Verify a Massing frontend change

The dev-preview geometry loader stalls at "preparing geometry" for all model sizes, which blocks loadProjectModel and therefore buildPanels (the panel-tree model browser). But buildToolsPanel (the rail tools) can be forced. Verify what you can; flag what you can't.

Always

cd apps/web && export PATH="/c/Program Files/nodejs:$PATH"
npm run typecheck && npm run lint      # eslint pinned to 9.39.5; Node 20 (Node 18 breaks build)
npx vitest run <path/if/covered>
npm run build                          # strongest compile check; ~1 min

Force the tools rail to build (verifies rail UI live)

The preview server is on :5173. In the running preview (via the browser tools), navigate to a project with a source IFC, then:

window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('aec:persona', { detail: 'all' }));  // forces buildToolsPanel + buildClashPanel
// then read #panel-tools — the tool-group sections, buttons, inputs all render even though geometry stalled

This verifies: new rail tools/buttons/inputs, the ribbon tabs, the Library palette, the node-canvas launcher, the KEYS shortcut layer (dispatch KeyboardEvents), the Ask/analytical boxes. Exercise handlers by .click()ing buttons and reading the result-overlay / DOM.

What you CAN'T verify live (flag it honestly)

• panel-tree UI (the Project-Browser spine) — buildPanels never runs behind the stall. Verify its DOM-construction logic by reproducing it in the console instead, and say so.
• End-to-end calls to NEW API routes against the dev API on :8093 — that server is often a stale process predating your new routes → 404 there even though the client hits the right URL. Confirm via read_network_requests that the URL/payload is correct; the backend itself is covered by CI. (Restarting :8093 is the user's call.)
• Anything geometry-coupled (placing an element, section cuts, camera).

Report

State exactly what was verified live vs. by typecheck/build vs. not exercised. Never claim an interactive viewer flow "verified" if the stall prevented it.

See memory: tools-panel-verify-technique, web-build-needs-node-20, web-eslint-node-pin, dev-api-port.