# Future Plans ## KV store ### Extract into shared library `kv-store.mjs` is already copied into at least 3 projects (`electronics-inventory`, `fs-views`, `publication-tool`). Should live in its own Gitea repo as an installable npm package (`npm install git+https://...`) so changes propagate rather than drift. ### Delta / revision tracking Add a delta log alongside the main snapshot file (e.g. `inventory.ndjson.deltas`) that records every `set`/`delete` as a timestamped entry. The main file stays a clean current-state snapshot; the delta file accumulates the full history. Enables undo, audit trails, and debugging data corruption. ## App architecture ### parse_url mutates too many module-level variables `parse_url()` directly assigns to a large number of module-level state variables (`section`, `grid_view_state`, `grid_tab`, `current_grid_id`, `grid_draft`, `current_panel_idx`, `grid_source_id`, `highlight_cell`, `selected_component_id`). This is fragile and hard to reason about. Preferred direction: represent the full UI state as a single immutable state object, and have `parse_url()` return a new state value rather than mutating globals: ```js function parse_url(path) { return { section, grid_view_state, current_grid_id, ... }; } state = parse_url(location.pathname); render(state); ``` ### render() if/else chain The render dispatcher is a long chain of bare `else if` branches. Replace with a lookup table: ```js const SECTION_RENDERERS = { components: render_components, inventory: render_inventory, fields: render_fields, grids: render_grids, templates: render_templates, }; function render() { sync_nav(); SECTION_RENDERERS[section]?.(); } ``` ### app.mjs monolith `app.mjs` is large. Consider splitting into per-section modules (`views/components.mjs`, `views/grids.mjs`, etc.) that each export their render function and own their local state. ### Explicit save in component editor Currently any change in the component detail panel (linking a file, unlinking an inventory entry, etc.) is persisted immediately. This makes it hard to experiment or undo. The component editor dialog should have an explicit Save button and hold all changes locally until confirmed. Relates to the broader question of whether live mutations elsewhere in the UI should be deferred similarly. ### DRY / SSoT audit As the app grows, patterns are being duplicated rather than centralized. Areas to review: - Field sorting: same sort-by-name logic appears in both detail view and edit dialog - Field rendering: `render_field_value()` exists but call sites still sometimes inline display logic - Component display name: `component_display_name()` is the SSoT but there may be call sites that still use `c.name` directly - Server-side: PDF conflict checks, sanitize calls, and rename logic are inline in route handlers — could be extracted into a `pdf_service` helper - General pass to identify and eliminate copy-paste between routes and between render functions before the codebase grows further ## Field system ### Improvements #### Component IDs in dropdowns and lists The component selector dropdown (e.g. in the inventory entry dialog) only shows the display name, which is ambiguous when multiple components share a name. Should also show the component ID. #### Migrate to integer IDs Current IDs are timestamp-base36 + random chars. Replace with plain integers (auto-incrementing). Benefits: human-readable, shorter in URLs, sortable by creation order, easier to reference verbally. Migration must be done as an explicit standalone tool (`tools/migrate-ids.mjs` or similar) that: 1. Reads the current database 2. Builds an old→new ID mapping for all entity types (components, fields, inventory entries, grids, PDFs, etc.) 3. Rewrites all references throughout the data (e.g. inventory entries reference component IDs, components reference field IDs, file_ids arrays, etc.) 4. Writes a new database file without touching the original until explicitly confirmed 5. Keeps a mapping log so the migration is auditable and reversible Should not be run automatically — operator invokes it deliberately after backing up. #### Component list sorted by display name The component left pane list is currently sorted by base name. It should sort by display name (i.e. the formatter output) so the list order matches what the user actually sees as the component label. #### Field display in component detail should use a table Currently rendered as CSS grid rows but columns don't align because each row is independent. Use an actual `` so name and value columns line up across all fields. This is tabular data and a table is the right element. #### Field value parser chain Similar to how name formatters use a template chain, field values could be passed through a parser chain that returns structured data based on field name/type hints. Examples: - A field whose name contains `tolerance` could parse `20` as `{ negative: 20, positive: 20 }` and `-10/+30` as `{ negative: 10, positive: 30 }` - URL detection (currently hardcoded in `render_field_value()`) could be one parser in this chain rather than a special case - Mouser/Digi-Key part numbers could be detected and return a structured link target The parser chain would mirror the template system: user-defined or built-in parsers keyed by field name pattern, tried in order, returning structured data or `null` to pass through to the next. `render_field_value()` would then receive parsed data and render accordingly. #### Field rendering integrations With or without a parser chain, `render_field_value()` should gain: - Mouser/Digi-Key part number fields → auto-craft links to product pages - More URL-like patterns (without `https://` prefix) #### Field selector filter When adding a field to a component in the edit dialog, the dropdown becomes unwieldy with many fields. Add a filter/search input to the field selector. #### Custom field input modes Fields could support multiple named input modes that accept different notations and convert to the canonical stored value. Example for resistance: - `direct` — enter `100k` or `4k7` directly - `3-digit SMD` — enter `104` (decoded as 10×10⁴ = 100kΩ) - `4-digit SMD` — enter `1003` (decoded as 100×10³ = 100kΩ) The active input mode is selected via a small dropdown next to the field input, with a keyboard shortcut to cycle through modes quickly. The last used mode per field is remembered. Input modes are associated with the field definition (or the measurement dimension), not per-component. Ties in with the measurement/dimension system — modes are really just different parsers that produce the same canonical value. #### Keyboard shortcut for adding a field When filling out many fields on a component, repeatedly reaching for the mouse to hit "add field" is slow. Add a configurable keyboard shortcut (e.g. Alt+F) to focus/trigger the add-field selector from anywhere in the component editor. #### Parametric search Allow searching/filtering components by field values, not just names. Examples: - `resistance < 10k`, `package = 0603`, `voltage_rating >= 50` - Cross-field queries: find all 0603 resistors under 10kΩ - Should integrate with the existing word-split search or replace it with a richer query language - Depends on field types (numeric vs string) for range queries to work correctly ### Long term #### Field grouping / linkage Some fields naturally belong together (e.g. `frequency_stability` and `frequency_stability_temp_range`). Options: - Soft linkage: tag fields with a group name, display grouped in the UI - Structured fields: a field can be a record type with named sub-fields (e.g. `stability: { value: 10, unit: "ppm", temp_low: -40, temp_high: 85 }`) Structured records are the more powerful option but require a schema system and more complex UI. Grouping/linkage is a lighter short-term win. #### Semantically-aware formatting (acronyms, proper names) Formatters that apply title case or similar text transformations can corrupt acronyms (e.g. `NPN` → `Npn`) or brand/proper names. The root cause is that free-text field values carry no semantic metadata about what kind of string they are. A long-term fix requires fields to be semantically rich enough that formatters know whether a value is an acronym, brand name, common noun, number, etc., and apply appropriate rules per token. Relates to field types and structured field value work. #### Renderer/parser result cache Once parsers and formatters run per-render, a cache keyed on field value + template version would avoid redundant work on large inventories. Invalidated when any template changes. Not urgent — premature until the parser chain exists. #### Field types Currently all field values are free-text strings. Typed fields (numeric, enum/dropdown) would enable better formatting, validation, and range-aware search. Prerequisite for parametric search with range operators. #### Measurement dimensions and unit conversion Instead of a bare unit string on a field, associate a field with a measurement dimension (e.g. `temperature`, `resistance`, `frequency`, `voltage`). The dimension defines the set of valid units and the conversion factors between them (°C, °K, °R, °F for temperature; Ω, kΩ, MΩ for resistance; etc.). SI prefixes (k, M, µ, n, p, etc.) are not separate units — they are a presentation layer on top of a unit. `25kΩ` should be stored as `{ value: "25", prefix: "k", unit: "Ω" }` — preserving the original string value and prefix exactly as entered, so no precision or notation is lost. A canonical numeric form is derived from the stored triple only when needed for comparison or search queries (e.g. `R < 10k` → compare canonical floats). Display always reconstructs from the stored `value + prefix + unit`, so `4k7` stays `4k7` and `25.0` stays `25.0`. This would allow: - Lossless storage of entered values (significant digits, notation style preserved) - Parametric search with cross-prefix comparisons via derived canonical values - Unit conversion on query (e.g. `temp > 200K` matching a stored `-73°C`) - Catching unit mismatches at entry time ## Deployment ### Read-only public mode A runtime flag (e.g. `READ_ONLY=1`) that starts the server in a read-only mode suitable for public-facing deployment: - All write API endpoints disabled (POST/PUT/DELETE return 403) - UI hides all edit controls, dialogs, and maintenance actions - Data served directly from the same `data/` directory This allows a simple deployment workflow: rsync the `data/` directory from the private instance to a public server running in read-only mode. No database sync, no separate export step. ## Editor ### Use CodeMirror 6 for JavaScript input fields Any field that accepts JavaScript (name formatter templates, future custom search views, field parsers, etc.) should use a CodeMirror 6 editor instead of a plain `