Sol Clippy Haunted Desktop Demo

The host-side review and cue runner is /home/david/random/bin/sol98_haunted_demo.py. Its editable cue sheet is /home/david/.config/sol98/haunted-demo.json, and execution status is appended to /home/david/.local/state/sol98/haunted-demo.log.

Launching the program only opens the review window. Dismiss exits without changing the recorder or VM. Initiate Recording + Demo validates and saves the JSON, hides the editor, sends SimpleScreenRecorder's configured Super+R global trigger, waits for a StartOutput confirmation, and only then begins the VM sequence.

The default sequence gracefully shuts down and boots win98, waits for the desktop, stages only Goodtime and Hover as temporary period-styled icons, drives balloon text and allowlisted animations through /clippy/push, and launches the existing C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\Shortcut to Goodtime.lnk through the VirtualBox keyboard channel. The final cue stops SimpleScreenRecorder, confirms StopOutput, presses its Save Recording control, and waits for MP4 finalization. Recording is also stopped and finalized after an orchestration error unless stop_recording_on_error is changed.

After boot, the runner dismisses the guest's blank Microsoft Networking password prompt with Escape, allows Explorer to settle, explicitly launches C:\SOLCHAT98\SOLCLIP.EXE, and blocks until a server-pushed Show command is acknowledged. Every later Clippy cue also waits for its acknowledgement; the sequence stops rather than recording missing character actions. VirtualBox start is retried for up to 45 seconds because the Windows 98 ACPI shutdown can leave a short-lived session lock after the machine first reports poweroff. While running, a small always-on-top STOP DEMO control cancels interruptible delays, finalizes the recorder, marks only that run's pending Clippy commands failed, and starts the VM again if cancellation caught it between shutdown and boot.

SimpleScreenRecorder must remain configured for PulseAudio source alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.monitor (Monitor of Built-in Audio Analog Stereo). This records the complete host playback mix, including VirtualBox/Clippy effects and guest video audio, rather than either attached microphone.

Run it with:

bash
/home/david/random/bin/sol98_haunted_demo.py

Supported cue actions are reboot_vm, stage_icons, clippy, clear_clippy, pointer, launch_shortcut, note, and stop_recording. Guest launches are restricted to the built-in goodtime and hover shortcut names. Clippy animations are validated against the live /clippy/capabilities response before recording begins.