Launcher Fixed Query Height Implementation Plan

For agentic workers: REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (- [ ]) syntax for tracking.

Goal: Change launcher query-time height behavior to two fixed modes so the window no longer resizes with result-count changes.

Architecture: Keep the existing Flutter and native resize pipeline, but collapse height calculation into a controller-owned compact vs expanded policy. Validate the behavior through launcher resize smoke tests that assert state-based height transitions instead of result-count-driven window growth and shrink.

Tech Stack: Flutter desktop, GetX controller state, Dart integration smoke tests

Task 1: Capture the new two-state behavior in smoke tests

Files:

• Modify: wox.ui.flutter/wox/integration_test/launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart

• Use: wox.ui.flutter/wox/integration_test/smoke_test_helper.dart

• Step 1: Rewrite the Windows resize smoke expectations around compact and expanded states

Update launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart so the suite asserts:

• blank start page opens at compact height

• typing any non-empty query moves to expanded height

• changing result counts within a non-empty query does not change expanded height

• clearing the query on blank start page returns to compact height

• Step 2: Add MRU-specific smoke coverage

Add a test that sets StartPage to MRU, shows the launcher with an empty query, and verifies:

• the launcher uses expanded height immediately

• clearing a previously non-empty query keeps the launcher at expanded height

• Step 3: Run the targeted resize smoke test to confirm it fails against current behavior

Run:

cd /mnt/c/dev/Wox/wox.ui.flutter/wox
flutter test integration_test/launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart

Expected before implementation:

• at least one assertion fails because the current controller still derives height from result count and other dynamic UI factors

Task 2: Simplify launcher height calculation to the approved two-state policy

Files:

• Modify: wox.ui.flutter/wox/lib/controllers/wox_launcher_controller.dart

• Step 1: Add explicit controller helpers for height mode and fixed target heights

Introduce focused helpers in WoxLauncherController for:

• determining whether the launcher should use expanded height
• computing compact height
• computing expanded height

Keep naming aligned with existing controller style and avoid introducing a new public enum unless the implementation truly needs it.

• Step 2: Replace dynamic result-count-driven logic in calculateWindowHeight(...)

Update calculateWindowHeight(...) so it:

• returns compact height when the query is empty and start page is not MRU

• returns expanded height otherwise

• no longer derives native height from:

  • current result count
  • grid height
  • preview/action panel visibility
  • query box line count

• Step 3: Remove or neutralize redundant height-preservation code paths

Review the controller fields and methods tied to transient visible-height preservation, including:

• pendingVisibleQueryWindowHeight
• pendingVisibleQueryWindowHeightQueryId
• visibleQueryHeightPreservationTimer
• preserveVisibleQueryWindowHeight(...)
• related release logic in result handling

Delete or simplify them when they no longer affect behavior under the new fixed-height policy.

• Step 4: Keep unrelated window lifecycle behavior unchanged

Do not change:

• show/hide positioning behavior
• Windows DWM recomposition workaround
• query preservation across temporary queries
• preview/result width behavior

This task is only about native height target policy.

Task 3: Verify the new behavior end to end

Files:

• Modify as needed: wox.ui.flutter/wox/lib/controllers/wox_launcher_controller.dart

• Modify as needed: wox.ui.flutter/wox/integration_test/launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart

• Step 1: Run the targeted resize smoke test again and make it pass

Run:

cd /mnt/c/dev/Wox/wox.ui.flutter/wox
flutter test integration_test/launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart

Expected:

• all resize smoke tests pass with the new two-state height behavior

• Step 2: Run an additional launcher smoke check that exercises ordinary query flow

Run:

cd /mnt/c/dev/Wox/wox.ui.flutter/wox
flutter test integration_test/launcher_core_smoke_test.dart --plain-name "T2-16"

Expected:

• continue/fresh show behavior still passes after the height-policy change

• Step 3: Run Flutter formatting on touched Dart files

Run:

cd /mnt/c/dev/Wox/wox.ui.flutter/wox
dart format lib/controllers/wox_launcher_controller.dart integration_test/launcher_resize_smoke_test.dart

Expected:

• formatter succeeds with no syntax errors

• Step 4: Run the required backend build verification from the repo instructions

Run:

cd /mnt/c/dev/Wox/wox.core
make build

Expected:

• backend build succeeds, confirming the repo remains in a valid state