fix(cli): dispatch from argv[0] so daemon symlinks work; harden e2e run

Multicall dispatch used std::env::current_exe(), which reads /proc/self/exe
and resolves symlinks. Every installed alias therefore reported the stem
"scythe", so scythe-daemon and vrec-daemon fell through to client mode and
opened the HUD instead of starting the engine. The aliases shipped by
install.sh, the deb/rpm/flatpak packages and the Hyprland exec_cmd line were
all affected; a stale pre-consolidation target/release/scythe-daemon masked
it during local testing.

invoked_stem() now reads argv[0] and only falls back to current_exe() when
argv[0] has no usable stem. Verified against a packaged tarball: both daemon
aliases hit the running-instance guard while scythe, scythe-ui, vrec and
vrec-ui open the client.

The e2e guard also probed liveness with `scythe --status`, which calls
ensure_daemon_running() and so spawned a daemon while probing, then chased
its own tail. It now connects to the socket directly, records the running
daemon's command line and working directory, stops it gracefully, and
restores it on exit so a developer's recorder survives a test run.

Help text now reports the unified binary and marks --gtk as a deprecated
alias, since the GTK backend was retired.

PROJECT_GUIDE.md

@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ Scythe uses a unified multicall binary dispatch model:
 
 ### Multicall Dispatching:
 - **Daemon Mode**: Invoked when `args[1] == "daemon"`, `args[1] == "--mock"`, or when executed via symlink `scythe-daemon` / `vrec-daemon`. Runs the headless capture and recording engine ([`src/daemon.rs`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/src/daemon.rs)).
+- **Dispatch uses argv[0], not `current_exe()`**: `current_exe()` reads `/proc/self/exe`, which resolves symlinks to the real file. Every installed alias would therefore report `scythe` and dispatch to the client, so `scythe-daemon` would open the HUD instead of starting the engine. `invoked_stem()` reads argv[0] and falls back to `current_exe()` only when argv[0] has no usable stem.
 - **Client / UI Mode**: Invoked when executed as `scythe`, `scythe-ui`, or with client arguments (`save`, `record`, `screenshot`, `status`, `menu`, etc.). Runs [`src/main.rs`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/src/main.rs) and launches [`src/overlay_egui.rs`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/src/overlay_egui.rs).
 
 ---
@@ -381,7 +382,13 @@ bash install.sh
 bash tests/e2e_test.sh
 ```
 
-`tests/e2e_test.sh` refuses to unlink a socket owned by a running daemon. Unix sockets cannot be re-linked: removing the path entry of a live daemon leaves the kernel socket bound but unreachable, and the user's session stays broken until it restarts. The script therefore sends `StopDaemon` and waits for the socket to disappear first, aborting if the daemon will not stop.
+`tests/e2e_test.sh` treats a running daemon as a resource it borrows rather than deletes. Unix sockets cannot be re-linked: removing the path entry of a live daemon leaves the kernel socket bound but unreachable, and the session stays broken until that process dies.
+
+The script therefore:
+1. probes liveness by connecting to the socket directly (`scythe --status` cannot be used for this, because it calls `ensure_daemon_running()` and would spawn a daemon while probing);
+2. records the running daemon's command line and working directory;
+3. sends `StopDaemon` and waits for the socket to disappear, aborting without unlinking if it will not stop;
+4. restores that daemon on exit, so a developer's recorder survives a test run.
 
 ### Windows Cross-Compilation (from Linux Host):
 ```bash

TODO_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -249,6 +249,14 @@ This checklist tracks known bugs, UI refinements, optimizations, and technical d
 
 ---
 
+## 4a. Binary Dispatch
+
+- [x] **Symlink Aliases Dispatched to the UI Instead of the Daemon**:
+  - **Issue**: [`src/main.rs`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/src/main.rs) decided daemon mode from `std::env::current_exe()`, which reads `/proc/self/exe` and resolves symlinks. Because every installed alias points at the real `scythe` file, all of them reported the stem `scythe`, so `scythe-daemon` and `vrec-daemon` fell through to client mode and opened the HUD instead of starting the recording engine. The aliases shipped by [`install.sh`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/install.sh), the `.deb`/`.rpm`/Flatpak packages, and the Hyprland `exec_cmd("scythe-daemon")` autostart line were all affected. A stale pre-consolidation `target/release/scythe-daemon` from an older build masked the bug during local testing.
+  - **Resolution**: Added `invoked_stem()`, which reads argv[0] and only falls back to `current_exe()` when argv[0] has no usable stem. Verified against a packaged tarball: `scythe-daemon` and `vrec-daemon` now report the running-instance guard, while `scythe`, `scythe-ui`, `vrec` and `vrec-ui` open the client.
+
+---
+
 ## 4b. Release Pipeline & Packaging Consolidation
 
 - [x] **CI/CD Referenced Binaries That No Longer Build**:
@@ -281,7 +289,7 @@ This checklist tracks known bugs, UI refinements, optimizations, and technical d
 
 - [x] **E2E Test Unlinked a Live Daemon's Socket**:
   - **Issue**: [`tests/e2e_test.sh`](file:///home/oiupoyt/my%20stuff%20yea/projects/scythe/tests/e2e_test.sh) ran `rm -f "$SOCKET_PATH"` unconditionally and only stopped the systemd unit. A daemon started any other way (Hyprland `execs.lua`, manual launch) kept the flock; the test removed its socket path entry, leaving the kernel socket bound but unreachable. The session stayed broken until the process was killed.
-  - **Resolution**: The script now queries `--status`, sends `StopDaemon`, waits for the socket to disappear, and aborts without unlinking if the daemon will not stop.
+  - **Resolution**: The script now probes liveness with a direct Unix-socket connect (not `--status`, which calls `ensure_daemon_running()` and spawns a daemon while probing), records the running daemon's command line and working directory, sends `StopDaemon`, waits for the socket to disappear, aborts without unlinking if it will not stop, and restores the original daemon on exit.
 
 ---
 

src/main.rs

@@ -384,12 +384,31 @@ fn handle_toggle_streaming() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sy
     }
 }
 
-fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>> {
+/// Name the binary was invoked as.
-    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
+///
-    let exe_name = env::current_exe()
+/// `current_exe()` reads /proc/self/exe, which resolves symlinks to the real
+/// file, so the installed `scythe-daemon` / `scythe-ui` aliases would all
+/// report "scythe" and dispatch to the client. argv[0] keeps the invocation
+/// name, which is what multicall dispatch needs.
+fn invoked_stem() -> String {
+    if let Some(arg0) = env::args_os().next() {
+        let path = std::path::Path::new(&arg0);
+        if let Some(stem) = path.file_stem() {
+            let stem = stem.to_string_lossy().to_string();
+            if !stem.is_empty() {
+                return stem;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    env::current_exe()
         .ok()
         .and_then(|p| p.file_stem().map(|s| s.to_string_lossy().to_string()))
-        .unwrap_or_default();
+        .unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>> {
+    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
+    let exe_name = invoked_stem();
 
     // Multicall dispatch: scythe-daemon executable, symlink, or subcommand
     let is_daemon = exe_name == "scythe-daemon"
@@ -535,27 +554,27 @@ fn run_client(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send
                 return send_command(Command::StopDaemon);
             }
             "--help" | "-h" => {
-                println!("scythe-ui - UI Overlay and Hotkey listener for scythe");
+                println!("scythe {} - GPU screen recorder, instant replay and HUD overlay", scythe::updater::CURRENT_VERSION);
                 println!("Usage:");
-                println!("  scythe-ui                Open the interactive overlay UI menu (default)");
+                println!("  scythe                Open the interactive overlay UI menu (default)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --menu         Open the interactive overlay UI menu");
+                println!("  scythe --menu         Open the interactive overlay UI menu");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --gtk          Open legacy GTK layer-shell overlay (Linux)");
+                println!("  scythe --gtk          Deprecated alias for --menu (GTK backend retired)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --hotkeys      Run global hotkey manager in background");
+                println!("  scythe --hotkeys      Run global hotkey manager in background");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --status       Query current daemon status");
+                println!("  scythe --status       Query current daemon status");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --save         Save instant replay and show notification");
+                println!("  scythe --save         Save instant replay and show notification");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --save-replay  Alias for --save");
+                println!("  scythe --save-replay  Alias for --save");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --notify-save  Show instant replay saved notification toast");
+                println!("  scythe --notify-save  Show instant replay saved notification toast");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --notify-start Show recording started notification toast");
+                println!("  scythe --notify-start Show recording started notification toast");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --notify-stop  Show recording saved notification toast");
+                println!("  scythe --notify-stop  Show recording saved notification toast");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --toast <t> <s> Show custom ShadowPlay notification toast");
+                println!("  scythe --toast <t> <s> Show custom ShadowPlay notification toast");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --record       Toggle normal recording on/off (with notification)");
+                println!("  scythe --record       Toggle normal recording on/off (with notification)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --stream       Toggle livestreaming on/off (with notification)");
+                println!("  scythe --stream       Toggle livestreaming on/off (with notification)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --cursor       Toggle mouse cursor recording on/off (with notification)");
+                println!("  scythe --cursor       Toggle mouse cursor recording on/off (with notification)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --show-overlay Open the HUD overlay via the daemon (no toggle)");
+                println!("  scythe --show-overlay Open the HUD overlay via the daemon (no toggle)");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --start        Start normal recording");
+                println!("  scythe --start        Start normal recording");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --stop         Stop normal recording");
+                println!("  scythe --stop         Stop normal recording");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --reload       Reload daemon configuration");
+                println!("  scythe --reload       Reload daemon configuration");
-                println!("  scythe-ui --quit         Stop background daemon");
+                println!("  scythe --quit         Stop background daemon");
                 return Ok(());
             }
             _ => {}

tests/e2e_test.sh

@@ -11,17 +11,39 @@ cargo build --release --quiet
 
 SOCKET_PATH="${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/tmp}/scythe.sock"
 
+# Liveness probe with no side effects. `scythe --status` calls
+# ensure_daemon_running(), so probing with it spawns a daemon and the check
+# starts chasing its own tail.
+daemon_alive() {
+    [ -S "$SOCKET_PATH" ] || return 1
+    python3 -c '
+import socket, sys
+s = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+s.settimeout(0.5)
+try:
+    s.connect(sys.argv[1])
+except OSError:
+    sys.exit(1)
+finally:
+    s.close()
+' "$SOCKET_PATH" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
 # A live daemon owns this socket. Removing the path entry while it runs leaves the
 # kernel socket bound but unreachable, breaking the user's session until restart.
-# Shut it down gracefully instead, and refuse to run if it will not stop.
+# Stop it gracefully, remember how it ran, and put it back when the test finishes.
-if [ -S "$SOCKET_PATH" ] && target/release/scythe --status >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CMD=""
-    echo "[0/6] Stopping existing scythe daemon..."
+PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CWD=""
+if daemon_alive; then
+    PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CMD=$(pgrep -af 'scythe.*daemon' 2>/dev/null | head -1 | cut -d' ' -f2- || true)
+    PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CWD=$(readlink -f /proc/"$(pgrep -f 'scythe.*daemon' 2>/dev/null | head -1)"/cwd 2>/dev/null || true)
+    echo "[0/6] Existing daemon detected; stopping it for the test run..."
     target/release/scythe --quit >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-    for _ in $(seq 1 50); do
+    for _ in $(seq 1 80); do
-        [ -S "$SOCKET_PATH" ] || break
+        daemon_alive || break
         sleep 0.1
     done
-    if target/release/scythe --status >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    if daemon_alive; then
         echo "ERROR: A scythe daemon is running and did not stop cleanly."
         echo "       Refusing to unlink its socket. Stop it first: scythe --quit"
         exit 1
@@ -52,6 +74,10 @@ cleanup() {
     rm -f daemon_test.log
     if [ "$WAS_SERVICE_ACTIVE" -eq 1 ]; then
         systemctl --user start scythe-daemon.service 2>/dev/null || true
+    elif [ -n "$PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CMD" ]; then
+        echo "Restoring the daemon that was running before the test..."
+        ( cd "${PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CWD:-$PWD}" && setsid $PREVIOUS_DAEMON_CMD >/dev/null 2>&1 & ) || true
+        sleep 1
     fi
 }
 trap cleanup EXIT