auto-connect + GUI per-channel indicators

- chat_core_connect_auto: direct ETCP connect from SQLite (no BGP)
- auto_connect: parallel connect to peers with 3s timeout, retry 10s
- RTT saved to node_addresses on disconnect
- vertical status bar + circle badge with online count per channel
- ChannelListView prevents deselection

tools/chatgui/src/channeldelegate.cpp

@@ -9,15 +9,30 @@ void ChannelDelegate::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionViewItem &optio
                             const QModelIndex &index) const {
     painter->save();
 
+    const int barWidth = 4;
+    const int margin = 8;
+    const int iconSize = 32;
+
+    int peersOnline = index.data(ChannelPeersOnlineRole).toInt();
+    int autoActive  = index.data(ChannelAutoConnectActiveRole).toInt();
+
+    /* ── background ── */
     if (option.state & QStyle::State_Selected) {
         painter->fillRect(option.rect, option.palette.highlight());
     } else if (option.state & QStyle::State_MouseOver) {
         painter->fillRect(option.rect, option.palette.light());
     }
 
-    const int margin = 8;
-    const int iconSize = 32;
-    QRect iconRect(option.rect.left() + margin,
+    /* ── vertical status bar (left edge, over background) ── */
+    QColor barColor = Qt::transparent;
+    if (peersOnline > 0)                      barColor = QColor("#4CAF50");
+    else if (autoActive && peersOnline == 0)  barColor = QColor("#FFC107");
+    if (barColor.alpha() > 0) {
+        QRect barRect(option.rect.left(), option.rect.top(), barWidth, option.rect.height());
+        painter->fillRect(barRect, barColor);
+    }
+
+    QRect iconRect(option.rect.left() + margin + barWidth,
                    option.rect.top() + (option.rect.height() - iconSize) / 2,
                    iconSize, iconSize);
 
@@ -26,6 +41,24 @@ void ChannelDelegate::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionViewItem &optio
         icon.paint(painter, iconRect);
     }
 
+    /* ── online count badge (top-left of avatar, above it) ── */
+    if (peersOnline > 0) {
+        int badgeSize = 16;
+        QRect badgeRect(iconRect.left() - 4, iconRect.top() - 6, badgeSize, badgeSize);
+        painter->setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
+        painter->setBrush(QColor("#4CAF50"));
+        painter->setPen(QPen(Qt::white, 1.5));
+        painter->drawEllipse(badgeRect);
+        QFont badgeFont = option.font;
+        badgeFont.setBold(true);
+        badgeFont.setPixelSize(10);
+        painter->setFont(badgeFont);
+        painter->setPen(Qt::white);
+        QString num = QString::number(peersOnline);
+        if (peersOnline > 9) num = "9+";
+        painter->drawText(badgeRect, Qt::AlignCenter, num);
+    }
+
     QRect textRect(iconRect.right() + margin, option.rect.top() + margin,
                    option.rect.right() - iconRect.right() - 2 * margin,
                    option.rect.height() - 2 * margin);

tools/chatgui/src/channeldelegate.h

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@
 #include <QStyledItemDelegate>
 
 enum ChannelDataRole {
-    ChannelNameRole         = Qt::DisplayRole,
-    ChannelIconRole         = Qt::DecorationRole,
-    ChannelLastMessageRole  = Qt::UserRole + 1,
-    ChannelChannelIdRole    = Qt::UserRole + 2
+    ChannelNameRole             = Qt::DisplayRole,
+    ChannelIconRole             = Qt::DecorationRole,
+    ChannelLastMessageRole      = Qt::UserRole + 1,
+    ChannelChannelIdRole        = Qt::UserRole + 2,
+    ChannelPeersOnlineRole      = Qt::UserRole + 3,  /* int: count of online peers */
+    ChannelAutoConnectActiveRole = Qt::UserRole + 4  /* bool: 1 if auto-connect in progress */
 };
 
 class ChannelDelegate : public QStyledItemDelegate {

tools/chatgui/src/channellist.cpp

@@ -8,6 +8,28 @@
 #include <QPainter>
 #include <QPixmap>
 #include <QMenu>
+#include <QMouseEvent>
+
+/* QListView that prevents deselection */
+class ChannelListView : public QListView {
+public:
+    using QListView::QListView;
+protected:
+    void mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent* e) override {
+        if (indexAt(e->pos()).isValid())
+            QListView::mousePressEvent(e);
+    }
+    QItemSelectionModel::SelectionFlags selectionCommand(const QModelIndex& idx, const QEvent* e) const override {
+        if (idx.isValid())
+            return QItemSelectionModel::ClearAndSelect | QItemSelectionModel::Current;
+        return QItemSelectionModel::NoUpdate;
+    }
+    void selectionChanged(const QItemSelection& sel, const QItemSelection& desel) override {
+        QListView::selectionChanged(sel, desel);
+        if (selectionModel() && !selectionModel()->hasSelection() && currentIndex().isValid())
+            selectionModel()->select(currentIndex(), QItemSelectionModel::ClearAndSelect);
+    }
+};
 
 static QIcon makeChannelIcon(const QColor &color, const QString &letter) {
     QPixmap pix(32, 32);
@@ -29,7 +51,7 @@ static QIcon makeChannelIcon(const QColor &color, const QString &letter) {
 
 ChannelList::ChannelList(DbManager* db, QWidget *parent)
     : QWidget(parent)
-    , m_listView(new QListView(this))
+    , m_listView(new ChannelListView(this))
     , m_model(new QStandardItemModel(this))
     , m_db(db)
 {
@@ -161,3 +183,22 @@ void ChannelList::onContextMenu(const QPoint& pos) {
     if (menu.exec(m_listView->viewport()->mapToGlobal(pos)) == inviteAction)
         emit inviteRequested(cid);
 }
+
+void ChannelList::setChannelPeersOnline(const QString& channelId, int count) {
+    for (int row = 0; row < m_model->rowCount(); row++) {
+        QStandardItem* item = m_model->item(row);
+        if (item && item->data(ChannelChannelIdRole).toString() == channelId) {
+            item->setData(count, ChannelPeersOnlineRole);
+            item->setData(m_autoConnectActive ? 1 : 0, ChannelAutoConnectActiveRole);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void ChannelList::setAutoConnectActive(bool active) {
+    m_autoConnectActive = active;
+    for (int row = 0; row < m_model->rowCount(); row++) {
+        QStandardItem* item = m_model->item(row);
+        if (item) item->setData(active ? 1 : 0, ChannelAutoConnectActiveRole);
+    }
+}

tools/chatgui/src/channellist.h

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ public:
 
     void loadChannels();
     void selectChannel(const QString& channelId);
+    void setChannelPeersOnline(const QString& channelId, int count);
+    void setAutoConnectActive(bool active);
 
 signals:
     void channelSelected(const QString& channelId);
@@ -29,4 +31,5 @@ private:
     QListView          *m_listView;
     QStandardItemModel *m_model;
     DbManager          *m_db;
+    bool                m_autoConnectActive = false;
 };

tools/chatgui/src/mainwindow.cpp

@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ static void onMembersChangedCallback(const char* ch_id, int ch_id_len) {
         s_mainWindow->onMembersChanged(ch_id);
 }
 
+static void onAutoConnectStatusCallback(uint8_t status, uint16_t total_tried,
+                                         uint16_t node_count, uint16_t connected) {
+    if (s_mainWindow)
+        s_mainWindow->onAutoConnectStatus(status, total_tried, node_count, connected);
+}
+
+static void onChannelPeersOnlineCallback(const char* ch_id, int ch_id_len, uint16_t online) {
+    if (s_mainWindow)
+        s_mainWindow->onChannelPeersOnline(ch_id, ch_id_len, online);
+}
+
 MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent, DbManager* db, const QString& cfgPath,
                        const QString& dbPath, const QString& debugFile,
                        const QString& debugLevel, const QString& debugCategories)
@@ -76,6 +87,8 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent, DbManager* db, const QString& cfgPath,
             qDebug("MainWindow: MY_NODE_ID setMyNodeId(%016llx)", (unsigned long long)nid);
             if (s_mainWindow && s_mainWindow->m_db) s_mainWindow->m_db->setMyNodeId((quint64)nid);
         });
+        gui_bridge_set_auto_connect_status_cb(onAutoConnectStatusCallback);
+        gui_bridge_set_channel_peers_online_cb(onChannelPeersOnlineCallback);
 
         setupNode();
         setupMessaging();
@@ -258,6 +271,20 @@ void MainWindow::onMembersChanged(const char* ch_id) {
         m_accountList->refresh();
 }
 
+void MainWindow::onAutoConnectStatus(uint8_t status, uint16_t /*total_tried*/,
+                                      uint16_t /*node_count*/, uint16_t /*connected*/) {
+    if (m_channelList) {
+        m_channelList->setAutoConnectActive(status == 0);
+    }
+}
+
+void MainWindow::onChannelPeersOnline(const char* ch_id, int ch_id_len, uint16_t online) {
+    if (m_channelList) {
+        QString cid = QString::fromUtf8(ch_id, ch_id_len);
+        m_channelList->setChannelPeersOnline(cid, (int)online);
+    }
+}
+
 void MainWindow::reloadChannels() {
     if (m_channelList) {
         m_channelList->loadChannels();

tools/chatgui/src/mainwindow.h

@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ private slots:
 public:
     void onMessageReceived(const char* ch_id);
     void onMembersChanged(const char* ch_id);
+    void onAutoConnectStatus(uint8_t status, uint16_t total, uint16_t totalNodes, uint16_t connected);
+    void onChannelPeersOnline(const char* ch_id, int ch_id_len, uint16_t online);
     void reloadChannels();
 
 private: