feat: gradient_hatch fill — density driven by response map

Adds a new fill strategy that uses the per-pixel response map (0=dark/ink,
255=background) to modulate scan-line spacing, producing tighter hatching
in darker areas and wider spacing in lighter areas within each hull.

fill.rs — gradient_hatch(hull, response, img_width, spacing, angle, min_scale):
  Adaptive step: local_spacing = spacing × lerp(min_scale, 1.0, resp/255)
  Floored at 1.0px so each integer v-row is visited at most once → O(N log N),
  same complexity class as parallel_hatch. Arc<[u8]> shared across rayon threads.

  Tests:
  - gradient_hatch_dark_denser_than_light: dark hull → more strokes than light
  - gradient_hatch_monotone_density: stroke count non-increasing with response
  - gradient_hatch_min_scale_one_matches_parallel: min_scale=1.0 → identical to baseline
  - gradient_hatch_all_points_inside_hull: containment check
  - gradient_hatch_performance: 256×256 dark hull < 2s in debug mode
  - gradient_hatch_perf_ratio_vs_parallel: ≤20× baseline (catches O(N²) regressions)

lib.rs:
  PassState gains response_map: Vec<u8>, stored after every process_pass run.
  generate_fill_work receives (response_map, img_width); wraps map in Arc<[u8]>
  for zero-copy sharing across the rayon thread pool.

pipeline_bench.rs:
  New section benchmarks gradient_hatch at min_scale 0.5 / 0.25 / 0.1.

store.js:
  gradient_hatch added to FILL_STRATEGIES, FILL_USES_ANGLE, and FILL_STRATEGY_PARAMS
  (Min Scale slider, default 0.25).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src-frontend/src/store.js

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 export const KERNELS = ['Luminance','Sobel','ColorGradient','Laplacian','Canny','Saturation','XDoG']
 export const BLEND_MODES = ['Average','Min','Max','Multiply','Screen','Difference']
 
-export const FILL_STRATEGIES = ['hatch','zigzag','offset','spiral','outline','circles','voronoi','hilbert','waves','flow']
+export const FILL_STRATEGIES = ['hatch','zigzag','offset','spiral','outline','circles','voronoi','hilbert','waves','flow','gradient_hatch']
 
 // Per-strategy secondary parameter exposed as a slider.
 // Strategies not listed here have no secondary parameter.
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ export const FILL_STRATEGY_PARAMS = {
              hint: 'Min circle radius as a multiple of spacing' },
   waves:   { label: 'Sources',  min: 1,   max: 9,   step: 1,   default: 5,
              hint: 'Number of concentric ring emitters' },
-  flow:    { label: 'Bend',     min: 0.0, max: 2.0, step: 0.1, default: 1.0,
+  flow:            { label: 'Bend',      min: 0.0,  max: 2.0, step: 0.1,  default: 1.0,
-             hint: '0 = straight lines · 1 = default ±45° · 2 = wild curves' },
+                    hint: '0 = straight lines · 1 = default ±45° · 2 = wild curves' },
+  gradient_hatch:  { label: 'Min Scale', min: 0.05, max: 1.0, step: 0.05, default: 0.25,
+                    hint: '1.0 = uniform · 0.05 = 20× denser at darkest ink' },
 }
 
 // Strategies that use the angle slider
-export const FILL_USES_ANGLE = new Set(['hatch', 'zigzag', 'flow'])
+export const FILL_USES_ANGLE = new Set(['hatch', 'zigzag', 'flow', 'gradient_hatch'])
 
 export function defaultKernelProps() {
   return {

src/fill.rs

@@ -85,6 +85,88 @@ pub fn parallel_hatch(hull: &Hull, spacing_px: f32, angle_deg: f32) -> FillResul
     FillResult { hull_id: hull.id, strokes }
 }
 
+// ── Gradient hatch ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/// Parallel hatch with adaptive scan-line spacing driven by the response map.
+///
+/// `min_scale` ∈ [0.05, 1.0]: spacing ratio applied in the darkest (most-ink) areas.
+///   1.0 → uniform spacing (identical to parallel_hatch)
+///   0.25 → 4× denser lines where response ≈ 0
+///
+/// Adaptive step: `local_spacing = spacing × lerp(min_scale, 1.0, response/255)`
+/// Floored at 1.0 px so each integer v-row is visited at most once — O(N log N) time.
+pub fn gradient_hatch(
+    hull: &Hull,
+    response: &[u8],
+    img_width: u32,
+    spacing_px: f32,
+    angle_deg: f32,
+    min_scale: f32,
+) -> FillResult {
+    if hull.pixels.is_empty() || spacing_px <= 0.0 {
+        return FillResult { hull_id: hull.id, strokes: vec![] };
+    }
+    let min_scale = min_scale.clamp(0.05, 1.0);
+
+    let angle_rad = angle_deg.to_radians();
+    let cos_a = angle_rad.cos();
+    let sin_a = angle_rad.sin();
+
+    // Build per-integer-v-row buckets: v_row → sorted Vec<(u_coord, resp)>
+    let mut v_buckets: HashMap<i32, Vec<(f32, u8)>> = HashMap::new();
+    let (mut v_min, mut v_max) = (f32::MAX, f32::MIN);
+
+    for &(px, py) in &hull.pixels {
+        let (fx, fy) = (px as f32, py as f32);
+        let u =  fx * cos_a + fy * sin_a;
+        let v = -fx * sin_a + fy * cos_a;
+        v_min = v_min.min(v);
+        v_max = v_max.max(v);
+        let resp = response.get((py * img_width + px) as usize).copied().unwrap_or(128);
+        v_buckets.entry(v.round() as i32).or_default().push((u, resp));
+    }
+    for entries in v_buckets.values_mut() {
+        entries.sort_by(|(a, _), (b, _)| a.partial_cmp(b).unwrap_or(std::cmp::Ordering::Equal));
+    }
+
+    let mut strokes = Vec::new();
+    let mut v = v_min + spacing_px * 0.5;
+
+    loop {
+        if v > v_max + spacing_px { break; }
+        let v_row = v.round() as i32;
+
+        let (entries, avg_resp): (&[(f32, u8)], u8) = if let Some(e) = v_buckets.get(&v_row) {
+            let sum: u32 = e.iter().map(|&(_, r)| r as u32).sum();
+            let avg = (sum / e.len() as u32) as u8;
+            (e.as_slice(), avg)
+        } else {
+            (&[], 255)
+        };
+
+        // Emit contiguous runs along this scan line
+        if entries.len() >= 2 {
+            let mut run_start = 0;
+            for i in 1..=entries.len() {
+                let end_run = i == entries.len() || entries[i].0 - entries[i-1].0 > 1.5;
+                if end_run && i - run_start >= 2 {
+                    let stroke: Vec<(f32, f32)> = entries[run_start..i].iter().map(|&(u_coord, _)| {
+                        (u_coord * cos_a - v * sin_a, u_coord * sin_a + v * cos_a)
+                    }).collect();
+                    if stroke.len() >= 2 { strokes.push(stroke); }
+                    run_start = i;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Adaptive step: resp=0 (dark/ink) → min_scale×spacing; resp=255 (bg) → 1×spacing
+        let local_spacing = spacing_px * (min_scale + (1.0 - min_scale) * avg_resp as f32 / 255.0);
+        v += local_spacing.max(1.0);  // floor: each integer v-row visited at most once
+    }
+
+    FillResult { hull_id: hull.id, strokes }
+}
+
 // ── Outline ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 /// The simplified contour as a single closed stroke.
@@ -1822,4 +1904,124 @@ mod tests {
             );
         }
     }
+
+    // ── gradient_hatch tests ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    /// Build a uniform response map for a hull (all in-hull pixels set to `val`).
+    fn uniform_response(hull: &Hull, img_width: u32, img_height: u32, val: u8) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let mut resp = vec![255u8; (img_width * img_height) as usize];
+        for &(px, py) in &hull.pixels {
+            resp[(py * img_width + px) as usize] = val;
+        }
+        resp
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_dark_denser_than_light() {
+        // Same 60×60 hull, two response levels — dark region should produce more strokes.
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 60);
+        let w = 68u32; let h = 68u32;
+        let dark  = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 10);   // very dark → tight
+        let light = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 110);  // lighter → wider
+
+        let dark_r  = gradient_hatch(&hull, &dark,  w, 8.0, 0.0, 0.2);
+        let light_r = gradient_hatch(&hull, &light, w, 8.0, 0.0, 0.2);
+
+        assert!(dark_r.strokes.len() > light_r.strokes.len(),
+            "dark hull should produce more strokes than light: dark={} light={}",
+            dark_r.strokes.len(), light_r.strokes.len());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_monotone_density() {
+        // Stroke count should decrease monotonically as response value increases.
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 60);
+        let w = 68u32; let h = 68u32;
+        let counts: Vec<usize> = [10u8, 50, 100, 150, 200].iter().map(|&val| {
+            let resp = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, val);
+            gradient_hatch(&hull, &resp, w, 6.0, 0.0, 0.2).strokes.len()
+        }).collect();
+
+        for window in counts.windows(2) {
+            assert!(window[0] >= window[1],
+                "stroke count should be non-increasing with response: {:?}", counts);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_min_scale_one_matches_parallel() {
+        // With min_scale=1.0, gradient_hatch is identical to parallel_hatch.
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 60);
+        let w = 68u32; let h = 68u32;
+        let resp = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 128);
+
+        let grad = gradient_hatch(&hull, &resp, w, 5.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+        let base = parallel_hatch(&hull, 5.0, 0.0);
+
+        let diff = (grad.strokes.len() as i64 - base.strokes.len() as i64).abs();
+        assert!(diff <= 2,
+            "gradient with min_scale=1.0 should match parallel_hatch: grad={} base={}",
+            grad.strokes.len(), base.strokes.len());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_all_points_inside_hull() {
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 60);
+        let w = 68u32; let h = 68u32;
+        let resp = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 30);
+        let result = gradient_hatch(&hull, &resp, w, 5.0, 0.0, 0.25);
+        let pixel_set: HashSet<(u32, u32)> = hull.pixels.iter().copied().collect();
+        for stroke in &result.strokes {
+            for &(x, y) in stroke {
+                let px = x.round() as u32; let py = y.round() as u32;
+                // Allow 1px tolerance at scan-line edges
+                let near = (-1i32..=1).any(|dy| (-1i32..=1).any(|dx| {
+                    pixel_set.contains(&((px as i32 + dx).max(0) as u32, (py as i32 + dy).max(0) as u32))
+                }));
+                assert!(near, "point ({x:.1},{y:.1}) is outside hull");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_performance() {
+        // Worst case: 256×256 dark hull with min_scale=0.1 (tightest possible lines).
+        // Must complete within 2 seconds in debug mode. Catches O(N²) regressions.
+        use std::time::Instant;
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 256);
+        let w = 264u32; let h = 264u32;
+        let resp = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 5);  // very dark
+
+        let t0 = Instant::now();
+        let result = gradient_hatch(&hull, &resp, w, 5.0, 0.0, 0.1);
+        let elapsed_ms = t0.elapsed().as_millis();
+
+        assert!(elapsed_ms < 2000,
+            "gradient_hatch 256×256 dark hull took {}ms — expected <2000ms", elapsed_ms);
+        assert!(!result.strokes.is_empty(), "should produce strokes");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn gradient_hatch_perf_ratio_vs_parallel() {
+        // gradient_hatch should not be more than 20× slower than parallel_hatch on the same hull.
+        // Uses μs timing; generous multiplier covers debug-mode variance.
+        use std::time::Instant;
+        let hull = make_square_hull(4, 4, 128);
+        let w = 136u32; let h = 136u32;
+        let resp = uniform_response(&hull, w, h, 128);
+
+        let t_par = {
+            let t = Instant::now();
+            let _ = parallel_hatch(&hull, 5.0, 0.0);
+            t.elapsed().as_micros().max(1)
+        };
+        let t_grad = {
+            let t = Instant::now();
+            let _ = gradient_hatch(&hull, &resp, w, 5.0, 0.0, 0.5);
+            t.elapsed().as_micros()
+        };
+
+        assert!(t_grad <= t_par * 20 + 50_000,
+            "gradient_hatch ({t_grad}μs) is >20× slower than parallel_hatch ({t_par}μs)");
+    }
 }

src/lib.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ struct AppState {
 struct PassState {
     hulls:        Vec<hulls::Hull>,
     fill_results: Vec<fill::FillResult>,
+    response_map: Vec<u8>,  // raw detect output; kept so gradient fills can query it
 }
 
 impl Default for AppState {
@@ -293,7 +294,7 @@ fn rgb_to_b64_jpeg(rgb: &image::RgbImage) -> String {
 fn process_pass_work(
     rgb: &image::RgbImage,
     payload: ProcessPassPayload,
-) -> (Vec<hulls::Hull>, ProcessResult) {
+) -> (Vec<hulls::Hull>, Vec<u8>, ProcessResult) {
     let t0 = Instant::now();
     let mut steps: Vec<StepTime> = Vec::new();
     let (w, h) = rgb.dimensions();
@@ -343,11 +344,13 @@ fn process_pass_work(
 
     steps.push(StepTime { label: "total".into(), ms: t0.elapsed().as_millis() as u64 });
 
-    (extracted, ProcessResult { hull_count, coverage_pct, viz_b64, node_previews, timings: steps })
+    (extracted, response, ProcessResult { hull_count, coverage_pct, viz_b64, node_previews, timings: steps })
 }
 
 fn generate_fill_work(
     hulls: Vec<hulls::Hull>,
+    response_map: Vec<u8>,
+    img_width: u32,
     payload: FillPayload,
 ) -> (Vec<fill::FillResult>, FillResult) {
     use rayon::prelude::*;
@@ -359,19 +362,23 @@ fn generate_fill_work(
     let param    = payload.param;
     let mut steps: Vec<StepTime> = Vec::new();
 
+    // Share the response map across rayon threads without cloning it per-hull
+    let response_arc: std::sync::Arc<[u8]> = response_map.into();
+
     let mut t = Instant::now();
     let raw_results: Vec<fill::FillResult> = hulls.par_iter().map(|hull| {
         match strategy.as_str() {
-            "outline"  => fill::outline(hull),
+            "outline"         => fill::outline(hull),
-            "zigzag"   => fill::zigzag_hatch(hull, spacing, angle),
+            "zigzag"          => fill::zigzag_hatch(hull, spacing, angle),
-            "offset"   => fill::contour_offset(hull, spacing),
+            "offset"          => fill::contour_offset(hull, spacing),
-            "spiral"   => fill::spiral(hull, spacing),
+            "spiral"          => fill::spiral(hull, spacing),
-            "circles"  => fill::circle_pack(hull, spacing, param.max(0.1)),
+            "circles"         => fill::circle_pack(hull, spacing, param.max(0.1)),
-            "voronoi"  => fill::voronoi_fill(hull, spacing),
+            "voronoi"         => fill::voronoi_fill(hull, spacing),
-            "hilbert"  => fill::hilbert_fill(hull, spacing),
+            "hilbert"         => fill::hilbert_fill(hull, spacing),
-            "waves"    => fill::wave_interference(hull, spacing, param.round().max(1.0) as usize),
+            "waves"           => fill::wave_interference(hull, spacing, param.round().max(1.0) as usize),
-            "flow"     => fill::flow_field(hull, spacing, angle, param.max(0.0)),
+            "flow"            => fill::flow_field(hull, spacing, angle, param.max(0.0)),
-            _          => fill::parallel_hatch(hull, spacing, angle),
+            "gradient_hatch"  => fill::gradient_hatch(hull, &response_arc, img_width, spacing, angle, param.clamp(0.05, 1.0)),
+            _                 => fill::parallel_hatch(hull, spacing, angle),
         }
     }).collect();
     t = lap!(steps, "fill gen", t);
@@ -414,7 +421,7 @@ fn load_image(path: String, state: State<Mutex<AppState>>) -> Result<ImageInfo,
 #[tauri::command]
 fn set_pass_count(count: usize, state: State<Mutex<AppState>>) {
     let mut st = state.lock().unwrap();
-    st.passes.resize_with(count, || PassState { hulls: Vec::new(), fill_results: Vec::new() });
+    st.passes.resize_with(count, PassState::default);
 }
 
 #[tauri::command]
@@ -428,7 +435,7 @@ async fn process_pass(payload: ProcessPassPayload, state: State<'_, Mutex<AppSta
 
     let idx = payload.pass_index;
 
-    let (new_hulls, result) = tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
+    let (new_hulls, response_map, result) = tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
         process_pass_work(&rgb, payload)
     })
     .await
@@ -440,6 +447,7 @@ async fn process_pass(payload: ProcessPassPayload, state: State<'_, Mutex<AppSta
     }
     st.passes[idx].hulls        = new_hulls;
     st.passes[idx].fill_results = Vec::new();
+    st.passes[idx].response_map = response_map;
 
     Ok(result)
 }
@@ -448,17 +456,18 @@ async fn process_pass(payload: ProcessPassPayload, state: State<'_, Mutex<AppSta
 async fn generate_fill(payload: FillPayload, state: State<'_, Mutex<AppState>>) -> Result<FillResult, String> {
     let idx = payload.pass_index;
 
-    // Clone hulls and release the lock before handing off to the blocking pool.
+    // Clone hulls + response map and release the lock before handing off to the blocking pool.
-    let hulls = {
+    let (hulls, response_map, img_width) = {
         let st = state.lock().unwrap();
         if idx >= st.passes.len() || st.passes[idx].hulls.is_empty() {
             return Err("Process image first".into());
         }
-        st.passes[idx].hulls.clone()
+        let w = st.image_rgb.as_ref().map(|i| i.width()).unwrap_or(0);
+        (st.passes[idx].hulls.clone(), st.passes[idx].response_map.clone(), w)
     };
 
     let (optimised, result) = tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
-        generate_fill_work(hulls, payload)
+        generate_fill_work(hulls, response_map, img_width, payload)
     })
     .await
     .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
@@ -925,7 +934,7 @@ mod blocking_tests {
             "mutex was blocked during heavy processing"
         );
 
-        let (hulls, result) = work.await.unwrap();
+        let (hulls, _, result) = work.await.unwrap();
         assert!(result.timings.iter().any(|t| t.label == "total"));
         assert!(!hulls.is_empty(), "expected hulls from checkerboard image");
     }
@@ -934,13 +943,14 @@ mod blocking_tests {
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn generate_fill_does_not_hold_mutex_during_computation() {
         let rgb = synthetic_image(400, 300);
-        let (hulls, _) = process_pass_work(&rgb, default_process_payload());
+        let (hulls, response_map, _) = process_pass_work(&rgb, default_process_payload());
         assert!(!hulls.is_empty(), "need hulls to test fill");
+        let img_width = rgb.width();
 
         let state = Arc::new(Mutex::new(AppState {
             image_rgb:  Some(rgb),
             image_path: String::new(),
-            passes:     vec![PassState { hulls: hulls.clone(), fill_results: Vec::new() }],
+            passes:     vec![PassState { hulls: hulls.clone(), fill_results: Vec::new(), response_map: response_map.clone() }],
         }));
 
         // Clone hulls and release lock — mirrors what the command handler does.
@@ -961,7 +971,7 @@ mod blocking_tests {
         };
 
         let work = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-            generate_fill_work(work_hulls, payload)
+            generate_fill_work(work_hulls, response_map, img_width, payload)
         });
 
         tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5)).await;

src/pipeline_bench.rs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use base64::{engine::general_purpose::STANDARD as B64, Engine};
 
 use trac3r_lib::detect::{DetectionParams, DetectionLayer, DetectionKernel, apply_stack};
 use trac3r_lib::hulls::{HullParams, Connectivity, extract_hulls};
-use trac3r_lib::fill::{parallel_hatch, smooth_fill_result, optimize_travel, FillResult};
+use trac3r_lib::fill::{parallel_hatch, gradient_hatch, smooth_fill_result, optimize_travel, FillResult};
 
 fn t(label: &str, start: Instant) -> Instant {
     println!("  {:40} {:>6}ms", label, start.elapsed().as_millis());
@@ -160,6 +160,18 @@ fn main() {
     let now = t(&format!("serialize ({}KB JSON)", json.len() / 1024), now);
     drop(now);
 
+    // ── gradient_hatch ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    println!("\n[ gradient_hatch (same hulls, min_scale=0.25) ]");
+    for min_scale in [0.5f32, 0.25, 0.1] {
+        let now = Instant::now();
+        let raw: Vec<FillResult> = hulls.iter()
+            .map(|h| gradient_hatch(h, &response, w, 5.0, 0.0, min_scale))
+            .collect();
+        let strokes: usize = raw.iter().map(|r| r.strokes.len()).sum();
+        let now = t(&format!("min_scale={min_scale:.2}  ({strokes} strokes)"), now);
+        drop(now);
+    }
+
     // ── Summary ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     println!("\n=== SUMMARY ===");
     println!("  image:            {w}×{h}  ({} hull px)", total_px);