fix(gui): reopen the connection dialog when startup auto-connect gives up — Principle XI.

src/gui/ConnectionPanel.cpp

@@ -1397,6 +1397,9 @@ void ConnectionPanel::setConnected(bool connected)
         clearPendingIcomCredentials();
     }
 
+    if (connected)
+        m_startupProbe = false;
+
     m_connected = connected;
     m_disconnectBtn->setVisible(connected);
     updateActionState();
@@ -2493,6 +2496,7 @@ void ConnectionPanel::onManualConnectClicked()
         return;
 
     m_manualConnectPending = true;
+    m_startupProbe = false;
     setManualMessage(QStringLiteral("Checking %1…").arg(ip));
     probeRadio(ip);
 }
@@ -2503,12 +2507,33 @@ void ConnectionPanel::onManualAdvancedToggled(bool checked)
     m_manualAdvancedWidget->setVisible(checked);
 }
 
+void ConnectionPanel::reportStartupProbeFailure(const QString& reason)
+{
+    // A startup probe is the one probe with nobody reading the manual page.
+    // MainWindow has covered the window with "Looking for your radio…", and it
+    // suppressed the no-saved-radio dialog popup precisely BECAUSE a radio is
+    // saved — so setManualMessage() alone writes the reason onto a page behind a
+    // dialog that will never open. The operator is left with a spinner and no
+    // route back to the connection UI. Hand the reason up instead.
+    if (!m_startupProbe)
+        return;
+    m_startupProbe = false;
+    emit startupConnectUnavailable(reason);
+}
+
 void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
 {
     const QString trimmedIp = ip.trimmed();
     if (trimmedIp.isEmpty())
         return;
 
+    // Latched, not assigned: the Icom keychain read below re-enters probeRadio()
+    // without restoreSavedFamily, and that second pass is still the same startup
+    // attempt. Cleared when a bail is reported, on a proven connect, and by
+    // onManualConnectClicked().
+    if (restoreSavedFamily)
+        m_startupProbe = true;
+
     // Interactive and automation probes keep the family currently selected by
     // the operator. Startup is the exception: it has no current operator
     // choice, so restoreSavedFamily asks the retained route which wire protocol
@@ -2532,6 +2557,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
         updateManualAdvancedVisibility();
         setManualMessage("Choose a live source path before trying again.", true);
         m_manualConnectPending = false;
+        reportStartupProbeFailure(
+            QStringLiteral("The saved source path for this radio is unavailable."));
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2573,6 +2600,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
                                "radio. Check Network Control is ON in the radio's menu, then "
                                "enter the same credentials here."),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("This Icom needs its network user name and password."));
             return;
         }
         if (pass.isEmpty()) {
@@ -2603,6 +2632,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
                             "set on the radio, then connect once to remember it."),
                         true);
                     panel->m_manualConnectPending = false;
+                    panel->reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                        QStringLiteral("No saved password for this Icom."));
                     return;
                 }
                 if (panel->m_manualIcomPassEdit
@@ -2721,6 +2752,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
                     QStringLiteral("Could not resolve \"%1\". Check the name, or enter the "
                                    "radio's IP address instead.").arg(trimmedIp),
                     true);
+                reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                    QStringLiteral("Could not resolve \"%1\".").arg(trimmedIp));
                 return;
             }
             resolved = hostInfo.addresses().first();
@@ -2765,7 +2798,11 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeRadio(const QString& ip, bool restoreSavedFamily)
                                "radio is powered, idle, and reachable on UDP port 1024.")
                     .arg(trimmedIp),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("No Hermes-Lite 2 answered at %1.").arg(trimmedIp));
         } else if (probe == Hl2ProbeResult::NotAttempted) {
+            // probeHermesLite2() has already reported its own reason, upward
+            // included; only the button needs restoring here.
             resetManualConnectButton();
         }
         return;
@@ -2834,11 +2871,15 @@ ConnectionPanel::Hl2ProbeResult ConnectionPanel::probeHermesLite2(
                 QStringLiteral("AetherSDR could not use that VPN source path. "
                                "Try Auto or choose another path."),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("The saved source path for this radio is unavailable."));
         } else {
             setManualMessage(
                 QStringLiteral("Could not open a UDP socket to probe for a "
                                "Hermes-Lite 2: %1").arg(hpsdr.errorString()),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("Could not open a UDP socket to reach the Hermes-Lite 2."));
         }
         return Hl2ProbeResult::NotAttempted;
     }
@@ -2876,6 +2917,8 @@ ConnectionPanel::Hl2ProbeResult ConnectionPanel::probeHermesLite2(
                     : QStringLiteral("“%1” has no IPv4 address, and a Hermes-Lite 2 "
                                      "is reachable over IPv4 only.").arg(ip),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("Could not resolve “%1” to an IPv4 address.").arg(ip));
             return Hl2ProbeResult::NotAttempted;
         }
     }
@@ -2891,6 +2934,8 @@ ConnectionPanel::Hl2ProbeResult ConnectionPanel::probeHermesLite2(
             QStringLiteral("Could not send a discovery request to %1: %2")
                 .arg(dest.toString(), hpsdr.errorString()),
             true);
+        reportStartupProbeFailure(
+            QStringLiteral("Could not send a discovery request to %1.").arg(dest.toString()));
         return Hl2ProbeResult::NotAttempted;
     }
 
@@ -2951,6 +2996,9 @@ ConnectionPanel::Hl2ProbeResult ConnectionPanel::probeHermesLite2(
                     QStringLiteral("The Hermes-Lite 2 at %1 is already in use by another client "
                                    "and can't be shared.").arg(ip),
                     true);
+                reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                    QStringLiteral("The Hermes-Lite 2 at %1 is in use by another client.")
+                        .arg(ip));
                 return Hl2ProbeResult::Answered;
             }
 
@@ -2987,6 +3035,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeFlexRadio(const QString& trimmedIp, const RadioBindSe
         m_manualConnectPending = false;
         m_manualConnectBtn->setText("Connect by IP");
         updateActionState();
+        reportStartupProbeFailure(
+            QStringLiteral("The saved source path for this radio is unavailable."));
         return;
     }
 
@@ -3004,6 +3054,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeFlexRadio(const QString& trimmedIp, const RadioBindSe
                                "address and try Advanced only if your VPN exposes multiple adapters.")
                     .arg(trimmedIp),
                 true);
+            reportStartupProbeFailure(
+                QStringLiteral("No radio responded at %1.").arg(trimmedIp));
         }
     });
 
@@ -3161,6 +3213,8 @@ void ConnectionPanel::probeFlexRadio(const QString& trimmedIp, const RadioBindSe
         m_manualConnectPending = false;
         m_manualConnectBtn->setText("Connect by IP");
         updateActionState();
+        reportStartupProbeFailure(
+            QStringLiteral("Could not reach %1: %2").arg(trimmedIp, sock->errorString()));
     });
 }
 

src/gui/ConnectionPanel.h

@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ public slots:
     void retryDiscoveryRequested();
     void networkDiagnosticsRequested();
     void smartLinkLoginRequested(const QString& email, const QString& password);
+    // A startup auto-connect gave up before it could reach the radio. Carries
+    // the operator-facing reason, which would otherwise be stranded on the
+    // manual page (see reportStartupProbeFailure).
+    void startupConnectUnavailable(const QString& reason);
 
 private slots:
     void onConnectionModeClicked(int id);
@@ -184,6 +188,13 @@ private slots:
     };
     Hl2ProbeResult probeHermesLite2(const QString& ip, const RadioBindSettings& bindSettings);
     void probeFlexRadio(const QString& ip, const RadioBindSettings& bindSettings);
+    // Reports a startup-probe bail upward as startupConnectUnavailable. Every
+    // probeRadio() exit that does not end in a connect request calls this —
+    // including the ones inside probeHermesLite2() and probeFlexRadio() — so
+    // that a saved radio which cannot be reached, for whatever reason, hands
+    // the window back. No-op for interactive and automation probes, whose
+    // operator can already read setManualMessage.
+    void reportStartupProbeFailure(const QString& reason);
     void resetManualConnectButton();
     // Re-activate the body layout after a page change. The overlap this used to
     // guard against — the Advanced section expanding, or the result line
@@ -298,6 +309,13 @@ private slots:
     QPushButton* m_manualConnectBtn{nullptr};
     QString      m_manualProfileIp;
     bool         m_manualConnectPending{false};
+    // Set for the duration of a startup probe (probeRadio's restoreSavedFamily
+    // call), which is the one probe with no operator watching the manual page.
+    // Cleared in three distinct places, none redundant: by
+    // reportStartupProbeFailure() once a bail has been handed up, by
+    // setConnected(true) when the probe led to a real connection, and by
+    // onManualConnectClicked() when the operator takes over mid-flight.
+    bool         m_startupProbe{false};
     QCheckBox*   m_autoConnectCheck{nullptr};
     QCheckBox*   m_showDemoCheck{nullptr};    // RFC #4288: offer the demo entry
 

src/gui/MainWindow.cpp

@@ -2477,6 +2477,21 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget* parent)
         }
     });
 
+    // A startup auto-connect that gives up must hand the window back. The
+    // no-saved-radio popup above is suppressed whenever LastConnectedRadioSerial
+    // is set, so without this a saved radio that cannot be reached leaves the
+    // "Looking for your radio…" overlay up forever with no offered way into the
+    // connection dialog — the operator has to know the Settings menu item exists.
+    connect(m_connPanel, &ConnectionPanel::startupConnectUnavailable,
+            this, [this](const QString& reason) {
+        if (m_userDisconnected || m_radioModel.isConnected()) return;
+        setPanadapterConnectionAnimation(false);
+        m_connPanel->setStatusText(reason);
+        // show, not toggle: toggleConnectionDialog() would hide a dialog the
+        // operator had already opened while the probe was still in flight.
+        showConnectionDialog();
+    });
+
     // Probe saved routed radio on startup
     {
         auto& s = AppSettings::instance();