From f8825dc55a3cd1697adc95f5bfea540f23334a08 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Orkuncakilkaya <orkuncakilkaya@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2026 16:46:00 +0300
Subject: [PATCH] ludic.ui, ludic.i18n: frame_keeps and birth_leaks to 0 -
 :nth-child's a and b read once per argument, a border-image's miss its own
 function; typing, the dev dump, parsing, the pointer ring's making, Ln's
 counted line and the plural header declared

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 packages/ludic.i18n/plural.ludic        |  2 +
 packages/ludic.ui/anim.ludic            |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/attr_edge.ludic       | 21 +++++++----
 packages/ludic.ui/backend.ludic         |  2 +
 packages/ludic.ui/controls.ludic        |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/controls_number.ludic |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/controls_parts.ludic  |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/dump.ludic            |  2 +
 packages/ludic.ui/frame_box.ludic       |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/link.ludic            |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/pointer_ring.ludic    |  2 +
 packages/ludic.ui/select_match.ludic    |  2 +-
 packages/ludic.ui/select_nth.ludic      | 50 ++++++++++++++++++-------
 packages/ludic.ui/select_parts.ludic    |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/style.ludic           |  1 +
 packages/ludic.ui/tpl.ludic             |  1 +
 16 files changed, 67 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/plural.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/plural.ludic
index 4c9021dc..165551fb 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/plural.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/plural.ludic
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export const PL_ABOVE_ONE: int = 1   # French, Portuguese (0 and 1 are singular)
 export const PL_ONE_FORM: int = 2    # Japanese, Chinese
 export const PL_SLAVIC: int = 3      # Russian, Ukrainian: one, few, many
 
+@alloc_ok("on a language change: its plural rule read from the header")
 function plural_rule_of(h: string) -> int {
   let k = i18n_find(h, len(h), 0, "plural=", 7)
   if k < 0 { return PL_NOT_ONE }
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ export function Ln(i18n_st: I18nState, one: string, many: string, n: int) -> str
   return count_in(t, n)
 }
 
+@alloc_ok("a counted line (Ln) made when the game asks for one, outside a frame; its caller keeps it")
 function count_in(t: string, n: int) -> string {
   let m = len(t)
   var r = ""
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/anim.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/anim.ludic
index 5403e39c..505c1d2e 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/anim.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/anim.ludic
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function an_now(ui_st: UiState) -> float {
   return float(ui_st.an_frame) / 60.0
 }
 # @keyframes NAME { from {...} 50% {...} to {...} }
+@alloc_ok("a stylesheet being read: once per component class (uc_load)")
 function an_read(ui_st: mut UiState, name: string, body: string, err: []string) -> void {
   let k = new UiKeyframes
   k.name = tpl_words(name)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/attr_edge.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/attr_edge.ludic
index 94a2c159..f89a8b45 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/attr_edge.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/attr_edge.ludic
@@ -26,14 +26,8 @@ function el_url(s: string) -> string {
 function el_border_image(ui_st: mut UiState, n: UiNode, s: string) -> void {
   let m = mm_of(ui_st)
   var at = mm_find(m, MM_BIMG, s)
-  if at < 0 {
-    var close = 0
-    while close < len(s) and s[close] != 41 { close += 1 }
-    at = mm_add(m, MM_BIMG, s)
-    if at < 0 { return }
-    m.texts[at] = el_url(s[0..Math.min(close + 1, len(s))])
-    m.lists[at] = lss_split(s[Math.min(close + 1, len(s))..len(s)], 47)
-  }
+  if at < 0 { at = el_bimg_read(m, s) }
+  if at < 0 { return }
   n.bi_src = m.texts[at]
   let rest = m.lists[at]
   n.bi_slice = el_num(tw(ui_st, rest[0]))
@@ -95,3 +89,14 @@ function el_secs(ui_st: mut UiState, s: string) -> float {
   }
   return 0.0
 }
+
+@alloc_ok("a memo miss: once per border-image value, bounded by MM_CAP")
+function el_bimg_read(m: UiMemo, s: string) -> int {
+  var close = 0
+  while close < len(s) and s[close] != 41 { close += 1 }
+  let at = mm_add(m, MM_BIMG, s)
+  if at < 0 { return -1 }
+  m.texts[at] = el_url(s[0..Math.min(close + 1, len(s))])
+  m.lists[at] = lss_split(s[Math.min(close + 1, len(s))..len(s)], 47)
+  return at
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/backend.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/backend.ludic
index 846b54c8..71e557d3 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/backend.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/backend.ludic
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ export state UiState {
   pe_evs: []UiPointer = pe_evs__new()   # pointer_events.ludic: an event's record and its Value, a ring
   pe_vals: []Val = pe_vals__new()
   pe_at: int = 0
+  nth_a: int = 0                         # select_nth.ludic: the a and b just read
+  nth_b: int = 0
   tt_src: string = null                  # tooltip.ludic: the title tt_text was translated from
   fit_out: []float = new []float         # draw_content.ludic: an image's box, kept
   r3n_cut: []float = new []float         # render3d_nine.ludic: a nine-slice's edges, kept
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/controls.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/controls.ludic
index 37a447f4..fcea9b18 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/controls.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/controls.ludic
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ function ct_drag(ui_st: mut UiState, root: UiNode, key: string, x: float, y: flo
   if n != null { ct_press(ui_st, n, x, y) }
 }
 # typing into a focused text field, or the key a key field is waiting for
+@alloc_ok("on a key typed into a field, not a frame")
 function ct_typed(ui_st: mut UiState, n: UiNode) -> void {
   let t = ct_type(n)
   if t == "key" { ct_key_typed(ui_st, n) }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/controls_number.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/controls_number.ludic
index 2ce6b237..e702e137 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/controls_number.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/controls_number.ludic
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ function ct_num_step(ui_st: mut UiState, n: UiNode, d: int) -> void {
   ct_num_set(ui_st, n, base + ct_num_step_of(n) * float(d))
 }
 # what was typed this frame, the characters a number can hold; Backspace takes one back
+@alloc_ok("on a key typed into a number field, not a frame")
 function ct_num_typed(ui_st: mut UiState, n: UiNode) -> void {
   if ui_st.fc_key != n.key or (ui_st.in_now.typed == "" and not ui_st.in_now.backspace) { return }
   if ui_st.ct_num_key != n.key {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/controls_parts.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/controls_parts.ludic
index 04d8507b..291fb27a 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/controls_parts.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/controls_parts.ludic
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ function ct_value_text(n: UiNode) -> string {
   return s + ui_attr_text(n, "unit")
 }
 # a number with `places` digits after the point, rounded
+@alloc_ok("a memo miss (ct_value_shown): once per value a range shows")
 function ct_fixed(f: float, places: int) -> string {
   var k = 1
   for i in 0 .. Math.max(places, 0) { k = k * 10 }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/dump.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/dump.ludic
index 06926019..c13344de 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/dump.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/dump.ludic
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export function ui_dump(n: UiNode, depth: int) -> string {
   return out
 }
 # tag#id.class.class, or the kind of a node the template did not name
+@alloc_ok("developer builds only, once, under LUDIC_UI_DUMP")
 function dp_name(n: UiNode) -> string {
   var s = n.tag
   if s == "" { s = `({n.kind})` }
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ function dp_name(n: UiNode) -> string {
   return s
 }
 # the computed styles that differ from an element's defaults
+@alloc_ok("developer builds only, once, under LUDIC_UI_DUMP")
 function dp_style(n: UiNode) -> string {
   var s = ""
   if n.size > 0.0 { s = s + ` font {int(n.size)}` }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/frame_box.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/frame_box.ludic
index ff73525c..24f63b3a 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/frame_box.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/frame_box.ludic
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ function fb_keep(ui_st: mut UiState, screen: string, root: UiNode) -> void {
   ui_kept(ui_st.fb_roots, root)
 }
 # the box of the element with that id (or key) on any screen shown, in screen pixels; null if none
+@alloc_ok("a question the game asks now and then (an anchor, a screen's box), never per frame")
 export function ui_box(ui_st: UiState, id: string) -> UiBox {
   for i in 0 .. len(ui_st.fb_roots) {
     let n = fb_find(ui_st.fb_roots[i], id)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/link.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/link.ludic
index 51b42018..8eeb060a 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/link.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/link.ludic
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ function lk_in(words: string, w: string) -> bool {
   return false
 }
 # `any` finds an unexported one too, to say why it cannot be used
+@alloc_ok("a template being linked: once per component class (uc_load)")
 function lk_find(f: UiFile, tag: string, any: bool) -> UiTpl {
   var colon = -1
   for i in 0 .. len(tag) {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/pointer_ring.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/pointer_ring.ludic
index 3fac5168..e7ef1c39 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/pointer_ring.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/pointer_ring.ludic
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 # pointer_ring.ludic - a pointer event's record and the Value its handler is given, made once
 # events are made once and taken in turn: more than a frame fires before its handlers have run
 const PE_RING: int = 16
+@alloc_ok("once: made with the state")
 function pe_evs__new() -> []UiPointer {
   let xs = new []UiPointer
   for i in 0 .. PE_RING { push(xs, new UiPointer) }
   return xs
 }
+@alloc_ok("once: made with the state")
 function pe_vals__new() -> []Val {
   let xs = new []Val
   for i in 0 .. PE_RING {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/select_match.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/select_match.ludic
index 4476b742..c1a4781e 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/select_match.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/select_match.ludic
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function sel_pseudo_ok(ui_st: mut UiState, p: string, arg: string, n: UiNode) ->
   if p == "checked" { return ui_attr_on(n, "checked") }
   if p == "active" { return fr_active(ui_st, n) }
   if p == "capturing" { return ui_st.ct_capture != "" and n.key == ui_st.ct_capture }
-  if p == "nth-child" { return sel_nth(arg, n.index + 1) }
+  if p == "nth-child" { return sel_nth(ui_st, arg, n.index + 1) }
   @alloc_ok("only when a template is wrong: a broken screen, never a working one")
   ui_err(ui_st, `:{p}: there is no such pseudo-class here`)
   return false
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/select_nth.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/select_nth.ludic
index 4c69cce6..7d9f4778 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/select_nth.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/select_nth.ludic
@@ -1,21 +1,43 @@
 # select_nth.ludic - :nth-child's formulas
-# :nth-child(odd), (even), (3), (2n+1), (n+2), (-n+3): is the k-th child one of them
-function sel_nth(arg: string, k: int) -> bool {
+# :nth-child(odd), (even), (3), (2n+1), (n+2), (-n+3): is the k-th child one of them. The a and b of
+# an + b are read once per argument (matched per element per frame, a read made text every time)
+const MM_NTH: int = -16            # n1 a, n2 b
+function sel_nth(ui_st: mut UiState, arg: string, k: int) -> bool {
   if arg == "odd" { return k % 2 == 1 }
   if arg == "even" { return k % 2 == 0 }
-  var npos = -1
-  for i in 0 .. len(arg) {
-    if arg[i] == 110 { npos = i }
-  }
-  if npos < 0 { return string(k) == arg }
-  var a = 1
-  let head: string = arg[0..npos]
-  if head == "-" { a = -1 } else if len(head) > 0 { a = int(el_num(head)) }
-  var b = 0
-  var tail = tpl_words(arg[npos + 1..len(arg)])
-  if len(tail) > 0 and tail[0] == 43 { tail = tpl_words(tail[1..len(tail)]) }
-  if len(tail) > 0 { b = int(el_num(tail)) }
+  let m = mm_of(ui_st)
+  let i = mm_find(m, MM_NTH, arg)
+  if i >= 0 {
+    ui_st.nth_a = int(m.n1[i])
+    ui_st.nth_b = int(m.n2[i])
+  } else { sel_nth_read(ui_st, m, arg) }
+  let a = ui_st.nth_a
+  let b = ui_st.nth_b
   if a == 0 { return k == b }
   let d = k - b
   return d % a == 0 and d / a >= 0
 }
+@alloc_ok("a memo miss: once per :nth-child argument, bounded by MM_CAP")
+function sel_nth_read(ui_st: mut UiState, m: UiMemo, arg: string) -> void {
+  var npos = -1
+  for i in 0 .. len(arg) {
+    if arg[i] == 110 { npos = i }
+  }
+  var a = 0
+  var b = 0
+  if npos < 0 { b = int(el_num(arg)) } else {
+    a = 1
+    let head: string = arg[0..npos]
+    if head == "-" { a = -1 } else if len(head) > 0 { a = int(el_num(head)) }
+    var tail = tpl_words(arg[npos + 1..len(arg)])
+    if len(tail) > 0 and tail[0] == 43 { tail = tpl_words(tail[1..len(tail)]) }
+    if len(tail) > 0 { b = int(el_num(tail)) }
+  }
+  ui_st.nth_a = a
+  ui_st.nth_b = b
+  let j = mm_add(m, MM_NTH, arg)
+  if j >= 0 {
+    m.n1[j] = float(a)
+    m.n2[j] = float(b)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/select_parts.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/select_parts.ludic
index a0d7ffbe..f3e2b027 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/select_parts.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/select_parts.ludic
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ function sel_attr(r: UiRd, s: UiSel) -> void {
   }
   if not rd_op(r, "]") { rd_fail(r, "']'") }
 }
+@alloc_ok("a stylesheet being read: once per component class (uc_load)")
 function sel_pseudo(r: UiRd, s: UiSel) -> void {
   r.i += 1
   let name = sel_name(r)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/style.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/style.ludic
index ca05ff00..4a654a82 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/style.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/style.ludic
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function lss_file(ui_st: mut UiState, src: string, path: string) -> UiFile {
   f.sheet = sheet_of(f)
   return f
 }
+@alloc_ok("a stylesheet being read: once per component class (uc_load)")
 function lss_text(ui_st: mut UiState, f: UiFile, src: string) -> void {
   let err = new []string
   lss_block(ui_st, f, lss_strip(src), null, err)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.ui/tpl.ludic b/packages/ludic.ui/tpl.ludic
index 0551121c..755caec4 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.ui/tpl.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.ui/tpl.ludic
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export property UiTpl {
   raw: string = ""              # a <style>'s text, which is not a template's
   where: string = ""            # file:line, for an error
 }
+@alloc_ok("a template being read: once per component class (uc_load)")
 function tpl_read(ui_st: mut UiState, x: Xml, file: string) -> UiTpl {
   let t = new UiTpl
   t.tag = Xml.tag(x)