fix(help-config): non-destructive info open, clean cancel, drop dead config

Three audit defects in one file. cj/open-with-info-mode used cl-return-from inside a plain defun, so declining the save prompt threw "No catch for tag" instead of cancelling. The decision is now a pure cj/--info-open-plan and the command routes through it. A dead :hook (info-mode . info-persist-history-mode, which names a non-existent mode on the wrong hook) and an empty :preface are gone. The auto-mode-alist entry that mapped .info to that interactive, buffer-killing command is dropped, so find-file-noselect of a .info no longer destroys buffers. cj/open-with-info-mode stays an M-x command and C-h i still browses info files.

3 files changed, 68 insertions, 23 deletions

diff --git a/modules/help-config.el b/modules/help-config.el
index ce9fd861..df27cbea 100644
--- a/modules/help-config.el
+++ b/modules/help-config.el
@@ -50,24 +50,34 @@
 
 ;; ------------------------------------ Info -----------------------------------
 
-  (defun cj/open-with-info-mode ()
-	"Open the current buffer's file in Info mode if it's a valid info file.
+(defun cj/--info-open-plan (modified-p save-confirmed-p)
+  "Decide how to open a buffer in Info given its MODIFIED-P state.
+SAVE-CONFIRMED-P is the answer to the save prompt, meaningful only when
+MODIFIED-P.  Returns `open', `save-then-open', or `cancel'."
+  (cond ((not modified-p) 'open)
+        (save-confirmed-p 'save-then-open)
+        (t 'cancel)))
+
+(defun cj/open-with-info-mode ()
+  "Open the current buffer's file in Info mode if it's a valid info file.
 
 Preserves any unsaved changes and checks if the file exists."
-	(interactive)
-	(let ((file-name (buffer-file-name)))
-	  (when file-name
-		(if (and (file-exists-p file-name)
-				 (string-match-p "\\.info\\'" file-name))
-			(progn
-			  (when (buffer-modified-p)
-				(if (y-or-n-p "Buffer has unsaved changes. Save before opening in Info? ")
-					(save-buffer)
-				  (message "Operation canceled")
-				  (cl-return-from cj/open-with-info-mode)))
-			  (kill-buffer (current-buffer))
-			  (info file-name))
-		  (message "Not a valid info file: %s" file-name)))))
+  (interactive)
+  (let ((file-name (buffer-file-name)))
+    (when file-name
+      (if (and (file-exists-p file-name)
+               (string-match-p "\\.info\\'" file-name))
+          (let ((modified (buffer-modified-p)))
+            (pcase (cj/--info-open-plan
+                    modified
+                    (and modified
+                         (y-or-n-p "Buffer has unsaved changes. Save before opening in Info? ")))
+              ('cancel (message "Operation canceled"))
+              (plan
+               (when (eq plan 'save-then-open) (save-buffer))
+               (kill-buffer (current-buffer))
+               (info file-name))))
+        (message "Not a valid info file: %s" file-name)))))
 
 (defun cj/browse-info-files ()
   "Browse and open .info or .info.gz files from user-emacs-directory."
@@ -96,7 +106,6 @@ Preserves any unsaved changes and checks if the file exists."
   (:map Info-mode-map
 		("m" . bookmark-set) ;; Rebind 'm' from Info-menu to bookmark-set
 		("M" . Info-menu))   ;; Move Info-menu to 'M' instead
-  :preface
   :init
   ;; Add personal info files BEFORE Info mode initializes
   ;; (let ((personal-info-dir (expand-file-name "assets/info" user-emacs-directory)))
@@ -104,11 +113,7 @@ Preserves any unsaved changes and checks if the file exists."
   ;;    (setq Info-directory-list (list personal-info-dir))))
   ;; the above makes the directory the info list. the below adds it to the default list
   ;;	(add-to-list 'Info-default-directory-list personal-info-dir)))
-  :hook
-  (info-mode . info-persist-history-mode)
-  :config
-  ;; Make .info files open with our custom function
-  (add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.info\\'" . cj/open-with-info-mode)))
+  )
 
 (provide 'help-config)
 ;;; help-config.el ends here.
diff --git a/tests/test-help-config.el b/tests/test-help-config.el
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ba95c41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-help-config.el
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+;;; test-help-config.el --- Tests for the Info-open decision logic -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-
+
+;;; Commentary:
+;; cj/open-with-info-mode opens the current .info buffer in Info, prompting to
+;; save first if the buffer is modified.  The save/cancel/open decision is
+;; factored into the pure helper `cj/--info-open-plan' so it's testable without
+;; driving find-file, Info, or the save prompt.  Declining the prompt must yield
+;; `cancel' -- the original cl-return-from inside a plain defun signalled
+;; "No catch for tag" instead of cancelling.
+
+;;; Code:
+
+(require 'ert)
+
+(add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "modules" user-emacs-directory))
+(require 'help-config)
+
+(ert-deftest test-info-open-plan-unmodified-opens ()
+  "Normal: an unmodified buffer opens in Info directly."
+  (should (eq (cj/--info-open-plan nil nil) 'open)))
+
+(ert-deftest test-info-open-plan-modified-confirmed-saves-then-opens ()
+  "Normal: a modified buffer whose save is confirmed saves, then opens."
+  (should (eq (cj/--info-open-plan t t) 'save-then-open)))
+
+(ert-deftest test-info-open-plan-modified-declined-cancels ()
+  "Error/edge: a modified buffer whose save is declined cancels -- the path that
+used to signal \"No catch for tag\" via cl-return-from in a plain defun."
+  (should (eq (cj/--info-open-plan t nil) 'cancel)))
+
+(provide 'test-help-config)
+;;; test-help-config.el ends here
diff --git a/todo.org b/todo.org
index 20ab3811..8ce34d3e 100644
--- a/todo.org
+++ b/todo.org
@@ -948,11 +948,13 @@ Nothing requires =modules/ledger-config.el= (verified by grep), so .dat/.ledger/
 ** TODO [#B] eww quick-add bookmarks split the store and break the default file :bug:quick:solo:
 =modules/eww-config.el:116-126= — quick-add let-binds =eww-bookmarks-directory= to ~/.emacs.d/eww-bookmarks/ (creating a DIRECTORY at the path where the daemon's default store expects a FILE ~/.emacs.d/eww-bookmarks). After one quick-add, B reads an unreadable path and quick-added bookmarks are invisible post-restart. Drop the let-binding or setq the directory once in :config so both commands share one store. From the 2026-06 config audit.
 
-** DOING [#B] help-config: three defects in one small file :bug:quick:solo:
+** DONE [#B] help-config: three defects in one small file :bug:quick:solo:
+CLOSED: [2026-06-13 Sat]
 From the 2026-06 config audit, =modules/help-config.el=:
 - =:67= — =cl-return-from= inside a plain =defun= (no cl-block): declining the save prompt signals "No catch for tag" instead of canceling. =cl-defun= or restructure.
 - =:108= — =:hook (info-mode . info-persist-history-mode)= is dead twice: Info's hook is =Info-mode-hook= (capital I), and =info-persist-history-mode= doesn't exist anywhere. Implement the intent or delete.
 - =:111= — auto-mode-alist maps .info to an interactive command that KILLS the buffer mid find-file — programmatic =find-file-noselect= of any .info destroys buffers and pops Info windows. Drop the entry; keep the explicit command. Zero test coverage on this module (the two broken paths are exactly the untested ones).
+Fixed 2026-06-13: (1) extracted the save/cancel/open decision into a pure =cj/--info-open-plan= and routed =cj/open-with-info-mode= through it — no more =cl-return-from=, declining cancels cleanly; (2) deleted the dead =:hook= and the empty =:preface=; (3) dropped the destructive =auto-mode-alist= .info entry (kept =cj/open-with-info-mode= as an M-x command and =cj/browse-info-files= on C-h i). New test-help-config.el covers the planner (open / save-then-open / cancel) — 3 green; module loads clean. Stale daemon state (the .info auto-mode entry + the bogus info-mode-hook entry) cleared by hand so the running session is correct without a restart. Interactive Info open + find-file-no-longer-destructive are a VERIFY.
 
 ** TODO [#B] modeline runs synchronous git on the redisplay path, unguarded :bug:solo:
 =modules/modeline-config.el:173,154,145= — the mode-line :eval calls vc-backend/vc-state/vc-working-revision (synchronous git) on TTL expiry; a slow or unmounted filesystem stalls ALL redisplay. The cache key computes =file-truename= on every render (the "one stat per refresh" comment is wrong), and nothing is condition-case-wrapped, so a signal lands inside the mode-line eval. Defer the truename behind the TTL check; wrap the fetch in condition-case caching nil. From the 2026-06 config audit.
@@ -4350,6 +4352,12 @@ From the 2026-06-11 messenger-unification brainstorm. Google Voice has no offici
 
 ** TODO Manual testing and validation
 Exercised once the phases above land.
+*** VERIFY info-mode open is non-destructive and cancels cleanly
+What we're verifying: opening a .info file no longer auto-kills the buffer, and the explicit cj/open-with-info-mode prompt cancels cleanly on decline. Fixed in modules/help-config.el; stale daemon state already cleared, so this also survives a fresh restart.
+- find-file a .info file (e.g. one under elpa) — it should open as an ordinary buffer, not vanish into Info
+- In that buffer, edit something, then M-x cj/open-with-info-mode; at the save prompt answer no
+- Repeat M-x cj/open-with-info-mode on an unmodified .info buffer
+Expected: find-file leaves the buffer intact (no auto-kill); declining the save prompt prints "Operation canceled" with no "No catch for tag" error; on an unmodified buffer it opens the file in Info.
 *** VERIFY dwim-shell zip/backup/menu-key behave
 What we're verifying: single-file zip makes a valid <name>.zip, the dated backup gets a real timestamp, and the dwim-shell menu is reachable on M-D in plain dired. Fixed in modules/dwim-shell-config.el, reloaded into the daemon.
 - In dired, mark a single file, run the dwim-shell menu (M-D), pick Zip