1.3.0** — Erster Plugin-Integrations-Cycle live (Honorific Custom-Titles im Chat-Header), Theme-Katalog auf neun Built-ins, Settings thematisch re-sortiert, Standalone-Cut abgeschlossen (Stand: 2026-05-06).
+**Version 1.4.2** — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path: Per-Frame-Allokationen aus dem ChatLogWindow-Render-Pfad und der Settings-StatusBar eliminiert. Card-Mode-Border-Loop in DrawMessages hebt fünf Invarianten in einen Pre-Loop-Hoist innerhalb des BeginChild-Scopes, AutoTellTabTint bekommt einen Per-Tab-Cache via TabTintCache (separate Validation-Keys pro Cache, kein Cross-Invalidation), StatusBar zieht den Cache-Gate-Check vor die LINQ-Pfade und ersetzt Sum+Count durch eine Single-Pass-Foreach. Realistische Frame-Time-Recovery: 2-5 % in typischen Szenen, mehr bei Pop-Out-Heavy-Setups. Dritter Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie (Stand: 2026-05-07).
 
 Hellion Chat ist ein eigenständiges Plugin, kein Fork mehr im Repository-Sinne. Vollständig abgeschlossen:
 
@@ -241,7 +241,8 @@ Hellion Chat ist ein eigenständiges Plugin, kein Fork mehr im Repository-Sinne.
 - About-Tab im Hellion-Branding, EN und DE lokalisiert, mit License und Disclaimer
 - AI-Disclosure dokumentiert (siehe [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md))
 - Standalone-Cut: Namespace `HellionChat.*`, IPC-Kanäle `HellionChat.*`, Source-Tree-Restructure, Conflict-Detection gegen Upstream Chat 2, SQLite-CVE-Härtung (3.50.3)
-- Theme-Engine mit neun eingebauten Themes plus JSON-Authoring-Format (Engine v1.1.0, Katalog erweitert in v1.2.3, inkl. CVD-safe Hellion Spectrum)
+- Theme-Engine mit zehn eingebauten Themes plus JSON-Authoring-Format (Engine v1.1.0, Katalog erweitert in v1.2.3, inkl. CVD-safe Hellion Spectrum; Synthwave Sunset in v1.4.1)
+- ABGR-Cache auf den Theme-Records: HellionStyle.PushGlobal liest pre-computed ABGR statt RGBA→ABGR pro Slot pro Frame (v1.4.1, ~13 % Render-Time-Recovery)
 
 In Arbeit: schrittweise Modernisierung des UI-Look-and-Feel über die Theme-Engine hinaus. Was als Nächstes geplant ist und welche Themen langfristig auf der Liste stehen, steht in [`docs/ROADMAP.md`](docs/ROADMAP.md). Konkrete eingeplante Items werden zusätzlich im [GitHub-Issue-Tracker](https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/issues) mit dem `roadmap`-Label geführt.
 
@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@ Im Repo-Root liegen die Standard-Repository-Dokumente, vertiefende Dokumentation
 | [`docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md`](docs/LEARNING-JOURNEY.md) | Entwicklungsgeschichte, vom Web-Stack zu C# / Dalamud, was ich aus dem Fork gelernt habe. |
 | [`docs/IPC.md`](docs/IPC.md) | IPC-Kanal-Reference, Tuple-Payload-Felder, Migrations-Diff für Drittplugins. |
 | [`docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md`](docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md) | Theme-Engine-Authoring-Guide (EN): JSON-Schema, Color- und Layout-Slots, Channel-Identity-Regeln, Validierung. |
-| [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md) | Cherry-Pick-Policy gegenüber Chat 2. |
+| [`docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md) | Upstream-Sync-Stand: Cherry-Pick-Pipeline seit v1.4.x geschlossen, Attribution intakt. |
 | [`docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`](docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md) | NuGet-Dependencies mit Lizenzen, Bundled Assets, Network-Status pro Komponente. |
 | [`docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md`](docs/AI_DISCLOSURE.md) | Offenlegung der KI-Unterstützung im Entwicklungsprozess. |
 

docs/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -12,6 +12,107 @@ und verlinkt für Details auf die Release-Pages.
 
 ---
 
+## Hellion Chat 1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path
+
+Third sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Per-frame
+allocations from the chat-log render path eliminated.
+
+- `DrawMessages` card-mode hoists `theme`/`drawList`/`winLeft`/
+  `winRight`/`borderColorAbgr` out of the per-message loop. About
+  500 redundant calls per frame at 100 visible messages, multiplied
+  by every pop-out window
+- Auto-tell tab tint and icon use a per-tab cache. Hash
+  computation and string allocation only happen when the tell
+  target name or world drifts. `AutoTellTabTint` stays a pure
+  hash helper; cache lives in a thin `TabTintCache` wrapper
+- Status bar gates its tab aggregation behind the same
+  one-second cache it already used for the format strings.
+  LINQ `Sum` and `Count` replaced with a single `foreach` pass
+  that runs on roughly 1 % of frames
+
+Realistic frame-time recovery: 2-5 % in typical scenes, more
+on pop-out-heavy setups because the card-border hoist scales
+per window.
+
+Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+---
+
+## Hellion Chat 1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance
+
+Second sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Heap
+pressure from the theme engine's per-frame render path
+removed, plus a tenth built-in theme and hardening for
+the custom-theme hot-reload.
+
+- Theme records carry a pre-computed ABGR-packed cache
+  for every color slot; cache is filled when the theme
+  is registered and refreshed defensively on every
+  `Switch()`
+- `HellionStyle.PushGlobal` reads ABGR values from the
+  cache instead of calling `ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr` per
+  slot per frame; ~13 % render-time recovery measured
+  in typical scenes (plan estimate was 2–6 %, real
+  ~10–15 %)
+- `ThemeRegistry` custom-theme reload distinguishes a
+  recoverable file lock (editor mid-save) from a
+  permanent IO failure; locked themes keep their
+  last-known-good snapshot and retry on the next
+  lookup instead of dropping out of the picker
+- New built-in: **Synthwave Sunset** — Hot Magenta + Cyan
+  on midnight violet, 80s neon-grid vibes; tenth theme
+  in the picker
+- Author credits refreshed: brand themes are credited
+  as "Hellion Forge"; **Mint Grove** and **Forge
+  Merchantman** now credited to **Carla Beleandis** as
+  a community thanks
+
+No schema bump, no user-visible behaviour change other
+than smoother frames on GC-sensitive setups and one
+additional colour option.
+
+Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+---
+
+## Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes
+
+First sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven
+known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any
+performance refactor sits on top.
+
+- MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect
+  globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means
+  there's nothing left to clean up by hand
+- PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are
+  explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain
+  can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting
+  for them
+- EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void
+  to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining
+  on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write
+  to a disposed EmoteImages entry
+- DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of
+  silently leaving the worker behind
+- Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames
+  before tearing services down, so settings changes
+  made in the last few frames before disable are no
+  longer lost
+- The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13
+  backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the
+  new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to
+  the default 0.85
+
+Modding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
+
+Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).
+
+---
+
 ## Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific
 
 First step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now

docs/ROADMAP.md

@@ -12,15 +12,47 @@ Privacy-First-Schnittmenge des Plugins erweisen.
 
 ---
 
-## Nächster Cycle (v1.4.0)
+## Nächster Cycle (v1.4.3)
 
-**Polish & Motion** - Theme-Crossfade, Header-Quick-Picker,
+**Plugin-Load Async-Init** — IAsyncDalamudPlugin-Migration
-Lerp-Animationen, ggf. Theme-Family-Picker (Carls Grün-Familie
+und FontManager-async, Plugin-Konstruktor von 3.16 Sek auf
-mit Forest/Moss/Mint-Helligkeitsstufen).
+unter 500 ms perceived load time. Größter und riskantester
+Patch der Serie, kommt nach drei stabilen Vorläufer-Patches.
 
-Spec wird im Brainstorming-Cycle vor Beginn der Phase ausgearbeitet.
+## v1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path (released <Datum>)
 
-## v1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific (geplant <Datum>)
+Dritter Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Per-Frame-
+Allokationen aus dem ChatLogWindow-Render-Pfad und der
+Settings-StatusBar eliminiert. Card-Mode-Border-Loop in
+DrawMessages hebt fünf Invarianten in einen Pre-Loop-Hoist,
+AutoTellTabTint bekommt einen Per-Tab-Cache via TabTintCache
+(separate Validation-Keys pro Cache, kein Cross-Invalidation),
+StatusBar zieht den Cache-Gate-Check vor die Aggregations
+und ersetzt LINQ Sum+Count durch eine Single-Pass-Foreach.
+
+## v1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance (released <Datum>)
+
+Zweiter Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. ABGR-Cache
+auf den Theme-Records pre-computed, HellionStyle.PushGlobal
+liest aus dem Cache statt pro Slot pro Frame zu konvertieren.
+**~13 % Render-Time-Recovery** im Smoke-Test (Plan-Erwartung
+2-6 % war konservativ, real ~10-15 %). Custom-Theme-Hot-Reload
+überlebt transient File-Locks via Last-Known-Good-Snapshot.
+Plus: Synthwave Sunset als zehnter Built-In, Author-Credits
+auf Hellion Forge konsolidiert, Mint Grove + Forge Merchantman
+auf Carla Beleandis als Community-Thanks.
+
+## v1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes (released 2026-05-07)
+
+Erster Sub-Patch der v1.4.x Polish-Sweep-Serie. Sieben P0-
+Findings aus Audit-Pass-3 und Pass-4 abgearbeitet:
+async-void-Loads, fehlende IsBackground-Flags, GC.Collect
+in Dispose, DeferredSave-Race und Pre-v13-Backup-Lookup für
+WindowOpacity. Keine Schema-Bumps, keine Funktions-
+Änderungen für den User außer dass Reload und Shutdown
+spürbar sauberer laufen.
+
+## v1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific (released 2026-05-07)
 
 Erster Cycle der Plugin-Integrations-Roadmap. Honorific-Custom-
 Titles werden im Chat-Header angezeigt, mit Auto-Detect und
@@ -60,7 +92,7 @@ Aus dem ursprünglichen v1.1.0-Plan (Ad-Block / Spam-Filter, Receive-
 Suppressed-Tells-Toggle) wurden zugunsten der Theme-Engine zurück­
 gestellt — beide Items leben weiter im Mittelfrist-Block.
 
-## Mittelfristig (v1.3.x – v1.4.0)
+## Mittelfristig (v1.4.x+)
 
 - **Plugin-Integrations-Roadmap (Cycles 2-6)** - sechs Plugin-
   Integrationen geplant, Honorific (Cycle 1) ist live, danach folgen
@@ -171,6 +203,7 @@ aktuellen Stand getestet.
 
 Hellion Chat ist EUPL-1.2-lizenziert. Konzept-Imports aus AGPL-3.0-Plugins
 (z.B. XIV Instant Messenger) sind ausschließlich architektonische
-Inspiration, kein Code-Port. Imports aus dem GPL-3.0-kompatiblen
+Inspiration, kein Code-Port. Code-Imports aus dem Upstream-Bestand
-Upstream-Bestand laufen weiter über
+sind seit v1.4.x abgeschlossen, weil Chat 2 in einem grundlegenden
-[`UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](UPSTREAM_SYNC.md).
+Rework ist und selektive Patches nicht mehr sauber portierbar sind.
+Stand und Begründung in [`UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`](UPSTREAM_SYNC.md).

docs/THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md

@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ HellionChat is a fork of [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo)
 by Infiziert90 (Infi) and Anna Clemens, also licensed under EUPL-1.2.
 The bulk of the code, including the message store architecture, the
 channel logic, the hook system and the ImGui chat window, originates
-from upstream. See `../NOTICE.md` and `UPSTREAM_SYNC.md` for the
+from upstream. See `../NOTICE.md` for the attribution; `UPSTREAM_SYNC.md`
-attribution and the cherry-pick policy.
+documents the upstream-sync history, including the close of active
+cherry-picking in the v1.4.x cycle.
 
 ---
 

docs/UPSTREAM_SYNC.md

@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 HellionChat is a standalone EUPL-1.2 plugin that originated from
 [Chat 2](https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo). Since v1.0.0 it
-lives under its own namespace, IPC channels and source tree. I no
+lives under its own namespace, IPC channels and source tree. The
-longer track upstream as a Git fork, but I do monitor Chat 2 commits
+active cherry-pick pipeline from upstream Chat 2 is closed since
-regularly and cherry-pick selectively where it makes sense.
+the v1.4.x cycle.
 
-This document covers how that works so anyone (including future-me)
+This document covers what that means, why I closed it, and what
-can do it cleanly.
+stays in place.
 
 ## A Word on Intent
 
@@ -28,99 +28,77 @@ new UI from scratch and making deliberate architectural decisions that
 pull in a different direction. Some upstream patches will simply stop
 applying cleanly and that is expected.
 
-## One-Time Setup
+## Why Cherry-Picking Stopped in v1.4.x
 
-Add the upstream repo as a remote on a fresh clone:
+Two things converged:
 
-```bash
+1. **Chat 2 is in a rework cycle.** Infi mentioned directly that
-git remote add upstream https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo.git
+   parts of ChatTwo are being reworked and "stuff may not be able to
-git fetch upstream
+   be cherry picked anymore." Once the upstream code paths I would
-```
+   pull from no longer exist in the same shape, `git cherry-pick`
+   stops being a meaningful tool — what would land would not be the
+   change Infi wrote, it would be a hand-port of his concept.
+2. **HellionChat has drifted enough that selective patches require
+   adaptation anyway.** The UI is being rebuilt, the theme engine
+   sits on top of HellionStyle which has no upstream equivalent, the
+   privacy filter changes how messages flow through MessageManager.
+   Even before the rework was announced, more and more upstream
+   patches needed adaptation rather than a clean apply.
 
-Verify both remotes are wired up:
+Together those two points mean continuing to call this an "active
+cherry-pick pipeline" was no longer honest. So I closed it.
 
-```bash
+## What Closing the Pipeline Means in Practice
-git remote -v
-# origin    https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat.git (fetch)
-# origin    https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat.git (push)
-# upstream  https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo.git (fetch)
-# upstream  https://github.com/Infiziert90/ChatTwo.git (push)
-```
 
-`upstream` is read-only. Never push to it.
+- The `upstream` git remote was removed locally on 2026-05-08.
+  Anyone setting up a fresh clone does **not** add it back.
+- New commits will not carry `(cherry picked from commit ...)`
+  trailers. Anything that originates from Chat 2 from this point
+  forward will be a hand-port at most, and it gets called out as
+  such in its own commit message and in the relevant source comments.
+- The existing cherry-pick trail stays in the git history exactly as
+  it is. Every `(cherry picked from commit ...)` line that was added
+  with `-x` in earlier releases remains intact; that is the
+  attribution paper trail and removing it would be wrong.
 
-## Reviewing What Is New Upstream
+## What Does Not Change
 
-Before any feature cycle I run a quick check:
+- **EUPL-1.2 anchor lines in source files.** Files that originated
+  from Chat 2 keep their licence headers and any "based on
+  Infiziert90/ChatTwo" notice exactly as they are. The licence
+  obligations under EUPL-1.2 do not lapse because cherry-picking
+  stopped.
+- **NOTICE.md** stays canonical. Attribution to Infi and Anna for the
+  message store, channel logic, hook system, ImGui chat window and
+  the localisation infrastructure remains the foundation statement of
+  this fork.
+- **README acknowledgements.** The Acknowledgements section in
+  `README.md`, the maintainer thanks in the About tab, and the
+  `Language.*.resx` Crowdin translator credit list all stay as they
+  are.
+- **The original `Language.*.resx` files** remain in the source tree
+  in their last upstream-sync state. They are the work of the Chat 2
+  Crowdin community and the existing translations stay valuable. They
+  will not receive automatic upstream updates anymore — see
+  CONTRIBUTING.md for what that means for translators.
 
-```bash
+## What Could Re-Open Later
-git fetch upstream
-git log --oneline main..upstream/main | head -30
-```
 
-That shows every commit Infi or contributors landed since the last
+If Chat 2's rework lands and stabilises, and there is a piece of
-sync. I read the messages and decide which ones apply to HellionChat.
+upstream code that I genuinely want in HellionChat, the path forward
+is **study and re-implement**, not cherry-pick. That means:
 
-## What I Cherry-Pick
+- Read the upstream change, understand the design, port the concept
+  to HellionChat's actual code paths.
+- Credit the upstream author in the commit message and, if the
+  ported code is non-trivial, in a source-file comment.
+- Pre-clear with Infi if the port is large enough to warrant a
+  conversation.
 
-**Always:** security fixes, Dalamud API compatibility patches,
+This is heavier than `git cherry-pick -x` and that is the point.
-BetterTTV and emote-cache fixes, regression fixes for upstream
+Cherry-picking was light because both codebases shared structure;
-behaviour HellionChat still relies on.
+once they do not, the proper attribution costs a real conversation
-
+rather than a flag on a git command.
-**Sometimes:** small bug fixes in `MessageManager.cs`,
-`MessageStore.cs`, `ChatLogWindow.cs`, the Tabs system. These come in
-when they touch code I have not heavily modified.
-
-**Never:** webinterface changes (the entire webinterface tree is gone
-in HellionChat), changes that conflict with the privacy filter, changes
-that re-add upstream defaults I deliberately reversed (full-history
-logging, Tell Exclusive defaults, etc.).
-
-As HellionChat's UI moves further from the Chat 2 baseline, upstream
-patches will increasingly require adaptation rather than a clean
-apply. If a patch cannot be ported without breaking HellionChat
-behaviour or the privacy model, I skip it rather than force a
-compromised version in.
-
-## How I Cherry-Pick
-
-Always with `-x` so authorship and the original commit hash stay
-visible:
-
-```bash
-git checkout -b sync/upstream-<topic> main
-git cherry-pick -x <upstream-commit-sha>
-```
-
-`-x` appends a `(cherry picked from commit <sha>)` line to the commit
-message. That preserves upstream-author credit and lets anyone reading
-`git log` trace the change back to Chat 2. Commit messages stay
-identical to the upstream original; I do not rewrite them to match the
-HellionChat format.
-
-## Conflict Handling
-
-When a cherry-pick conflicts:
-
-1. Resolve by hand. Do not rewrite upstream code to match HellionChat
-   conventions; that is what the merge marker showed.
-2. If the conflict is fundamental (touches code that no longer exists
-   in HellionChat), abort the cherry-pick and note why in the
-   relevant GitHub issue or backlog item. Some upstream patches are
-   simply not portable and that is fine.
-3. After a clean resolve the commit message stays as-is, with the
-   `-x` footer Git appends automatically.
-
-## Pushing the Sync
-
-Cherry-picked commits go through the same review as any other change.
-The sync branch lands in `main` via a no-fast-forward merge, then gets
-a release tag if user-visible behaviour changed:
-
-```bash
-git checkout main
-git merge --no-ff sync/upstream-<topic> -m "merge: upstream sync — <topic>"
-```
 
 ## Contributing Back
 
@@ -138,17 +116,12 @@ A few things to note about that process:
   not push that decision onto his codebase.
 - This is not guaranteed for every change, only where it makes sense
   and where I am confident the fix is clean and self-contained.
-
+- Whether it gets accepted is Infi's call, and a "no" is fine.
-## When Upstream Goes Silent
-
-If Chat 2 stops receiving updates the remote stays configured and this
-workflow stays documented. The moment maintenance picks back up I am
-ready to pull again.
 
 ## When Upstream Takes a Direction I Cannot Follow
 
 If a future Chat 2 release breaks compatibility with the HellionChat
 privacy philosophy in a way that cannot be resolved (mandatory cloud
-sync, removal of the local message store, an incompatible license
+sync, removal of the local message store, an incompatible licence
-change), HellionChat continues from the last compatible cherry-pick.
+change), HellionChat continues from where it is. The inherited
-The inherited history stays under EUPL-1.2 and stays attributed.
+history stays under EUPL-1.2 and stays attributed.

docs/release-notes/v1.3.0-forge-post.md

@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-**Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**
-
-EN - First plugin-integration cycle:
-- Honorific titles now show in the chat header above the message log
-- Live updates, auto-hide when Honorific is not installed
-- New "Integrations" settings tab with status indicator and toggle
-- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi profile
-- Coming soon: context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block, ExtraChat channels, quick DMs
-
-DE - Erste Plugin-Integration:
-- Honorific-Titel jetzt im Chat-Header über dem Message-Log
-- Live-Update, Auto-Hide wenn nicht installiert
-- Neuer "Integrations"-Settings-Tab mit Status-Indikator und Toggle
-- Maintainer-Attribution-Buttons für Honorific-Repo und Caraxi-Profil
-- Bald: Kontextmenü, Notifications, RP-Block, ExtraChat, schnelle DMs
-
-Got integration ideas? Hop on the Hellion Forge.
-Idee für eine Integration? Schreib mir auf der Forge.
-
-Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).

docs/release-notes/v1.3.0-github-release.md

@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-## Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific
-
-First step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now
-listens to Honorific and shows your custom title in the chat
-header. The slot auto-hides when Honorific is not installed,
-when no custom title is active, or when you are using the
-original FFXIV title.
-
-- New "Integrations" settings tab
-- Honorific integration with auto-detection and live updates
-- "Coming soon" preview of the next five planned integrations:
-  context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block,
-  ExtraChat channels, and quick DM compose
-- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi
-- New service-class pattern under HellionChat/Integrations/
-
-Modding and support: join Hellion Forge - https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR
-
-Based on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).

repo.json

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
     "Author": "JonKazama-Hellion",
     "Name": "Hellion Chat",
     "InternalName": "HellionChat",
-    "AssemblyVersion": "1.3.0.0",
+    "AssemblyVersion": "1.4.2.0",
-    "Description": "Hellion Chat is a privacy-focused chat replacement for FINAL FANTASY XIV based on the Chat 2 codebase (EUPL-1.2). One feature is intentionally removed (the optional webinterface) and a stack of privacy controls is added on top. Tabs, channel filters, RGB colours, emotes, screenshot mode, IPC integration and the chat replacement window itself work the same. The webinterface is intentionally not part of Hellion Chat because it serves a different use case from the smaller default footprint this plugin is built around.\n\nOn top of that, Hellion Chat adds privacy and data-handling controls designed to align with the modern data protection rules that apply across the EU, the United States and Japan. By default only your own conversations are stored; messages from strangers, NPCs and system spam stay out of the database. Retention windows are configurable per channel, history can be wiped retroactively, and stored data can be exported on demand.\n\nKey privacy and data-handling features:\n\n- Channel whitelist with a Privacy-First default\n- Per-channel retention with a daily background sweep\n- Retroactive cleanup with a Ctrl+Shift confirm\n- Export to Markdown, JSON or CSV\n- First-run wizard with three preset profiles (Privacy-First, Casual, Full History)\n- Bilingual UI (English and German) with live language switching\n- Independent plugin state — own config file and database directory, so Hellion Chat does not share state with upstream Chat 2\n\nv1.1.0 — Theme engine with five built-in themes (Hellion Arctic, Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove) plus JSON-based custom-theme authoring. Settings rebuilt around a card grid with section detail views. See docs/THEME-AUTHORING.md.\n\nv1.2.3 — Theme catalogue grown to nine built-in themes: Hellion Arctic, Hellion Spectrum (CVD-safe Deuteran/Protan), Chat 2 Klassik, Event Horizon, Moonlit Bloom, Mint Grove, Night Blue, Indigo Violet, Forge Merchantman.\n\nv1.3.0 First plugin integration cycle. Honorific custom titles are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.\n\nBased on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.\n\nModding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR — community for Hellion Chat and other Hellion Online Media plugins/tools.",
+    "Description": "Hellion Chat is a privacy-focused chat replacement for FINAL FANTASY XIV based on the Chat 2 codebase (EUPL-1.2). One feature is intentionally removed (the optional webinterface) and a stack of privacy controls is added on top. Tabs, channel filters, RGB colours, emotes, screenshot mode, IPC integration and the chat replacement window itself work the same. The webinterface is intentionally not part of Hellion Chat because it serves a different use case from the smaller default footprint this plugin is built around.\n\nOn top of that, Hellion Chat adds privacy and data-handling controls designed to align with the modern data protection rules that apply across the EU, the United States and Japan. By default only your own conversations are stored; messages from strangers, NPCs and system spam stay out of the database. Retention windows are configurable per channel, history can be wiped retroactively, and stored data can be exported on demand.\n\nKey privacy and data-handling features:\n\n- Channel whitelist with a Privacy-First default\n- Per-channel retention with a daily background sweep\n- Retroactive cleanup with a Ctrl+Shift confirm\n- Export to Markdown, JSON or CSV\n- First-run wizard with three preset profiles (Privacy-First, Casual, Full History)\n- Bilingual UI (English and German) with live language switching\n- Independent plugin state — own config file and database directory, so Hellion Chat does not share state with upstream Chat 2\n\nv1.3.0 First plugin integration cycle. Honorific custom titles are shown in the chat header above the message log, with auto-detect and silent fallback when Honorific is not installed.\n\nv1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes. Plugin reload and shutdown are cleaner: SQLite no longer leans on GC pressure to release its file, worker threads are explicitly background, deferred config saves no longer get lost mid-disable, and pre-v13 config backups carry the user's custom theme opacity into the v14 schema instead of falling back to the default.\n\nv1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance plus a tenth built-in. HellionStyle.PushGlobal reads pre-computed ABGR values from a per-theme cache instead of converting RGBA per slot per frame (~13 % render-time recovery in typical scenes). Custom-theme hot-reload survives transient file locks (editor mid-save keeps the last-known-good snapshot). Synthwave Sunset joins as the tenth built-in theme — Hot Magenta + Cyan on midnight violet, 80s neon-grid vibes.\n\nv1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path. Three per-frame allocation patterns gone from the chat-log render path: card-mode borders hoist invariants out of the per-message loop, auto-tell tab tint and icon get a per-tab cache, and the status bar gates its tab aggregation behind the same one-second cache it uses for the format strings.\n\nBased on Chat 2 by Infi and Anna, licensed under EUPL-1.2.\n\nModding & support: join the Hellion Forge Discord at https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR — community for Hellion Chat and other Hellion Online Media plugins/tools.",
     "ApplicableVersion": "any",
     "RepoUrl": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat",
     "Tags": [
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
     "CanUnloadAsync": false,
     "LoadPriority": 0,
     "Punchline": "Chat replacement with privacy controls aligned to EU, US and JP rules — based on Chat 2 (EUPL-1.2)",
-    "Changelog": "**Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**\n\nFirst step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now listens to Honorific and shows your custom title in the chat header. The slot auto-hides when Honorific is not installed, when no custom title is active, or when you are using the original FFXIV title.\n\n- New \"Integrations\" settings tab\n- Honorific integration with auto-detection and live updates\n- \"Coming soon\" preview of the next five planned integrations: context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block, ExtraChat channels, and quick DM compose\n- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi\n- New service-class pattern under HellionChat/Integrations/\n\nModding and support: join Hellion Forge - https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.2.3 — Theme Expansion**\n\nFour new built-in themes round out the picker. No engine changes, no settings touched — just more colour options.\n\n- **Night Blue** — Royal Blue on deep marine. Cool tech-dashboard mood, distinct from the brand themes.\n- **Indigo Violet** — Royal Violet on deep indigo with a turquoise-mint counter for an aurora glitter feel. Sister to Event Horizon but darker and denser; the turquoise accent keeps the two distinguishable.\n- **Forge Merchantman** — Patina bronze on workshop slate, warm amber counter. Hellion Forge given a theme of its own — sister to Hellion Arctic but greener and warmer instead of cold cyan.\n- **Hellion Spectrum** — Deuteran/Protan-safe channel colours using Wong/Okabe-Ito palette tones. Channel identity (Tell pink, Yell yellow, Shout orange, Party blue, FC green) is preserved; tones are chosen so each channel stays distinguishable under red-green colour vision deficiency. Covers the ~99% of CVD cases that are red-green.\n\nNo schema bump, no migration. Default theme is unchanged (Hellion Arctic). Existing custom themes keep working.\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n---\n\nEarlier history: https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases",
+    "Changelog": "**Hellion Chat 1.4.2 — ChatLog Frame-Hot-Path**\n\nThird sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Per-frame allocations from the chat-log render path eliminated.\n\n- DrawMessages card-mode hoists theme/drawList/winLeft/winRight/borderColorAbgr out of the per-message loop. About 500 redundant calls per frame at 100 visible messages, multiplied by every pop-out window\n- Auto-tell tab tint and icon use a per-tab cache. Hash computation and string allocation only happen when the tell target name or world drifts. AutoTellTabTint stays a pure hash helper; cache lives in a thin TabTintCache wrapper\n- Status bar gates its tab aggregation behind the same one-second cache it already used for the format strings. LINQ Sum and Count replaced with a single foreach pass that runs on roughly 1% of frames\n\nRealistic frame-time recovery: 2-5% in typical scenes, more on pop-out-heavy setups because the card-border hoist scales per window.\n\nModding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.4.1 — Theme Engine Performance**\n\nSecond sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Heap pressure from the theme engine's per-frame render path removed, plus a tenth built-in theme and hardening for the custom-theme hot-reload.\n\n- Theme records carry a pre-computed ABGR-packed cache for every color slot; cache is filled when the theme is registered and refreshed defensively on every Switch()\n- HellionStyle.PushGlobal reads ABGR values from the cache instead of calling ColourUtil.RgbaToAbgr per slot per frame; ~13 % render-time recovery measured in typical scenes (plan estimate was 2–6 %, real ~10–15 %)\n- ThemeRegistry custom-theme reload distinguishes a recoverable file lock (editor mid-save) from a permanent IO failure; locked themes keep their last-known-good snapshot and retry on the next lookup instead of dropping out of the picker\n- New built-in: Synthwave Sunset — Hot Magenta + Cyan on midnight violet, 80s neon-grid vibes; tenth theme in the picker\n- Author credits refreshed: brand themes are credited as \"Hellion Forge\"; Mint Grove and Forge Merchantman now credited to Carla Beleandis as a community thanks\n\nNo schema bump, no user-visible behaviour change other than smoother frames on GC-sensitive setups and one additional colour option.\n\nModding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.4.0 — Critical Lifecycle Fixes**\n\nFirst sub-patch of the v1.4.x Polish Sweep series. Seven known lifecycle and race bugs eliminated before any performance refactor sits on top.\n\n- MessageStore disposal no longer triggers GC.Collect globally; Pooling=false on the SQLite connection means there's nothing left to clean up by hand\n- PendingMessage and RetentionSweep worker threads are explicitly marked IsBackground=true so the plugin domain can unload during XIVLauncher reload without waiting for them\n- EmoteCache image and gif loaders moved from async-void to async Task with a shared task tracker, draining on Dispose so an in-flight load can no longer write to a disposed EmoteImages entry\n- DisposeAsync 10s timeout now warns loudly instead of silently leaving the worker behind\n- Plugin.Dispose flushes any pending DeferredSaveFrames before tearing services down, so settings changes made in the last few frames before disable are no longer lost\n- The v13→v14 config migration now reads the pre-v13 backup and carries HellionThemeWindowOpacity into the new WindowOpacity field instead of falling back to the default 0.85\n\nModding & support: join Hellion Forge — https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n**Hellion Chat 1.3.0 - Plugin Integrations: Honorific**\n\nFirst step on the plugin-integration roadmap. HellionChat now listens to Honorific and shows your custom title in the chat header. The slot auto-hides when Honorific is not installed, when no custom title is active, or when you are using the original FFXIV title.\n\n- New \"Integrations\" settings tab\n- Honorific integration with auto-detection and live updates\n- \"Coming soon\" preview of the next five planned integrations: context menu actions, smart notifications, RP status block, ExtraChat channels, and quick DM compose\n- Maintainer attribution buttons for Honorific repo and Caraxi\n- New service-class pattern under HellionChat/Integrations/\n\nModding and support: join Hellion Forge - https://discord.gg/X9V7Kcv5gR\n\nBased on Chat 2 1.35.3 (upstream Infiziert90/ChatTwo, EUPL-1.2).\n\n---\n\nEarlier history: https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases",
     "AcceptsFeedback": true,
-    "DownloadLinkInstall": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
+    "DownloadLinkInstall": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.2/latest.zip",
-    "DownloadLinkUpdate": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
+    "DownloadLinkUpdate": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.2/latest.zip",
-    "DownloadLinkTesting": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.3.0/latest.zip",
+    "DownloadLinkTesting": "https://github.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/releases/download/v1.4.2/latest.zip",
-    "TestingAssemblyVersion": "1.3.0.0",
+    "TestingAssemblyVersion": "1.4.2.0",
     "IconUrl": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/icon.png",
     "ImageUrls": [
       "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JonKazama-Hellion/HellionChat/main/HellionChat/images/chatWindow.png",

scripts/preflight.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# preflight.sh — pre-push gate. Blocks A/B/C verify config drift; Block D is a
+# headless `dotnet build` to catch compile-time API drift. Test execution lives
+# in the local Build-Suite repo and is NOT part of this preflight.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$ROOT"
+
+echo "==> preflight: Block A — version consistency"
+./scripts/verify-version-consistency.sh
+
+echo "==> preflight: Block B — manifest shape"
+./scripts/verify-manifest-shape.sh
+
+echo "==> preflight: Block C — changelog sync"
+./scripts/verify-changelog-sync.sh
+
+echo "==> preflight: Block D — plugin compile health"
+dotnet build HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj --configuration Release --nologo --verbosity quiet
+
+echo "==> preflight: ALL GREEN"

scripts/setup-hooks.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# setup-hooks.sh — installs pre-push hook via core.hooksPath. Idempotent.
+# Note: NO pre-commit hook — test execution is local-only in the Build-Suite repo,
+# so the plugin repo's pre-commit cannot run tests. Versions/manifest/changelog
+# checks happen on pre-push only.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$ROOT"
+
+git config core.hooksPath .githooks
+chmod +x .githooks/pre-push
+echo "setup-hooks: core.hooksPath set to .githooks. pre-push live."

scripts/verify-changelog-sync.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# verify-changelog-sync.sh — Block C.
+# Strips .0 suffix from repo.json AssemblyVersion to derive the 3-digit tag/version.
+# yaml.changelog is a single multi-line block with **Hellion Chat X.Y.Z** subblocks.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+
+YAML="$ROOT/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml"
+REPO_JSON="$ROOT/repo.json"
+FORGE_DIR="$ROOT/.github/forge-posts"
+
+fail() { echo "verify-changelog-sync: FAIL — $1" >&2; exit 1; }
+ok()   { echo "verify-changelog-sync: OK — $1"; }
+
+VER="$(jq -r '.[0].AssemblyVersion' "$REPO_JSON" | sed -E 's/\.0$//')"
+TAG="v$VER"
+
+grep -qE "^[[:space:]]*\*\*Hellion Chat ${VER}" "$YAML" \
+  || fail "$YAML changelog missing **Hellion Chat ${VER}** subblock. Fix: add the v${VER} block at the top of the changelog field."
+
+jq -r '.[0].Changelog' "$REPO_JSON" | grep -qE "^[[:space:]]*\*\*Hellion Chat ${VER}" \
+  || fail "$REPO_JSON Changelog missing **Hellion Chat ${VER}** subblock. Fix: copy the yaml changelog over."
+
+FORGE_FILE="$FORGE_DIR/${TAG}.md"
+[ -f "$FORGE_FILE" ] || fail "$FORGE_FILE missing. Fix: create from previous tag's file as template."
+
+SUBTITLE="$(awk '/^---$/{f=!f; next} f && /^subtitle:/' "$FORGE_FILE" | sed -E 's/^subtitle:[[:space:]]*//' | tr -d '\"')"
+[ -n "$SUBTITLE" ] || fail "$FORGE_FILE frontmatter missing 'subtitle'."
+[ "${#SUBTITLE}" -le 60 ] || fail "$FORGE_FILE subtitle is ${#SUBTITLE} chars (max 60)."
+
+NATUR="$(awk '/^---$/{f=!f; next} f && /^versionsnatur:/' "$FORGE_FILE" | sed -E 's/^versionsnatur:[[:space:]]*//' | tr -d '\"')"
+[ -n "$NATUR" ] || fail "$FORGE_FILE frontmatter missing 'versionsnatur'."
+[ "${#NATUR}" -le 40 ] || fail "$FORGE_FILE versionsnatur is ${#NATUR} chars (max 40)."
+
+BODY="$(awk '/^---$/{f++; next} f==2' "$FORGE_FILE")"
+TITLE_LEN=$((${#VER} + 16 + ${#SUBTITLE}))
+FOOTER_LEN=80
+TOTAL=$((TITLE_LEN + ${#BODY} + FOOTER_LEN))
+[ "$TOTAL" -le 5500 ] || fail "Forge embed total ~${TOTAL} chars > 5500 cap."
+
+YAML_VERSIONS="$(grep -cE '^[[:space:]]*\*\*Hellion Chat' "$YAML" || true)"
+[ "$YAML_VERSIONS" -le 4 ] || fail "$YAML changelog has $YAML_VERSIONS version subblocks (max 4). Fix: move oldest to docs/CHANGELOG.md."
+
+ok "yaml/repo.json/forge-post in sync for $TAG, embed-total ~${TOTAL}/5500, $YAML_VERSIONS/4 subblocks"

scripts/verify-manifest-shape.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# verify-manifest-shape.sh — Block B. Required fields in lowercase yaml,
+# DalamudApiLevel sanity in repo.json, no own DalamudPackager.targets,
+# Icon AND every ImageUrl reachable.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+
+YAML="$ROOT/HellionChat/HellionChat.yaml"
+REPO_JSON="$ROOT/repo.json"
+TARGETS_OWN="$ROOT/HellionChat/DalamudPackager.targets"
+
+fail() { echo "verify-manifest-shape: FAIL — $1" >&2; exit 1; }
+ok()   { echo "verify-manifest-shape: OK — $1"; }
+
+for FIELD in name author punchline description repo_url icon_url image_urls tags changelog; do
+  grep -qE "^${FIELD}:" "$YAML" || fail "$YAML missing required field: $FIELD"
+done
+
+[ -f "$TARGETS_OWN" ] && fail "Own DalamudPackager.targets at $TARGETS_OWN strips Icon/ImageUrls. DELETE it; SDK default works."
+
+API_LEVEL="$(jq -r '.[0].DalamudApiLevel' "$REPO_JSON")"
+case "$API_LEVEL" in
+  ''|null) fail "$REPO_JSON missing DalamudApiLevel" ;;
+esac
+[[ "$API_LEVEL" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || fail "$REPO_JSON DalamudApiLevel must be integer, got: $API_LEVEL"
+[ "$API_LEVEL" -ge 12 ] || fail "$REPO_JSON DalamudApiLevel=$API_LEVEL is below SDK 15 floor (12)."
+
+if [ "${HOOKS_OFFLINE:-0}" != "1" ]; then
+  ICON_URL="$(jq -r '.[0].IconUrl' "$REPO_JSON")"
+  curl -fsI "$ICON_URL" > /dev/null || fail "IconUrl unreachable: $ICON_URL"
+  ok "IconUrl reachable: $ICON_URL"
+
+  COUNT="$(jq -r '.[0].ImageUrls | length' "$REPO_JSON")"
+  [ "$COUNT" -ge 1 ] || fail "repo.json ImageUrls is empty"
+  for i in $(seq 0 $((COUNT - 1))); do
+    URL="$(jq -r ".[0].ImageUrls[$i]" "$REPO_JSON")"
+    curl -fsI "$URL" > /dev/null || fail "ImageUrls[$i] unreachable: $URL"
+  done
+  ok "$COUNT ImageUrl(s) reachable, DalamudApiLevel=$API_LEVEL"
+else
+  ok "skipped URL reachability (HOOKS_OFFLINE=1), DalamudApiLevel=$API_LEVEL"
+fi

scripts/verify-version-consistency.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# verify-version-consistency.sh — Block A of preflight.
+# csproj <Version> is 3-digit SemVer; repo.json AssemblyVersion is 4-digit (.0 suffix).
+
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+
+CSPROJ="$ROOT/HellionChat/HellionChat.csproj"
+REPO_JSON="$ROOT/repo.json"
+
+fail() { echo "verify-version-consistency: FAIL — $1" >&2; exit 1; }
+ok()   { echo "verify-version-consistency: OK — $1"; }
+
+CSPROJ_VER="$(grep -oE '<Version>[^<]+</Version>' "$CSPROJ" | head -1 | sed -E 's/<[^>]+>//g')"
+[ -n "$CSPROJ_VER" ] || fail "$CSPROJ has no <Version> element"
+
+EXPECTED_4DIGIT="${CSPROJ_VER}.0"
+
+REPO_VER="$(jq -r '.[0].AssemblyVersion' "$REPO_JSON")"
+[ "$REPO_VER" = "$EXPECTED_4DIGIT" ] \
+  || fail "csproj=$CSPROJ_VER expects repo.json AssemblyVersion=$EXPECTED_4DIGIT but got $REPO_VER. Fix: align in $REPO_JSON."
+
+TEST_VER="$(jq -r '.[0].TestingAssemblyVersion' "$REPO_JSON")"
+[ "$TEST_VER" = "$EXPECTED_4DIGIT" ] \
+  || fail "TestingAssemblyVersion=$TEST_VER must match $EXPECTED_4DIGIT. Fix: align in $REPO_JSON."
+
+TAG="v$CSPROJ_VER"
+for KEY in DownloadLinkInstall DownloadLinkUpdate DownloadLinkTesting; do
+  URL="$(jq -r ".[0].$KEY" "$REPO_JSON")"
+  case "$URL" in
+    *"/$TAG/"*) ;;
+    *) fail "$KEY=$URL does not contain tag $TAG. Fix: update $REPO_JSON $KEY to releases/download/$TAG/latest.zip." ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+ok "csproj=$CSPROJ_VER, repo.json=$EXPECTED_4DIGIT, tag $TAG present in DownloadLinks"