Update README and in-app User Guide for VNC, Import/Export, and connect-time prompting

Both docs still described VNC as unimplemented and required usernames
up front for SSH/RDP -- neither has been true for a while. Brings them
in line with the actual current feature set: VNC's encodings/clipboard/
cursor sync/display modes and honest Apple Screen Sharing auth status,
blank-username connect-time prompting across all three protocols,
profile Import/Export and mRemoteNG import, and the new prompt
visibility behavior (issue #22). docs/USER_GUIDE.md also drives the
in-app Help -> User Guide dialog and the PDF shipped with releases.

Bump version to v2026.9.16.7.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.21)
 
-project(OrbitHub VERSION 2026.9.16.6 LANGUAGES CXX)
+project(OrbitHub VERSION 2026.9.16.7 LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

README.md

@@ -15,16 +15,23 @@ OrbitHub is in active development.
 
 - Milestones completed: M0-M9
 - Current milestone: Milestone 10 (v1.0 Stabilization)
-- Latest checkpoint tag: `v2026.9.15`
-- VNC (M6) covers standard VNC Authentication and no-auth servers; see
-  [docs/PROGRESS.md](docs/PROGRESS.md) for known gaps (Apple Screen
-  Sharing auth, compression encodings, resize, cursor sync, clipboard)
+- Latest published release: `v2026.9.16`; a `v2026.9.16.6` release is
+  drafted with several post-`.16` fixes and is pending a macOS installer
+  before publishing
+- VNC (M6) is fully built out: Raw/CopyRect/Hextile/ZRLE/Tight encodings,
+  bidirectional clipboard sync, remote cursor shape sync, and both
+  scale-to-fit and actual-size display modes. Standard VNC Authentication
+  and no-auth servers (TigerVNC, x11vnc, TightVNC, etc.) work end to end.
+  macOS's built-in Screen Sharing uses two undocumented, reverse-engineered
+  authentication schemes that are implemented but not yet confirmed working
+  against a real macOS server — see
+  [docs/PROGRESS.md](docs/PROGRESS.md) for details.
 
 Progress and milestone details:
 - [docs/PROGRESS.md](docs/PROGRESS.md)
 
-Latest release (installers for Windows, Linux, and macOS):
-- [v2026.9.15](https://git.darksingularity.org/DarkSingularity/orbithub/releases/tag/v2026.9.15)
+Latest published release (installers for Windows, Linux, and macOS):
+- [v2026.9.16](https://git.darksingularity.org/DarkSingularity/orbithub/releases/tag/v2026.9.16)
 
 User Guide:
 - [docs/USER_GUIDE.md](docs/USER_GUIDE.md) (also available as a PDF attached to each release, and in-app via `Help -> User Guide`)
@@ -50,6 +57,8 @@ An embedded RDP session in a tab.
 - SQLite-backed profile storage
 - Create, edit, delete profiles
 - Protocol-aware profile validation (SSH/RDP/VNC)
+- Username is optional on any protocol's profile — if left blank, OrbitHub
+  asks for one inline at connect time instead of requiring it up front
 - Profile search and sorting
 - Tags support
 - Folder/subfolder support
@@ -58,13 +67,20 @@ An embedded RDP session in a tab.
   - New Folder
   - New Connection
 - Drag-and-drop profile moves between folders with persistence
+- Import/Export of the whole profile list as JSON, and one-way import from
+  mRemoteNG connection XML files (passwords are never imported)
 
 ### Session Experience
 
 - Multi-tab session window
 - Auto-connect on tab open
 - Disconnect on tab close
-- Session state indicators on tabs
+- Session state indicators on tabs, colored distinctly per state
+  (connecting/connected/disconnected/failed)
+- A tab awaiting a username/password prompt is clearly marked — its title
+  gets a "(Needs input)" suffix and its tab color changes — even when it
+  isn't the tab currently in view, and the inline prompt itself uses a
+  solid highlighted banner rather than blending into the rest of the tab
 - Timestamped event log with filtering and export
 
 ### SSH
@@ -82,14 +98,36 @@ An embedded RDP session in a tab.
 - Domain-aware authentication support
 - RDP security/performance profile options
 
+### VNC
+
+- Embedded in-window VNC rendering surface (no external launcher)
+- Raw, CopyRect, Hextile, ZRLE, and Tight rectangle encodings
+- Bidirectional clipboard sync
+- Remote cursor shape sync
+- Scale-to-fit and actual-size (scrollable) display modes, toggled
+  per-tab and remembered across sessions
+- Standard VNC Authentication and no-auth servers (TigerVNC, x11vnc,
+  TightVNC, etc.)
+- No dynamic remote-desktop resizing (VNC has no real equivalent of RDP's
+  MS-RDPEDISP)
+- macOS Screen Sharing's two undocumented Apple auth schemes are
+  implemented but not yet confirmed working against a real macOS server —
+  see [docs/PROGRESS.md](docs/PROGRESS.md)
+
 ### App UX
 
 - App icon and themed About dialog
+- In-app User Guide (`Help -> User Guide`), matching
+  [docs/USER_GUIDE.md](docs/USER_GUIDE.md)
 - `File` menu:
   - New Profile
   - New Folder
+  - Import Profiles...
+  - Export Profiles...
+  - Import from mRemoteNG...
   - Quit
 - `Help` menu:
+  - User Guide
   - About OrbitHub
 
 ## Build and Run
@@ -140,6 +178,9 @@ Core dependencies:
 - Qt 6 (Widgets, SQL)
 - CMake 3.21+
 - C++17 toolchain
+- OpenSSL (RDP/VNC transport security and Apple VNC auth)
+- zlib (VNC's ZRLE and Tight encodings)
+- libjpeg-turbo (VNC's Tight encoding's JPEG sub-mode)
 
 Protocol/runtime dependencies:
 - SSH client (`ssh`) available on `PATH` for SSH sessions
@@ -176,12 +217,19 @@ See in-app `Help -> About OrbitHub` for license links and third-party inventory.
 
 - `src/` - application source code
 - `docs/` - build guide, spec, and progress tracking
+- `packaging/` - per-platform installer/package build scripts
+- `tests/` - CTest unit/integration tests and fixtures
+- `tools/` - standalone build-time tools (e.g. the User Guide PDF generator)
 - `third_party/` - vendored third-party dependencies
 - `build/` - local build output (generated)
+- `dist/` - packaged installer/deb/flatpak/dmg output (generated)
 
 ## Notes
 
 - Passwords are requested at connect time and are not stored in the profile database.
+- A profile's username is optional for every protocol; if left blank,
+  OrbitHub asks for one inline the first time you connect that profile.
 - VNC support covers standard VNC Authentication and no-auth servers (e.g. TigerVNC, x11vnc,
-  TightVNC); it doesn't yet reach macOS's built-in Screen Sharing server, which uses a different
-  authentication scheme (see docs/PROGRESS.md, Milestone 6).
+  TightVNC). macOS's built-in Screen Sharing server uses two undocumented, reverse-engineered
+  authentication schemes that are implemented but not yet confirmed working against a real
+  macOS server (see docs/PROGRESS.md, Milestone 6).

docs/USER_GUIDE.md

@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 ## Introduction
 
 OrbitHub is a native desktop application for organizing connection profiles
-and launching SSH and RDP sessions from one place, in a single tabbed
+and launching SSH, RDP, and VNC sessions from one place, in a single tabbed
 window. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
 
 This guide covers everyday use: creating and organizing profiles,
-connecting over SSH and RDP, managing active sessions, and what to do when
-something goes wrong. It does not cover installation or building from
+connecting over SSH, RDP, and VNC, managing active sessions, and what to do
+when something goes wrong. It does not cover installation or building from
 source — see the project's `README.md` and `docs/BUILDING.md` for that.
 
-VNC support is planned but not yet implemented; profiles can be tagged for
-it, but connecting will show an "unsupported protocol" message for now.
+VNC support covers standard VNC Authentication and no-auth servers
+(TigerVNC, x11vnc, TightVNC, and similar). macOS's built-in Screen Sharing
+server uses two undocumented, reverse-engineered authentication schemes
+that are implemented but not yet confirmed working end to end against a
+real macOS server — see [Connecting via VNC](#connecting-via-vnc).
 
 ## Getting Started
 
@@ -43,15 +46,19 @@ A profile stores everything needed to reach one remote host. Open **New**
 
 - **Name** — a label for the profile; shown on its tab and in the list.
 - **Host** — hostname or IP address.
-- **Port** — defaults to `22` for SSH, `3389` for RDP.
-- **Username** — the account to log in as.
+- **Port** — defaults to `22` for SSH, `3389` for RDP, `5900` for VNC.
+- **Username** — the account to log in as. Optional for every protocol —
+  leave it blank and OrbitHub asks for one inline the first time you
+  connect that profile, the same way it already asks for a password. (VNC
+  servers mostly ignore username entirely; macOS Screen Sharing is the
+  exception and requires one — see
+  [Connecting via VNC](#connecting-via-vnc).)
 - **Domain** — Windows domain for RDP logins (leave blank for local/
-  workgroup accounts or SSH profiles).
+  workgroup accounts, SSH, or VNC profiles).
 - **Tags** — free-form, comma-separated labels for filtering and grouping
   (e.g. `prod, linux, db`).
 - **Folder** — where the profile lives in the Folders view.
-- **Protocol** — `SSH`, `RDP`, or `VNC` (VNC is accepted but not yet
-  connectable — see Introduction).
+- **Protocol** — `SSH`, `RDP`, or `VNC`.
 
 Fields below Protocol change based on what you pick:
 
@@ -63,6 +70,9 @@ policy means.
 **RDP**: **RDP Security** and **RDP Performance** — see
 [Connecting via RDP](#connecting-via-rdp).
 
+**VNC** has no protocol-specific fields beyond Host/Port/Username above —
+see [Connecting via VNC](#connecting-via-vnc).
+
 Passwords are never saved in the profile — OrbitHub asks for them each
 time you connect (unless you've set up private-key SSH auth, which needs
 no password to be entered per-connection if the key itself has none).
@@ -85,6 +95,24 @@ Combine both with the **Search** box (matches name, host, folder path, or
 tags) and the **Sort** control (Name / Protocol / Host) to find what you
 need quickly even with a large profile list.
 
+## Importing and Exporting Profiles
+
+The **File** menu has three options for moving profiles in or out of
+OrbitHub:
+
+- **Export Profiles...** — saves your entire profile list, including
+  folder structure and tags, to a JSON file. Passwords are never included,
+  since OrbitHub never stores them in the first place.
+- **Import Profiles...** — reads that same JSON format back in, recreating
+  folders and profiles. Existing profiles aren't touched; entries missing
+  a name or host are skipped and reported in the summary.
+- **Import from mRemoteNG...** — reads an mRemoteNG connections `.xml`
+  file and creates equivalent OrbitHub profiles. Passwords are never
+  imported — you'll be prompted the first time you connect each imported
+  profile, same as a new one. Connections using a protocol OrbitHub
+  doesn't support are skipped and listed in the import summary. This is a
+  one-way conversion; there's no export back to mRemoteNG's format.
+
 ## Connecting via SSH
 
 Double-clicking an SSH profile opens a new tab with an embedded, fully
@@ -93,6 +121,8 @@ emulator. A **theme** selector lets you switch between `Dark`, `Light`,
 and `Solarized Dark`; your choice is remembered for future sessions.
 
 **Authentication.** Set in the profile itself:
+- **Username** — if left blank in the profile, OrbitHub asks for one
+  inline the first time you connect, right alongside the password prompt.
 - **Password** — OrbitHub prompts for a password each time you connect.
   It is never stored.
 - **Private Key** — point at a key file (via the profile's Browse button);
@@ -105,7 +135,7 @@ silently impersonating a host you've connected to before:
 | Policy | Behavior |
 |---|---|
 | `Ask` | Prompts you to confirm trust the first time a host is seen, and on any later change. Recommended default. |
-| `Accept-new` | Silently trusts a host the first time it's seen, but still stops and warns if a previously-trusted host's key later changes. |
+| `Accept New` | Silently trusts a host the first time it's seen, but still stops and warns if a previously-trusted host's key later changes. |
 | `Strict` | Never trusts an unknown host automatically — the connection fails until you've manually confirmed the host key some other way. |
 | `Ignore` | Skips host-key checking entirely. Only use this for throwaway/test environments — it removes protection against on-path attacks. |
 
@@ -123,7 +153,8 @@ window renegotiates the remote resolution to match. Clipboard content
 syncs between your machine and the remote session automatically.
 
 **Authentication** uses the profile's Username/Domain fields; OrbitHub
-prompts for the password at connect time.
+prompts for the password at connect time, and for a username too if the
+profile's own Username field was left blank.
 
 **RDP Security** controls which transport-security layer is used to
 negotiate the connection:
@@ -151,6 +182,51 @@ expected — you rotated the server's certificate yourself — reconnecting
 after clearing the old entry from FreeRDP's certificate store will trust
 the new one.
 
+## Connecting via VNC
+
+VNC sessions render in an embedded display surface inside the tab, like
+RDP — no external VNC client window opens.
+
+**Authentication.** VNC servers don't have a fixed username/password
+convention the way SSH and RDP do, so OrbitHub always prompts for a
+password at connect time (leave it blank if the server doesn't require
+one — no-auth servers exist and are supported). Most VNC servers ignore
+username entirely; the one common exception is **macOS's built-in Screen
+Sharing**, which does require one — see the Apple Screen Sharing note
+below if you're connecting to a Mac.
+
+**Display mode.** Right-click a VNC session's tab to choose:
+- **Scale to Fit** (default) — the whole remote screen is scaled to fit
+  the tab, like RDP.
+- **Actual Size (Scrollbars)** — renders at the remote's native pixel
+  size, with scrollbars for panning. Useful when scaling would make small
+  text illegible.
+
+Your choice is remembered across sessions. Unlike RDP, VNC has no way to
+renegotiate the remote screen's resolution to match your window size —
+resizing the OrbitHub window changes how much of a scaled-down remote
+screen you can see, not the remote resolution itself.
+
+**Clipboard and cursor.** Clipboard content syncs between your machine and
+the remote session in both directions, and the remote's cursor shape (not
+just position) is mirrored locally when the server supports it.
+
+**Encodings.** OrbitHub negotiates whichever of Raw, CopyRect, Hextile,
+ZRLE, or Tight the server prefers — this is automatic and requires no
+configuration; more efficient encodings (Tight, ZRLE) simply mean better
+performance over slower links.
+
+**Apple Screen Sharing (macOS).** macOS's built-in Screen Sharing server
+doesn't use a standard, documented VNC authentication method — it uses two
+undocumented schemes that OrbitHub implements based on reverse-engineering
+work, but neither is yet confirmed to authenticate successfully against a
+real macOS server. If you're connecting to a Mac's Screen Sharing and see
+an authentication failure, this is the likely cause rather than a wrong
+username or password; check
+[docs/PROGRESS.md](https://git.darksingularity.org/DarkSingularity/orbithub/blob/main/docs/PROGRESS.md)
+(Milestone 6) for the current status, or a VNC server you install yourself
+on the Mac (e.g. TigerVNC) as a workaround in the meantime.
+
 ## Managing Sessions
 
 Every open connection lives in its own tab in the same window, alongside
@@ -158,6 +234,14 @@ the Profiles tab. A tab's title and a colored state indicator show
 whether it's connecting, connected, disconnected, or failed. Closing a
 tab disconnects that session; opening a profile again starts a fresh one.
 
+**When OrbitHub needs a username or password from you**, the tab shows a
+highlighted prompt bar with a Connect/Cancel pair — this happens for a
+blank-username SSH/RDP profile, any RDP or SSH password prompt, and any
+VNC connection (VNC always asks for a password, even if blank). If that
+prompt appears on a tab you're not currently viewing, the tab's title
+gets a `(Needs input)` suffix and its color changes so it's easy to spot
+among several open sessions.
+
 Each session tab includes a collapsible **event log** beneath the
 connection surface — a timestamped record of connection state changes,
 warnings, and errors for that session. Controls above the log let you:
@@ -176,8 +260,9 @@ settings screen — they're saved automatically as you use the app:
 
 - Profile list: search text, view mode (List/Folders), Protocol/Tag
   filters, and sort order.
-- Session tabs: terminal theme choice, and whether the events panel is
-  shown or hidden for new tabs.
+- Session tabs: terminal theme choice, whether the events panel is shown
+  or hidden for new tabs, and VNC display mode (Scale to Fit / Actual
+  Size).
 
 Profile data itself (names, hosts, tags, folder structure, and so on) is
 stored in a local SQLite database — see the README for its exact path on
@@ -209,10 +294,23 @@ certificate is replaced.
 
 **SSH: connection hangs at "Ask" waiting for host-key trust** — check
 that policy's behavior under
-[Connecting via SSH](#connecting-via-ssh); switching to `Accept-new` avoids
+[Connecting via SSH](#connecting-via-ssh); switching to `Accept New` avoids
 the prompt for genuinely new hosts while still protecting against a later
 key change.
 
+**VNC: "Authentication or authorization failure"** — for most VNC
+servers this means a wrong password. If you're connecting to **macOS
+Screen Sharing** specifically, this is the expected result right now — see
+the Apple Screen Sharing note under
+[Connecting via VNC](#connecting-via-vnc).
+
+**VNC: connection closes immediately with no prompt** — some servers
+(including macOS Screen Sharing in some configurations) close the
+connection outright rather than negotiating; confirm the server is
+actually running and reachable on the profile's port (default `5900`),
+and that no allowlist on the server side is blocking your account or
+machine.
+
 If none of this covers what you're seeing, a session's exported event log
 (see Managing Sessions) is the most useful thing to include when asking
 for help or filing an issue.