Startup: a launch that stops as its window is shown switches the next to OpenGL

On an ASUS G513QY (Radeon RX 6800M, Adrenalin 26.9.2, Windows 11) every
launch died with STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION inside amdvlk64.dll, on a
driver worker thread, a moment after the first frame: eframe shows the
window it created hidden, the resulting resize re-creates the swapchain,
and the driver crashes there (same offset on two driver versions, with
the OBS/Steam/Epic Vulkan layers disabled, and with FIFO, immediate and
latency-1 presentation). DirectX 12 and OpenGL open the window fine.

A crash in a driver can't be caught, and the launch guard (#243) removed
its marker at the first frame, so this looked like a successful launch
every time and Window Graphics never switched. The marker now stays
until the window has kept drawing for SETTLE (3 s) or the app quits
normally before that; frame_drawn returns the time left and the app
asks for a repaint then, so an idle window settles too. The notice,
the Settings note and docs/preferences.md describe the new rule.

Verified on that machine with a scratch settings folder: launch 1
(Vulkan) crashed and left the marker, launch 2 switched to OpenGL with
the notice and closed with exit code 0, launch 3 stayed on OpenGL
without the notice.

Tests: effectcraft launch_guard
a_launch_that_stops_after_its_first_frame_switches_the_next_to_opengl
(a first frame then drop: the next launch gets GL and the notice; a
normal quit in that time leaves no marker), and the existing test now
asserts that the first frames don't settle a launch (marker present at
SETTLE/2, gone at SETTLE).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5.1 <[email protected]>

apps/effectcraft/src/launch_guard.rs

@@ -1,39 +1,52 @@
 //! Settings ▸ Startup & Repair ▸ Window Graphics, and the launch guard behind it.
 //!
 //! Some graphics drivers crash EffectCraft as its window's device is created (an access
-//! violation in an older Intel UHD driver with DirectX 12 / Vulkan, #243). A crash in a driver
-//! can't be caught, so each launch leaves a marker in the settings folder until its window has
-//! drawn a frame. A launch that finds the previous one's marker switches Window Graphics to
-//! OpenGL, which those drivers run, and says so once the window is up. `WGPU_BACKEND` (wgpu's
-//! own override) still wins over both. The marker is locked while its launch runs, so a second
-//! copy opened meanwhile isn't taken for a crash; and a window OpenGL can't open either puts
-//! Window Graphics back to Automatic ([`opengl_failed`]) rather than failing every launch.
+//! violation in an older Intel UHD driver with DirectX 12 / Vulkan, #243), or a moment after
+//! its first frame, as the window is shown and its surface re-created (AMD's Vulkan driver for
+//! a Radeon RX 6800M, Adrenalin 26.9.2: an access violation in amdvlk64.dll on every launch).
+//! A crash in a driver can't be caught, so each launch leaves a marker in the settings folder
+//! until its window has kept drawing for [`SETTLE`] (or the app quits normally before then). A
+//! launch that finds the previous one's marker switches Window Graphics to OpenGL, which those
+//! drivers run, and says so once the window is up. `WGPU_BACKEND` (wgpu's own override) still
+//! wins over both. The marker is locked while its launch runs, so a second copy opened meanwhile
+//! isn't taken for a crash; and a window OpenGL can't open either puts Window Graphics back to
+//! Automatic ([`opengl_failed`]) rather than failing every launch.
 
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use effectcraft_engine::prefs::{PREFS_FILE, Prefs};
 use eframe::wgpu::Backends;
 
-/// Left in the settings folder from a launch until its window draws.
+/// Left in the settings folder from a launch until its window has settled.
 const MARKER: &str = "launch-pending";
 
+/// How long the window keeps drawing after its first frame before the launch counts as made.
+/// A driver that fails as the window is shown and its surface re-created does so within the
+/// first second; a user quitting sooner than this is told the next launch uses OpenGL and can
+/// switch back in Settings.
+pub const SETTLE: Duration = Duration::from_secs(3);
+
 /// This launch's window graphics.
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
 pub struct Launch {
     /// The graphics APIs the window may use (`None`: eframe's default).
     pub backends: Option<Backends>,
-    /// Switched to OpenGL because the previous launch never drew: the message to show.
+    /// Switched to OpenGL because the previous launch stopped as its window opened: the message
+    /// to show.
     pub notice: Option<String>,
     marker: Option<PathBuf>,
-    /// Holds the marker's lock until the window draws (or the process ends).
+    /// Holds the marker's lock until the launch settles (or the process ends).
     lock: Option<File>,
+    /// When the window drew its first frame, until the launch settles.
+    first_frame: Option<Instant>,
 }
 
 impl Launch {
     /// Read Window Graphics in the settings folder `dir`, switch it to OpenGL when the previous
-    /// launch never drew (where OpenGL exists: not macOS), and leave this launch's marker.
-    /// `env_override`: `WGPU_BACKEND` is set.
+    /// launch stopped as its window opened (where OpenGL exists: not macOS), and leave this
+    /// launch's marker. `env_override`: `WGPU_BACKEND` is set.
     pub fn begin(dir: Option<&Path>, env_override: bool) -> Launch {
         let Some(dir) = dir.filter(|_| !env_override) else { return Launch::default() };
         let prefs_path = dir.join(PREFS_FILE);
@@ -45,11 +58,11 @@ impl Launch {
         if marker.exists() && !held && prefs.startup.window_graphics == "auto" && cfg!(not(target_os = "macos")) {
             prefs.startup.window_graphics = "gl".into();
             match std::fs::create_dir_all(dir).and_then(|()| std::fs::write(&prefs_path, prefs.to_json())) {
-                Ok(()) => log::warn!("the last launch never drew its window: switching Window Graphics to OpenGL"),
-                Err(e) => log::warn!("the last launch never drew its window; saving Window Graphics failed: {e}"),
+                Ok(()) => log::warn!("the last launch stopped as its window opened: switching Window Graphics to OpenGL"),
+                Err(e) => log::warn!("the last launch stopped as its window opened; saving Window Graphics failed: {e}"),
             }
             notice = Some(
-                "EffectCraft's last launch stopped before its window opened, so it now draws with OpenGL \
+                "EffectCraft's last launch stopped as its window opened, so it now draws with OpenGL \
                  (Settings ▸ Startup & Repair ▸ Window Graphics). Updating the graphics driver may let it use \
                  Automatic again."
                     .to_string(),
@@ -64,11 +77,33 @@ impl Launch {
                 (None, None)
             }
         };
-        Launch { backends, notice, marker, lock }
+        Launch { backends, notice, marker, lock, first_frame: None }
     }
 
-    /// The window drew its first frame: the launch made it.
-    pub fn drawn(&mut self) {
+    /// The window drew a frame. Until the launch has settled, returns how long that still takes
+    /// (ask for a repaint then, so that an idle window settles too).
+    pub fn frame_drawn(&mut self) -> Option<Duration> {
+        self.frame_drawn_at(Instant::now())
+    }
+
+    fn frame_drawn_at(&mut self, now: Instant) -> Option<Duration> {
+        self.marker.as_ref()?;
+        let first = *self.first_frame.get_or_insert(now);
+        let left = SETTLE.saturating_sub(now.saturating_duration_since(first));
+        if left.is_zero() {
+            self.settled();
+            return None;
+        }
+        Some(left)
+    }
+
+    /// The app quits normally: however soon after opening, that's no crash.
+    pub fn exited(&mut self) {
+        self.settled();
+    }
+
+    /// The launch made it: release and remove its marker.
+    fn settled(&mut self) {
         self.lock = None;
         if let Some(m) = self.marker.take()
             && let Err(e) = std::fs::remove_file(&m)
@@ -103,12 +138,18 @@ mod tests {
     fn a_launch_that_never_drew_switches_the_next_to_opengl() {
         let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("ec-launch-guard-{}", std::process::id()));
         let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
-        // A first launch that draws: nothing changes.
+        // A first launch that draws: nothing changes. Its first frames don't settle it (a driver
+        // may still crash as the window is shown); frames for `SETTLE` do.
         let mut l = Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false);
         assert_eq!((l.backends, l.notice.is_some()), (None, false));
         assert!(dir.join(MARKER).exists());
-        l.drawn();
+        let t0 = Instant::now();
+        assert_eq!(l.frame_drawn_at(t0), Some(SETTLE));
+        assert!(l.frame_drawn_at(t0 + SETTLE / 2).is_some_and(|left| left <= SETTLE / 2));
+        assert!(dir.join(MARKER).exists());
+        assert_eq!(l.frame_drawn_at(t0 + SETTLE), None);
         assert!(!dir.join(MARKER).exists());
+        assert_eq!(l.frame_drawn_at(t0 + SETTLE), None, "settled stays settled");
         // A launch that crashes before drawing (it never calls `drawn`)…
         drop(Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false));
         // …makes the next one use OpenGL and say so, once.
@@ -119,7 +160,7 @@ mod tests {
             assert_eq!(l.backends, Some(Backends::GL));
             assert!(l.notice.is_some());
             assert_eq!(window_graphics(&dir), "gl", "saved in Settings");
-            l.drawn();
+            l.exited();
             let l = Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false);
             assert_eq!((l.backends, l.notice.is_some()), (Some(Backends::GL), false), "it stays, without the notice");
         }
@@ -130,6 +171,34 @@ mod tests {
         let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
     }
 
+    /// A launch that stops moments after its first frame (AMD's Vulkan driver crashing as the
+    /// window is shown and its surface re-created) switches the next one to OpenGL too; a
+    /// normal quit in that time doesn't.
+    #[test]
+    fn a_launch_that_stops_after_its_first_frame_switches_the_next_to_opengl() {
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("ec-launch-guard-3-{}", std::process::id()));
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+        let mut l = Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false);
+        assert!(l.frame_drawn().is_some());
+        drop(l);
+        let l = Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false);
+        if cfg!(target_os = "macos") {
+            assert_eq!(l.backends, None, "no OpenGL on macOS");
+        } else {
+            assert_eq!(l.backends, Some(Backends::GL));
+            assert!(l.notice.is_some());
+        }
+        drop(l);
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+        // Quitting right after the window opened leaves no marker.
+        let mut l = Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false);
+        assert!(l.frame_drawn().is_some());
+        l.exited();
+        assert!(!dir.join(MARKER).exists());
+        assert_eq!(Launch::begin(Some(&dir), false).backends, None);
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+    }
+
     /// A second copy opened while the first is still opening isn't a crash; OpenGL that can't
     /// open a window either goes back to Automatic instead of failing every launch.
     #[test]

apps/effectcraft/src/main.rs

@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
     // Wayland shows the window's icon from its desktop entry: an AppImage brings its own.
     #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
     appimage::integrate_from_env(ICON_PNG);
-    // Settings ▸ Startup & Repair ▸ Window Graphics, switched to OpenGL when the last launch's
-    // window never drew (a crashing graphics driver, #243).
+    // Settings ▸ Startup & Repair ▸ Window Graphics, switched to OpenGL when the last launch
+    // stopped as its window opened (a crashing graphics driver, #243).
     let mut launch = launch_guard::Launch::begin(effectcraft_host::config_dir().as_deref(), std::env::var_os("WGPU_BACKEND").is_some());
     let on_gl = launch.backends == Some(eframe::wgpu::Backends::GL);
     let notice = launch.notice.take();
@@ -290,12 +290,17 @@ impl eframe::App for Desktop {
         self.app.ui(ui, frame);
         if !self.drawn {
             self.drawn = true;
-            self.launch.drawn();
             log::info!("first frame drawn");
         }
+        // The launch guard's marker goes once the window has kept drawing for a few seconds: a
+        // driver may still crash as the window is shown and its surface re-created.
+        if let Some(left) = self.launch.frame_drawn() {
+            ui.ctx().request_repaint_after(left);
+        }
     }
 
     fn on_exit(&mut self) {
+        self.launch.exited();
         self.app.on_exit();
     }
 

crates/engine/src/prefs.rs

@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ page!(Startup {
     /// After a crash, offer to open the most recent auto-save.
     offer_crash_recovery: bool = true,
     /// What the desktop window draws with, from the next launch: `auto` (the platform's best
-    /// graphics API) or `gl` (OpenGL, for drivers that crash with the others). A launch whose
-    /// window never drew switches it to `gl` (#243).
+    /// graphics API) or `gl` (OpenGL, for drivers that crash with the others). A launch that
+    /// stops as its window opens switches it to `gl` (#243).
     window_graphics: String = "auto".into(),
 });
 
@@ -948,7 +948,7 @@ pub fn pages() -> Vec<Page> {
                 s("startup.offerCrashRecovery", "Offer to Open the Latest Auto-Save After a Crash", B, true),
                 s("startup.windowGraphics", "Window Graphics", Kind::Choice(WINDOW_GRAPHICS), true),
                 Note(
-                    "Window Graphics applies from the next launch. When the graphics driver stops EffectCraft before its window draws, the next launch switches to OpenGL.",
+                    "Window Graphics applies from the next launch. When the graphics driver stops EffectCraft as its window opens, the next launch switches to OpenGL.",
                 ),
                 Section("Repair"),
                 Button { label: "Reset Settings", command: "prefs.reset", params: "{}" },

docs/preferences.md

@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Commands (CLI, MCP, control channel):
 - `general.defaultSpatialLinear`: Default Spatial Interpolation to Linear
 - `startup.showHomeOnLaunch`: Show Home Screen When Launching
 - `startup.offerCrashRecovery`: Offer to Open the Latest Auto-Save After a Crash
-- `startup.windowGraphics`: Window Graphics (`auto` / `gl`), what the desktop window draws with from the next launch. `auto` lets the platform pick (DirectX 12, Vulkan or Metal); `gl` uses OpenGL, with CPU compositing, for graphics drivers that crash with the others. A launch whose window never drew leaves a `launch-pending` marker in the settings folder, and the next launch switches to `gl` and says so (not on macOS, which has no OpenGL backend). `WGPU_BACKEND` overrides both.
+- `startup.windowGraphics`: Window Graphics (`auto` / `gl`), what the desktop window draws with from the next launch. `auto` lets the platform pick (DirectX 12, Vulkan or Metal); `gl` uses OpenGL, with CPU compositing, for graphics drivers that crash with the others. A launch leaves a `launch-pending` marker in the settings folder until its window has been drawing for a few seconds (or the app quits normally before that); a launch that stops earlier (a graphics driver crashing as the window opens or as its surface is re-created) leaves the marker behind, and the next launch switches to `gl` and says so (not on macOS, which has no OpenGL backend). `WGPU_BACKEND` overrides both.
 - `project.useTemplate`: New Project Loads Template
 - `project.templatePath`: Template Project
 - `autoSave.enabled`: Automatically Save Projects