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docs: the README says what the last tile's exit really does

a73x 2026-08-28 19:53

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docs: the README says what the last tile's exit really does

The paragraph four above the chord table still promised the pre-branch
behaviour — `mux` ending with the shell's code when the last tile went. On
a terminal that exit leaves the empty wall with the picker over it; only a
piped `mux` still exits with the shell's code, which is the half scripts
read. And dropping a machine is the picker's `x` from inside the wall,
`mux hosts rm` from the command line — the old sentence knew only the CLI.

decisions.md records the one refusal that still ends mux: a birth the
daemon refuses from an empty terminal wall has no tile to hand it back to.

CLAUDE.md

Old		New
@@ -119,8 +119,10 @@ real pty), `wsclient` (browser stand-in), `rawmode`, `delaypipe`, `render`.
119	while it is open (`Shared.picker_open`); the close bumps `repaint_gen`.	119	while it is open (`Shared.picker_open`); the close bumps `repaint_gen`.
120	An empty wall opens it ONCE by itself, so an Esc there leaves the	120	An empty wall opens it ONCE by itself, so an Esc there leaves the
121	one-line text; and on a TERMINAL the last tile's exit leaves that empty	121	one-line text; and on a TERMINAL the last tile's exit leaves that empty
122	wall rather than ending mux — a piped `mux` still exits with the shell's	122	wall rather than ending mux, as does a picker birth the daemon REFUSES
123	code, because scripts read it.	123	(`Tile.keeps_wall`, which `born_from` cannot say — the entry tile carries
		124	the same null) — a piped `mux` still exits with the shell's code, because
		125	scripts read it.
124	- `Ctrl-\ x` ends a session; the daemon owns the two-step. `end_req`	126	- `Ctrl-\ x` ends a session; the daemon owns the two-step. `end_req`
125	`0x11` / `end_reply` `0x94`, observer verbs. The daemon refuses a first	127	`0x11` / `end_reply` `0x94`, observer verbs. The daemon refuses a first
126	`x` on a session other clients hold and answers the count; the client	128	`x` on a session other clients hold and answers the count; the client

README.md

Old		New
@@ -111,18 +111,20 @@ Because ending interrupts anyone else watching, the daemon refuses a first
111	reads `[1 other attached - x again to end]` — and a second `x` within three	111	reads `[1 other attached - x again to end]` — and a second `x` within three
112	seconds forces it. A shell that ignores the hangup is killed half a second	112	seconds forces it. A shell that ignores the hangup is killed half a second
113	later; there is no session that cannot be ended. Dropping a whole MACHINE	113	later; there is no session that cannot be ended. Dropping a whole MACHINE
114	is `mux hosts rm`, not a chord: it is rarer than ending a shell and must not	114	is not a chord: it is rarer than ending a shell and must not sit one key
115	sit one key from `n`.	115	from `n`. From inside the wall it is the picker's `x` (`Ctrl-\` `s`, then
		116	`x`); from the command line it is `mux hosts rm`.
116		117
117	`x` ends a session, never a box. A daemon whose last session ends stays up	118	`x` ends a session, never a box. A daemon whose last session ends stays up
118	and empty, and the next `mux HOST` is born into it — so emptying a machine	119	and empty, and the next `mux HOST` is born into it — so emptying a machine
119	costs you nothing but the shell you meant to end. Ending the daemon itself	120	costs you nothing but the shell you meant to end. Ending the daemon itself
120	is `muxd stop`.	121	is `muxd stop`.
121		122
122	A session whose shell exits ends `mux` with that shell's exit code when it	123	A session whose shell exits takes its tile off the wall, with the tile that
123	was the only tile on the wall — so `mux` stays something you can put in a	124	ended saying so. On a terminal the LAST tile's exit leaves you on the empty
124	script — and drops you to the wall when it was not, with the tile that ended	125	wall with the picker over it, not back in your shell: `Ctrl-\` `d` is how
125	saying so.	126	you leave. A piped `mux` has no wall to leave you on, so it exits with that
		127	shell's code — `mux` stays something you can put in a script.
126		128
127	The wheel goes to whatever is in front of it. At a shell prompt it moves	129	The wheel goes to whatever is in front of it. At a shell prompt it moves
128	mux's scrollback, three rows a notch. In a full-screen application that did	130	mux's scrollback, three rows a notch. In a full-screen application that did

docs/decisions.md

Old		New
@@ -7339,6 +7339,13 @@ Tiles pause under it (`Shared.picker_open`, read under `paint_mu`); replicas
7339	stay hot, the close bumps `repaint_gen`, and the frame is hashed so the	7339	stay hot, the close bumps `repaint_gen`, and the frame is hashed so the
7340	per-host-per-second repaint cannot leave a terminal that never goes quiet.	7340	per-host-per-second repaint cannot leave a terminal that never goes quiet.
7341		7341
		7342	A birth the daemon REFUSES, from Enter on an empty terminal wall, leaves the
		7343	wall standing with the sentence on its one line. `born_from` cannot say that
		7344	— the ENTRY tile of `mux TARGET` carries the same null and its refusal really
		7345	is mux's, because a script reads that code — so `Tile.keeps_wall` does, set
		7346	by `pickBirth` and read by `endAction` before the exit arm. A piped `mux` has
		7347	no wall to leave standing and still exits with the code.
		7348
7342	## 2026-08-28 — a new tile takes the lowest free digit	7349	## 2026-08-28 — a new tile takes the lowest free digit
7343		7350
7344	Reuse, not renumbering. `Ctrl-\ 1-9` addresses digits, so a digit an ended	7351	Reuse, not renumbering. `Ctrl-\ 1-9` addresses digits, so a digit an ended