better docs and things

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ if(CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES "Ninja" OR CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES "Ninja Multi-Confi
     if(DEFINED CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM)
         set(CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM "" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
     endif()
+    if(DEFINED CMAKE_GENERATOR_TOOLSET)
+        set(CMAKE_GENERATOR_TOOLSET "" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 if(BUILD_SDL3_APP)

CMakeUserPresets.json

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     },
     "include": [
         "build/CMakePresets.json",
-        "build-ninja/CMakePresets.json"
+        "build-ninja/CMakePresets.json",
+        "build-ninja-msvc/CMakePresets.json"
     ]
 }

README.md

@@ -15,12 +15,21 @@ A minimal SDL3 + Vulkan spinning cube demo.
 2. **Configure**
    - Default (Visual Studio): `cmake -B build -S .`
      * This uses the Visual Studio 2022 generator.
-   - Ninja: configure into a clean folder, e.g., `cmake -G Ninja -B build-ninja -S .`
+   - Ninja (clang/MinGW): configure into a clean folder, e.g., `cmake -G Ninja -B build-ninja -S .`
      * CMake already appends `C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin` to `CMAKE_PROGRAM_PATH`, so Ninja and Chocolatey LLVM tools are discoverable without extra `PATH` edits.
      * Ninja is a single-config generator. When no multi-config generator has been used, the project defaults `CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release`; override it with `-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug` if you need another configuration in that folder.
+   - Ninja with MSVC: open a Developer Command Prompt (call `"%VSINSTALLDIR%VC\\Auxiliary\\Build\\vcvarsall.bat" x64` or run that batch file from PowerShell) and configure with
+     ```
+     cmake -G Ninja -B build-ninja-msvc -S . -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+     ```
+      Keep using the same prompt (so `cl.exe` carries the SDK/CRT paths) and build with `cmake --build build-ninja-msvc --config Release`.
+      * Quick one-liner that initializes the MSVC environment and runs the Release build from a regular shell:
+        ```
+        cmd /c "call \"%VSINSTALLDIR%VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvarsall.bat\" x64 && cmake --build build-ninja-msvc --config Release"
+        ```
    - Optional clang-tidy: add `-DENABLE_CLANG_TIDY=ON`
      * CMake searches both `C:\Program Files\LLVM\bin` and `C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin`, so standard LLVM/Chocolatey installs are found automatically.
-     * The wrapped clang-tidy binary prints `[clang-tidy] starting …` and `[clang-tidy] finished (exit …)` markers so you can spot linting in verbose logs even when no diagnostics appear.
+     * The wrapped clang-tidy binary prints `[clang-tidy] starting .` and `[clang-tidy] finished (exit .)` markers so you can spot linting in verbose logs even when no diagnostics appear.
 
 3. **Build**
    - `cmake --build build --config Release --target sdl3_app` (or point at `build-ninja` if you used Ninja).
@@ -37,9 +46,18 @@ If you rely on the Conan runtime environment (some dependencies export env vars)
 
 ## Runtime configuration
 
-1. `main.cpp` now uses a JSON-driven entrypoint. Run `sdl3_app --json-file-in <path>` to load a config that points at the Lua script and defines window dimensions.
-2. Generate a starter JSON peppered with the default script locations via `sdl3_app --create-seed-json config/seed_runtime.json` (it assumes `scripts/cube_logic.lua` is next to the executable).
-3. Copy a JSON into the platform default by running `sdl3_app --set-default-json [path]` (APPDATA on Windows, `XDG_CONFIG_HOME`/`~/.config` elsewhere). When the default file exists, the app picks it up automatically; otherwise it discovers `scripts/cube_logic.lua` next to the binary.
+1. `main.cpp` now uses a JSON-driven entrypoint.
+   - Pass `sdl3_app --json-file-in <path>` to load runtime settings such as the Lua script path, window size, and `lua_debug`.
+   - The loader enforces valid types and resolves relative scripts next to the configuration file.
+2. Generate a starter JSON with the shipped script locations:
+   ```
+   sdl3_app --create-seed-json config/seed_runtime.json
+   ```
+   The helper assumes `scripts/cube_logic.lua` lives beside the executable and writes normalized paths.
+3. Store or override the app-wide config with `sdl3_app --set-default-json [path]`.
+   - Windows uses `%APPDATA%/sdl3cpp`; other platforms use `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sdl3cpp/default_runtime.json`, falling back to `~/.config/sdl3cpp`.
+   - Providing a `path` duplicates that JSON into the platform default without editing the runtime values.
+   - When the default file exists the executable reads it automatically; otherwise it falls back to the built-in script discovery logic.
 
 ### GUI Demo
 `scripts/gui_demo.lua` shows off the Lua GUI framework (buttons, text boxes, list views, and SVG icons) rendered on top of the Vulkan scene. Launch it with `./build/sdl3_app --json-file-in config/gui_runtime.json` (or use that config via `sdl3_app --set-default-json`) to run the interactive overlay in the window.

src/main.cpp

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <rapidjson/prettywriter.h>
 
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <exception>
 #include <filesystem>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
@@ -243,36 +245,34 @@ void WriteRuntimeConfigJson(const RuntimeConfig& runtimeConfig,
     document.SetObject();
     auto& allocator = document.GetAllocator();
 
+    auto addStringMember = [&](const char* name, const std::string& value) {
+        rapidjson::Value nameValue(name, allocator);
+        rapidjson::Value stringValue(value.c_str(), allocator);
+        document.AddMember(nameValue, stringValue, allocator);
+    };
+
     document.AddMember("window_width", runtimeConfig.width, allocator);
     document.AddMember("window_height", runtimeConfig.height, allocator);
-    document.AddMember("lua_script",
-                       rapidjson::Value(runtimeConfig.scriptPath.string().c_str(), allocator),
-                       allocator);
+    addStringMember("lua_script", runtimeConfig.scriptPath.string());
 
     std::filesystem::path scriptsDir = runtimeConfig.scriptPath.parent_path();
-    document.AddMember("scripts_directory",
-                       rapidjson::Value(scriptsDir.string().c_str(), allocator), allocator);
+    addStringMember("scripts_directory", scriptsDir.string());
 
     std::filesystem::path projectRoot = scriptsDir.parent_path();
     if (!projectRoot.empty()) {
-        document.AddMember(
-            "project_root",
-            rapidjson::Value(projectRoot.string().c_str(), allocator), allocator);
-        document.AddMember(
-            "shaders_directory",
-            rapidjson::Value((projectRoot / "shaders").string().c_str(), allocator), allocator);
+        addStringMember("project_root", projectRoot.string());
+        addStringMember("shaders_directory", (projectRoot / "shaders").string());
     } else {
-        document.AddMember("shaders_directory",
-                           rapidjson::Value("shaders", allocator), allocator);
+        addStringMember("shaders_directory", "shaders");
     }
 
     rapidjson::Value extensionArray(rapidjson::kArrayType);
     for (const char* extension : sdl3cpp::app::kDeviceExtensions) {
-        extensionArray.PushBack(rapidjson::Value(extension, allocator), allocator);
+        rapidjson::Value extensionValue(extension, allocator);
+        extensionArray.PushBack(extensionValue, allocator);
     }
     document.AddMember("device_extensions", extensionArray, allocator);
-    document.AddMember("config_file",
-                       rapidjson::Value(configPath.string().c_str(), allocator), allocator);
+    addStringMember("config_file", configPath.string());
 
     rapidjson::StringBuffer buffer;
     rapidjson::Writer<rapidjson::StringBuffer> writer(buffer);