f

API/folder.py

@@ -263,7 +263,31 @@ class API_folder_store:
         try:
             # Ensure the library root exists; sqlite cannot create parent dirs.
             try:
+                # User safety: Folder store must be created in a blank folder/no files in it.
+                # If the DB already exists, we skip this check (it's an existing library).
+                should_check_empty = not self.db_path.exists()
+                
                 self.library_root.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                
+                if should_check_empty:
+                    # Check if there are any files or directories in the library root (excluding the DB itself if it was just created)
+                    # We use a generator and next() for efficiency.
+                    existing_items = [item for item in self.library_root.iterdir() if item.name != self.DB_NAME]
+                    if existing_items:
+                        # Log the items found for debugging
+                        item_names = [i.name for i in existing_items[:5]]
+                        if len(existing_items) > 5:
+                            item_names.append("...")
+                        raise RuntimeError(
+                            f"Safety Check Failed: Local library root must be empty for new stores.\n"
+                            f"Directory: {self.library_root}\n"
+                            f"Found {len(existing_items)} items: {', '.join(item_names)}\n"
+                            f"Please use a clean directory to prevent accidental hashing of existing files."
+                        )
+
+            except RuntimeError:
+                # Re-raise our specific safety error
+                raise
             except Exception as exc:
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     f"Cannot create/open library root directory: {self.library_root}: {exc}"

SYS/config.py

@@ -693,6 +693,58 @@ def clear_config_cache() -> None:
     _CONFIG_CACHE.clear()
 
 
+def _validate_config_safety(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """Check for dangerous configurations, like folder stores in non-empty dirs."""
+    store = config.get("store")
+    if not isinstance(store, dict):
+        return
+
+    folder_stores = store.get("folder")
+    if not isinstance(folder_stores, dict):
+        return
+
+    for name, cfg in folder_stores.items():
+        if not isinstance(cfg, dict):
+            continue
+
+        path_str = cfg.get("path") or cfg.get("PATH")
+        if not path_str:
+            continue
+
+        try:
+            p = expand_path(path_str).resolve()
+            # If the path doesn't exist yet, it's fine (will be created empty)
+            if not p.exists():
+                continue
+
+            if not p.is_dir():
+                continue
+
+            # DB name from API/folder.py
+            db_file = p / "medios-macina.db"
+            if db_file.exists():
+                # Existing portable library, allowed to re-attach
+                continue
+
+            # Check if directory has any files (other than the DB we just checked)
+            items = list(p.iterdir())
+            if items:
+                item_names = [i.name for i in items[:3]]
+                if len(items) > 3:
+                    item_names.append("...")
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Configuration Error: Local library '{name}' target directory is not empty.\n"
+                    f"Path: {p}\n"
+                    f"Found {len(items)} items: {', '.join(item_names)}\n"
+                    f"To prevent accidental mass-hashing, new libraries must be set to unique, empty folders."
+                )
+        except RuntimeError:
+            raise
+        except Exception:
+            # We don't want to crash on invalid paths during validation if they aren't 'unsafe'
+            pass
+
+
 def save_config(
     config: Dict[str, Any],
     config_dir: Optional[Path] = None,
@@ -706,6 +758,9 @@ def save_config(
             f"Unsupported config format: {config_path.name} (only .conf is supported)"
         )
 
+    # Safety Check: Validate folder stores are in empty dirs or existing libraries
+    _validate_config_safety(config)
+
     try:
         config_path.write_text(_serialize_conf(config), encoding="utf-8")
     except OSError as exc:

TUI/modalscreen/config_modal.py

@@ -450,12 +450,15 @@ class ConfigModal(ModalScreen):
         elif bid == "save-btn":
             if not self.validate_current_editor():
                 return
-            self.save_all()
-            self.notify("Configuration saved!")
-            # Return to the main list view within the current category
-            self.editing_item_name = None
-            self.editing_item_type = None
-            self.refresh_view()
+            try:
+                self.save_all()
+                self.notify("Configuration saved!")
+                # Return to the main list view within the current category
+                self.editing_item_name = None
+                self.editing_item_type = None
+                self.refresh_view()
+            except Exception as exc:
+                self.notify(f"Save failed: {exc}", severity="error", timeout=10)
         elif bid in self._button_id_map:
             action, itype, name = self._button_id_map[bid]
             if action == "edit":