fix(inspector): don't auto-launch the Run Inspector (default autoOpen → false)

packages/extension/package.json

@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
         {
           "id": "amicode.runInspector",
           "name": "Run Inspector",
-          "type": "webview"
+          "type": "webview",
+          "when": "amicode.inspectorRevealed"
         }
       ]
     },
@@ -114,8 +115,8 @@
       "properties": {
         "amicode.inspector.autoOpen": {
           "type": "boolean",
-          "default": true,
-          "description": "Automatically reveal the Run Inspector panel when a solve starts (default on). Turn off if a starting solve stealing focus bothers you."
+          "default": false,
+          "description": "Automatically reveal the Run Inspector panel when a solve starts (default off, so a starting solve never steals focus). Leave off to open it on demand — the status-bar item or the \"Amicode: Open Run Inspector\" command. Turn on to have a starting solve reveal the panel automatically."
         },
         "amicode.opencodeBinary": {
           "type": "string",

packages/extension/src/extension.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { ServerManager } from "./server_manager";
 import { fetchProviderSignal } from "./llm_creds.mjs";
 import { resolveOpencodeBinary, OpencodeMissingError } from "./opencode_binary";
 import { ChatPanel } from "./chat_panel";
-import { registerRunInspector } from "./run_inspector";
+import { registerRunInspector, revealInspector } from "./run_inspector";
 import { registerCatalogCard } from "./catalog_card_shell";
 import { registerTrees } from "./trees";
 import { StatusBarManager } from "./status_bar";
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ export async function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
       ChatPanel.openOrReveal(ctx, readyUrl);
     }),
     vscode.commands.registerCommand("amicode.openInspector", async () => {
-      await vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus");
+      await revealInspector();
     }),
     // Run picker (pre-UX4 utility): switch the inspector between tracked runs.
     // Picking pins the selection (a background solve won't steal the view);
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ export async function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
       if (!pick) return;
       if (pick.follow) runsManager?.resumeAutoFollow();
       else if (pick.runId) runsManager?.selectRun(pick.runId);
-      await vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus");
+      await revealInspector();
     }),
     vscode.commands.registerCommand("amicode.stopRun", async () => {
       const dir = runsManager?.getActiveRunDir();
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ export async function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
         runsManager?.pokeDiscovery();
         runsManager?.selectRun(path.basename(runDir));
         runsChannel.appendLine(`[demo] replayed → ${runDir}`);
-        await vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus");
+        await revealInspector();
         // Save-to-catalog prompt (#47): the watcher suppresses the promote
         // prompt for runs already finished at switch (anti-re-pop), so the
         // explicit replay owns its own prompt → the catalog card.

packages/extension/src/run_inspector.ts

@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class InspectorView implements vscode.WebviewViewProvider {
       // Buffered in the pane regardless (shows when the user opens the panel);
       // only steal focus when the auto-open setting is enabled (his UX gate).
       if (autoOpenEnabled()) {
-        vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus").then(undefined, () => undefined);
+        void revealInspector();
       }
       return;
     }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class InspectorView implements vscode.WebviewViewProvider {
     // default so a starting solve never steals focus; the status-bar item and
     // the explicit open command (which bypasses reveal) remain available.
     if (!autoOpenEnabled()) return;
-    vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus").then(undefined, () => undefined);
+    void revealInspector();
   }
 
   // -------- internal --------
@@ -279,6 +279,22 @@ export function autoOpenEnabled(): boolean {
   return vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("amicode").get<boolean>("inspector.autoOpen", false);
 }
 
+/** Context key gating the Run Inspector view (package.json `when`). It starts
+ *  false on every window load and is NOT persisted, so VS Code never restores
+ *  the panel on its own — the view only materializes once a reveal path flips
+ *  it. That is what makes the inspector strictly button-press-only. */
+export const INSPECTOR_CONTEXT_KEY = "amicode.inspectorRevealed";
+
+/** The one way the Run Inspector is ever shown: flip the gate context key on
+ *  (so the gated view is allowed to appear), then focus it. Every reveal path —
+ *  the open command, the run picker, demo replay, and the opted-in auto-reveal —
+ *  funnels through here, so the panel is only ever shown deliberately and never
+ *  by VS Code's own view-state restoration. */
+export async function revealInspector(): Promise<void> {
+  await vscode.commands.executeCommand("setContext", INSPECTOR_CONTEXT_KEY, true);
+  await vscode.commands.executeCommand("amicode.runInspector.focus");
+}
+
 function newNonce(): string {
   let s = "";
   const chars = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789";