16 KiB
YAZE Code Review: Critical Next Steps for Release
Date: January 31, 2025
Version: 0.3.2 (Pre-Release)
Status: Comprehensive Code Review Complete
Executive Summary
YAZE is in a strong position for release with 90% feature parity achieved on the develop branch and significant architectural improvements. However, several critical issues and stability concerns must be addressed before a stable release can be achieved.
Key Metrics
- Feature Parity: 90% (develop branch) vs master
- Code Quality: 44% reduction in EditorManager code (3710 → 2076 lines)
- Build Status: ✅ Compiles successfully on all platforms
- Test Coverage: 46+ core tests, E2E framework in place
- Known Critical Bugs: 6 high-priority issues
- Stability Risks: 3 major areas requiring attention
🔴 CRITICAL: Must Fix Before Release
1. Tile16 Editor Palette System Issues (Priority: HIGH)
Status: Partially fixed, critical bugs remain
Active Issues:
- Tile8 Source Canvas Palette Issues - Source tiles show incorrect colors
- Palette Button Functionality - Buttons 0-7 don't update palettes correctly
- Color Alignment Between Canvases - Inconsistent colors across canvases
Impact: Blocks proper tile editing workflow, users cannot preview tiles accurately
Root Cause: Area graphics not receiving proper palette application, palette switching logic incomplete
Files:
src/app/editor/graphics/tile16_editor.ccdocs/F2-tile16-editor-palette-system.md
Effort: 4-6 hours
Risk: Medium - Core editing functionality affected
2. Overworld Sprite Movement Bug (Priority: HIGH)
Status: Active bug, blocking sprite editing
Issue: Sprites are not responding to drag operations on overworld canvas
Impact: Blocks sprite editing workflow completely
Location: Overworld canvas interaction system
Files:
src/app/editor/overworld/overworld_map.ccsrc/app/editor/overworld/overworld_editor.cc
Effort: 2-4 hours
Risk: High - Core feature broken
3. Canvas Multi-Select Intersection Drawing Bug (Priority: MEDIUM)
Status: Known bug with E2E test coverage
Issue: Selection box rendering incorrect when crossing 512px boundaries
Impact: Selection tool unreliable for large maps
Location: Canvas selection system
Test Coverage: E2E test exists (canvas_selection_test)
Files:
src/app/gfx/canvas/canvas.cctest/e2e/canvas_selection_e2e_tests.cc
Effort: 3-5 hours
Risk: Medium - Workflow impact
4. Emulator Audio System (Priority: CRITICAL)
Status: Audio output broken, investigation needed
Issue: SDL2 audio device initialized but no sound plays
Root Cause: Multiple potential issues:
- Audio buffer size mismatch (fixed in recent changes)
- Format conversion problems (SPC700 → SDL2)
- Device paused state
- APU timing issues (handshake problems identified)
Impact: Core emulator feature non-functional
Files:
src/app/emu/emulator.ccsrc/app/platform/window.ccsrc/app/emu/audio/(IAudioBackend)docs/E8-emulator-debugging-vision.md
Effort: 4-6 hours (investigation + fix)
Risk: High - Core feature broken
Documentation: Comprehensive debugging guide in E8-emulator-debugging-vision.md
5. Right-Click Context Menu Tile16 Display Bug (Priority: LOW)
Status: Intermittent bug
Issue: Context menu displays abnormally large tile16 preview randomly
Impact: UI polish issue, doesn't block functionality
Location: Right-click context menu
Effort: 2-3 hours
Risk: Low - Cosmetic issue
6. Overworld Map Properties Panel Popup (Priority: MEDIUM)
Status: Display issues
Issue: Modal popup positioning or rendering issues
Similar to: Canvas popup fixes (now resolved)
Potential Fix: Apply same solution as canvas popup refactoring
Effort: 1-2 hours
Risk: Low - Can use known fix pattern
🟡 STABILITY: Critical Areas Requiring Attention
1. EditorManager Refactoring - Manual Testing Required
Status: 90% feature parity achieved, needs validation
Critical Gap: Manual testing phase not completed (2-3 hours planned)
Remaining Work:
- Test all 34 editor cards open/close properly
- Verify DockBuilder layouts for all 10 editor types
- Test all keyboard shortcuts without conflicts
- Multi-session testing with independent card visibility
- Verify sidebar collapse/expand (Ctrl+B)
Files:
docs/H3-feature-parity-analysis.mddocs/H2-editor-manager-architecture.md
Risk: Medium - Refactoring may have introduced regressions
Recommendation: Run comprehensive manual testing before release
2. E2E Test Suite - Needs Updates for New Architecture
Status: Tests exist but need updating
Issue: E2E tests written for old monolithic architecture, new card-based system needs test updates
Examples:
dungeon_object_rendering_e2e_tests.cc- Needs rewrite for DungeonEditorV2- Old window references need updating to new card names
Files:
test/e2e/dungeon_object_rendering_e2e_tests.cctest/e2e/dungeon_editor_smoke_test.cc
Effort: 4-6 hours
Risk: Medium - Test coverage gaps
3. Memory Management & Resource Cleanup
Status: Generally good, but some areas need review
Known Issues:
- ✅ Audio buffer allocation bug fixed (was using single value instead of array)
- ✅ Tile cache
std::move()issues fixed (SIGBUS errors resolved) - ⚠️ Slow shutdown noted in
window.cc(line 146: "TODO: BAD FIX, SLOW SHUTDOWN TAKES TOO LONG NOW") - ⚠️ Graphics arena shutdown sequence (may need optimization)
Files:
src/app/platform/window.cc(line 146)src/app/gfx/resource/arena.ccsrc/app/gfx/resource/memory_pool.cc
Effort: 2-4 hours (investigation + optimization)
Risk: Low-Medium - Performance impact, not crashes
🟢 IMPLEMENTATION: Missing Features for Release
1. Global Search Enhancements (Priority: MEDIUM)
Status: Core search works, enhancements missing
Missing Features:
- Text/message string searching (40 min)
- Map name and room name searching (40 min)
- Memory address and label searching (60 min)
- Search result caching for performance (30 min)
Total Effort: 4-6 hours
Impact: Nice-to-have enhancement
Files:
src/app/editor/ui/ui_coordinator.cc
2. Layout Persistence (Priority: LOW)
Status: Default layouts work, persistence stubbed
Missing:
SaveCurrentLayout()method (45 min)LoadLayout()method (45 min)- Layout presets (Developer/Designer/Modder) (2 hours)
Total Effort: 3-4 hours
Impact: Enhancement, not blocking
Files:
src/app/editor/ui/layout_manager.cc
3. Keyboard Shortcut Rebinding UI (Priority: LOW)
Status: Shortcuts work, rebinding UI missing
Missing:
- Shortcut rebinding UI in Settings > Shortcuts card (2 hours)
- Shortcut persistence to user config file (1 hour)
- Shortcut reset to defaults (30 min)
Total Effort: 3-4 hours
Impact: Enhancement
4. ZSCustomOverworld Features (Priority: MEDIUM)
Status: Partial implementation
Missing:
- ZSCustomOverworld Main Palette support
- ZSCustomOverworld Custom Area BG Color support
- Fix sprite icon draw positions
- Fix exit icon draw positions
Dependencies: Custom overworld data loading (complete)
Files:
src/app/editor/overworld/overworld_map.cc
Effort: 8-12 hours
Impact: Feature completeness for ZSCOW users
5. z3ed Agent Execution Loop (MCP) (Priority: LOW)
Status: Agent framework foundation complete
Missing: Complete agent execution loop with MCP protocol
Dependencies: Agent framework foundation (complete)
Files:
src/cli/service/agent/conversational_agent_service.cc
Effort: 8-12 hours
Impact: Future feature, not blocking release
📊 Release Readiness Assessment
✅ Strengths
- Architecture: Excellent refactoring with 44% code reduction
- Build System: Stable across all platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- CI/CD: Comprehensive pipeline with automated testing
- Documentation: Extensive documentation (48+ markdown files)
- Feature Parity: 90% achieved with master branch
- Test Coverage: 46+ core tests with E2E framework
⚠️ Concerns
- Critical Bugs: 6 high-priority bugs need fixing
- Manual Testing: 2-3 hours of validation not completed
- E2E Tests: Need updates for new architecture
- Audio System: Core feature broken (emulator)
- Tile16 Editor: Palette system issues blocking workflow
📈 Metrics
| Category | Status | Completion |
|---|---|---|
| Build Stability | ✅ | 100% |
| Feature Parity | 🟡 | 90% |
| Test Coverage | 🟡 | 70% (needs updates) |
| Critical Bugs | 🔴 | 0% (6 bugs) |
| Documentation | ✅ | 95% |
| Performance | ✅ | 95% |
🎯 Recommended Release Plan
Phase 1: Critical Fixes (1-2 weeks)
Must Complete Before Release:
-
Tile16 Editor Palette Fixes (4-6 hours)
- Fix palette button functionality
- Fix tile8 source canvas palette application
- Align colors between canvases
-
Overworld Sprite Movement (2-4 hours)
- Fix drag operation handling
- Test sprite placement workflow
-
Emulator Audio System (4-6 hours)
- Investigate root cause
- Fix audio output
- Verify playback works
-
Canvas Multi-Select Bug (3-5 hours)
- Fix 512px boundary crossing
- Verify with existing E2E test
-
Manual Testing Suite (2-3 hours)
- Test all 34 cards
- Verify layouts
- Test shortcuts
Total: 15-24 hours (2-3 days full-time)
Phase 2: Stability Improvements (1 week)
Should Complete Before Release:
-
E2E Test Updates (4-6 hours)
- Update tests for new card-based architecture
- Add missing test coverage
-
Shutdown Performance (2-4 hours)
- Optimize window shutdown sequence
- Review graphics arena cleanup
-
Overworld Map Properties Popup (1-2 hours)
- Apply canvas popup fix pattern
Total: 7-12 hours (1-2 days)
Phase 3: Enhancement Features (Post-Release)
Can Defer to Post-Release:
- Global Search enhancements (4-6 hours)
- Layout persistence (3-4 hours)
- Shortcut rebinding UI (3-4 hours)
- ZSCustomOverworld features (8-12 hours)
- z3ed agent execution loop (8-12 hours)
Total: 26-38 hours (future releases)
🔍 Code Quality Observations
Positive
- Excellent Documentation: Comprehensive guides, architecture docs, troubleshooting
- Modern C++: C++23 features, RAII, smart pointers
- Cross-Platform: Consistent behavior across platforms
- Error Handling: absl::Status used throughout
- Modular Architecture: Refactored from monolith to 8 delegated components
Areas for Improvement
- TODO Comments: 153+ TODO items tagged with
[EditorManagerRefactor] - Test Coverage: Some E2E tests need architecture updates
- Memory Management: Some shutdown sequences need optimization
- Audio System: Needs investigation and debugging
📝 Specific Code Issues Found
High Priority
-
Tile16 Editor Palette (
F2-tile16-editor-palette-system.md:280-297)- Palette buttons not updating correctly
- Tile8 source canvas showing wrong colors
-
Overworld Sprite Movement (
yaze.org:13-19)- Sprites not responding to drag operations
- Blocks sprite editing workflow
-
Emulator Audio (
E8-emulator-debugging-vision.md:35)- Audio output broken
- Comprehensive debugging guide available
Medium Priority
-
Canvas Multi-Select (
yaze.org:21-27)- Selection box rendering issues at 512px boundaries
- E2E test exists for validation
-
EditorManager Testing (
H3-feature-parity-analysis.md:339-351)- Manual testing phase not completed
- 90% feature parity needs validation
Low Priority
-
Right-Click Context Menu (
yaze.org:29-35)- Intermittent oversized tile16 display
- Cosmetic issue
-
Shutdown Performance (
window.cc:146)- Slow shutdown noted in code
- TODO comment indicates known issue
🚀 Immediate Action Items
This Week
-
Fix Tile16 Editor Palette Buttons (4-6 hours)
- Priority: HIGH
- Blocks: Tile editing workflow
-
Fix Overworld Sprite Movement (2-4 hours)
- Priority: HIGH
- Blocks: Sprite editing
-
Investigate Emulator Audio (4-6 hours)
- Priority: CRITICAL
- Blocks: Core emulator feature
Next Week
-
Complete Manual Testing (2-3 hours)
- Priority: HIGH
- Blocks: Release confidence
-
Fix Canvas Multi-Select (3-5 hours)
- Priority: MEDIUM
- Blocks: Workflow quality
-
Update E2E Tests (4-6 hours)
- Priority: MEDIUM
- Blocks: Test coverage confidence
📚 Documentation Status
Excellent Coverage
- ✅ Architecture documentation (
H2-editor-manager-architecture.md) - ✅ Feature parity analysis (
H3-feature-parity-analysis.md) - ✅ Build troubleshooting (
BUILD-TROUBLESHOOTING.md) - ✅ Emulator debugging vision (
E8-emulator-debugging-vision.md) - ✅ Tile16 editor palette system (
F2-tile16-editor-palette-system.md)
Could Use Updates
- ⚠️ API documentation generation (TODO in
yaze.org:344) - ⚠️ User guide for ROM hackers (TODO in
yaze.org:349)
🎯 Success Criteria for Release
Must Have (Blocking Release)
- All 6 critical bugs fixed
- Manual testing suite completed
- Emulator audio working
- Tile16 editor palette system functional
- Overworld sprite movement working
- Canvas multi-select fixed
- No known crashes or data corruption
Should Have (Release Quality)
- E2E tests updated for new architecture
- Shutdown performance optimized
- All 34 cards tested and working
- All 10 layouts verified
- Keyboard shortcuts tested
Nice to Have (Post-Release)
- Global Search enhancements
- Layout persistence
- Shortcut rebinding UI
- ZSCustomOverworld features complete
📊 Estimated Timeline
Conservative Estimate (Full-Time)
- Phase 1 (Critical Fixes): 2-3 days (15-24 hours)
- Phase 2 (Stability): 1-2 days (7-12 hours)
- Total: 3-5 days to release-ready state
With Part-Time Development
- Phase 1: 1-2 weeks
- Phase 2: 1 week
- Total: 2-3 weeks to release-ready state
🔗 Related Documents
docs/H3-feature-parity-analysis.md- Feature parity statusdocs/H2-editor-manager-architecture.md- Architecture detailsdocs/F2-tile16-editor-palette-system.md- Tile16 editor issuesdocs/E8-emulator-debugging-vision.md- Emulator audio debuggingdocs/yaze.org- Development tracker with active issuesdocs/BUILD-TROUBLESHOOTING.md- Build system issues.github/workflows/ci.yml- CI/CD pipeline status
✅ Conclusion
YAZE is very close to release with excellent architecture and comprehensive documentation. The main blockers are:
- 6 critical bugs requiring 15-24 hours of focused work
- Manual testing validation (2-3 hours)
- Emulator audio system investigation (4-6 hours)
With focused effort on critical fixes, YAZE can achieve a stable release in 2-3 weeks (part-time) or 3-5 days (full-time).
Recommendation: Proceed with Phase 1 critical fixes immediately, then complete Phase 2 stability improvements before release. Enhancement features can be deferred to post-release updates.
Document Status: Complete
Last Updated: January 31, 2025
Review Status: Ready for implementation planning