feat(m9): systemd --user trigger modes + game-launch watcher — 0.23.0

D6 trigger modes, no root:
- core/service.py: write/enable `systemd --user` units; apply_mode(manual/
  always-on/game-launch) reconciles the recorder + watcher services; status().
- core/watcher.py + `rigdoctor watch`: poll Steam RunningAppID, auto-bracket a
  focused capture (D12 zero-config fallback; wrapper stays primary).
- CLI `rigdoctor service status|mode`; config `trigger_mode`.
- GUI Settings: "Recording trigger" dropdown (Apply runs apply_mode off-thread).
- Tests for unit generation, mode reconciliation, watcher transitions/parse.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@ All notable changes to RigDoctor are recorded here. Format follows
 (`MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`, pre-1.0). `__version__` and `pyproject.toml` must match the git
 release tag (so the auto-updater, D18, can compare versions).
 
+## [0.23.0] - 2026-05-22
+### Added
+- **Crash-logger trigger modes (M9 / D6)** via `systemd --user`, no root: **manual**,
+  **always-on** (a background service records continuously), and **game-launch** (auto-records
+  while a Steam game runs). Set it from **Settings → Recording trigger** or
+  `rigdoctor service mode <manual|always-on|game-launch>`; `rigdoctor service status` shows it.
+  `core/service.py` writes/enables the user units.
+- **Zero-config game-launch watcher** (`core/watcher.py`, `rigdoctor watch`) — polls Steam's
+  RunningAppID and brackets a focused capture around the running game (the D12 fallback for users
+  who don't add the `wrap` launch option; the wrapper stays the precise primary path).
+
 ## [0.22.0] - 2026-05-22
 ### Added
 - **M6 breadth.** Environment checks now also report **GPU PowerMizer** mode (NVIDIA, X — flags

docs/ROADMAP.md

@@ -61,9 +61,11 @@ Ubuntu + NVIDIA first; `.deb` distribution (see `DECISIONS.md`).
       watcher (Steam RunningAppID + /proc), GameMode hook, and the always-on `systemd --user`
       service.
 - [~] M9 interactive installer — *done:* distro/GPU detection + optional-dependency install
-      (`rigdoctor install`, GUI Setup tab); **user-local `install.sh` + self-extracting `.run`**
+      (`rigdoctor install`, GUI Settings); **user-local `install.sh` + self-extracting `.run`**
-      (no-root venv install, handles python3-venv prereq, CI-built). *Pending:* module-selection
+      (no-root venv install, handles python3-venv prereq, CI-built); **`systemd --user` trigger
-      config + `systemd --user` service enable + trigger-mode pick.
+      modes** (`core/service.py`, `rigdoctor service mode manual|always-on|game-launch` + GUI
+      Settings "Recording trigger") incl. the zero-config **game-launch watcher**
+      (`core/watcher.py`, `rigdoctor watch`). *Pending:* module-selection config during install.
 - [ ] `.deb` packaging (D8) declaring per-bundle deps incl. python3-pyside6 for Desktop UI
 
 ## Phase 5 — Breadth (later)

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "rigdoctor"
-version = "0.22.0"
+version = "0.23.0"
 description = "Modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"

src/rigdoctor/__init__.py

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 """RigDoctor — modular hardware monitoring & crash diagnostics for Linux gamers."""
 
-__version__ = "0.22.0"
+__version__ = "0.23.0"

src/rigdoctor/cli.py

@@ -416,6 +416,34 @@ def cmd_wrap(args) -> int:
     return wrap.run(args.command)
 
 
+def cmd_watch(args) -> int:
+    from .core import watcher
+
+    interval = args.interval or load_config().get("interval", 1.0)
+    print("Watching for a running Steam game (Ctrl-C to stop)…")
+    return watcher.watch(interval=max(2.0, interval))
+
+
+def cmd_service(args) -> int:
+    from .core import service
+
+    sub = args.service_cmd or "status"
+    if sub == "mode":
+        ok, msg = service.apply_mode(args.mode)
+        print(f"Trigger mode set to '{args.mode}'.")
+        if not ok and msg:
+            print(f"  note: {msg}")
+        return 0 if ok or not service.available() else 1
+
+    info = service.status()
+    print(f"Trigger mode:    {info['mode']}")
+    print(f"systemd --user:  {'available' if info['available'] else 'not available'}")
+    if info["available"]:
+        print(f"  recorder service: {'active' if info.get('recorder_active') else 'inactive'}")
+        print(f"  watcher service:  {'active' if info.get('watch_active') else 'inactive'}")
+    return 0
+
+
 def cmd_gameenv(args) -> int:
     from dataclasses import asdict
 
@@ -618,6 +646,18 @@ def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     wrap_p.add_argument("command", nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
                         help="the game command — use `rigdoctor wrap %%command%%` in Steam")
     wrap_p.set_defaults(func=cmd_wrap)
+
+    watch_p = sub.add_parser("watch", help="auto-capture while a Steam game runs (game-launch trigger)")
+    watch_p.add_argument("-n", "--interval", type=float, default=None, help="poll interval (s)")
+    watch_p.set_defaults(func=cmd_watch)
+
+    svc_p = sub.add_parser("service", help="crash-logger trigger mode + systemd --user service (M9/D6)")
+    svc_sub = svc_p.add_subparsers(dest="service_cmd")
+    svc_sub.add_parser("status", help="show the trigger mode and service state").set_defaults(func=cmd_service)
+    mode_p = svc_sub.add_parser("mode", help="set the trigger mode")
+    mode_p.add_argument("mode", choices=("manual", "always-on", "game-launch"))
+    mode_p.set_defaults(func=cmd_service)
+    svc_p.set_defaults(func=cmd_service, service_cmd=None)
     return p
 
 

src/rigdoctor/config.py

@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ DEFAULTS: dict = {
     "cpu_temp_alert": 95.0,       # °C — alert when CPU reaches this
     "relay_url": "wss://rigdoctor.jesseyvanofferen.com",  # session-sharing relay (M12)
     "steam_libraries": [],        # Steam library paths to scan for games (M6); empty = none picked yet
+    "trigger_mode": "manual",     # crash-logger trigger (D6): manual | always-on | game-launch
 }
 
 

src/rigdoctor/core/service.py

@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+"""`systemd --user` services for the crash logger + game watcher (M9 / D6 trigger modes).
+
+Three trigger modes (D6): **manual** (no service — start/stop by hand), **always-on** (a user
+service samples continuously, bounded by log rotation), and **game-launch** (a watcher service
+auto-brackets a capture around each game). No root: everything is a `systemd --user` unit in
+``~/.config/systemd/user``. Degrades gracefully when systemd isn't available.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from .. import config
+
+UNIT_DIR = Path(os.path.expanduser("~/.config/systemd/user"))
+RECORDER_UNIT = "rigdoctor-recorder.service"
+WATCH_UNIT = "rigdoctor-watch.service"
+MODES = ("manual", "always-on", "game-launch")
+
+_UNITS = {
+    RECORDER_UNIT: ("RigDoctor crash-capture recorder (always-on)", ["record", "run"]),
+    WATCH_UNIT: ("RigDoctor game-launch watcher", ["watch"]),
+}
+
+
+def available() -> bool:
+    return shutil.which("systemctl") is not None
+
+
+def _rigdoctor_bin() -> str:
+    exe = Path(sys.executable).with_name("rigdoctor")  # next to the venv python
+    if exe.exists():
+        return str(exe)
+    return shutil.which("rigdoctor") or "rigdoctor"
+
+
+def _systemctl(*args: str) -> tuple[int, str]:
+    try:
+        proc = subprocess.run(["systemctl", "--user", *args],
+                              capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=20)
+        return proc.returncode, (proc.stdout + proc.stderr).strip()
+    except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError) as exc:
+        return 1, str(exc)
+
+
+def unit_text(description: str, args: list[str]) -> str:
+    exec_cmd = " ".join([_rigdoctor_bin(), *args])
+    return (
+        "[Unit]\n"
+        f"Description={description}\n\n"
+        "[Service]\n"
+        "Type=simple\n"
+        f"ExecStart={exec_cmd}\n"
+        "Restart=on-failure\n"
+        "RestartSec=5\n\n"
+        "[Install]\n"
+        "WantedBy=default.target\n"
+    )
+
+
+def install_units() -> None:
+    """Write/refresh both unit files and reload systemd (idempotent)."""
+    UNIT_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    for name, (desc, args) in _UNITS.items():
+        (UNIT_DIR / name).write_text(unit_text(desc, args))
+    _systemctl("daemon-reload")
+
+
+def is_active(name: str) -> bool:
+    return _systemctl("is-active", name)[0] == 0
+
+
+def is_enabled(name: str) -> bool:
+    return _systemctl("is-enabled", name)[0] == 0
+
+
+def _enable(name: str) -> tuple[int, str]:
+    return _systemctl("enable", "--now", name)
+
+
+def _disable(name: str) -> tuple[int, str]:
+    return _systemctl("disable", "--now", name)
+
+
+def apply_mode(mode: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """Reconcile the user services to `mode` and persist it. Returns (ok, message)."""
+    if mode not in MODES:
+        return False, f"Unknown trigger mode: {mode}"
+    if not available():
+        config.update_config(trigger_mode=mode)
+        return False, "systemd --user isn't available — mode saved, but no service was changed."
+    install_units()
+    if mode == "always-on":
+        _disable(WATCH_UNIT)
+        rc, out = _enable(RECORDER_UNIT)
+    elif mode == "game-launch":
+        _disable(RECORDER_UNIT)
+        rc, out = _enable(WATCH_UNIT)
+    else:  # manual
+        _disable(RECORDER_UNIT)
+        _disable(WATCH_UNIT)
+        rc, out = 0, ""
+    config.update_config(trigger_mode=mode)
+    return rc == 0, out
+
+
+def status() -> dict:
+    """Current trigger mode (config) + live service states (best-effort)."""
+    cfg = config.load_config()
+    info = {"available": available(), "mode": cfg.get("trigger_mode", "manual")}
+    if info["available"]:
+        info["recorder_active"] = is_active(RECORDER_UNIT)
+        info["watch_active"] = is_active(WATCH_UNIT)
+    return info

src/rigdoctor/core/watcher.py

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+"""Zero-config game-launch watcher (D12 fallback): poll Steam's RunningAppID and
+auto-bracket a focused capture around the running game.
+
+For users who won't add the `rigdoctor wrap %command%` launch option. Less precise than the
+wrapper (it depends on Steam writing RunningAppID to registry.vdf, and only covers Steam), so
+the wrapper stays the primary mechanism. Stdlib only; safe to run as a `systemd --user` service
+(the game-launch trigger mode).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import signal
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from . import reccontrol, steam
+from .steam import _parse_vdf
+
+_REGISTRY_CANDIDATES = ("~/.steam/registry.vdf", "~/.steam/steam/registry.vdf")
+
+
+def _registry_path() -> Path | None:
+    for cand in _REGISTRY_CANDIDATES:
+        p = Path(os.path.expanduser(cand))
+        if p.exists():
+            return p
+    return None
+
+
+def _find_key(data: dict, key: str):
+    """Recursively find a (case-insensitive) scalar key in nested VDF dicts."""
+    target = key.lower()
+    for k, v in data.items():
+        if isinstance(v, dict):
+            found = _find_key(v, key)
+            if found is not None:
+                return found
+        elif k.lower() == target:
+            return v
+    return None
+
+
+def running_appid() -> int:
+    """The Steam appid currently running (0 if none / unknown)."""
+    path = _registry_path()
+    if path is None:
+        return 0
+    try:
+        data = _parse_vdf(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace"))
+    except OSError:
+        return 0
+    raw = _find_key(data, "RunningAppID")
+    try:
+        return int(raw)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return 0
+
+
+def transition(prev: int, current: int) -> str | None:
+    """'start' when a game begins, 'stop' when it ends, else None."""
+    if current and not prev:
+        return "start"
+    if prev and not current:
+        return "stop"
+    return None
+
+
+def _name_for(appid: int) -> str:
+    target = str(appid)
+    for g in steam.cached_games() or steam.scan_games(steam.selected_library_paths()):
+        if g.appid == target:
+            return g.name
+    return f"Steam app {appid}"
+
+
+def watch(interval: float = 5.0) -> int:
+    """Poll for a running Steam game and bracket a capture around it. Blocks until signalled."""
+    from . import diagnostic
+
+    stop = {"flag": False}
+
+    def _on_signal(_sig, _frame):
+        stop["flag"] = True
+
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, _on_signal)
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, _on_signal)
+
+    prev = 0
+    started = False
+    while not stop["flag"]:
+        current = running_appid()
+        action = transition(prev, current)
+        if action == "start" and not reccontrol.running_pid():
+            started = diagnostic.start(game=_name_for(current)) is not None
+        elif action == "stop" and started:
+            reccontrol.stop_background()
+            started = False
+        prev = current
+        # Sleep in small slices so a stop signal is handled promptly.
+        slept = 0.0
+        while slept < interval and not stop["flag"]:
+            time.sleep(min(0.25, interval - slept))
+            slept += 0.25
+    if started:
+        reccontrol.stop_background()
+    return 0

src/rigdoctor/gui/setup_page.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from PySide6.QtGui import QDesktopServices
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QApplication,
     QCheckBox,
+    QComboBox,
     QDoubleSpinBox,
     QFrame,
     QGridLayout,
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
 )
 
 from .. import config
-from ..core import alerts, installer, sysenv, uninstall, updates
+from ..core import alerts, installer, service, sysenv, uninstall, updates
 from .theme import GOOD, MUTED, WARN
 
 
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ _BACKEND_DESC = {
 class SetupPage(QWidget):
     _installed = Signal(int, str)
     _upd_state = Signal(object)
+    _mode_applied = Signal(object)  # (mode, ok, message) from a trigger-mode change
     changed = Signal()  # alert settings saved — main window re-applies them live
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ class SetupPage(QWidget):
         self.setObjectName("Page")
         self._installed.connect(self._on_installed)
         self._upd_state.connect(self._on_upd_state)
+        self._mode_applied.connect(self._on_mode_applied)
 
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         root.setContentsMargins(20, 18, 20, 18)
@@ -123,6 +126,35 @@ class SetupPage(QWidget):
         alerts_layout.addLayout(alerts_buttons)
         root.addWidget(alerts_card)
 
+        # Recording trigger (M9 / D6): when the crash logger runs.
+        trig_card, trig_layout = _panel("Recording trigger")
+        trig_desc = QLabel(
+            "When the crash logger runs (uses a systemd --user service):\n"
+            "•  Manual — you start/stop it yourself.\n"
+            "•  Always-on — a background service records continuously.\n"
+            "•  Game-launch — auto-records while a Steam game is running."
+        )
+        trig_desc.setObjectName("Muted")
+        trig_desc.setWordWrap(True)
+        trig_layout.addWidget(trig_desc)
+        trig_row = QHBoxLayout()
+        self._trigger = QComboBox()
+        self._trigger.addItems(list(service.MODES))
+        apply_trigger = QPushButton("Apply")
+        apply_trigger.setObjectName("PrimaryButton")
+        apply_trigger.clicked.connect(self._apply_trigger)
+        trig_row.addWidget(self._trigger, 1)
+        trig_row.addWidget(apply_trigger)
+        trig_layout.addLayout(trig_row)
+        self._trigger_status = QLabel("")
+        self._trigger_status.setObjectName("Muted")
+        self._trigger_status.setWordWrap(True)
+        trig_layout.addWidget(self._trigger_status)
+        if not service.available():
+            apply_trigger.setEnabled(False)
+            self._trigger_status.setText("systemd --user isn't available on this system.")
+        root.addWidget(trig_card)
+
         # Account access (M13/M12): one Gitea token gates updates and session sharing.
         upd_card, upd_layout = _panel("Account access")
         hint = QLabel("A Gitea access token unlocks updates and session sharing. "
@@ -167,8 +199,26 @@ class SetupPage(QWidget):
 
         self._refresh()
         self._load_alerts()
+        self._trigger.setCurrentText(config.load_config().get("trigger_mode", "manual"))
         self._refresh_update_status()
 
+    # --- recording trigger (M9) -----------------------------------------------
+    def _apply_trigger(self) -> None:
+        mode = self._trigger.currentText()
+        self._trigger_status.setText(f"Applying “{mode}”… (may take a moment)")
+        threading.Thread(target=self._work_trigger, args=(mode,), daemon=True).start()
+
+    def _work_trigger(self, mode: str) -> None:
+        ok, msg = service.apply_mode(mode)
+        self._mode_applied.emit((mode, ok, msg))
+
+    def _on_mode_applied(self, result) -> None:
+        mode, ok, msg = result
+        if ok:
+            self._trigger_status.setText(f"Recording trigger set to “{mode}”.")
+        else:
+            self._trigger_status.setText(f"“{mode}” saved. {msg}")
+
     # --- alerts (M8) ----------------------------------------------------------
     @staticmethod
     def _spin() -> QDoubleSpinBox:

tests/test_service.py

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+"""Tests for the M9 systemd --user trigger-mode service manager."""
+
+import unittest
+from unittest import mock
+
+from rigdoctor.core import service
+
+
+class UnitTextTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_unit_text_has_required_sections(self):
+        txt = service.unit_text("RigDoctor recorder", ["record", "run"])
+        self.assertIn("[Unit]", txt)
+        self.assertIn("[Service]", txt)
+        self.assertIn("ExecStart=", txt)
+        self.assertIn("record run", txt)
+        self.assertIn("WantedBy=default.target", txt)
+
+
+class ApplyModeTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_unknown_mode_rejected(self):
+        ok, msg = service.apply_mode("turbo")
+        self.assertFalse(ok)
+        self.assertIn("Unknown", msg)
+
+    def test_no_systemd_saves_mode_but_reports(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(service, "available", return_value=False), \
+             mock.patch.object(service.config, "update_config") as update:
+            ok, msg = service.apply_mode("always-on")
+        self.assertFalse(ok)
+        self.assertIn("available", msg.lower())
+        update.assert_called_once_with(trigger_mode="always-on")
+
+    def test_always_on_enables_recorder_disables_watch(self):
+        calls = []
+        with mock.patch.object(service, "available", return_value=True), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "install_units"), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "_enable", side_effect=lambda n: calls.append(("enable", n)) or (0, "")), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "_disable", side_effect=lambda n: calls.append(("disable", n)) or (0, "")), \
+             mock.patch.object(service.config, "update_config"):
+            ok, _ = service.apply_mode("always-on")
+        self.assertTrue(ok)
+        self.assertIn(("enable", service.RECORDER_UNIT), calls)
+        self.assertIn(("disable", service.WATCH_UNIT), calls)
+
+    def test_manual_disables_both(self):
+        disabled = []
+        with mock.patch.object(service, "available", return_value=True), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "install_units"), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "_enable", return_value=(0, "")), \
+             mock.patch.object(service, "_disable", side_effect=lambda n: disabled.append(n) or (0, "")), \
+             mock.patch.object(service.config, "update_config"):
+            ok, _ = service.apply_mode("manual")
+        self.assertTrue(ok)
+        self.assertEqual(set(disabled), {service.RECORDER_UNIT, service.WATCH_UNIT})
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()

tests/test_watcher.py

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""Tests for the M9/D12 game-launch watcher (RunningAppID parse + transitions)."""
+
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest import mock
+
+from rigdoctor.core import watcher
+
+_REGISTRY = """"Registry"
+{
+\t"HKCU"
+\t{
+\t\t"Software"
+\t\t{
+\t\t\t"Valve"
+\t\t\t{
+\t\t\t\t"Steam"
+\t\t\t\t{
+\t\t\t\t\t"RunningAppID"\t\t"%s"
+\t\t\t\t}
+\t\t\t}
+\t\t}
+\t}
+}
+"""
+
+
+class TransitionTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_transitions(self):
+        self.assertEqual(watcher.transition(0, 570), "start")
+        self.assertEqual(watcher.transition(570, 0), "stop")
+        self.assertIsNone(watcher.transition(570, 570))
+        self.assertIsNone(watcher.transition(0, 0))
+
+
+class FindKeyTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_case_insensitive_nested(self):
+        data = {"Registry": {"HKCU": {"steam": {"runningappid": "42"}}}}
+        self.assertEqual(watcher._find_key(data, "RunningAppID"), "42")
+
+    def test_missing(self):
+        self.assertIsNone(watcher._find_key({"a": {"b": "c"}}, "RunningAppID"))
+
+
+class RunningAppIdTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _with_registry(self, content):
+        d = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        path = Path(d) / "registry.vdf"
+        path.write_text(content)
+        return path
+
+    def test_reads_running_appid(self):
+        path = self._with_registry(_REGISTRY % "570")
+        with mock.patch.object(watcher, "_registry_path", return_value=path):
+            self.assertEqual(watcher.running_appid(), 570)
+
+    def test_zero_when_idle(self):
+        path = self._with_registry(_REGISTRY % "0")
+        with mock.patch.object(watcher, "_registry_path", return_value=path):
+            self.assertEqual(watcher.running_appid(), 0)
+
+    def test_zero_when_no_registry(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(watcher, "_registry_path", return_value=None):
+            self.assertEqual(watcher.running_appid(), 0)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()