Calm decision-overlay orange so only the dithered subject spends it

Demote overlay host border/title to textDim, paint consequence impact as
warning, and drop the redundant operator-question title chrome.

Lock overlay host borderColor and title fg to UI.textDim in overlays.test.

Author: TheGreatAxios

docs/TUI.md

@@ -161,10 +161,10 @@ Color is a small, deliberate palette, not decoration
 (`src/tui/theme.ts`). Dimmed text is a dimmed cream, never a neutral
 gray, so every emphasis level keeps the same warm hue. Orange
 (`UI.action`) is spent once per screen: it marks the session identity,
-a leading `/command` or `@mention` in the prompt, and whatever is currently
-awaiting a human decision (an approval subject, an active choice) — nothing
-else competes with it. Standing caution (`mcp !`, `plugin !`, the context
-meter's 61–80 band) uses `UI.warning`; the meter turns `UI.error` at 81–100.
+a leading `/command` or `@mention` in the prompt, and the dithered subject
+of a decision surface (permission or operator ask) — nothing else competes
+with it. Standing caution (`mcp !`, `plugin !`, the context
+meter's 61–80 band, consequence impact under a list) uses `UI.warning`; the meter turns `UI.error` at 81–100.
 Ongoing, non-decision status uses the bronze/sand/ember chrome ramp and green
 (`UI.done`) for completion.
 The one deliberate exception is diff removals, where orange is content (the
@@ -292,9 +292,12 @@ approval.
 The decision surfaces (permission approval, operator question) are the one
 framed content in the shell, and they are shaped rather than merely listed
 (`src/tui/overlay-body.ts`): a dithered header (`░▒▓`) carries the
-subject in the action color, a blank row separates it from context, and each
-choice gets one row with the active choice marked by a solid block (`█`)
-rather than a background fill.
+subject in the action color — the only Breakthrough Orange on the card.
+The overlay host border and title use calm dim chrome (`UI.textDim`);
+consequence impact in the description zone paints `UI.warning` (sand), not
+orange. A blank row separates the subject from context, and each choice gets
+one row with the active choice marked by a solid block (`█`) rather than a
+background fill (cream text, not orange).
 
 ## How selectors should work
 

src/tui/description-zone.test.ts

@@ -111,12 +111,12 @@ describe("describeZoneLines", () => {
     expect(fgs[1]).toBe(UI.textFaint);
   });
 
-  test("consequence tone paints the impact line in UI.action", () => {
+  test("consequence tone paints the impact line in UI.warning", () => {
     const { fgs } = describeZoneLines(
       { what: "sub-agent cap.", impact: "raising it spends more tokens.", tone: "consequence" },
       60,
     );
-    expect(fgs[1]).toBe(UI.action);
+    expect(fgs[1]).toBe(UI.warning);
   });
 
   test("a what that wraps to both lines drops impact, same as narrow width would", () => {

src/tui/landing.test.ts

@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ describe("landing screen", () => {
           expect(nowAt.every((index) => index > 0)).toBe(true);
           expect(nowAt).toEqual([...nowAt].sort((a, b) => a - b));
           expect(new Set(nowAt).size).toBe(nowAt.length);
-          expect(h.captureCharFrame()).toContain("operator");
+          expect(h.captureCharFrame()).toContain("Esc cancel");
         } finally {
           shell.dispose();
         }

src/tui/overlays.test.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * Wave 5: primary overlays — open / navigate / Esc restore + resize floors.
  */
 import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { rgbToHex } from "@opentui/core";
 import { IDLE_TRANSCRIPT_FLOOR, OVERLAY_TRANSCRIPT_FLOOR } from "./geometry/index";
 import { focusOwner, scrollLease } from "./focus/index";
 import { withTestRenderer } from "./harness";
@@ -25,6 +26,38 @@ import {
   type OverlaySelection,
 } from "./shell";
 import { visibleSlice } from "./list-viewport";
+import { UI } from "./theme";
+
+function colorHex(c: unknown): string {
+  if (typeof c === "string") return c.toLowerCase();
+  return rgbToHex(c as Parameters<typeof rgbToHex>[0])
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .slice(0, 7);
+}
+
+describe("overlay host chrome", () => {
+  test("border and title stay textDim after create and open", async () => {
+    await withTestRenderer(
+      async (h) => {
+        const shell = createAppShell(h.renderer, {
+          terminal: { columns: 80, rows: 24 },
+          wireKeys: false,
+        });
+        try {
+          expect(colorHex(shell.overlayHost.borderColor)).toBe(UI.textDim);
+          expect(colorHex(shell.overlayTitle.fg)).toBe(UI.textDim);
+
+          openOperatorOverlay(shell);
+          expect(colorHex(shell.overlayHost.borderColor)).toBe(UI.textDim);
+          expect(colorHex(shell.overlayTitle.fg)).toBe(UI.textDim);
+        } finally {
+          shell.dispose();
+        }
+      },
+      { width: 80, height: 24 },
+    );
+  });
+});
 
 describe("wrapOverlayBody", () => {
   test("splits long lines and caps", () => {
@@ -165,13 +198,16 @@ describe("operator question overlay", () => {
 
           await h.renderOnce();
           const frame = h.captureCharFrame();
-          expect(frame).toContain("operator");
-          // Body fragment visible
+          // Title chrome dropped — subject + hints carry the ask.
+          expect(frame).not.toContain("operator question");
+          // Body / subject fragment visible
           expect(frame).toMatch(/destructive|working tree|git reset/i);
           // Choice visible
           expect(frame).toMatch(/Cancel|Allow/);
           // The overlay carries its own keys now that there is no hint strip.
           expect(frame).toContain("Esc cancel");
+          // Empty title must not leave a leading middle-dot before the hints.
+          expect(frame).not.toMatch(/·\s*Esc cancel/);
 
           // Esc restore: closeInsetOverlay is the Esc path (same as key handler).
           closeInsetOverlay(shell);

src/tui/overlays.ts

@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export function openOperatorOverlay(shell: AppShell, opts?: OpenOperatorOpts): v
   const stranded = choices.length === 0 && opts?.onTextAnswer === undefined;
   openListOverlay(shell, {
     kind: "operator",
-    title: "operator question",
+    title: "",
     body: stranded ? `${body}\n\n${NO_WAY_TO_ANSWER}` : body,
     items: choices,
     activeIndex: opts?.activeIndex ?? 0,

src/tui/shell.ts

@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ export interface ItemDescription {
   readonly what: string;
   /** What choosing it costs or changes. One line. Omit when there is nothing true to say. */
   readonly impact?: string;
-  /** "consequence" paints impact in UI.action — billing, trust, anything that spends or extends reach. */
+  /** "consequence" paints impact in UI.warning — billing, trust, anything that spends or extends reach. */
+
   readonly tone?: "plain" | "consequence";
 }
 
@@ -1280,12 +1281,21 @@ function overlayTitleLine(
   interior: number,
   hints: readonly string[] = DEFAULT_OVERLAY_HINTS,
 ): string {
+  const trimmed = title.trim();
+  // Empty/blank title: paint hints alone — no leading " · " from a missing title.
+  if (trimmed.length === 0) {
+    for (const hint of hints) {
+      const line = ` ${hint}`;
+      if (line.length <= interior) return line;
+    }
+    return " ";
+  }
   const suffixes = [...hints.map((h) => ` · ${h}`), ""];
   for (const suffix of suffixes) {
-    const line = ` ${title}${suffix}`;
+    const line = ` ${trimmed}${suffix}`;
     if (line.length <= interior) return line;
   }
-  return ` ${middleEllipsis(title, Math.max(1, interior - 1))}`;
+  return ` ${middleEllipsis(trimmed, Math.max(1, interior - 1))}`;
 }
 
 const DEFAULT_OVERLAY_HINTS = ["Esc cancel · Enter choose", "Esc · Enter"] as const;
@@ -1419,7 +1429,8 @@ export function describeZoneLines(
       fgs.push(UI.textDim);
     }
     if (desc.impact !== undefined && width >= DESCRIPTION_ZONE_IMPACT_MIN_WIDTH) {
-      const impactFg = desc.tone === "consequence" ? UI.action : UI.textFaint;
+      const impactFg = desc.tone === "consequence" ? UI.warning : UI.textFaint;
+
       for (const line of wrapWords(desc.impact, width)) {
         if (lines.length >= DESCRIPTION_ZONE_LINES) break;
         lines.push(line);
@@ -5401,14 +5412,14 @@ export function createAppShell(renderer: ShellRenderer, options?: AppShellOption
     // which would leave a half-overlay the operator cannot dismiss.
     overflow: "hidden",
     border: true,
-    borderColor: UI.action,
+    borderColor: UI.textDim,
     backgroundColor: UI.ground,
     visible: false,
   });
   const overlayTitle = new TextRenderable(ctx, {
     id: "shell-overlay-title",
     content: " overlay",
-    fg: UI.action,
+    fg: UI.textDim,
   });
   const overlayBody = new BoxRenderable(ctx, {
     id: "shell-overlay-body",