From dc2f754f863bf67db079966e413b6cdaef39deb8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Hermes Agent <hermes@local>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:39:20 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Optimize startup: show black overlay first, dim brightness in
 a background thread; switch to one-folder PyInstaller build (no on-launch
 extraction)

- black screen now appears immediately (window creation), while the slow
  screen-brightness-control WMI queries (get+set) run in a daemon thread and
  are invisible behind the black overlay
- one-folder COLLECT build removes the ~2-3s one-file archive extraction
---
 Black Screen Dim.spec |  9 +++++++--
 black_screen_dim.py   | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++++--------
 2 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Black Screen Dim.spec b/Black Screen Dim.spec
index 91ab276..c3256f9 100644
--- a/Black Screen Dim.spec	
+++ b/Black Screen Dim.spec	
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
 exe = EXE(
     pyz,
     a.scripts,
-    a.binaries,
-    a.datas,
     [],
     name='Black Screen Dim',
     debug=False,
@@ -37,3 +35,10 @@ exe = EXE(
     entitlements_file=None,
     icon=['icon.ico'],
 )
+
+coll = COLLECT(
+    exe,
+    a.binaries,
+    a.datas,
+    name='Black Screen Dim',
+)
diff --git a/black_screen_dim.py b/black_screen_dim.py
index a7e9bc1..e3cc1b2 100644
--- a/black_screen_dim.py
+++ b/black_screen_dim.py
@@ -13,9 +13,12 @@ import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import threading
 
 import screen_brightness_control as sbc
 
+_original_brightness = None
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger("black_screen_dim")
 
 
@@ -354,14 +357,24 @@ if sys.platform == "win32":
                 break
 
 
+def _dim_and_save():
+    """Save current brightness and dim all monitors in the background so the
+    black overlay can appear instantly; the dimming itself is invisible."""
+    global _original_brightness
+    orig = get_all_brightness()
+    _original_brightness = orig
+    LOG.info("saved brightness: %s", orig)
+    if orig is not None:
+        set_all_brightness(0)
+
+
 def main():
     setup_logging()
     LOG.info("starting Black Screen Dim")
-    original = get_all_brightness()
-    LOG.info("saved brightness: %s", original)
-    if original is not None:
-        set_all_brightness(0)
-
+    # Show the black overlay FIRST so the screen goes black immediately.
+    # Brightness saving/dimming runs in the background, invisible behind it.
+    dim_thread = threading.Thread(target=_dim_and_save, daemon=True)
+    dim_thread.start()
     try:
         if sys.platform == "win32":
             run_overlay()
@@ -370,9 +383,11 @@ def main():
     except Exception as e:
         LOG.exception("overlay error: %r", e)
     finally:
-        if original is not None:
-            restore_all_brightness(original)
-        LOG.info("restored brightness: %s", original)
+        dim_thread.join(timeout=10)
+        orig = _original_brightness
+        if orig is not None:
+            restore_all_brightness(orig)
+        LOG.info("restored brightness: %s", orig)
         LOG.info("exiting")