ColumnPad v2.5.0

.editorconfig

@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ trim_trailing_whitespace = true
 indent_style = space
 indent_size = 4
 
+[*.cs]
+# Keep service APIs instance-based even when a current method has no instance state.
+dotnet_diagnostic.CA1822.severity = none
+# Prefer interface-shaped collection boundaries over analyzer-suggested concrete types.
+dotnet_diagnostic.CA1859.severity = none
+
 [*.md]
 end_of_line = lf
 trim_trailing_whitespace = false

.github/workflows/windows-build.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+name: Windows build
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  verify:
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up .NET 10
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: 10.0.x
+
+      - name: Restore
+        run: dotnet restore .\ColumnPadStudio.sln
+
+      - name: Check formatting
+        run: dotnet format .\ColumnPadStudio.sln --no-restore --verify-no-changes
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: dotnet build .\ColumnPadStudio.sln -c Release --no-restore
+
+      - name: Run domain checks
+        run: dotnet run --project .\tests\ColumnPadStudio.Domain.Tests\ColumnPadStudio.Domain.Tests.csproj -c Release --no-build
+
+      - name: Run app smoke checks
+        run: dotnet run --project .\tests\ColumnPadStudio.SmokeTests\ColumnPadStudio.SmokeTests.csproj -c Release --no-build
+
+      - name: Verify single-file publish
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          dotnet publish .\src\ColumnPadStudio\ColumnPadStudio.csproj -p:PublishProfile=FolderProfile
+          $files = @(Get-ChildItem .\src\ColumnPadStudio\publish -File)
+          if ($files.Count -ne 1 -or $files[0].Name -ne 'ColumnPadStudio.exe') {
+            throw "Expected publish output to contain only ColumnPadStudio.exe."
+          }

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,35 @@ All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v2.5.0] - 2026-08-07
+
+### Added
+- Added saved Standard (320 px), Custom (220-5000 px), and Fit Columns to Window sizing, plus one global Snap control and adjustable spacing.
+- Added a saved workspace-wide line-number gutter width from 32-160 px.
+- Added theme-aware per-column text colours with presets, custom hexadecimal colours, and layout persistence.
+- Added Ruled, Soft Ruled, and Strong Ruled paper styles aligned with the editor and gutter.
+- Added an automated Windows build gate and explicit version signatures for saved and exported files.
+
+### Changed
+- Replaced Markdown document/export support with concise, readable JSON text exports; native `.columnpad.json` layouts remain the full-fidelity format.
+- Embedded picture data in native layouts so saved workspaces remain portable if an original picture is moved or deleted.
+- Moved the app, tests, automated build, and one-file release profile to the supported .NET 10 LTS runtime.
+- Reworked recovery into complete atomic generations with fallback, and expanded workspace dirty-state tracking to include tab and session changes.
+- Simplified Workflow Builder creation, connection editing, save/import/export actions, and automatic node placement while keeping older workflows compatible.
+
+### Fixed
+- Fixed column adding and resetting so pixel widths remain stable, horizontal workspace scrolling returns when needed, and long text scrolls inside its own column.
+- Made Snap change only the shared gap and made Fit an explicit equal-width mode that preserves saved pixel widths.
+- Fixed selection highlighting, keyboard-focus borders, paper alignment, gutter updates, and repeated blank lines during paste.
+- Fixed save, exit, session-replacement, and crash-recovery paths so unsaved work and the previous healthy recovery generation are preserved.
+- Prevented text and JSON exports from silently discarding pictures or rich column formatting by requiring a native layout save.
+- Added stable workflow node IDs and migration for older step-list workflows.
+- Quarantined malformed preferences, bounded crash-log growth, and strengthened layout, workflow, image, and recovery validation.
+
+### Tested
+- Added coverage for column spacing preferences, text-colour persistence, paper alignment and compatibility, selection contrast, keyboard focus, preference quarantine, transactional recovery, portable pictures, schema validation, migration, and import limits.
+- Completed the Release build with no warnings or errors, passed 51 domain checks and 558 app smoke checks, and launch-checked the single-file Windows executable.
+
 ## [v2.4.1] - 2026-08-06
 
 ### Windows Build

Directory.Build.props

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<Project>
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <AnalysisLevel>latest-recommended</AnalysisLevel>
+    <EnforceCodeStyleInBuild>true</EnforceCodeStyleInBuild>
+    <TreatWarningsAsErrors>true</TreatWarningsAsErrors>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+</Project>

README.md

@@ -3,72 +3,89 @@
 [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-green.svg)](LICENSE)
 ![Platform: Windows](https://img.shields.io/badge/platform-Windows-0078D6)
 
-ColumnPad is a Windows writing app for notes, plans, prompts, checklists, and structured text. It gives each idea a clean, side-by-side column while keeping workspaces local, recoverable, and easy to export.
+ColumnPad is a Windows writing app for notes, plans, prompts, checklists, and structured text. It keeps ideas separated in clean side-by-side columns while workspaces remain local, recoverable, and easy to export.
 
 ## Project Status
 
-Active development. Current release: **v2.4.1**.
+Active development. Current release: **v2.5.0**.
 
-Release notes: [v2.4.1](docs/releases/v2.4.1.md).
+Release notes: [v2.5.0](docs/releases/v2.5.0.md).
 
 ColumnPad is a portable Windows desktop app. It does not require an account, cloud storage, or an always-on connection.
 
 ## Download and Install
 
-Download the latest `ColumnPadStudio.exe` from the [GitHub Releases page](../../releases/latest), save it in a permanent folder, and run it like a normal Windows application.
+Download `ColumnPadStudio.exe` from the [latest GitHub release](../../releases/latest), save it in a permanent folder, and run it like a normal Windows application.
 
-The released executable is self-contained: Visual Studio, Git, and the .NET SDK are not required to use it.
+The released executable is self-contained. Visual Studio, Git, and the .NET SDK are not required to use it.
 
-ColumnPad is not code-signed yet. Windows SmartScreen may warn the first time it is opened; download releases only from this repository.
+ColumnPad is not code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn the first time it is opened. Download releases only from this repository.
 
 ## Screenshot
 
 ![ColumnPad desktop interface](docs/columnpad-screenshot.png)
 
-The screenshot reflects the current three-column writing surface and contains no personal or sample document data.
+The screenshot shows the current three-column writing surface with clean sample content and no personal data.
 
 ## Main Features
 
-- Side-by-side writing columns with resize controls and workspace tabs.
-- Single-text and column modes for different drafting styles.
-- Plain-text, Markdown, native layout, and workspace-session open, save, and export flows.
+- Standard 320 px, saved Custom 220-5000 px, and explicit Fit Columns to Window sizing.
+- Stable fixed-width columns with automatic main-window left/right scrolling as more columns are added.
+- One global Snap All Columns Together setting with an adjustable gap that does not resize columns.
+- Per-column resizing, freeze/unfreeze, reset-to-default actions, and independent vertical scrolling for long text.
+- Workspace-wide adjustable line-number gutter width from 32-160 px.
+- Workspace tabs plus Single Text Mode and Column Mode.
+- Plain `.txt`, concise readable `.json`, full-fidelity `.columnpad.json`, and multi-workspace session files.
 - Auto-recovery, crash logging, and save-before-exit safeguards.
-- Line numbers, word wrap, spell checking, proofing-language selection, lined-paper mode, and paste helpers for bullets and checklists.
+- Line numbers, word wrap, spell checking, proofing-language selection, and paste helpers for bullets and checklists.
+- Ruled, Soft Ruled, and Strong Ruled paper styles aligned with the editor and gutter.
 - Light, dark, and default themes with saved preferences.
-- In-column pictures with drag-and-drop placement, proportional resizing, and text layering.
-- Workflow Builder templates, node colours, workflow JSON import/export, and readable text or Markdown workflow exports.
-- A quiet, best-effort check for a newer stable GitHub release at startup.
+- Theme-aware per-column text-colour presets and custom colours.
+- In-column pictures with drag-and-drop placement, proportional resizing, text layering, and portable native-layout storage.
+- Workflow Builder templates, node colours, connection editing, workflow JSON import/export, and readable text exports.
+- A quiet, best-effort check for newer stable GitHub releases at startup.
 
 ## Supported Platforms and Technology
 
 - Windows 10 or Windows 11, x64.
-- C#, .NET 8, and WPF.
+- C#, .NET 10 LTS, and WPF.
 - Self-contained, single-file Windows publishing for releases.
 
-## Privacy and Configuration
+## Privacy and Local Storage
 
 No account, API key, server, or project-level configuration is required.
 
-ColumnPad keeps preferences, recovery data, workflow-library data, imported image copies, and crash logs in app-managed local application storage. Native layouts retain references to imported images rather than embedding image data, so keep the image copies with a layout when moving it to another computer.
+ColumnPad keeps preferences, recovery data, saved workflows, imported image copies, and crash logs in app-managed local application storage. Native layouts embed bounded image data so a saved workspace remains portable if the original imported file is moved or deleted.
 
-At startup, ColumnPad may make a brief request to the public GitHub releases endpoint to check for a newer stable version. The check never blocks writing or startup and does not send document content.
+At startup, ColumnPad may make a brief request to the public GitHub releases endpoint to check for a newer stable version. The check never sends document content and never blocks writing or startup.
 
 ## Using ColumnPad
 
-1. Create columns or a workspace tab for each topic you want to keep separate.
-2. Write directly, use the View and Columns menus to adjust the editing surface, and use the editor menus for search, paste, and checklist actions.
-3. Use File commands to open, save, export, or restore text, Markdown, native layouts, and workspace sessions.
-4. Open the Workflow Builder from the Workflows menu to start from a template or import a workflow.
+1. Create columns or workspace tabs for the topics you want to keep separate.
+2. Use **Columns > Column Width** to choose Standard, Custom, or Fit Columns to Window sizing.
+3. Use each column's **Actions** menu for rename, move, resize, reset, formatting, pictures, and other column-specific actions. Right-clicking a column header is reserved for renaming.
+4. Use the **View** menu to adjust gutters, paper style, themes, wrapping, proofing, and Single Text or Column Mode.
+5. Use **File** commands to open, save, export, restore, or print text, JSON, native layouts, and workspace sessions.
+6. Open **Workflows** to create, import, edit, and save reusable workflow diagrams.
+
+## File Formats
+
+- `.txt` stores normal text documents and readable multi-column text exports.
+- `.json` stores concise readable column text exports.
+- `.columnpad.json` stores full layouts, including columns, formatting, settings, and embedded pictures.
+- `.workflow.json` stores editable Workflow Builder diagrams.
+
+Markdown document and export support has been retired. Existing Markdown files remain readable in ordinary text editors but are not presented as a ColumnPad file type.
 
 ## Building from Source
 
 Developer requirements:
 
 - Windows 10 or Windows 11.
-- .NET 8 SDK or a newer SDK that can build `net8.0-windows`.
+- .NET 10 SDK.
 - Optional: Visual Studio with the .NET Desktop Development workload.
 
-Clone the repository and build:
+Clone and build:
 
 ```powershell
 git clone <repository-url>
@@ -77,7 +94,7 @@ dotnet restore
 dotnet build .\ColumnPadStudio.sln -c Release
 ```
 
-Run the app from source:
+Run from source:
 
 ```powershell
 dotnet run --project .\src\ColumnPadStudio\ColumnPadStudio.csproj -c Release
@@ -89,7 +106,7 @@ Publish the portable single-file executable:
 dotnet publish .\src\ColumnPadStudio\ColumnPadStudio.csproj -p:PublishProfile=FolderProfile
 ```
 
-The publish output is `src\ColumnPadStudio\publish\ColumnPadStudio.exe`.
+The release output is `src\ColumnPadStudio\publish\ColumnPadStudio.exe` with no loose runtime files beside it.
 
 ## Testing
 
@@ -100,29 +117,29 @@ dotnet run --project .\tests\ColumnPadStudio.Domain.Tests\ColumnPadStudio.Domain
 dotnet run --project .\tests\ColumnPadStudio.SmokeTests\ColumnPadStudio.SmokeTests.csproj -c Release --no-build
 ```
 
-Before publishing, also follow [RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md](RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md) and the visual checks in [docs/UI_QA_CHECKLIST.md](docs/UI_QA_CHECKLIST.md).
+Before publishing, also follow [RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md](RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md) and [docs/UI_QA_CHECKLIST.md](docs/UI_QA_CHECKLIST.md).
 
 ## Project Structure
 
 ```text
 src/ColumnPadStudio/          WPF app shell, controls, services, resources, and workflows
-src/ColumnPadStudio.Domain/   Pure text, list, and workspace rules
+src/ColumnPadStudio.Domain/   Reusable text, list, and workspace rules
 tests/                        Domain and app-level smoke checks
 docs/                         Release notes, architecture notes, workflows, screenshots, and QA guidance
-tools/                        Maintenance and asset-generation helpers
+tools/                        Maintenance helpers
 ```
 
-For a detailed guide, see [docs/REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE.md](docs/REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE.md). Larger changes should follow [docs/APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md](docs/APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md).
+See [docs/REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE.md](docs/REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE.md) for more detail. Larger changes should follow [docs/APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md](docs/APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md).
 
 ## Known Limitations
 
-- The portable executable is currently unsigned and has no installer, automatic update, or uninstall flow.
-- The app is Windows-only.
-- Imported images remain local files referenced by native layouts; moving a layout alone does not package its images.
+- The portable executable is unsigned and may trigger a SmartScreen warning.
+- ColumnPad is Windows-only and currently has no installer or uninstall entry.
+- Update checks notify the user but do not install updates automatically.
 
 ## Contributing
 
-Keep changes focused, preserve local-data and secret exclusions, update relevant documentation, and run the Release build plus both test suites before opening a pull request. Add or refresh screenshots only when the visible interface has meaningfully changed.
+Keep changes focused, preserve local-data and secret exclusions, update relevant documentation, and run the Release build plus both test suites before opening a pull request. Refresh screenshots only when the visible interface has meaningfully changed.
 
 ## License
 

RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ dotnet build .\ColumnPadStudio.sln -c Release
 ```
 
 Expected result:
+- `0 Warning(s)`
 - `0 Error(s)`
 
 ## 3. Run domain tests
@@ -49,20 +50,30 @@ Expected output:
 - `src\ColumnPadStudio\publish\ColumnPadStudio.exe`
 - No `.pdb`, `.dll`, `.json`, or loose runtime files should remain beside the EXE for the public release asset.
 
-Note: the publish profile pins the self-contained runtime pack to the cached .NET 8 patch version used for release builds. If this version is changed, restore the matching `win-x64` runtime packs before publishing.
+The solution targets .NET 10 LTS. The self-contained publish resolves the latest available .NET 10 patch so the public EXE carries current runtime fixes.
 
 ## 6. Manual UI sanity checks
 Run the fuller UI checklist in `docs\UI_QA_CHECKLIST.md` and check the app-building standard in `docs\APP_BUILDING_STANDARD.md`, then at minimum confirm:
 
 1. Launch `ColumnPadStudio.exe`.
 2. Open a saved layout or text document.
 3. Confirm the selected theme still persists after closing and reopening the app.
-4. Add/remove columns and verify scroll behavior still works.
-5. Switch between single text mode and column mode.
-6. Open the Workflow Builder and confirm preview/editing still works.
-7. Save and reopen a `.columnpad.json` layout.
-8. Verify recovery prompt wording is sensible if recovery data exists.
-9. Right-click a column header, editor, line gutter, workspace tab, and workflow node; hover nested menu items and confirm hover colour plus text contrast are readable in light, dark, and default themes.
+4. Under Columns > Column Width, select Standard and confirm new columns open at 320 px without shrinking existing columns.
+5. Select Custom, enter a value from 220-5000 px, add another column, and confirm the new column uses that default while individually resized columns keep their widths.
+6. Add enough fixed-width columns to exceed the window and confirm the bottom scrollbar moves the main workspace left and right.
+7. Select Fit Columns to Window and confirm columns share the available width equally; switch back to Standard or Custom and confirm saved pixel widths return.
+8. Freeze a resized column, then use Reset Selected and Reset All; confirm the affected columns return to the current default width and become unlocked.
+9. Turn Snap All Columns Together on and off; confirm only the global gap changes and no column width changes.
+10. Change the column gap and confirm existing plus newly added snapped columns follow the setting without shrinking.
+11. Paste enough text into one column to overflow it and confirm only that column receives its own vertical scrollbar.
+12. Apply per-column text colours and confirm they survive theme changes and layout reload.
+13. Change the font size and confirm Ruled, Soft Ruled, and Strong Ruled paper stay aligned with text rows in every theme.
+14. Select text, move focus, and confirm active/inactive selection plus keyboard-focus borders remain readable in every theme.
+15. Switch between single text mode and column mode.
+16. Open the Workflow Builder and confirm preview/editing still works.
+17. Save and reopen a `.columnpad.json` layout with pictures and column formatting after moving the original picture file.
+18. Verify recovery prompt wording is sensible if recovery data exists.
+19. Right-click a column header, editor, line gutter, workspace tab, and workflow node; hover nested menu items and confirm hover colour plus text contrast are readable in light, dark, and default themes.
 
 ## 7. Release metadata
 1. Update `CHANGELOG.md`.