Redesign GUI around a menu-driven, low-button layout

WHATS_NEW.md

@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # What's New — AutoControl
 
+## What's new (2026-07-02)
+
+### Menu-Driven GUI: the Actions Menu Replaces In-Tab Buttons
+
+Every tab's commands now live in one predictable place. The window menu bar gains a dynamic **Actions** menu that rebuilds for the active tab; tabs keep only their inputs, tables, and result/status views instead of rows of buttons.
+
+- **Window-level Actions menu**: core tabs declare their commands at registration; feature tabs expose a `menu_actions()` hook returning `(label_key, handler)` pairs. 46 of 48 registered tabs now surface their commands this way — Script Builder and Remote Desktop intentionally keep their interactive panel layouts, and the menu shows a placeholder there. Buttons a window-level menu cannot replace stay in place (per-page browse buttons inside stacked trigger forms, the visibility-toggled data-source browse button, stateful auto-refresh checkboxes). A headless regression test guards the contract so no tab can silently lose its commands.
+
 ## What's new (2026-06-26)
 
 ### Trial and Force Action Modes (Playwright-style)

je_auto_control/gui/_auto_click_tab.py

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from PySide6.QtGui import QIntValidator
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
-    QWidget, QLineEdit, QComboBox, QPushButton, QVBoxLayout, QLabel,
+    QWidget, QLineEdit, QComboBox, QVBoxLayout, QLabel,
     QGridLayout, QHBoxLayout, QRadioButton, QButtonGroup, QMessageBox,
     QGroupBox,
 )
@@ -100,29 +100,18 @@ def _build_auto_click_tab(self) -> QWidget:
         rh.addWidget(self.repeat_count_input)
         grid.addLayout(rh, row, 0, 1, 2)
 
-        row += 1
-        btn_h = QHBoxLayout()
-        self.start_button = self._tr(QPushButton(), "start")
-        self.start_button.clicked.connect(self._start_auto_click)
-        self.stop_button = self._tr(QPushButton(), "stop")
-        self.stop_button.clicked.connect(self._stop_auto_click)
-        btn_h.addWidget(self.start_button)
-        btn_h.addWidget(self.stop_button)
-        grid.addLayout(btn_h, row, 0, 1, 2)
-
         click_group.setLayout(grid)
         outer.addWidget(click_group)
 
+        # Start/stop, position probe, hotkey, write, and scroll commands all
+        # run from the Actions menu; the tab keeps only their inputs.
         pos_group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "get_position")
         pos_layout = QHBoxLayout()
-        self.pos_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "get_position")
-        self.pos_btn.clicked.connect(self._get_mouse_pos)
         self.pos_label = QLabel()
         self._pos_label_suffix = " --"
         self.pos_label.setText(
             self._translate("current_position") + self._pos_label_suffix,
         )
-        pos_layout.addWidget(self.pos_btn)
         pos_layout.addWidget(self.pos_label)
         pos_group.setLayout(pos_layout)
         outer.addWidget(pos_group)
@@ -131,20 +120,14 @@ def _build_auto_click_tab(self) -> QWidget:
         hk_layout = QHBoxLayout()
         self.hotkey_input = QLineEdit()
         self.hotkey_input.setPlaceholderText("ctrl,a")
-        self.hotkey_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "hotkey_send")
-        self.hotkey_btn.clicked.connect(self._send_hotkey)
         hk_layout.addWidget(self.hotkey_input)
-        hk_layout.addWidget(self.hotkey_btn)
         hotkey_group.setLayout(hk_layout)
         outer.addWidget(hotkey_group)
 
         write_group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "write_label")
         wr_layout = QHBoxLayout()
         self.write_input = QLineEdit()
-        self.write_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "write_send")
-        self.write_btn.clicked.connect(self._send_write)
         wr_layout.addWidget(self.write_input)
-        wr_layout.addWidget(self.write_btn)
         write_group.setLayout(wr_layout)
         outer.addWidget(write_group)
 
@@ -160,9 +143,6 @@ def _build_auto_click_tab(self) -> QWidget:
             sc_layout.addWidget(self.scroll_dir_combo)
         else:
             self.scroll_dir_combo = None
-        self.scroll_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "scroll_send")
-        self.scroll_btn.clicked.connect(self._send_scroll)
-        sc_layout.addWidget(self.scroll_btn)
         scroll_group.setLayout(sc_layout)
         outer.addWidget(scroll_group)
 

je_auto_control/gui/_report_tab.py

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Report-generation tab builder (extracted mixin)."""
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
-    QGroupBox, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit, QPushButton,
+    QGroupBox, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit,
     QTextEdit, QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -21,15 +21,11 @@ def _build_report_tab(self) -> QWidget:
         tab = QWidget()
         layout = QVBoxLayout()
 
+        # Enable/disable recording and report generation run from the
+        # Actions menu; the tab keeps only status, name input, and result.
         tr_group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "test_record_status")
         tr_h = QHBoxLayout()
-        self.tr_enable_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "enable_test_record")
-        self.tr_enable_btn.clicked.connect(lambda: self._set_test_record(True))
-        self.tr_disable_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "disable_test_record")
-        self.tr_disable_btn.clicked.connect(lambda: self._set_test_record(False))
         self.tr_status_label = QLabel("OFF")
-        tr_h.addWidget(self.tr_enable_btn)
-        tr_h.addWidget(self.tr_disable_btn)
         tr_h.addWidget(self.tr_status_label)
         tr_group.setLayout(tr_h)
         layout.addWidget(tr_group)
@@ -40,18 +36,6 @@ def _build_report_tab(self) -> QWidget:
         name_h.addWidget(self.report_name_input)
         layout.addLayout(name_h)
 
-        btn_h = QHBoxLayout()
-        self.html_report_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "generate_html_report")
-        self.html_report_btn.clicked.connect(self._gen_html)
-        self.json_report_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "generate_json_report")
-        self.json_report_btn.clicked.connect(self._gen_json)
-        self.xml_report_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "generate_xml_report")
-        self.xml_report_btn.clicked.connect(self._gen_xml)
-        btn_h.addWidget(self.html_report_btn)
-        btn_h.addWidget(self.json_report_btn)
-        btn_h.addWidget(self.xml_report_btn)
-        layout.addLayout(btn_h)
-
         layout.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "report_result"))
         self.report_result_text = QTextEdit()
         self.report_result_text.setReadOnly(True)
@@ -64,6 +48,12 @@ def _set_test_record(self, enable: bool):
         test_record_instance.set_record_enable(enable)
         self.tr_status_label.setText("ON" if enable else "OFF")
 
+    def _enable_test_record(self):
+        self._set_test_record(True)
+
+    def _disable_test_record(self):
+        self._set_test_record(False)
+
     def _gen_html(self):
         try:
             name = self.report_name_input.text() or "autocontrol_report"

je_auto_control/gui/a11y_audit_tab.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from PySide6.QtCore import Qt
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
-    QAbstractItemView, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit, QPushButton,
+    QAbstractItemView, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit,
     QTableWidget, QTableWidgetItem, QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -55,25 +55,28 @@ def _apply_headers(self) -> None:
         self._table.setHorizontalHeaderLabels([_t(k) for k in _COLS])
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
+        # Audit/contrast commands run from the Actions menu; the tab keeps
+        # only the inputs, the issue table, and the summary line.
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         row = QHBoxLayout()
         row.addWidget(QLabel(_t("audit_app")))
         row.addWidget(self._app, stretch=1)
-        run_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "audit_run")
-        run_btn.clicked.connect(self._on_run)
-        row.addWidget(run_btn)
         root.addLayout(row)
         crow = QHBoxLayout()
         crow.addWidget(QLabel(_t("audit_contrast_label")))
         crow.addWidget(self._fg)
         crow.addWidget(self._bg)
-        contrast_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "audit_contrast_run")
-        contrast_btn.clicked.connect(self._on_contrast)
-        crow.addWidget(contrast_btn)
         root.addLayout(crow)
         root.addWidget(self._table, stretch=1)
         root.addWidget(self._summary)
 
+    def menu_actions(self) -> list:
+        """Expose tab commands to the window-level Actions menu."""
+        return [
+            ("audit_run", self._on_run),
+            ("audit_contrast_run", self._on_contrast),
+        ]
+
     def _on_run(self) -> None:
         app = self._app.text().strip() or None
         try:

je_auto_control/gui/accessibility_tab.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from PySide6.QtCore import Qt
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QAbstractItemView, QHBoxLayout, QHeaderView, QLabel, QLineEdit,
-    QMessageBox, QPushButton, QTableWidget, QTableWidgetItem,
+    QMessageBox, QTableWidget, QTableWidgetItem,
     QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ def _apply_table_headers(self) -> None:
         ])
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
+        # Refresh/click commands run from the Actions menu; the tab keeps
+        # only the filter inputs, the element table, and the status line.
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         row = QHBoxLayout()
         row.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "a11y_app_label"))
@@ -67,19 +69,17 @@ def _build_layout(self) -> None:
         row.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "a11y_name_label"))
         self._name_filter.setPlaceholderText(_t("a11y_name_placeholder"))
         row.addWidget(self._name_filter, stretch=1)
-        refresh = self._tr(QPushButton(), "a11y_refresh")
-        refresh.clicked.connect(self._refresh)
-        row.addWidget(refresh)
         root.addLayout(row)
         root.addWidget(self._table, stretch=1)
-        action_row = QHBoxLayout()
-        click_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "a11y_click_selected")
-        click_btn.clicked.connect(self._click_selected)
-        action_row.addWidget(click_btn)
-        action_row.addStretch()
-        root.addLayout(action_row)
         root.addWidget(self._status)
 
+    def menu_actions(self) -> list:
+        """Expose tab commands to the window-level Actions menu."""
+        return [
+            ("a11y_refresh", self._refresh),
+            ("a11y_click_selected", self._click_selected),
+        ]
+
     def _refresh(self) -> None:
         app = self._app_filter.text().strip() or None
         try:

je_auto_control/gui/admin_console_tab.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from PySide6.QtGui import QIcon, QImage, QPixmap
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QGroupBox, QHBoxLayout, QHeaderView, QLabel, QLineEdit, QListWidget,
-    QListWidgetItem, QMessageBox, QPushButton, QSpinBox, QTableWidget,
+    QListWidgetItem, QMessageBox, QSpinBox, QTableWidget,
     QTableWidgetItem, QTextEdit, QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -106,22 +106,30 @@ def __init__(self, parent: Optional[QWidget] = None) -> None:
         self._apply_thumb_interval()
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
+        # Add/remove/refresh/thumbnail/broadcast commands run from the
+        # Actions menu; the tab keeps only the inputs, tables, and output.
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         root.addWidget(self._build_add_group())
         root.addWidget(self._table, stretch=1)
-        root.addLayout(self._build_button_row())
         root.addWidget(self._build_thumbnails_group(), stretch=1)
         root.addWidget(self._build_broadcast_group(), stretch=1)
 
+    def menu_actions(self) -> list:
+        """Expose tab commands to the window-level Actions menu."""
+        return [
+            ("admin_add", self._on_add),
+            ("admin_remove", self._on_remove),
+            ("admin_refresh", self._on_refresh),
+            ("admin_thumb_refresh_now", self._refresh_thumbnails),
+            ("admin_broadcast_run", self._on_broadcast),
+        ]
+
     def _build_thumbnails_group(self) -> QGroupBox:
         group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "admin_thumb_group")
         layout = QVBoxLayout(group)
         controls = QHBoxLayout()
         controls.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "admin_thumb_interval"))
         controls.addWidget(self._thumb_interval)
-        refresh = self._tr(QPushButton(), "admin_thumb_refresh_now")
-        refresh.clicked.connect(self._refresh_thumbnails)
-        controls.addWidget(refresh)
         controls.addStretch(1)
         layout.addLayout(controls)
         layout.addWidget(self._thumbnails, stretch=1)
@@ -136,31 +144,13 @@ def _build_add_group(self) -> QGroupBox:
         form.addWidget(self._url_input, stretch=1)
         form.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "admin_token"))
         form.addWidget(self._token_input)
-        add = self._tr(QPushButton(), "admin_add")
-        add.clicked.connect(self._on_add)
-        form.addWidget(add)
         return group
 
-    def _build_button_row(self) -> QHBoxLayout:
-        row = QHBoxLayout()
-        for key, handler in (
-            ("admin_remove", self._on_remove),
-            ("admin_refresh", self._on_refresh),
-        ):
-            btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), key)
-            btn.clicked.connect(handler)
-            row.addWidget(btn)
-        row.addStretch(1)
-        return row
-
     def _build_broadcast_group(self) -> QGroupBox:
         group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "admin_broadcast_group")
         form = QVBoxLayout(group)
         form.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "admin_actions_label"))
         form.addWidget(self._actions_input)
-        run = self._tr(QPushButton(), "admin_broadcast_run")
-        run.clicked.connect(self._on_broadcast)
-        form.addWidget(run)
         form.addWidget(self._tr(QLabel(), "admin_results_label"))
         form.addWidget(self._broadcast_output, stretch=1)
         return group

je_auto_control/gui/assertions_tab.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
-    QCheckBox, QComboBox, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit, QPushButton,
+    QCheckBox, QComboBox, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit,
     QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ def __init__(self, parent: Optional[QWidget] = None) -> None:
         self._sync_visibility()
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
+        # The run command runs from the Actions menu; the tab keeps only
+        # the assertion form and the result label.
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         krow = QHBoxLayout()
         krow.addWidget(QLabel(_t("assert_kind")))
@@ -71,12 +73,15 @@ def _build_layout(self) -> None:
 
         root.addWidget(self._expect)
         root.addWidget(self._regex)
-        run_btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), "assert_run")
-        run_btn.clicked.connect(self._on_run)
-        root.addWidget(run_btn)
         root.addWidget(self._result)
         root.addStretch()
 
+    def menu_actions(self) -> list:
+        """Expose tab commands to the window-level Actions menu."""
+        return [
+            ("assert_run", self._on_run),
+        ]
+
     def _current_kind(self) -> str:
         return _KINDS[self._kind.currentIndex()]
 

je_auto_control/gui/audit_log_tab.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QComboBox, QGroupBox, QHBoxLayout, QHeaderView, QLabel, QLineEdit,
-    QMessageBox, QPushButton, QSpinBox, QTableWidget, QTableWidgetItem,
+    QMessageBox, QSpinBox, QTableWidget, QTableWidgetItem,
     QVBoxLayout, QWidget,
 )
 
@@ -72,12 +72,21 @@ def __init__(self, parent: Optional[QWidget] = None) -> None:
         self._refresh()
 
     def _build_layout(self) -> None:
+        # Refresh/verify/clear commands run from the Actions menu; the
+        # tab keeps only the filter inputs, the table, and the status.
         root = QVBoxLayout(self)
         root.addWidget(self._build_filter_group())
         root.addWidget(self._table, stretch=1)
-        root.addLayout(self._build_button_row())
         root.addWidget(self._verify_status)
 
+    def menu_actions(self) -> list:
+        """Expose tab commands to the window-level Actions menu."""
+        return [
+            ("audit_refresh", self._refresh),
+            ("audit_verify", self._verify),
+            ("audit_clear", self._clear),
+        ]
+
     def _build_filter_group(self) -> QGroupBox:
         group = self._tr(QGroupBox(), "audit_filter_group")
         row = QHBoxLayout(group)
@@ -89,19 +98,6 @@ def _build_filter_group(self) -> QGroupBox:
         row.addWidget(self._limit_input)
         return group
 
-    def _build_button_row(self) -> QHBoxLayout:
-        row = QHBoxLayout()
-        for key, handler in (
-            ("audit_refresh", self._refresh),
-            ("audit_verify", self._verify),
-            ("audit_clear", self._clear),
-        ):
-            btn = self._tr(QPushButton(), key)
-            btn.clicked.connect(handler)
-            row.addWidget(btn)
-        row.addStretch(1)
-        return row
-
     def _refresh(self) -> None:
         self._apply_table_headers()
         # Pull a wide window so the dropdown reflects everything the user