M-1: honour the launch preset without WiFi (setup card no longer forced at every boot)

DECISIONS.md

@@ -311,3 +311,33 @@ its unique suffix (apollo-led-matrix-xxxxxx); only the hotspot name
 changed. FIRMWARE change: b8 app no longer byte-identical to b7, virgin
 boot + battery re-run before the walkthrough; the SSID fix reaches
 existing units via OTA, unlike the FS card.
+
+### D27. b9 (2026-10-25): a no-WiFi owner's launch preset wins over the setup signpost
+BUG in b8 (reported by Justin): with no WiFi configured, beginStrip() applied
+preset 9 (dog, then setup card) instead of ANY launch preset, so an AP-only
+owner's launch preset was saved and shown in the UI but never ran at boot.
+That contradicts D20 (full control with no network). No earlier decision or
+QA row covered it; the D13 gate never set a launch preset on an AP-only unit.
+FIX: the signpost plays only while WiFi is unconfigured AND the launch
+preset is still the factory one (cfg.json def.ps 4) AND the owner has not
+chosen one AND presets.json has a named preset 9. "Chosen" is a new
+persisted flag (cfg def.psc). It is set when Config > LED & Hardware is
+saved while no WiFi is configured (the "Apply preset N at boot" field under
+Power up), or when "Apply at boot" is ticked on a DIFFERENT preset in the
+preset editor (that box is pre-ticked on the current launch preset, so just
+re-saving the dog preset does not count). Choosing the dog itself therefore
+works through LED & Hardware. Compiled in only by [env:apollo_m1]
+(-D FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET=9 -D FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET=4); other envs of the
+fork boot like upstream. No apollo/fs change, so it reaches b8 units by OTA:
+an owner who already set a launch preset other than 4 gets it at once.
+Also fixes a wiped filesystem (factory reset) and a WLED-MM upgrade without
+preset 9, which now run their launch preset (0 = plain Apollo blue) instead
+of applying a missing preset 9.
+TRADEOFF, ACCEPTED (Justin, 2026-10-25; the narrower "only when the launch
+preset number changes" was rejected because an owner could then never pick
+the dog, already the factory value, from that page): saving LED & Hardware without WiFi for
+ANY reason (for example the HUB75 color order from PR #8) counts as choosing
+the launch preset shown there, so the boot signpost stops. The card stays
+available on demand as preset 5 "Setup". There is no UI way back to the
+signpost short of a full install; do not tell owners to use launch preset
+9 for it, because 9 keeps showing the hotspot card after WiFi is set up.

QA_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -270,9 +270,10 @@ unit. This is the D20 acceptance: AP mode is a first-class destination.
       STATIC setup card (D24): STEP 1 JOIN APOLLO WIFI HOTSPOT / 21px QR /
       STEP 2 SCAN OR OPEN BROWSER TO 4.3.2.1, at brightness 220, holding
       indefinitely. NO cycling, no page turns.
-- [ ] Reset or power-cycle: dog then card return (boot preset 9 playlist
-      self-heals; customer preset list shows 5 "Setup" to recall the card).
-- [ ] Phone joins "Apollo M-1-xxxxxx" (open). Accept any "no internet -
+- [ ] Reset or power-cycle, no launch preset saved: dog then card return
+      (boot preset 9 playlist self-heals; customer preset list shows 5
+      "Setup" to recall the card).
+- [ ] Phone joins "Apollo M-1" (open). Accept any "no internet -
       stay connected?" prompt. NO captive popup should appear (D22).
 - [ ] Scan the QR off the panel with the camera app in NORMAL ROOM LIGHT:
       browser opens http://4.3.2.1 (with mobile data still ON).
@@ -305,3 +306,23 @@ PASS ("everything looks great"), with Sound Bars verified as
 applies-cleanly-idle on this no-mic unit (reactivity row inherited from
 the 2026-07-15 glass verification on the mic-equipped unit; audio code
 untouched b7->b8). SHIP-READY RE-ASSERTED for bundle b8.
+
+## D27. Launch preset without WiFi (b9+; run on a SECOND factory-fresh unit,
+## never on the D13 unit: these steps mark the launch preset as chosen, which
+## cannot be undone from the UI and would break D13's final provision row)
+Phone on the "Apollo M-1" hotspot, 4.3.2.1, no WiFi ever configured.
+- [ ] Full install, power-cycle twice without saving any settings: dog then
+      card both times.
+- [ ] Preset editor: open 4 "Apollo Dog" (Apply at boot is pre-ticked),
+      rename it, save; power-cycle: dog then card STILL return.
+- [ ] Config > LED & Hardware > Power up: "Apply preset 3 at boot" > Save;
+      power-cycle: Sound Bars starts, no dog, no card. /json/cfg shows
+      def {"ps":3,"psc":true}.
+- [ ] Same field = 4 > Save; power-cycle: dog only, no card.
+- [ ] Same field = 2 > Save; power-cycle: Apollo Blue preset.
+- [ ] Preset editor: tick "Apply at boot" on 1 "Scrolling Text", save;
+      power-cycle: Scrolling Text plays.
+- [ ] Preset 5 "Setup" from the preset list still shows the card on demand.
+- [ ] OTA path (third unit, or after a full install of b8): on b8 set the
+      LED & Hardware launch preset to 3 (dog then card still show: the b8
+      bug), OTA M-1_ota.bin b9, power-cycle: Sound Bars, no re-save needed.

apollo/README.md

@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@ tree itself. Rules for branches, upstream WLED and releases: CLAUDE.md in the re
 - fs/presets.json - the factory presets: 1 Scrolling Text, 2 Apollo Blue, 3 Sound
   Bars, 4 Apollo Dog, 5 Setup (the first-boot setup card at brightness 220), and
   9 First Boot (a playlist that plays the dog once for 4 s, then holds the Setup
-  card; applied automatically at boot while WiFi is unconfigured, see
-  FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET). Historical note: units shipped on WLED-MM carried no
+  card; applied at boot while WiFi is unconfigured and the owner has not chosen a
+  launch preset, see FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET in [env:apollo_m1] and DECISIONS D27).
+  Historical note: units shipped on WLED-MM carried no
   presets; these first shipped with the 16.0.1 migration.
 - fs/apollo_dog.gif - the animated first-boot dog (D19).
 - fs/setup.gif - the static setup card (D24): join instructions, QR code, and the

apollo/boot-signpost-test.js

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+// AI: below section was generated by an AI
+// Host-side check of the Apollo M-1 boot signpost in wled00/wled.cpp beginStrip() (DECISIONS D23/D24/D27).
+// Runs with `npm test` (node --test). It reads the signpost condition from the C++ source and the signpost
+// presets from [env:apollo_m1], evaluates the condition for each boot case, and asserts:
+//  - a factory-fresh unit with no WiFi (factory def.ps, no def.psc) still boots the signpost playlist,
+//  - a no-WiFi owner's launch preset is honoured once chosen (Apollo Dog included) or when it is not the factory one,
+//  - WiFi-configured units boot their own preset exactly as upstream,
+//  - the signpost is compiled in only where [env:apollo_m1] enables it, and the values match apollo/fs,
+//  - every code path that writes bootPreset from the UI also sets bootPresetChosen, and cfg.cpp persists it.
+'use strict';
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const root = path.join(__dirname, '..');
+const read = f => fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, f), 'utf8');
+const stripIniComments = s => s.split('\n').map(l => l.replace(/;.*$/, '')).join('\n');
+
+// [env:apollo_m1] build flags (section runs to the next [section] or end of file)
+const ini = read('platformio.ini');
+const envStart = ini.indexOf('[env:apollo_m1]');
+assert.ok(envStart >= 0, '[env:apollo_m1] not found in platformio.ini');
+const envEnd = ini.indexOf('\n[', envStart + 1);
+const envM1 = stripIniComments(ini.slice(envStart, envEnd < 0 ? undefined : envEnd));
+const flag = name => { const m = envM1.match(new RegExp(`-D\\s*${name}=(\\d+)`)); return m ? +m[1] : undefined; };
+const SIGNPOST = flag('FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET');
+const FACTORY_BOOT = flag('FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET');
+
+// beginStrip() body and the signpost condition inside its #ifdef
+const wledCpp = read('wled00/wled.cpp');
+const bsStart = wledCpp.indexOf('void WLED::beginStrip()');
+const beginStrip = wledCpp.slice(bsStart, wledCpp.indexOf('\nvoid WLED::', bsStart + 1));
+const gated = beginStrip.match(/#ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET([\s\S]*?)#endif/);
+// if (<cond>) { String x; if (getPresetName(FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET, x)) bootPs = FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET; }
+const condMatch = gated && gated[1].match(/if \(([^;{}]*?)\)\s*\{\s*String (\w+);\s*if \(getPresetName\(FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET, \2\)\)\s*bootPs\s*=\s*FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET;\s*\}/);
+
+// boot decision as compiled for the M-1: returns the preset applied, or 'DEFAULT_COLOR' when none.
+// signpostExists models getPresetName(9): false when presets.json has no named preset 9 (e.g. a WLED-MM upgrade).
+function bootM1(wifiConfigured, chosen, bootPreset, signpostExists = true) {
+  const cond = condMatch[1];
+  const ids = new Set(cond.match(/[A-Za-z_]\w*/g));
+  const allowed = ['WLED_WIFI_CONFIGURED', 'bootPresetChosen', 'bootPreset', 'FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET', 'FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET'];
+  assert.ok([...ids].every(id => allowed.includes(id)), `unexpected identifier in signpost condition: ${cond}`);
+  assert.match(cond, /^[\s!&|=()\w]+$/, `signpost condition is not a plain boolean expression: ${cond}`);
+  const fn = new Function(...allowed, `return (${cond});`);
+  const ps = (fn(wifiConfigured, chosen, bootPreset, FACTORY_BOOT, SIGNPOST) && signpostExists) ? SIGNPOST : bootPreset;
+  return ps > 0 ? ps : 'DEFAULT_COLOR';
+}
+
+test('signpost is compiled in only by [env:apollo_m1]', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(SIGNPOST, 9, '-D FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET missing from [env:apollo_m1]');
+  assert.strictEqual(FACTORY_BOOT, 4, '-D FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET missing from [env:apollo_m1]');
+  const elsewhere = stripIniComments(ini.slice(0, envStart)).match(/FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET/g);
+  assert.strictEqual(elsewhere, null, 'another env defines FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET');
+  for (const f of ['wled00/const.h', 'wled00/wled.h']) {
+    assert.doesNotMatch(read(f), /#define\s+FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET/, `${f} must not define a default`);
+  }
+  assert.ok(condMatch, 'signpost condition not found inside #ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET in beginStrip()');
+  assert.match(beginStrip, /byte bootPs = bootPreset;/);
+  assert.match(beginStrip, /if \(bootPs > 0\) \{\s*applyPreset\(bootPs, CALL_MODE_INIT\);/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(beginStrip.replace(gated[0], ''), /FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET|bootPresetChosen/, 'signpost code outside the #ifdef');
+});
+
+test('flag values match the factory filesystem', () => {
+  const cfg = JSON.parse(read('apollo/fs/cfg.json'));
+  const presets = JSON.parse(read('apollo/fs/presets.json'));
+  assert.strictEqual(cfg.def.ps, FACTORY_BOOT, 'FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET must equal apollo/fs/cfg.json def.ps');
+  assert.strictEqual(cfg.def.psc, undefined, 'factory cfg.json must not mark the boot preset as chosen');
+  assert.strictEqual(presets[FACTORY_BOOT].seg[0].n, 'apollo_dog.gif');
+  const pl = presets[SIGNPOST].playlist;
+  assert.ok(pl, `preset ${SIGNPOST} must be the signpost playlist`);
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(pl.ps, [FACTORY_BOOT]);
+  assert.strictEqual(presets[pl.end].seg[0].n, 'setup.gif', 'signpost playlist must end on the Setup card');
+});
+
+test('boot behaviour per case', () => {
+  const D = FACTORY_BOOT;
+  // [wifiConfigured, bootPresetChosen, bootPreset, expected, case]
+  const cases = [
+    [false, false, D, SIGNPOST, 'factory-fresh, no WiFi: dog then setup card'],
+    [false, false, 3, 3, 'no WiFi, launch preset 3 (also b8 units updated by OTA, no psc key)'],
+    [false, true, 3, 3, 'no WiFi, owner chose 3'],
+    [false, true, D, D, 'no WiFi, owner chose Apollo Dog'],
+    [false, true, 0, 'DEFAULT_COLOR', 'no WiFi, owner chose none'],
+    [false, true, SIGNPOST, SIGNPOST, 'no WiFi, owner chose First Boot on purpose'],
+    [false, false, 0, 'DEFAULT_COLOR', 'wiped filesystem: Apollo blue, no missing-preset error'],
+    [false, false, 23, 23, 'WLED-MM upgrade, no WiFi, own boot preset'],
+    [true, false, D, D, 'WiFi configured: factory dog (D24 self-correction)'],
+    [true, false, 0, 'DEFAULT_COLOR', 'WiFi configured, no boot preset'],
+    [true, true, 7, 7, 'WiFi configured, owner preset'],
+  ];
+  for (const [wifi, chosen, bp, want, name] of cases) assert.strictEqual(bootM1(wifi, chosen, bp), want, name);
+  // no named preset 9 in presets.json (WLED-MM upgrade, or the owner deleted it): the owner's preset 4 runs
+  assert.strictEqual(bootM1(false, false, D, false), D, 'no preset 9: launch preset 4 runs instead of a missing preset');
+});
+
+test('every UI write of bootPreset marks it chosen, and cfg.cpp persists the flag', () => {
+  for (const f of ['wled00/set.cpp', 'wled00/presets.cpp', 'wled00/json.cpp']) {
+    const lines = read(f).split('\n');
+    lines.forEach((l, i) => {
+      if (!/\bbootPreset\s*=[^=]/.test(l)) return;
+      const around = lines.slice(Math.max(0, i - 4), i + 4).join('\n'); // the guard may sit just before or just after the write
+      assert.match(around, /#ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET\s*\n[^\n]*bootPresetChosen = true;/, `${f}:${i + 1} writes bootPreset without setting bootPresetChosen`);
+    });
+  }
+  // LED & Hardware save counts only without WiFi; "Apply at boot" counts only when it picks a different preset
+  // (the box is pre-ticked on the current boot preset, so re-saving the dog preset must not end the signpost)
+  assert.match(read('wled00/set.cpp'), /if \(!WLED_WIFI_CONFIGURED\) bootPresetChosen = true;/);
+  assert.match(read('wled00/presets.cpp'), /if \(\(sObj\[FPSTR\(bootPS\)\] \| bootPreset\) != bootPreset\) bootPresetChosen = true;/);
+  const cfg = read('wled00/cfg.cpp');
+  assert.match(cfg, /CJSON\(bootPreset, def\["ps"\]\);\s*#ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET\s*CJSON\(bootPresetChosen, def\["psc"\]\);/);
+  assert.match(cfg, /def\["ps"\] = bootPreset;\s*#ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET\s*def\["psc"\] = bootPresetChosen;/);
+  assert.match(read('wled00/wled.h'), /#ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET\s*WLED_GLOBAL bool bootPresetChosen _INIT\(false\);/);
+});
+// AI: end

apollo/wiki-rewrites/no-wifi-mode.md

@@ -21,10 +21,9 @@ panel shows a setup card and keeps showing it until you are set up. The
 card has both steps and a QR code, so there is nothing to wait for.
 
 1. **STEP 1 - join the M-1's WiFi.** On your phone or computer, open the
-   WiFi list and join the network called **Apollo M-1-xxxxxx** (the letters
-   at the end are unique to your unit). There is no password. If your phone
-   warns "this network has no internet - stay connected?", choose **stay
-   connected**. You can leave mobile data on.
+   WiFi list and join the network called **Apollo M-1**. There is no
+   password. If your phone warns "this network has no internet - stay
+   connected?", choose **stay connected**. You can leave mobile data on.
 2. **STEP 2 - scan the code on the card.** Point your camera app at the QR
    code at the bottom of the card and tap the link. Your browser opens the
    M-1's control page.
@@ -38,10 +37,23 @@ ever touching a network.
 
 ### Good to know
 
-- The setup card only appears while the M-1 has no WiFi configured. Once
-  you connect it to your home WiFi, it boots straight to the Apollo dog
-  instead, and you reach it at its normal network address. You can always
-  bring the card back from the preset list (preset "Setup").
+- The setup card appears at power-on only while the M-1 has no WiFi
+  configured and you have not chosen what it should start with. Once you
+  connect it to your home WiFi, it starts on its launch preset instead (the
+  Apollo dog, unless you changed it), and you reach it at its normal network
+  address. You can always bring the card back from the preset list (preset
+  "Setup").
+- **Staying without WiFi? Choose what it starts with (firmware b9 or
+  later).** Open **Config > LED & Hardware**, scroll to **Power up**, set
+  **Apply preset ___ at boot** (4 = Apollo dog, 1 = Scrolling Text,
+  2 = Apollo Blue) and press **Save**. Or open a different preset, tick
+  **Apply at boot**, and save it. From then on it starts on that preset,
+  without the setup card.
+- Saving the **LED & Hardware** page while the M-1 has no WiFi, for any
+  reason (for example changing the color order), also counts as choosing:
+  it starts on the preset shown in **Apply preset ___ at boot** and the
+  setup card no longer appears at power-on. The card is still in the preset
+  list as "Setup".
 - The hotspot stays available as a fallback: if the M-1 ever cannot reach
   your WiFi, it opens its hotspot again and 4.3.2.1 works as above.
 - Uploading GIFs from the **WLED phone app** does not work (a known bug in

platformio.ini

@@ -916,6 +916,7 @@ build_flags = ${env:esp32s3dev_16MB_opi_hub75.build_flags}
   -D WLED_MDNS_PREFIX='"apollo-led-matrix"'
   ;; factory boot: one 64x64 half-scan panel as a 2D matrix, brightness limiter off
   -D DEFAULT_COLOR=0x4379AA ;; Apollo blue welcome color (needs the FX.h ifndef guard)
+  -D FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET=9 -D FACTORY_BOOT_PRESET=4 ;; setup signpost (D24/D27): apollo/fs presets.json 9 and cfg.json def.ps; other envs compile it out
   -D DATA_PINS=64,64,1,1,1  ;; HUB75 slots = panelW,panelH,chain,rows,cols (not GPIOs)
   -D MAX_LEDS=16388         ;; 4-panel chain is EXACTLY 16384 and the driver guard is >=; +4 pad mirrors WLED-MM (QA D10 finding)
   -D MAX_LED_MEMORY=262144  ;; 4-panel chain estimate is 180224B; stock 192K cap leaves 17K margin before the bus is silently replaced by a placeholder = dark panels (QA D10)

wled00/cfg.cpp

@@ -590,6 +590,9 @@ bool deserializeConfig(JsonObject doc, bool fromFS) {
 
   JsonObject def = doc["def"];
   CJSON(bootPreset, def["ps"]);
+  #ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET
+  CJSON(bootPresetChosen, def["psc"]); // absent in the factory cfg.json and on b8 units: not chosen
+  #endif
   CJSON(turnOnAtBoot, def["on"]); // true
   CJSON(briS, def["bri"]); // 128
 
@@ -1127,6 +1130,9 @@ void serializeConfig(JsonObject root) {
 
   JsonObject def = root.createNestedObject("def");
   def["ps"] = bootPreset;
+  #ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET
+  def["psc"] = bootPresetChosen;
+  #endif
   def["on"] = turnOnAtBoot;
   def["bri"] = briS;
 

wled00/const.h

@@ -457,10 +457,6 @@ static_assert(WLED_MAX_BUSSES <= 32, "WLED_MAX_BUSSES exceeds hard limit");
 #define SEG_CAPABILITY_W       0x02
 #define SEG_CAPABILITY_CCT     0x04
 
-#ifndef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET
-#define FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET 9 // preset applied at boot while WiFi is unconfigured (setup signpost); no-op if the preset does not exist
-#endif
-
 // WLED Error modes
 #define ERR_NONE         0  // All good :)
 #define ERR_DENIED       1  // Permission denied

wled00/presets.cpp

@@ -237,6 +237,9 @@ void savePreset(byte index, const char* pname, JsonObject sObj)
 
   const char *bootPS = PSTR("bootps");
   if (!sObj[FPSTR(bootPS)].isNull()) {
+    #ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET
+    if ((sObj[FPSTR(bootPS)] | bootPreset) != bootPreset) bootPresetChosen = true; // a newly ticked "Apply at boot" stops the setup signpost; re-saving the pre-ticked boot preset does not
+    #endif
     bootPreset = sObj[FPSTR(bootPS)] | bootPreset;
     sObj.remove(FPSTR(bootPS));
     configNeedsWrite = true;

wled00/set.cpp

@@ -374,6 +374,9 @@ void handleSettingsSet(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, byte subPage)
     turnOnAtBoot = request->hasArg(F("BO"));
     t = request->arg(F("BP")).toInt();
     if (t <= 250) bootPreset = t;
+    #ifdef FACTORY_SIGNPOST_PRESET
+    if (!WLED_WIFI_CONFIGURED) bootPresetChosen = true; // saving LED & Hardware without WiFi confirms "Apply preset N at boot": the setup signpost stops
+    #endif
     gammaCorrectBri = request->hasArg(F("GB"));
     gammaCorrectCol = request->hasArg(F("GC"));
     gammaCorrectVal = request->arg(F("GV")).toFloat();