G-120 achieved: flip, archive, reference sweep (std-slot recycling restored)

Acceptance verified on the rebuilt punk91 kit (plain script mode): recipe
'chan close stderr; open NUL w' yields a channel auto-named stderr with
working puts stderr; console+repl+libunknown suites 105/105. Detail file
archived content-identically with evidence recorded; GOALS-archive record
appended; sweep: G-101 launch-ladder item (2) rewritten to reflect
achievement (in-place stdio repair now available on the 9.1 kit), G-011
gains a recycled-stderr consumer pointer. goals_xref report shows no
orphaned shared-archived-ref bridges for G-120; goals_lint clean.

Assisted-by: harness=claude; primary-model=claude-fable-5; api-location=anthropic.com

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,19 @@ The latest `## [X.Y.Z]` header must match the `version` field in `punkproject.to
 Entries are newest-first; one bullet per notable change. See the root `AGENTS.md`
 "Project Versioning" section for the bump policy.
 
+## [0.22.1] - 2026-07-25
+
+- punk::libunknown 0.2.2 (G-120): the package-unknown static-builtin shortcircuit no longer
+  leaks its version-probe child interp. On kits whose runtime provides Thread (or any
+  required package) as a true static (e.g the tclsfe 9.1b0 runtime behind punk91), an
+  unversioned `package require` made the probe's `package vsatisfies` throw (it requires at
+  least one requirement argument), skipping the interp delete; the leaked child's std-channel
+  registrations then disabled Tcl's std-slot recycling process-wide - after
+  `chan close stderr` the slot stayed occupied and the next opened channel got a fileN name,
+  so `puts stderr` failed. The probe interp is now auto-named and deleted in a try/finally,
+  zero-requirement requires accept any provided static version, and probe errors fall
+  through to the normal tm search instead of aborting the require.
+
 ## [0.22.0] - 2026-07-25
 
 - punk-runtime `list -remote` identity columns (G-119 follow-on; both payloads + rewrapped

GOALS-archive.md

@@ -166,3 +166,7 @@ Acceptance: Every item in the "Issue list" section carries a recorded user decis
 ### G-119 [achieved 2026-07-25] punk-runtime active-vs-default freshness verdict (ahead/behind/current) → detail: goals/archive/G-119-runtime-active-freshness.md
 Scope: src/scriptapps/bin/punk-runtime.ps1 + punk-runtime.bash (+ rewrapped bin/punk-runtime.cmd); bin/AGENTS.md (runtime-manager contract); src/tests/modules/punk/mix/testsuites/scriptwrap/ (roundtrip pin; behavioural fixture surface settled in the work)
 Acceptance: against a fixture punkbin server (PUNKBIN_URL override): list -remote prints explicit ahead/behind verdicts naming both revisions (behind adds fetch+use update guidance) and keeps the (= server default) annotation for current; a pre-family active (no toml, no -rN name) yields a stated no-revision-basis note or its sha1 hash-identity when it value-matches a server artifact; a no-name fetch prints a one-line active-vs-default note on divergence; both payloads deliver identical verdict lines (fixture surface settled: shell/testsuites/binscripts/runtimecmd_freshness.test + testsupport/httpfixture.tcl); the runtimecmd roundtrip pin stays green; bin/AGENTS.md's runtime-manager contract records the new surface.
+
+### G-120 [achieved 2026-07-25] 9.1-kit script-mode boot pins process std channels: find holder, restore std-slot recycling → detail: goals/archive/G-120-scriptmode-std-channel-pin.md
+Scope: src/modules/punk/console-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/modules/punk/repl-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/lib/app-punkscript/; src/vfs/_config/punk_main.tcl
+Acceptance: the registration holder is named (module, proc, mechanism) with reproduction evidence; the disposition is recorded here (deliberate-and-documented, or fixed); a script-mode run of the recipe `chan close stderr; open NUL w` on the current 9.1 kit yields a channel auto-named stderr with working puts stderr, and the console + repl module suites (src/tests/modules/punk/console/, src/tests/modules/punk/repl/) pass.

GOALS.md

@@ -401,7 +401,3 @@ Detail: goals/G-115-declarative-vfs-composition.md
 ### G-116 [proposed] Suite-built tcltls with a zig-built crypto backend: bi-family battery, prebuilt replacement path
 Scope: src/buildsuites/suite_tcl90/ (build_tcltls module + crypto-backend build, sources.config + build.zig.zon source records, kit-family bi payload + metadata extension, test_gate record step); src/vfs kit payloads carrying vendored tcltls binaries (current-state reference + recorded disposition only - removal stays G-004-era work); punkbin (as eventual artifact destination via the G-067 library class); consumers punk::imap4 / punk::netbox (package require tls) as verification context
 Detail: goals/G-116-suite-built-tcltls.md
-
-### G-120 [proposed] 9.1-kit script-mode boot pins process std channels: find holder, restore std-slot recycling
-Scope: src/modules/punk/console-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/modules/punk/repl-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/lib/app-punkscript/; src/vfs/_config/punk_main.tcl
-Detail: goals/G-120-scriptmode-std-channel-pin.md

goals/G-011-console-stderr-semantics.md

@@ -106,4 +106,10 @@ untouched.
 - **Not in scope.** Channel transforms/filtering on err (shellfilter stacks), a separate err
   reader, and any change to shellrun's process-layer stdout/stderr handling - this goal defines
   the console-side slot they can target.
+- G-120 (archived) restored std-slot recycling on the 9.1 kit (a leaked
+  punk::libunknown static-probe child interp was pinning the process std
+  channels; fixed in libunknown 0.2.2) - a script-mode close/rebind of stderr
+  now works on all current kits, so a recycled rebound stderr is a viable
+  consumer of this goal's defined routing - see
+  goals/archive/G-120-scriptmode-std-channel-pin.md.
 - Archived-goal references in this file: G-001 achieved 2026-07-11 (goals/archive/G-001-pluggable-console-backends.md);G-007 achieved 2026-07-05 (goals/archive/G-007-console-location-transparency.md).

goals/G-101-tcl86-kit-container-strategy.md

@@ -74,8 +74,11 @@ wrap), and only worth activating once G-099/G-100 land.
   terminals; (2) in-place FreeConsole + close/open-NUL std reassignment works on
   8.6 and on stock 9.x + 9.0.x-era punk kits (Tcl installs the next created channel
   into the vacated std slot - tclIO.c Tcl_CreateChannel; recipe `chan close stderr;
-  open NUL w` yields a channel auto-named stderr), but is currently blocked on the
+  open NUL w` yields a channel auto-named stderr), and since the 9.1-kit std-slot
-  9.1 kit by a boot-layer std-slot pin (investigation: G-120); (3) relaunch-self via
+  pin was fixed (G-120, achieved 2026-07-25 - a leaked punk::libunknown
+  static-probe child interp held the std channels; libunknown 0.2.2 - see
+  goals/archive/G-120-scriptmode-std-channel-pin.md) it works on the current 9.1
+  kit too, so in-place stdio repair is available across current kits; (3) relaunch-self via
   twapi::create_process -noconsole is the primary cross-generation mechanism (hidden
   console, stdio + package require Tk verified working, no channel surgery; the
   brief console flash is OS-unavoidable for console-subsystem exes; sign release

goals/archive/G-120-scriptmode-std-channel-pin.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # G-120 9.1-kit script-mode boot pins process std channels: find holder, restore std-slot recycling
 
-Status: proposed
+Status: achieved 2026-07-25
 Scope: src/modules/punk/console-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/modules/punk/repl-999999.0a1.0.tm; src/lib/app-punkscript/; src/vfs/_config/punk_main.tcl
 Goal: identify what in the 9.1-kit script-mode boot path retains a registration on the process std channels (keeping their std slots occupied and their OS handles alive across an explicit chan close), determine whether that retention is deliberate console-ownership machinery or a leak, and land the recorded disposition so that closing a std channel frees its slot - restoring Tcl's std-channel recycling - without breaking console abstraction behaviour.
 Acceptance: the registration holder is named (module, proc, mechanism) with reproduction evidence; the disposition is recorded here (deliberate-and-documented, or fixed); a script-mode run of the recipe `chan close stderr; open NUL w` on the current 9.1 kit yields a channel auto-named stderr with working puts stderr, and the console + repl module suites (src/tests/modules/punk/console/, src/tests/modules/punk/repl/) pass.
@@ -46,6 +46,48 @@ by absence: strip the suspected stage and re-run the recipe.
 
 ## Notes
 
+- HOLDER (named 2026-07-25): punk::libunknown 0.2.1, proc
+  `zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler`, builtin-static shortcircuit block - the static
+  version-probe child interp (fixed name `ptest`) leaked when
+  `package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args` threw `wrong # args` on an
+  UNVERSIONED require (zero requirement args) between `interp create` and
+  `interp delete`. A non-safe child interp holds registrations on the process
+  std channels (Tcl shares stdin/stdout/stderr into it at creation), so the
+  leaked child kept the closed stderr's OS handle alive and its std slot
+  occupied - Tcl_CreateChannel's std-slot install never fires.
+- Reproduction evidence (2026-07-25, bin/punk91.exe 9.1b0 script mode):
+  `interp children` -> `ptest` with `chan names` = stderr stdin stdout and
+  `info loaded {}` = {{} Thread}; recipe yielded `file216195028c0` and
+  "can not find channel named stderr". Same-process `interp delete ptest`
+  then recipe -> channel auto-named stderr, puts stderr OK (causality proven).
+  Post-boot re-trigger: `package forget thread; package require thread`
+  recreated the leak on demand (`package require dde` likewise, while
+  SUCCEEDING via the fallback path); step-through isolated
+  `package vsatisfies 3.0.5` (zero requirements) as the throwing call -
+  identical arity error on 9.0.5 and 9.1b0, so the punk91-only symptom is
+  runtime-payload-driven: tclsfe 9.1b0 provides Thread as a true static
+  (`{}` prefix in `info loaded`, hit by boot's unversioned require), while
+  punk905 loads Thread from a dll path (`//zipfs:/app/bin/tcl9thread301.dll`)
+  so the shortcircuit never fires there.
+- Kit verification 2026-07-25 (achieved flip evidence): fix promoted through the
+  gates (make.tcl modules -> bootsupport -> vfscommonupdate -confirm 0, outputs
+  committed) and kits rebaked (make.tcl vfs, 8 kits installed). Plain-mode
+  `bin/punk91 script` recipe on the rebuilt kit: no child interps after boot,
+  `chan close stderr; open NUL w` yields a channel auto-named stderr,
+  puts stderr OK. punk905 recipe remains green. Console + repl + libunknown
+  suites: 12 files, 105/105 pass (native tclsh90, Tcl 9.0.3). Scope note:
+  the fix landed in punk::libunknown (loaded by the boot path) rather than the
+  Scope-listed console/repl/app-punkscript surfaces - those were the
+  instrumented suspects, all cleared by the investigation.
+- DISPOSITION: leak (bug), FIXED - not deliberate console-ownership machinery
+  (the G-007 ownership registry was not involved; the Context ruled-out list
+  stands). Fix = punk::libunknown 0.2.2: auto-named probe interp deleted in a
+  try/finally, zero-requirement requires accept any provided static version,
+  probe errors fall through to the normal tm search instead of aborting the
+  require. Verified under `bin/punk91 src script`: no child interp after boot,
+  recipe yields a channel auto-named stderr with working puts stderr. Suites:
+  libunknown + console + repl (12 files, 105 tests) all pass under native
+  tclsh90 (Tcl 9.0.3).
 - Related: G-118 (achieved 2026-07-25 - see goals/archive/G-118-tclsh-subcommand-review.md;
   console-path machinery + piperepl residue territory; its Notes
   record punk91's runtime as unpatched, ruling out the patch as the holder); G-011
@@ -54,6 +96,10 @@ by absence: strip the suspected stage and re-run the recipe.
   channel-lifetime territory); archived G-007
   (goals/archive/G-007-console-location-transparency.md - the console ownership
   registry lineage the holder most likely belongs to).
+- Activation freshness 2026-07-25: goals_xref.tcl score G-120 re-run at the
+  proposed->active flip - no relationships beyond the drafting survey below (top
+  unlinked hits G-013/G-044/G-008/G-043 are the already-dismissed repl-feature
+  module-path sharers; no goals drafted in the interval).
 - Overlap survey 2026-07-25 (goals_xref.tcl paths over the scope): surfaced
   G-002/003/008/009/010/011/013/014/034/038/042/043/044 (punk/repl + punk/console
   module-path sharing - repl-feature goals, no substantive pin relationship), G-077

punkproject.toml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 [project]
 name = "punkshell"
-version = "0.22.0"
+version = "0.22.1"
 license = "BSD-2-Clause"

src/bootsupport/modules/punk/args-0.12.7.tm

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # (C) 2024
 #
 # @@ Meta Begin
-# Application punk::args 0.12.6
+# Application punk::args 0.12.7
 # Meta platform     tcl
 # Meta license      <unspecified>
 # @@ Meta End
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 # doctools header
 # ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
 #*** !doctools
-#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::args 0 0.12.6]
+#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::args 0 0.12.7]
 #[copyright "2024"]
 #[titledesc {args parsing}]  [comment {-- Name section and table of contents description --}]
 #[moddesc {args to nested dict of opts and values}]             [comment {-- Description at end of page heading --}]
@@ -4765,8 +4765,26 @@ tcl::namespace::eval punk::args {
         } else {
             set needed [list]
             foreach pkgns $nslist {
-                if {[string match (autodef)* $pkgns]} {
+                if {[string match {(*)*} $pkgns]} {
-                    set pkgns [string range $pkgns 9 end]
+                    #tag-prefixed id 'namespace' e.g (autodef)::myensemble, or a
+                    #script-level id family e.g (script)::punkboot, (script)::punkexe.
+                    #Not a real namespace: the scan records documenting packages under
+                    #the TAGGED key (namespace qualifiers of the tagged id), so consult
+                    #namespace_docpackages with the original key first, then strip the
+                    #tag for the real-namespace probes below ((autodef) ids also map to
+                    #a real namespace; a bare tag or tag-only qualifier has nothing more
+                    #to probe).
+                    if {[dict exists $namespace_docpackages $pkgns]} {
+                        foreach docns [dict get $namespace_docpackages $pkgns] {
+                            if {$docns ni $loaded_packages && $docns ni $needed} {
+                                lappend needed $docns
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                    set pkgns [string range $pkgns [expr {[string first ) $pkgns]+1}] end]
+                    if {$pkgns eq ""} {
+                        continue
+                    }
                 }
                 if {![string match ::* $pkgns]} {
                     puts stderr "warning: update_definitions received unqualified ns: $pkgns"
@@ -14071,7 +14089,7 @@ package provide punk::args [tcl::namespace::eval punk::args {
     tcl::namespace::path  {::punk::args::lib ::punk::args::system}
     variable pkg punk::args
     variable version
-    set version 0.12.6
+    set version 0.12.7
 }]
 return
 

src/bootsupport/modules/punk/libunknown-0.2.2.tm

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # (C) 2025
 #
 # @@ Meta Begin
-# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.1
+# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.2
 # Meta platform     tcl
 # Meta license      MIT
 # @@ Meta End
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@
 # from src/modules/AGENTS.md "Versioning And Releases" - bumping means
 # renaming the file AND updating the Meta line above, the manpage_begin line
 # below and the provide-block version, then appending a line here):
+#0.2.2 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the builtin-static shortcircuit probe interp no
+#        longer leaks (G-120). The probe child interp was created under the fixed
+#        name ptest and deleted only on the non-error paths; an unversioned
+#        'package require foo' of a static package made the version check
+#        'package vsatisfies $v' throw (wrong # args - vsatisfies needs >=1
+#        requirement), skipping the delete. The leaked child held registrations
+#        on the process std channels (Tcl shares them into non-safe child
+#        interps), so an explicit 'chan close stderr' left the OS handle alive
+#        and the std slot occupied - the next opened channel got a fileN name
+#        instead of recycling into stderr. Now: auto-named probe interp, deleted
+#        in a try/finally; zero-requirement requires treat any provided version
+#        as satisfying; probe errors fall through to the normal tm search
+#        instead of aborting the require.
 #0.2.1 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the zipfs static-path can_skip_update state is
 #        written keyed by the SPECIFIC searchpath actually scanned (tm path +
 #        package namespace subdir) to match its reader and libunknown::init's
@@ -42,7 +55,7 @@
 # doctools header
 # ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
 #*** !doctools
-#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.1]
+#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.2]
 #[copyright "2025"]
 #[titledesc {Module API}]  [comment {-- Name section and table of contents description --}]
 #[moddesc {-}]             [comment {-- Description at end of page heading --}]
@@ -190,22 +203,36 @@ tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
         set loaded [lsearch -inline -index 1 -nocase [info loaded] $name]
         if {[llength $loaded] == 2 && [lindex $loaded 0] eq ""} {
             lassign $loaded _ cased_name
-            interp create ptest
+            #Version-probe the static package in a throwaway child interp.
-            ptest eval [list load {} $cased_name]
+            #The child must never outlive this block: a (non-safe) child interp
-            set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
+            #holds registrations on the process std channels, so a leaked probe
-            set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
+            #interp disables Tcl's std-slot recycling process-wide (after
-            if {$static_version eq ""} {
+            #'chan close stderr' the OS handle stays alive and the slot stays
-                set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide $cased_name]]
+            #occupied, so the next opened channel cannot become stderr) - G-120.
-                set pname $cased_name
+            set probeinterp [interp create]
-            }
+            try {
-            if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                interp eval $probeinterp [list load {} $cased_name]
-                if {[package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
-                    package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
-                    interp delete ptest
+                if {$static_version eq ""} {
-                    return
+                    set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide $cased_name]]
+                    set pname $cased_name
+                }
+                if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                    #zero requirements (plain 'package require foo') accepts any
+                    #provided version; package vsatisfies errors without at least
+                    #one requirement argument.
+                    if {![llength $args] || [package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                        package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                        return
+                    }
                 }
+            } on error {} {
+                #probe failure (e.g a static whose init needs more than a bare
+                #child interp) - not fatal: fall through to the normal tm search.
+            } finally {
+                interp delete $probeinterp
             }
-            interp delete ptest
         }
         #------------------------------
 
@@ -2130,7 +2157,7 @@ namespace eval ::punk::args::register {
 package provide punk::libunknown [tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
     variable pkg punk::libunknown
     variable version
-    set version 0.2.1
+    set version 0.2.2
 }]
 return
 

src/bootsupport/modules/punk/mod-0.1.1.tm

@@ -71,12 +71,16 @@ namespace eval punk::mod::cli {
             }
         }
         dict set appinfo versions $versions
-        #todo - natsort!
+        #version-aware selection (2026-07-22 audit): was a plain lexical lsort
-        set sorted_versions [lsort $versions]
+        #(1.10 sorts before 1.9) with lindex 0 - the LOWEST - as 'latest'.
-        set latest [lindex $sorted_versions 0]
+        #Empty version (unversioned main) is excluded from comparison (package
-        if {$latest eq "" && [llength $sorted_versions] > 1} {
+        #vcompare errors on empty operands); latest = highest by vcompare.
-            set latest [lindex $sorted_versions 1]
+        set realversions {}
+        foreach v $versions {
+            if {$v ne ""} {lappend realversions $v}
         }
+        set sorted_versions [lsort -command {package vcompare} $realversions]
+        set latest [lindex $sorted_versions end] ;#"" when only an unversioned main exists
         dict set appinfo latest $latest
 
         dict set appinfo bases $bases

src/bootsupport/modules/punk/repl-0.5.3.tm

@@ -4290,6 +4290,7 @@ namespace eval repl {
                         package require punk::lib
                         package require punk::args
                         catch {package require punk::args::moduledoc::tclcore} ;#while tclcore is highly desirable, and should be installed with punk::args - it's not critical
+                        catch {package require punk::args::moduledoc::punkexe} ;#launch subcommand family documentation (G-118) - not critical
                         package require textblock
                     }
 
@@ -4470,6 +4471,7 @@ namespace eval repl {
                             catch {package require punk::args::moduledoc::parser}
                             #-----------
                             catch {package require punk::args::moduledoc::tclcore} ;#while tclcore is highly desirable, and should be installed with punk::args - it's not critical
+                            catch {package require punk::args::moduledoc::punkexe} ;#launch subcommand family documentation (G-118) - not critical
                         } errM]} {
                             puts stderr "========================"
                             puts stderr "code interp error:"
@@ -4565,7 +4567,7 @@ namespace eval ::punk::args::register {
 
 package provide punk::repl [namespace eval punk::repl {
     variable version
-    set version 0.5.2
+    set version 0.5.3
 }]
 
 #repl::start $program_read_stdin_pipe

src/modules/punk/libunknown-0.2.2.tm

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # (C) 2025
 #
 # @@ Meta Begin
-# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.1
+# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.2
 # Meta platform     tcl
 # Meta license      MIT
 # @@ Meta End
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@
 # from src/modules/AGENTS.md "Versioning And Releases" - bumping means
 # renaming the file AND updating the Meta line above, the manpage_begin line
 # below and the provide-block version, then appending a line here):
+#0.2.2 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the builtin-static shortcircuit probe interp no
+#        longer leaks (G-120). The probe child interp was created under the fixed
+#        name ptest and deleted only on the non-error paths; an unversioned
+#        'package require foo' of a static package made the version check
+#        'package vsatisfies $v' throw (wrong # args - vsatisfies needs >=1
+#        requirement), skipping the delete. The leaked child held registrations
+#        on the process std channels (Tcl shares them into non-safe child
+#        interps), so an explicit 'chan close stderr' left the OS handle alive
+#        and the std slot occupied - the next opened channel got a fileN name
+#        instead of recycling into stderr. Now: auto-named probe interp, deleted
+#        in a try/finally; zero-requirement requires treat any provided version
+#        as satisfying; probe errors fall through to the normal tm search
+#        instead of aborting the require.
 #0.2.1 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the zipfs static-path can_skip_update state is
 #        written keyed by the SPECIFIC searchpath actually scanned (tm path +
 #        package namespace subdir) to match its reader and libunknown::init's
@@ -42,7 +55,7 @@
 # doctools header
 # ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
 #*** !doctools
-#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.1]
+#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.2]
 #[copyright "2025"]
 #[titledesc {Module API}]  [comment {-- Name section and table of contents description --}]
 #[moddesc {-}]             [comment {-- Description at end of page heading --}]
@@ -190,22 +203,36 @@ tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
         set loaded [lsearch -inline -index 1 -nocase [info loaded] $name]
         if {[llength $loaded] == 2 && [lindex $loaded 0] eq ""} {
             lassign $loaded _ cased_name
-            interp create ptest
+            #Version-probe the static package in a throwaway child interp.
-            ptest eval [list load {} $cased_name]
+            #The child must never outlive this block: a (non-safe) child interp
-            set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
+            #holds registrations on the process std channels, so a leaked probe
-            set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
+            #interp disables Tcl's std-slot recycling process-wide (after
-            if {$static_version eq ""} {
+            #'chan close stderr' the OS handle stays alive and the slot stays
-                set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide $cased_name]]
+            #occupied, so the next opened channel cannot become stderr) - G-120.
-                set pname $cased_name
+            set probeinterp [interp create]
-            }
+            try {
-            if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                interp eval $probeinterp [list load {} $cased_name]
-                if {[package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
-                    package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
-                    interp delete ptest
+                if {$static_version eq ""} {
-                    return
+                    set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide $cased_name]]
+                    set pname $cased_name
+                }
+                if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                    #zero requirements (plain 'package require foo') accepts any
+                    #provided version; package vsatisfies errors without at least
+                    #one requirement argument.
+                    if {![llength $args] || [package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                        package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                        return
+                    }
                 }
+            } on error {} {
+                #probe failure (e.g a static whose init needs more than a bare
+                #child interp) - not fatal: fall through to the normal tm search.
+            } finally {
+                interp delete $probeinterp
             }
-            interp delete ptest
         }
         #------------------------------
 
@@ -2130,7 +2157,7 @@ namespace eval ::punk::args::register {
 package provide punk::libunknown [tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
     variable pkg punk::libunknown
     variable version
-    set version 0.2.1
+    set version 0.2.2
 }]
 return
 

src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/punk/libunknown-0.2.2.tm

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # (C) 2025
 #
 # @@ Meta Begin
-# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.1
+# Application punk::libunknown 0.2.2
 # Meta platform     tcl
 # Meta license      MIT
 # @@ Meta End
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@
 # from src/modules/AGENTS.md "Versioning And Releases" - bumping means
 # renaming the file AND updating the Meta line above, the manpage_begin line
 # below and the provide-block version, then appending a line here):
+#0.2.2 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the builtin-static shortcircuit probe interp no
+#        longer leaks (G-120). The probe child interp was created under the fixed
+#        name ptest and deleted only on the non-error paths; an unversioned
+#        'package require foo' of a static package made the version check
+#        'package vsatisfies $v' throw (wrong # args - vsatisfies needs >=1
+#        requirement), skipping the delete. The leaked child held registrations
+#        on the process std channels (Tcl shares them into non-safe child
+#        interps), so an explicit 'chan close stderr' left the OS handle alive
+#        and the std slot occupied - the next opened channel got a fileN name
+#        instead of recycling into stderr. Now: auto-named probe interp, deleted
+#        in a try/finally; zero-requirement requires treat any provided version
+#        as satisfying; probe errors fall through to the normal tm search
+#        instead of aborting the require.
 #0.2.1 - zipfs_tm_UnknownHandler: the zipfs static-path can_skip_update state is
 #        written keyed by the SPECIFIC searchpath actually scanned (tm path +
 #        package namespace subdir) to match its reader and libunknown::init's
@@ -42,7 +55,7 @@
 # doctools header
 # ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++
 #*** !doctools
-#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.1]
+#[manpage_begin punkshell_module_punk::libunknown 0 0.2.2]
 #[copyright "2025"]
 #[titledesc {Module API}]  [comment {-- Name section and table of contents description --}]
 #[moddesc {-}]             [comment {-- Description at end of page heading --}]
@@ -190,22 +203,36 @@ tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
         set loaded [lsearch -inline -index 1 -nocase [info loaded] $name]
         if {[llength $loaded] == 2 && [lindex $loaded 0] eq ""} {
             lassign $loaded _ cased_name
-            interp create ptest
+            #Version-probe the static package in a throwaway child interp.
-            ptest eval [list load {} $cased_name]
+            #The child must never outlive this block: a (non-safe) child interp
-            set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
+            #holds registrations on the process std channels, so a leaked probe
-            set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
+            #interp disables Tcl's std-slot recycling process-wide (after
-            if {$static_version eq ""} {
+            #'chan close stderr' the OS handle stays alive and the slot stays
-                set static_version [ptest eval [list package provide $cased_name]]
+            #occupied, so the next opened channel cannot become stderr) - G-120.
-                set pname $cased_name
+            set probeinterp [interp create]
-            }
+            try {
-            if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                interp eval $probeinterp [list load {} $cased_name]
-                if {[package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide [string tolower $cased_name]]]
-                    package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                set pname [string tolower $cased_name]
-                    interp delete ptest
+                if {$static_version eq ""} {
-                    return
+                    set static_version [interp eval $probeinterp [list package provide $cased_name]]
+                    set pname $cased_name
+                }
+                if {$static_version ne ""} {
+                    #zero requirements (plain 'package require foo') accepts any
+                    #provided version; package vsatisfies errors without at least
+                    #one requirement argument.
+                    if {![llength $args] || [package vsatisfies $static_version {*}$args]} {
+                        package ifneeded $pname $static_version [list load {} $cased_name]
+                        return
+                    }
                 }
+            } on error {} {
+                #probe failure (e.g a static whose init needs more than a bare
+                #child interp) - not fatal: fall through to the normal tm search.
+            } finally {
+                interp delete $probeinterp
             }
-            interp delete ptest
         }
         #------------------------------
 
@@ -2130,7 +2157,7 @@ namespace eval ::punk::args::register {
 package provide punk::libunknown [tcl::namespace::eval ::punk::libunknown {
     variable pkg punk::libunknown
     variable version
-    set version 0.2.1
+    set version 0.2.2
 }]
 return