openclaw/docs/mac/icon.md

# Menu Bar Icon States

Author: steipete · Updated: 2025-12-06 · Scope: macOS app (`apps/macos`)

- **Idle:** Normal icon animation (blink, occasional wiggle).
- **Paused:** Status item uses `appearsDisabled`; no motion.
- **Voice trigger (big ears):** Voice wake detector calls `AppState.triggerVoiceEars()` → `earBoostActive=true` for ~5s. Ears scale up (1.9x), get circular ear holes for readability, then auto-reset. Only fired from the in-app voice pipeline.
- **Working (agent running):** `AppState.isWorking=true` drives a “tail/leg scurry” micro-motion: faster leg wiggle and slight offset while work is in-flight. Currently toggled around WebChat agent runs; add the same toggle around other long tasks when you wire them.

Wiring points
- Voice wake: see `VoiceWakeTester.handleResult` in `AppMain.swift`—on detection it calls `triggerVoiceEars()`.
- Agent activity: set `AppStateStore.shared.setWorking(true/false)` around work spans (already done in WebChat agent call). Keep spans short and reset in `defer` blocks to avoid stuck animations.

Shapes & sizes
- Base icon drawn in `CritterIconRenderer.makeIcon(blink:legWiggle:earWiggle:earScale:earHoles:)`.
- Ear scale defaults to `1.0`; voice boost sets `earScale=1.9` and toggles `earHoles=true` without changing overall frame (18×16pt template image).
- Scurry uses leg wiggle up to ~1.0 with a small horizontal jiggle; it’s additive to any existing idle wiggle.

Behavioral notes
- No external CLI/XPC toggle for ears/working; keep it internal to the app’s own signals to avoid accidental flapping.
- Keep TTLs short (<10s) so the icon returns to baseline quickly if a job hangs.