fix: apply verify --strict in every mode

scripts/verify.py

@@ -2016,6 +2016,8 @@ def _refuse_listing_narrowings(
         ("--standalone", args.standalone),
         ("--include-archived", args.include_archived),
         ("--json", args.json),
+        ("--strict", args.strict),
+        ("--verbose", args.verbose),
     ):
         if on:
             parser.error(f"{flag} is incompatible with {listing}")
@@ -2094,7 +2096,8 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument(
         "--strict",
         action="store_true",
-        help="Exit 1 when a platform that checks hashes misses a required file",
+        help="Exit 1 on a required file missing: where the frontend checks "
+        "hashes for a platform, without HLE for --emulator and --system",
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if args.platform:
@@ -2141,6 +2144,7 @@ def main():
             print(json.dumps(result, indent=2))
         else:
             print_emulator_result(result, verbose=args.verbose)
+        _exit_if_strict_emulator(args.strict, result)
         return
 
     # System mode
@@ -2157,6 +2161,7 @@ def main():
             print(json.dumps(result, indent=2))
         else:
             print_emulator_result(result, verbose=args.verbose)
+        _exit_if_strict_emulator(args.strict, result)
         return
 
     # Platform mode (existing)
@@ -2230,13 +2235,36 @@ def main():
             r["details"] = [d for d in r["details"] if d["status"] != Status.OK]
         print(json.dumps(all_results, indent=2))
 
-    critical = sum(r["severity_counts"].get(Severity.CRITICAL, 0) for r, _ in group_results)
-    if args.strict and critical:
+    _exit_if_strict(args.strict, [r for r, _ in group_results])
+
+
+def _exit_if_strict(strict: bool, results: list[dict]) -> None:
+    """Exit 1 under --strict when a platform result counts a critical file:
+    a required file missing or rejected where the frontend reads hashes."""
+    critical = sum(r["severity_counts"].get(Severity.CRITICAL, 0) for r in results)
+    if strict and critical:
         print(f"ERROR: {critical} required file(s) missing where the frontend "
               "checks hashes", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
 
+def _exit_if_strict_emulator(strict: bool, result: dict) -> None:
+    """Exit 1 under --strict when an emulator lacks a file it cannot run without.
+
+    The emulator, not a frontend, is the judge here: a required file with no
+    HLE fallback that the collection does not hold stops the core.
+    """
+    missing = sorted({
+        d["name"] for d in result["details"]
+        if d["status"] == Status.MISSING and d.get("required", True)
+        and not d.get("hle_fallback")
+    })
+    if strict and missing:
+        print(f"ERROR: {len(missing)} required file(s) missing: "
+              f"{', '.join(missing)}", file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
 def _overall_summary(group_results: list[tuple[dict, list[str]]]) -> str:
     """One closing line for a multi-platform run, worst severity first."""
     platforms = sum(len(group) for _, group in group_results)

tests/test_audit_regressions.py

@@ -3075,3 +3075,39 @@ class TriageSurvivesAForgeRefusal(unittest.TestCase):
         lines = out.getvalue().splitlines()
         self.assertEqual(len(lines), 2)
         self.assertTrue(any("eden" in l and "unreachable" in l for l in lines))
+
+
+class VerifyStrictAppliesInEveryMode(unittest.TestCase):
+    """--strict was read only by the platform branch: `--emulator x --strict`
+    printed MISSING (required) and exited 0, and the listings accepted it."""
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        if not (ROOT / "database.json").exists():
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("database.json is not built")
+        cls.dir = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=TMP_ROOT))
+        (cls.dir / "fakeemu.yml").write_text(
+            "emulator: FakeEmu\ntype: libretro\nsystems: [zz-console]\nfiles:\n"
+            "  - name: does_not_exist_strict.bin\n    required: true\n"
+            "    md5: 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef\n    validation: [md5]\n"
+        )
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        __import__("shutil").rmtree(cls.dir, True)
+
+    def run_verify(self, *flags: str) -> int:
+        return subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/verify.py", *flags], cwd=ROOT,
+            capture_output=True, text=True,
+        ).returncode
+
+    def test_emulator_and_system_modes_fail_on_a_missing_required_file(self):
+        for mode in (["--emulator", "fakeemu"], ["--system", "zz-console"]):
+            with self.subTest(mode=mode[0]):
+                flags = [*mode, "--emulators-dir", str(self.dir)]
+                self.assertEqual(self.run_verify(*flags), 0)
+                self.assertEqual(self.run_verify(*flags, "--strict"), 1)
+
+    def test_a_listing_refuses_strict(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.run_verify("--list-emulators", "--strict"), 2)

wiki/tools.md

@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ python scripts/verify.py --platform batocera       # single platform
 python scripts/verify.py --platform retroarch --verbose  # with ground truth details
 python scripts/verify.py --emulator dolphin        # single emulator
 python scripts/verify.py --emulator dolphin --standalone  # standalone mode only
+python scripts/verify.py --emulator handy --strict  # exit 1 on a required file missing with no HLE
 python scripts/verify.py --system atari-lynx       # single system
 python scripts/verify.py --platform retroarch --target switch  # filter by hardware
 python scripts/verify.py --platform recalbox --region us   # regional priority list