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Release vv1.5.3

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@doublegate doublegate released this 07 Jan 23:23
· 1 commit to master since this release
v1.5.3
4fc6f81

Overview

Critical bug fix release that finally resolves the Ctrl+I sidebar toggle functionality. The v1.5.1 fix did not work due to contextBridge callback serialization issues. This release implements a proper CustomEvent-based architecture that correctly handles IPC communication across Electron's isolated contexts.

Bug Fix

Sidebar Toggle (Ctrl+I) - Properly Fixed

  • Issue: Ctrl+I global shortcut has been broken since v1.5.0 (when diagnostics panel was added)
  • v1.5.1 Fix Attempt: Did not work - relied on passing callback functions across Electron's contextBridge
  • Root Cause: Callbacks fail silently due to serialization issues between isolated contexts
  • Additional Issue: IPC listener was set up inside a function (delayed) rather than immediately

Technical Solution: CustomEvent Architecture

The proper fix uses a CustomEvent-based architecture instead of callback serialization:

Main Process (Ctrl+I detected)
    |
    v
IPC "sidebar-toggle" message
    |
    v
Preload (immediate listener, runs on load)
    |
    v
CustomEvent dispatched to window
    |
    v
Overlay listens for CustomEvent directly on window
    |
    v
Sidebar toggles successfully

Root Cause Analysis

Version Issue
v1.5.0 Global shortcut registration was commented out, breaking Ctrl+I
v1.5.1 Re-enabled shortcut but used callback-based IPC pattern that fails silently
v1.5.3 Implemented proper CustomEvent pattern with immediate listeners

Why v1.5.1 Failed

  1. The onSidebarToggle(callback) approach passes a function through contextBridge
  2. Electron's contextBridge cannot serialize functions between isolated contexts
  3. The callback becomes undefined or throws silently, causing no sidebar toggle
  4. The listener was also set up lazily inside a function instead of immediately on preload

Why v1.5.3 Works

  1. Preload script sets up IPC listener immediately on load (not inside a function)
  2. Uses window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('sidebar-toggle')) for communication
  3. Overlay component adds event listener directly on window object
  4. No function serialization required - only string events cross the context boundary

Files Modified

  • src/electron/main.ts - Added debug logging for shortcut registration verification
  • src/electron/preload.ts - IPC listener runs immediately, dispatches CustomEvent to window
  • src/overlay/index.tsx - Listens for CustomEvent directly on window instead of IPC callback

Technical Notes

This fix demonstrates an important pattern for Electron IPC communication:

  • Never pass callbacks through contextBridge for IPC events
  • Use CustomEvents for renderer-to-renderer communication triggered by main process
  • Immediate listeners in preload ensure events are never missed
  • Debug logging in main process helps verify shortcut registration

Testing

All quality checks pass:

  • Prettier: All files formatted correctly
  • ESLint: No errors
  • TypeScript: No type errors
  • Build: Successful
  • Tests: 8 passing tests

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