Reduce game launcher preparation and post-Dock startup delays

Makefile

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ DEPS := $(OBJS:.o=.d)
         tests-list overlay-shim overlay-shim-install overlay-shim-tests \
         overlay-shim-bench iconmaker icon \
         appinfo helpers-install ntdll-resolve bridge runcheck compatcheck envpasscheck \
-        compatsvc-check prefixstate-check defaults-check compatpage-check defaults-drift shortcutcheck scriptcheck envcheck buildcheck settingscheck routecheck bridgecheck gamedrivecheck launchercheck launch-shell activatecheck FORCE
+        compatsvc-check prefixstate-check defaults-check compatpage-check defaults-drift shortcutcheck scriptcheck envcheck buildcheck settingscheck routecheck bridgecheck gamedrivecheck launchercheck launchperfcheck launch-shell activatecheck FORCE
 
 APP_PAYLOAD := app/Sources/NotProtonApp/Resources/payload
 
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ launchercheck:
 	@if [ ! -f dylib/tests/launchercheck.sh ]; then $(call SKIP,launchercheck,dylib/tests/launchercheck.sh); exit 0; fi; \
 	sh dylib/tests/launchercheck.sh dylib/feats/compat_run.sh
 
+launchperfcheck:
+	python3 dylib/tests/launchperfcheck.py dylib/feats/compat_run.sh
+
 .PHONY: mincheck
 mincheck:
 	@sh dylib/tests/mincheck.sh "$(APP_BUNDLE)" "$(MIN_VER)" "$(GLASS_SDK)"

docs/launch-performance.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Launch preparation and Dock startup
+
+The launcher checks completed Steam common-redist scripts and existing prefix settings before starting Windows helpers. Unsupported scripts, missing completion markers, changed settings, or failed Python checks follow the normal preparation path. The optional checks use the system Python 3 in isolated mode.
+
+A completed install-script check starts Wine and SamSs in the background while Steam hands off to the game. It uses a command to trigger automatic Wine initialization once; explicitly running `wineboot --init` at this point starts a second service manager and can make SamSs initialization fail. Prefix lock descriptors are closed before starting persistent Wine processes. The generated macOS launcher replaces its shell with Wine using `exec`.
+
+Correct font links are preserved. Bridge and launcher metadata caches are reused only while their dependencies and launch configuration match. Changed files invalidate the caches. LaunchServices registration is repeated when the installed bundle changes. The normal game-exit teardown still stops the prefix server.
+
+`TIMING` records in `notproton-run.log` identify preparation stages and macOS bundle invocation. In local Subnautica 2 tests, bundle invocation to the main game process dropped from roughly four seconds to about one to two seconds. One normal relaunch reached the main game process in 9.98 seconds overall. These observations exclude loading the menu or a playable world and are not performance guarantees.
+
+Run `make launchperfcheck settingscheck launchercheck bridgecheck routecheck gamedrivecheck envcheck buildcheck seedcheck` to exercise the fast paths and existing launcher behavior without launching Steam or Wine.

dylib/tests/bridgecheck.sh

@@ -13,10 +13,13 @@ esac
 block=$(printf '%s\n' "$block" | sed '$d')
 legacy=$(sed -n '/^install_legacycompat() {/,/^}/p' "$SRC")
 [ -n "$legacy" ] || { echo "FAIL: install_legacycompat not found in $SRC"; exit 1; }
-body='same_volume() { [ -z "$cross" ]; }
+body='np_cache() { return 1; }
+np_timing() { :; }
+same_volume() { [ -z "$cross" ]; }
 volume_clones() { :; }
 show_alert() { printf "alert: %s\n" "$1" >> "$log"; }
 '"$block
+fi
 fi"
 
 work=$(mktemp -d)

dylib/tests/launchercheck.sh

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -e
 SRC="${1:-$(dirname "$0")/../feats/compat_run.sh}"
 [ -f "$SRC" ] || { echo "launchercheck: $SRC not present, skipped"; exit 0; }
 
-funcs=$(sed -n '/^bundle_listing() {$/,/^install_bundle$/p' "$SRC" | sed '$d')
+funcs=$(sed -n '/^bundle_listing() {$/,/^install_bundle$/p' "$SRC" | sed '$d; /^np_timing /d')
 name_lines=$(sed -n '/^bundle_name=\$(printf/,/^\[ -n "\$bundle_name" \] || bundle_name=/p' "$SRC")
 launcher_body=$(sed -n '/^cat > "\$loader_macos\/launcher" <<LAUNCHER$/,/^LAUNCHER$/p' "$SRC" | sed 1d)
 loader_line=$(grep -A1 '^if \[ -x "\$loader_macos/wine" \]; then$' "$SRC" | sed -n 2p)

dylib/tests/launchperfcheck.py

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Exercise launcher fast paths without Wine, Steam, or a real prefix."""
+import json
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+SOURCE = Path(sys.argv.pop(1) if len(sys.argv) > 1 else Path(__file__).parents[1] / 'feats/compat_run.sh').read_text()
+
+
+def embedded(marker):
+    return re.search(r"<<'" + marker + r"'\n(.*?)\n" + marker, SOURCE, re.S)[1]
+
+
+class LaunchFastPaths(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.temp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.temp.cleanup)
+        self.root = Path(self.temp.name)
+
+    def run_code(self, marker, *args):
+        return subprocess.run([sys.executable, '-I', '-c', embedded(marker), *map(str, args)], capture_output=True, text=True)
+
+    def install_fixture(self, completed=True, action='run process'):
+        script = self.root / 'script.vdf'
+        script.write_text('"evaluatorscript" { "0" { "appid" "228980" "mode" "1" '
+            '"compat_installscript" { "' + action + '" { "dxsetup" { '
+            '"hasrunkey" "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\Software\\\\Valve\\\\Steam\\\\Apps\\\\CommonRedist\\\\DirectX\\\\Jun2010" '
+            '"process 1" "%INSTALLDIR%\\\\_CommonRedist\\\\DirectX\\\\Jun2010\\\\DXSETUP.exe" '
+            '"command 1" "/silent" "nocleanup" "1" } } } } }')
+        (self.root / 'system.reg').write_text('[Software\\\\Wow6432Node\\\\Valve\\\\Steam\\\\Apps\\\\CommonRedist\\\\DirectX\\\\Jun2010]\n'
+            '"dxsetup"=dword:0000000' + ('1' if completed else '0') + '\n')
+        return script
+
+    def test_completed_install_check(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', self.install_fixture(), self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def vcredist_2013_fixture(self, x64_complete=True):
+        script = self.install_fixture()
+        text = script.read_text().replace('DirectX\\\\Jun2010', 'vcredist\\\\2013')
+        text = text.replace('dxsetup', 'x86 12.0.30501').replace('DXSETUP.exe', 'vcredist_x86.exe')
+        # Two architectures must both be complete before the helper is skipped.
+        text = text.replace('"nocleanup" "1"', '"nocleanup" "1" } "x64 12.0.30501" { '
+            '"hasrunkey" "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\Software\\\\Valve\\\\Steam\\\\Apps\\\\CommonRedist\\\\vcredist\\\\2013" '
+            '"process 1" "%INSTALLDIR%\\\\_CommonRedist\\\\vcredist\\\\2013\\\\vcredist_x64.exe" '
+            '"nocleanup" "1" "requirement_os" { "Is64BitWindows" "1" }')
+        script.write_text(text)
+        (self.root / 'system.reg').write_text('[Software\\\\Wow6432Node\\\\Valve\\\\Steam\\\\Apps\\\\CommonRedist\\\\vcredist\\\\2013]\n'
+            '"x86 12.0.30501"=dword:00000001\n'
+            '"x64 12.0.30501"=dword:0000000' + ('1' if x64_complete else '0') + '\n')
+        return script
+
+    def test_completed_vcredist_2013_both_architectures(self):
+        script = self.vcredist_2013_fixture()
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', script, self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_incomplete_vcredist_2013_requires_evaluator(self):
+        script = self.vcredist_2013_fixture(x64_complete=False)
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', script, self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_incomplete_install_requires_evaluator(self):
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', self.install_fixture(False), self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_unknown_action_requires_evaluator(self):
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', self.install_fixture(action='registry'), self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_malformed_script_requires_evaluator(self):
+        script = self.install_fixture()
+        script.write_text('broken')
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_COMPLETED_REDIST', script, self.root).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_cache_dependency_changes(self):
+        cache = self.root / 'cache.json'
+        dependency = self.root / 'bridge.dll'
+        dependency.write_text('original')
+        args = (cache, 'environment', 'WINELOADER=/runner/wine', dependency)
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_code('NP_METADATA_CACHE', 'write', *args).returncode, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_code('NP_METADATA_CACHE', 'read', *args).returncode, 0)
+        dependency.write_text('changed')
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_METADATA_CACHE', 'read', *args).returncode, 0)
+        dependency.unlink()
+        self.assertNotEqual(self.run_code('NP_METADATA_CACHE', 'read', *args).returncode, 0)
+
+    def test_bundle_detects_symlink_change(self):
+        bundle = self.root / 'Game.app'
+        bundle.mkdir()
+        link = bundle / 'library.dylib'
+        link.symlink_to('/one')
+        before = self.run_code('NP_BUNDLE_CHECK', bundle)
+        link.unlink()
+        link.symlink_to('/two')
+        after = self.run_code('NP_BUNDLE_CHECK', bundle)
+        self.assertEqual(before.returncode, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(after.returncode, 0)
+        self.assertNotEqual(before.stdout, after.stdout)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()

dylib/tests/routecheck.sh

@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ route() {
 	case_dir=$(mktemp -d "$work/case.XXXXXX")
 	: > "$case_dir/calls"
 	: > "$case_dir/log"
-	env WINELOADER="$work/wine" STEAM_COMPAT_INSTALL_PATH=/g \
+	env WINELOADER="$work/wine" WINESERVER=/usr/bin/true STEAM_COMPAT_INSTALL_PATH=/g \
 		FAKE_STATUS="${FAKE_STATUS:-0}" FAKE_CALLS="$case_dir/calls" \
 		log="$case_dir/log" body="$body" verb="$verb" \
-		sh -ec 'eval "$body"; echo "fell through foreground=$foreground"' \
+		sh -ec 'np_timing() { :; }; eval "$body"; echo "fell through foreground=$foreground"' \
 		"$verb" "$@" > "$case_dir/out" 2>&1 || true
 }
 calls() { cat "$case_dir/calls"; }

dylib/tests/settingscheck.sh

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ wrapper=$(sed -n '/^without_lock_fds() {$/,/^}$/p' "$SRC")
 [ -n "$wrapper" ] || { echo "FAIL: without_lock_fds not found in $SRC"; exit 1; }
 helpers=""
 for helper in controller_ids ids_without hidraw_lines write_owned_controllers plan_hidden_controllers \
-	plan_disable_hidraw winebus_lines plan_logpixels video_lines; do
+	plan_disable_hidraw winebus_lines plan_logpixels video_lines settings_already_applied; do
 	part=$(sed -n "/^$helper() {\$/,/^}\$/p" "$SRC")
 	[ -n "$part" ] || { echo "FAIL: $helper not found in $SRC"; exit 1; }
 	helpers="$helpers