Improve recording HUD and protect dictation recovery

windows/src/Murmur.App/App.axaml.cs

@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public App()
 
     private DictationController? _controller;
     private readonly SemaphoreSlim _controllerGate = new(1, 1);
+    private bool _recognitionBlocked;
     private int _controllerGeneration;
     private volatile bool _shuttingDown;
     private Action? _unsubscribeControllerEvents;
@@ -332,19 +333,31 @@ private void OnProfileMenuItemClick(object? sender, EventArgs e)
 
     private async Task StartControllerAsync()
     {
+        if (_recognitionBlocked || _controller?.RequiresRestart == true)
+        {
+            _recognitionBlocked = true;
+            _settingsWindow?.SetStatus(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"), isError: true);
+            _hud?.UpdateState(DictationState.ErrorState(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired")), 0, _recoveryTranscript ?? string.Empty);
+            return;
+        }
         var generation = Interlocked.Increment(ref _controllerGeneration);
         var settings = _settings.Normalize();
         var model = ModelManifest.Get(settings.SpeechModelId);
         bool IsCurrentLoad() => !_shuttingDown && generation == Volatile.Read(ref _controllerGeneration);
-        await _controllerGate.WaitAsync();
+        if (!await _controllerGate.WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3)))
+        {
+            _recognitionBlocked = true;
+            _settingsWindow?.SetStatus(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"), isError: true);
+            return;
+        }
         ITranscriber? transcriber = null;
         WasapiAudioCapture? audioCapture = null;
         LowLevelKeyboardHook? hotkeyHook = null;
         DictationController? candidate = null;
         var loadingTranscriber = false;
         try
         {
-            if (!IsCurrentLoad()) return;
+            if (!IsCurrentLoad() || _recognitionBlocked) return;
             _profileToggleHook?.Dispose();
             _profileToggleHook = null;
             await DisposeControllerAsync();
@@ -491,8 +504,26 @@ private async Task DisposeControllerAsync()
         _controller = null;
         _controllerModelId = null;
         _settingsWindow?.SetModelNotLoaded();
-        try { if (owner != null) await owner.DisposeAsync(); }
-        finally { unsubscribe?.Invoke(); }
+        try
+        {
+            if (owner != null) await owner.DisposeAsync();
+        }
+        catch (TimeoutException ex)
+        {
+            _recognitionBlocked = true;
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"), ex);
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            _recognitionBlocked |= owner?.RequiresRestart == true;
+            if (owner?.RequiresRestart == true && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(owner.CurrentTranscript))
+            {
+                _recoveryTranscript = owner.CurrentTranscript;
+                _settingsWindow?.SetRecoveryTranscript(_recoveryTranscript);
+            }
+            unsubscribe?.Invoke();
+        }
+        if (_recognitionBlocked) throw new InvalidOperationException(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"));
     }
 
     private Action SubscribeControllerEvents(DictationController owner, string modelId)
@@ -513,7 +544,7 @@ void Post(Action action)
             Post(() =>
             {
                 AppLogger.Log($"StateChanged: {state.Status}");
-                if (state.Status == DictationStatus.Error && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(text))
+                if (state.Status == DictationStatus.Error && state.Message != "RecordingDurationLimit" && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(text))
                 {
                     _recoveryTranscript = text;
                     _settingsWindow?.SetRecoveryTranscript(text);
@@ -594,6 +625,10 @@ private static DictationState LocalizeDictationState(DictationState state)
             "TextTargetUnavailable" => UiText.TextTargetUnavailable,
             "TextTargetChanged" => UiText.TextTargetChanged,
             "TextModifierHeld" => UiText.TextModifierHeld,
+            "RecognitionRestartRequired" => UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"),
+            "StreamingBacklogExceeded" => UiText.Text("StreamingBacklogExceeded"),
+            "StreamingRecognitionFailed" => UiText.Text("StreamingRecognitionFailed"),
+            "RecordingDurationLimit" => UiText.Text("RecordingDurationLimit"),
             _ => state.Message
         };
         return string.Equals(localized, state.Message, StringComparison.Ordinal)
@@ -966,6 +1001,11 @@ private void OnSettingsDownloadCancelRequested(object? sender, EventArgs e)
     private async void OnSettingsMicrophoneTestRequested()
     {
         if (_shuttingDown) return;
+        if (_recognitionBlocked || _controller?.RequiresRestart == true)
+        {
+            _settingsWindow?.SetStatus(UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"), isError: true);
+            return;
+        }
         bool isRunning;
         lock (_testCaptureLock)
         {
@@ -1045,17 +1085,19 @@ private async Task StopMicrophoneTestAsync(int? expectedGeneration = null)
         {
             if (capture != null)
             {
-                try
+                var actualStop = Task.Run(async () =>
                 {
-                    await capture.StopAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
-                }
+                    try { await capture.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None).ConfigureAwait(false); }
+                    finally { if (!capture.IsRunning) capture.Dispose(); }
+                });
+                ShutdownDeadline.Observe(actualStop);
+                try { await actualStop.WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3)).ConfigureAwait(false); }
                 catch (Exception ex)
                 {
+                    _recognitionBlocked = true;
                     AppLogger.LogException("StopMicrophoneTestAsync", ex);
-                }
-                finally
-                {
-                    capture.Dispose();
+                    Dispatcher.UIThread.Post(() => _settingsWindow?.SetStatus(
+                        UiText.Text("RecognitionRestartRequired"), isError: true));
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1277,6 +1319,16 @@ private async void OnExitClick(object? sender, EventArgs e)
         AppLogger.Log("App exiting via Tray Exit.");
         _updateCts.Cancel();
         _downloadCts?.Cancel();
+        await ShutdownDeadline.RunAsync(ShutdownCoreAsync(), () =>
+        {
+            _hud?.Close();
+            _settingsWindow?.Close();
+            if (ApplicationLifetime is IClassicDesktopStyleApplicationLifetime desktop) desktop.Shutdown();
+        }, () => Environment.Exit(0));
+    }
+
+    private async Task ShutdownCoreAsync()
+    {
         if (_initializationTask != null) await _initializationTask;
         await StopMicrophoneTestAsync();
         await _controllerGate.WaitAsync();
@@ -1286,18 +1338,10 @@ private async void OnExitClick(object? sender, EventArgs e)
             _profileToggleHook = null;
             await DisposeControllerAsync();
         }
-        catch (Exception ex) { AppLogger.LogException("Controller shutdown", ex); }
         finally { _controllerGate.Release(); }
         _updateChecker.Dispose();
         _updateCts.Dispose();
         _recoveryTranscript = null;
         _clickSoundPlayer.Dispose();
-        _hud?.Close();
-        _settingsWindow?.Close();
-
-        if (ApplicationLifetime is IClassicDesktopStyleApplicationLifetime desktop)
-        {
-            desktop.Shutdown();
-        }
     }
 }

windows/src/Murmur.App/Controls/VUMeterControl.cs

@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 using Avalonia.Controls;
 using Avalonia.Media;
 using Avalonia.Threading;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 
 namespace Murmur.App.Controls;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Analog VU meter with damped spring ballistics (300ms attack, 420ms release, 6% overshoot)
-/// and discrete 16-segment instrumentation bar.
+/// Sixteen-segment meter with studio HUD envelope or legacy settings spring ballistics.
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class VUMeterControl : Control
 {
@@ -55,12 +55,28 @@ public bool UseHudPalette
 
     private double _position;
     private double _velocity;
+    private double _holdRemaining;
+    private long _lastTick;
+    private bool _reducedMotion;
     private DispatcherTimer? _timer;
     private bool _isAttached;
     private int _lastReportedLevelBucket = -1;
 
     /// <summary>Internal flag indicating if animation timer is running (for tests only).</summary>
     internal bool IsAnimationRunning => _timer?.IsEnabled == true;
+    internal double CurrentPosition => _position;
+    internal double HoldRemainingSeconds => _holdRemaining;
+
+    internal bool ReducedMotion
+    {
+        get => _reducedMotion;
+        set
+        {
+            if (_reducedMotion == value) return;
+            _reducedMotion = value;
+            OnLevelOrActiveChanged();
+        }
+    }
 
     internal const int SegmentCount = 16;
     private static readonly IBrush UnlitBrush = new SolidColorBrush(Color.Parse("#262422"));
@@ -121,6 +137,9 @@ private double ResolveDouble(string key, double fallback)
     private void OnPaletteModeChanged()
     {
         _paletteDirty = true;
+        _holdRemaining = 0;
+        _velocity = 0;
+        EvaluateTimerState();
         InvalidateVisual();
     }
 
@@ -204,7 +223,7 @@ private void OnLevelOrActiveChanged()
     {
         UpdateItemStatus();
         EvaluateTimerState();
-        if (!_isAttached || !IsVisible)
+        if (!_isAttached || !IsVisible || (UseHudPalette && ReducedMotion))
         {
             InvalidateVisual();
         }
@@ -223,14 +242,25 @@ private void UpdateItemStatus()
 
     private void EvaluateTimerState()
     {
+        if (UseHudPalette && ReducedMotion)
+        {
+            StopTimer();
+            _position = IsActive ? Math.Clamp((double)Level, 0, 1) : 0;
+            _velocity = 0;
+            _holdRemaining = 0;
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (!_isAttached || !IsVisible)
         {
             StopTimer();
             return;
         }
 
         var target = IsActive ? Math.Clamp((double)Level, 0.0, 1.0) : 0.0;
-        var needsAnimation = IsActive || _position > 0.001 || Math.Abs(target - _position) > 0.001 || Math.Abs(_velocity) > 0.0001;
+        var needsAnimation = UseHudPalette
+            ? Math.Abs(target - _position) > 0.001
+            : IsActive || _position > 0.001 || Math.Abs(target - _position) > 0.001 || Math.Abs(_velocity) > 0.0001;
 
         if (needsAnimation)
         {
@@ -248,13 +278,19 @@ private void StartTimer()
         {
             _timer = new DispatcherTimer(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(1000.0 / 60.0), DispatcherPriority.Render, (_, _) =>
             {
-                AdvanceNeedle();
+                var now = Stopwatch.GetTimestamp();
+                if (UseHudPalette)
+                    StepBallistics(Stopwatch.GetElapsedTime(_lastTick, now).TotalSeconds);
+                else
+                    AdvanceNeedle();
+                _lastTick = now;
                 InvalidateVisual();
             });
         }
 
         if (!_timer.IsEnabled)
         {
+            _lastTick = Stopwatch.GetTimestamp();
             _timer.Start();
         }
     }
@@ -297,6 +333,47 @@ private void AdvanceNeedle()
         }
     }
 
+    internal void ResetBallistics()
+    {
+        StopTimer();
+        _position = _velocity = _holdRemaining = 0;
+        InvalidateVisual();
+    }
+
+    internal void StepBallistics(double dtSeconds)
+    {
+        if (!double.IsFinite(dtSeconds) || dtSeconds <= 0) return;
+        var target = IsActive ? Math.Clamp((double)Level, 0, 1) : 0;
+        if (ReducedMotion)
+        {
+            _position = target;
+            _holdRemaining = 0;
+            StopTimer();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var rising = target >= _position;
+        if (rising)
+        {
+            _holdRemaining = .040;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if (!IsActive) _holdRemaining = 0;
+            var heldTime = Math.Min(_holdRemaining, dtSeconds);
+            _holdRemaining -= heldTime;
+            dtSeconds -= heldTime;
+        }
+
+        // The controller already smooths input; keep the HUD's extra response short and monotone.
+        _position = target + (_position - target) * Math.Exp(-3 * dtSeconds / (rising ? .035 : .160));
+        if (Math.Abs(target - _position) < .001)
+        {
+            _position = target;
+            StopTimer();
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public override void Render(DrawingContext context)
     {

windows/src/Murmur.App/Diagnostics/ShutdownDeadline.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+namespace Murmur.App.Diagnostics;
+
+internal static class ShutdownDeadline
+{
+    internal static void Observe(Task work) => _ = work.ContinueWith(
+        static completed => { _ = completed.Exception; }, CancellationToken.None,
+        TaskContinuationOptions.OnlyOnFaulted | TaskContinuationOptions.ExecuteSynchronously, TaskScheduler.Default);
+
+    internal static async Task RunAsync(Task cleanup, Action completed, Action forceExit,
+        Func<Task, TimeSpan, Task>? wait = null)
+    {
+        Observe(cleanup);
+        try
+        {
+            wait ??= static (work, budget) => work.WaitAsync(budget);
+            await wait(cleanup, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3));
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            // Only process termination can reclaim a genuinely stuck native call safely.
+            forceExit();
+            return;
+        }
+        completed();
+    }
+}

windows/src/Murmur.App/Localization/UiTextResources.de.resx

@@ -215,4 +215,8 @@
   <data name="DictionaryTermExample" xml:space="preserve"><value>z. B. GitHub</value></data>
   <data name="DictionaryCorrectionExample" xml:space="preserve"><value>z. B. cloud code</value></data>
   <data name="Confirm" xml:space="preserve"><value>Bestätigen</value></data>
+  <data name="RecognitionRestartRequired" xml:space="preserve"><value>Die Spracherkennung konnte nicht sicher beendet werden. Bitte Murmur vor dem nächsten Diktat oder Modellwechsel neu starten. Geretteter Teiltext ist unvollständig.</value></data>
+  <data name="StreamingBacklogExceeded" xml:space="preserve"><value>Erkennung kam nicht hinterher. Aufnahme gestoppt; wiederhergestellter Text ist unvollständig. Bitte kürzer diktieren.</value></data>
+  <data name="StreamingRecognitionFailed" xml:space="preserve"><value>Streaming-Erkennung fehlgeschlagen. Aufnahme gestoppt; wiederhergestellter Text ist unvollständig. Bitte erneut versuchen.</value></data>
+  <data name="RecordingDurationLimit" xml:space="preserve"><value>Fünf-Minuten-Grenze erreicht. Aufnahme automatisch gestoppt. Ergebnis prüfen; danach gesprochene Wörter wurden nicht aufgenommen.</value></data>
 </root>

windows/src/Murmur.App/Localization/UiTextResources.resx

@@ -215,4 +215,8 @@
   <data name="DictionaryTermExample" xml:space="preserve"><value>e.g. GitHub</value></data>
   <data name="DictionaryCorrectionExample" xml:space="preserve"><value>e.g. cloud code</value></data>
   <data name="Confirm" xml:space="preserve"><value>Confirm</value></data>
+  <data name="RecognitionRestartRequired" xml:space="preserve"><value>Speech recognition did not finish safely. Please restart Murmur before dictating or changing models. Any recovered partial text is incomplete.</value></data>
+  <data name="StreamingBacklogExceeded" xml:space="preserve"><value>Recognition could not keep up. Recording stopped; recovered text is incomplete. Please try a shorter dictation.</value></data>
+  <data name="StreamingRecognitionFailed" xml:space="preserve"><value>Streaming recognition failed. Recording stopped; recovered text is incomplete. Please try again.</value></data>
+  <data name="RecordingDurationLimit" xml:space="preserve"><value>Five-minute limit reached. Recording stopped automatically. Check the result; words spoken after stopping were not recorded.</value></data>
 </root>