From d52de218c85af0866ba322f90c040bb292a9b144 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: jochen <jschoubben@novox.be>
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:39:20 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Quote none of the line in the unclosed-quote refusal: a
 refusal is kept on the bus as the call's answer (hq issue 294)

---
 cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go      | 19 +++++++------------
 cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go |  7 +++++--
 2 files changed, 12 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
index 7116e6da..81838973 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
@@ -1405,7 +1405,7 @@ func splitCommandLine(line string) ([]string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 	if quote != 0 {
-		return nil, unclosedQuote(runes, quote, opened)
+		return nil, unclosedQuote(quote, opened)
 	}
 	if inWord {
 		words = append(words, cur.String())
@@ -1415,18 +1415,13 @@ func splitCommandLine(line string) ([]string, error) {
 
 // unclosedQuote is the refusal of a line whose quote is never closed. Most often an apostrophe inside
 // a single-quoted value ended that quote early and a later quote was left open, so the refusal says
-// where the open quote is, shows the line from there, and says how a quote is written inside a quoted
-// value — the shell's own two ways, which this splitter already reads (novox/hq issue 294).
-func unclosedQuote(runes []rune, quote rune, opened int) error {
-	const shown = 40
-	from := runes[opened:]
-	excerpt := string(from)
-	if len(from) > shown {
-		excerpt = string(from[:shown]) + "…"
-	}
-	return fmt.Errorf("command has an unclosed %c quote, opened at character %d: %s — an apostrophe "+
+// where the open quote is and how a quote is written inside a quoted value — the shell's own two
+// ways, which this splitter already reads (novox/hq issue 294). It quotes none of the line: a refusal
+// is kept on the bus as the call's answer, and the line may carry a setting's value.
+func unclosedQuote(quote rune, opened int) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("command has an unclosed %c quote, opened at character %d — an apostrophe "+
 		"inside a single-quoted value ends it; write a ' inside single quotes as '\\'' (it'\\''s), or use "+
-		"double quotes and write \\\" for a \" and \\\\ for a \\ inside them", quote, opened+1, excerpt)
+		"double quotes and write \\\" for a \" and \\\\ for a \\ inside them", quote, opened+1)
 }
 
 // seatAnnouncement is what the controller says it serves on the bus (novox/hq ADR 0197): the
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
index dd1c638e..98df004c 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ func TestNoVerbSetsTheOperatorsKeyOrRevealsASecret(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // A value with a quote in it can be said on a `command` line, as in a shell, and a line whose quote
-// is left open is refused naming where it opened and how a quote is written (novox/hq issue 294: an
+// is left open is refused naming where it opened and how a quote is written, quoting none of it (novox/hq issue 294: an
 // apostrophe inside a single-quoted JSON value cut the line, and the refusal named no cause).
 func TestAQuotedValueCanHoldAQuote(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, c := range []struct{ line, want string }{
@@ -436,11 +436,14 @@ func TestAQuotedValueCanHoldAQuote(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("an apostrophe that leaves a quote open was accepted")
 	}
-	for _, want := range []string{"character 57", `"}' --node g14`, `'\''`, `\"`} {
+	for _, want := range []string{"character 57", `'\''`, `\"`} {
 		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), want) {
 			t.Errorf("the refusal does not say %q: %v", want, err)
 		}
 	}
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "laptop") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "g14") {
+		t.Errorf("the refusal quotes the line, which may carry a setting's value: %v", err)
+	}
 }
 
 // Every value reads back as it was when written the way the refusal says: single-quoted with '\”