feat: add --safe-mode command line option (#4985)

This ensures the settings button isn't hidden, and disables plugins from being loaded to make sure the user can always recover from messing things up

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 - Minor: The `/reply` command now replies to the latest message of the user. (#4919)
 - Minor: All sound capabilities can now be disabled by setting your "Sound backend" setting to "Null" and restarting Chatterino. (#4978)
 - Minor: Add an option to use new experimental smarter emote completion. (#4987)
+- Minor: Add `--safe-mode` command line option that can be used for troubleshooting when Chatterino is misbehaving or is misconfigured. It disables hiding the settings button & prevents plugins from loading. (#4985)
 - Bugfix: Fixed an issue where certain emojis did not send to Twitch chat correctly. (#4840)
 - Bugfix: Fixed capitalized channel names in log inclusion list not being logged. (#4848)
 - Bugfix: Trimmed custom streamlink paths on all platforms making sure you don't accidentally add spaces at the beginning or end of its path. (#4834)

src/common/Args.cpp

@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ Args::Args(const QApplication &app)
                                       "Attaches to the Console on windows, "
                                       "allowing you to see debug output."});
     crashRecoveryOption.setFlags(QCommandLineOption::HiddenFromHelp);
+    QCommandLineOption safeModeOption(
+        "safe-mode", "Starts Chatterino without loading Plugins and always "
+                     "show the settings button.");
 
     parser.addOptions({
         {{"V", "version"}, "Displays version information."},
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ Args::Args(const QApplication &app)
         parentWindowOption,
         parentWindowIdOption,
         verboseOption,
+        safeModeOption,
     });
     parser.addOption(QCommandLineOption(
         {"c", "channels"},
@@ -89,6 +93,10 @@ Args::Args(const QApplication &app)
 
         this->parentWindowId = parser.value(parentWindowIdOption).toULongLong();
     }
+    if (parser.isSet(safeModeOption))
+    {
+        this->safeMode = true;
+    }
 }
 
 void Args::applyCustomChannelLayout(const QString &argValue)

src/common/Args.hpp

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ public:
     bool dontLoadMainWindow{};
     std::optional<WindowLayout> customChannelLayout;
     bool verbose{};
+    bool safeMode{};
 
 private:
     void applyCustomChannelLayout(const QString &argValue);

src/controllers/plugins/PluginController.cpp

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #    include "controllers/plugins/PluginController.hpp"
 
 #    include "Application.hpp"
+#    include "common/Args.hpp"
 #    include "common/QLogging.hpp"
 #    include "controllers/commands/CommandContext.hpp"
 #    include "controllers/commands/CommandController.hpp"
@@ -194,12 +195,20 @@ void PluginController::openLibrariesFor(lua_State *L,
 void PluginController::load(const QFileInfo &index, const QDir &pluginDir,
                             const PluginMeta &meta)
 {
-    lua_State *l = luaL_newstate();
-    PluginController::openLibrariesFor(l, meta);
-
     auto pluginName = pluginDir.dirName();
+    lua_State *l = luaL_newstate();
     auto plugin = std::make_unique<Plugin>(pluginName, l, meta, pluginDir);
     this->plugins_.insert({pluginName, std::move(plugin)});
+
+    if (getArgs().safeMode)
+    {
+        // This isn't done earlier to ensure the user can disable a misbehaving plugin
+        qCWarning(chatterinoLua) << "Skipping loading plugin " << meta.name
+                                 << " because safe mode is enabled.";
+        return;
+    }
+    PluginController::openLibrariesFor(l, meta);
+
     if (!PluginController::isPluginEnabled(pluginName) ||
         !getSettings()->pluginsEnabled)
     {

src/widgets/Notebook.cpp

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "widgets/Notebook.hpp"
 
 #include "Application.hpp"
+#include "common/Args.hpp"
 #include "common/QLogging.hpp"
 #include "controllers/hotkeys/HotkeyCategory.hpp"
 #include "controllers/hotkeys/HotkeyController.hpp"
@@ -1345,13 +1346,22 @@ void SplitNotebook::addCustomButtons()
     // settings
     auto settingsBtn = this->addCustomButton();
 
-    settingsBtn->setVisible(!getSettings()->hidePreferencesButton.getValue());
+    // This is to ensure you can't lock yourself out of the settings
+    if (getArgs().safeMode)
+    {
+        settingsBtn->setVisible(true);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        settingsBtn->setVisible(
+            !getSettings()->hidePreferencesButton.getValue());
 
-    getSettings()->hidePreferencesButton.connect(
+        getSettings()->hidePreferencesButton.connect(
-        [settingsBtn](bool hide, auto) {
+            [settingsBtn](bool hide, auto) {
-            settingsBtn->setVisible(!hide);
+                settingsBtn->setVisible(!hide);
-        },
+            },
-        this->signalHolder_);
+            this->signalHolder_);
+    }
 
     settingsBtn->setIcon(NotebookButton::Settings);
 

src/widgets/Window.cpp

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "widgets/Window.hpp"
 
 #include "Application.hpp"
+#include "common/Args.hpp"
 #include "common/Credentials.hpp"
 #include "common/Modes.hpp"
 #include "common/QLogging.hpp"
@@ -736,6 +737,11 @@ void Window::onAccountSelected()
     }
 #endif
 
+    if (getArgs().safeMode)
+    {
+        windowTitle += " (safe mode)";
+    }
+
     this->setWindowTitle(windowTitle);
 
     // update user

src/widgets/settingspages/PluginsPage.cpp

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #    include "widgets/settingspages/PluginsPage.hpp"
 
 #    include "Application.hpp"
+#    include "common/Args.hpp"
 #    include "controllers/plugins/PluginController.hpp"
 #    include "singletons/Paths.hpp"
 #    include "singletons/Settings.hpp"
@@ -52,6 +53,15 @@ PluginsPage::PluginsPage()
             this->rebuildContent();
         });
         groupLayout->addRow(box);
+        if (getArgs().safeMode)
+        {
+            box->setEnabled(false);
+            auto *disabledLabel = new QLabel(this);
+            disabledLabel->setText("Plugins will not be fully loaded because "
+                                   "Chatterino is in safe mode. You can still "
+                                   "enable and disable them.");
+            groupLayout->addRow(disabledLabel);
+        }
     }
 
     this->rebuildContent();
@@ -177,6 +187,10 @@ void PluginsPage::rebuildContent()
                              this->rebuildContent();
                          });
         pluginEntry->addRow(reloadButton);
+        if (getArgs().safeMode)
+        {
+            reloadButton->setEnabled(false);
+        }
     }
 }