fix(settings): wire fresh workspace defaults

packages/cli/src/config-store.ts

@@ -160,12 +160,16 @@ function setNestedValue(obj: Record<string, unknown>, parts: string[], value: un
 // Per-subdir defaults derived from workspace.root. v0 uses canonical
 // subdir names per founder dialog (slices/ steering/ progress/ field-notes/
 // specs/). Steering is a FILE path (STEERING.md) under the steering subdir.
+// Files and Progress default to the whole workspace so a fresh
+// `rig config init-workspace` install is browsable without extra env wiring.
 export function deriveWorkspaceDefault(key: ValidKey, workspaceRoot: string): string {
   switch (key) {
     case "workspace.slices_root":      return join(workspaceRoot, "slices");
     case "workspace.steering_path":    return join(workspaceRoot, "steering", "STEERING.md");
     case "workspace.field_notes_root": return join(workspaceRoot, "field-notes");
     case "workspace.specs_root":       return join(workspaceRoot, "specs");
+    case "files.allowlist":            return `workspace:${workspaceRoot}`;
+    case "progress.scan_roots":        return `workspace:${workspaceRoot}`;
     default: return "";
   }
 }
@@ -175,6 +179,8 @@ const WORKSPACE_DERIVED_KEYS: ReadonlySet<ValidKey> = new Set([
   "workspace.steering_path",
   "workspace.field_notes_root",
   "workspace.specs_root",
+  "files.allowlist",
+  "progress.scan_roots",
 ]);
 
 function getDefaultValue(key: ValidKey, workspaceRoot: string): string | number | boolean {

packages/cli/test/config-store-extended.test.ts

@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ describe("ConfigStore — extended namespaces (User Settings v0)", () => {
     expect(cfg.workspace.steeringPath).toBe(join(cfg.workspace.root, "steering", "STEERING.md"));
     expect(cfg.workspace.fieldNotesRoot).toBe(join(cfg.workspace.root, "field-notes"));
     expect(cfg.workspace.specsRoot).toBe(join(cfg.workspace.root, "specs"));
+    expect(cfg.files.allowlist).toBe(`workspace:${cfg.workspace.root}`);
+    expect(cfg.progress.scanRoots).toBe(`workspace:${cfg.workspace.root}`);
   });
 
   it("setting workspace.root cascades into per-subdir defaults", () => {
@@ -101,6 +103,8 @@ describe("ConfigStore — extended namespaces (User Settings v0)", () => {
     expect(cfg.workspace.root).toBe("/custom/ws");
     expect(cfg.workspace.slicesRoot).toBe("/custom/ws/slices");
     expect(cfg.workspace.steeringPath).toBe("/custom/ws/steering/STEERING.md");
+    expect(cfg.files.allowlist).toBe("workspace:/custom/ws");
+    expect(cfg.progress.scanRoots).toBe("workspace:/custom/ws");
   });
 
   it("per-subdir override beats workspace.root cascade", () => {

packages/daemon/src/domain/steering/steering-composer.ts

@@ -118,6 +118,24 @@ export function steeringOptsFromEnv(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): Steer
   };
 }
 
+export interface SteeringSettingsDefaults {
+  workspaceRoot: string;
+  workspaceSteeringPath: string;
+}
+
+export function steeringOptsFromSettings(
+  settings: SteeringSettingsDefaults,
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+): SteeringComposerOpts {
+  const envOpts = steeringOptsFromEnv(env);
+  return {
+    workspaceRoot: envOpts.workspaceRoot ?? settings.workspaceRoot,
+    steeringPath: envOpts.steeringPath ?? settings.workspaceSteeringPath,
+    roadmapPath: envOpts.roadmapPath ?? null,
+    deliveryReadyDir: envOpts.deliveryReadyDir ?? null,
+  };
+}
+
 export class SteeringComposer {
   private readonly opts: Required<Omit<SteeringComposerOpts, "workspaceRoot">> & { workspaceRoot: string | null };
 

packages/daemon/src/domain/user-settings/settings-store.ts

@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ function deriveWorkspaceDefault(key: SettingsValidKey, workspaceRoot: string): s
     case "workspace.steering_path":    return path.join(workspaceRoot, "steering", "STEERING.md");
     case "workspace.field_notes_root": return path.join(workspaceRoot, "field-notes");
     case "workspace.specs_root":       return path.join(workspaceRoot, "specs");
+    case "files.allowlist":            return `workspace:${workspaceRoot}`;
+    case "progress.scan_roots":        return `workspace:${workspaceRoot}`;
     default: return "";
   }
 }
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ const WORKSPACE_DERIVED_KEYS: ReadonlySet<SettingsValidKey> = new Set([
   "workspace.steering_path",
   "workspace.field_notes_root",
   "workspace.specs_root",
+  "files.allowlist",
+  "progress.scan_roots",
 ]);
 
 function getDefaultValue(key: SettingsValidKey, workspaceRoot: string): string | number | boolean {
@@ -154,8 +158,6 @@ function getDefaultValue(key: SettingsValidKey, workspaceRoot: string): string |
     case "transcripts.enabled": return true;
     case "transcripts.path": return path.join(path.dirname(DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH), "transcripts");
     case "workspace.root": return DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_ROOT;
-    case "files.allowlist": return "";
-    case "progress.scan_roots": return "";
     // Preview Terminal v0 (PL-018) defaults — match cli/src/config-store.ts.
     case "ui.preview.refresh_interval_seconds": return 3;
     case "ui.preview.max_pins": return 4;

packages/daemon/src/routes/steering.ts

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function steeringRoutes(): Hono {
     if (!composer.isReady()) {
       return c.json({
         error: "steering_workspace_not_configured",
-        hint: "Set OPENRIG_STEERING_WORKSPACE=/abs/path (and optionally OPENRIG_STEERING_PATH / OPENRIG_ROADMAP_PATH / OPENRIG_DELIVERY_READY_DIR for non-canonical layouts) and restart the daemon.",
+        hint: "Run rig config init-workspace, or set workspace.steering_path / OPENRIG_STEERING_PATH for non-canonical layouts, then restart the daemon.",
       }, 503);
     }
     return c.json(composer.compose());

packages/daemon/src/startup.ts

@@ -795,11 +795,13 @@ export async function createDaemon(opts?: DaemonOptions): Promise<DaemonResult>
     deps.progressIndexer = new ProgressIndexer({ roots: decodeProgressScanRoots(cfg.progressScanRootsRaw) });
 
     // Operator Surface Reconciliation v0 — steering composer (item 1).
-    // Reads workspace root + per-section overrides from env. Empty
-    // workspace root → composer.isReady() = false → /api/steering
-    // returns 503 with structured setup hint.
-    const { SteeringComposer, steeringOptsFromEnv } = await import("./domain/steering/steering-composer.js");
-    deps.steeringComposer = new SteeringComposer(steeringOptsFromEnv());
+    // Reads typed workspace settings by default while preserving the
+    // OPENRIG_STEERING_* env override family for non-canonical layouts.
+    const { SteeringComposer, steeringOptsFromSettings } = await import("./domain/steering/steering-composer.js");
+    deps.steeringComposer = new SteeringComposer(steeringOptsFromSettings({
+      workspaceRoot: cfg.workspaceRoot,
+      workspaceSteeringPath: cfg.workspaceSteeringPath,
+    }));
 
     // Workflows in Spec Library + Activation Lens v0 — active lens
     // persistence under OPENRIG_HOME/active-workflow-lens.json. Same

packages/daemon/test/steering-composer.test.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   SteeringComposer,
   matchRailItemCode,
   steeringOptsFromEnv,
+  steeringOptsFromSettings,
 } from "../src/domain/steering/steering-composer.js";
 
 describe("Operator Surface Reconciliation v0 — matchRailItemCode", () => {
@@ -53,6 +54,35 @@ describe("Operator Surface Reconciliation v0 — steeringOptsFromEnv", () => {
     expect(steeringOptsFromEnv({ OPENRIG_STEERING_WORKSPACE: "", RIGGED_STEERING_WORKSPACE: "/legacy" }))
       .toMatchObject({ workspaceRoot: "/legacy" });
   });
+
+  it("uses typed workspace settings as the fresh-install default, with env overrides still winning", () => {
+    const opts = steeringOptsFromSettings(
+      {
+        workspaceRoot: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace",
+        workspaceSteeringPath: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace/steering/STEERING.md",
+      },
+      {},
+    );
+    expect(opts).toMatchObject({
+      workspaceRoot: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace",
+      steeringPath: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace/steering/STEERING.md",
+    });
+
+    const overridden = steeringOptsFromSettings(
+      {
+        workspaceRoot: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace",
+        workspaceSteeringPath: "/Users/me/.openrig/workspace/steering/STEERING.md",
+      },
+      {
+        OPENRIG_STEERING_WORKSPACE: "/env/workspace",
+        OPENRIG_STEERING_PATH: "/env/STEERING.md",
+      },
+    );
+    expect(overridden).toMatchObject({
+      workspaceRoot: "/env/workspace",
+      steeringPath: "/env/STEERING.md",
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe("Operator Surface Reconciliation v0 — SteeringComposer", () => {

packages/daemon/test/user-settings-store.test.ts

@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ describe("SettingsStore (User Settings v0)", () => {
     expect(cfg.workspaceSteeringPath).toBe("/custom/ws/steering/STEERING.md");
     expect(cfg.workspaceFieldNotesRoot).toBe("/custom/ws/field-notes");
     expect(cfg.workspaceSpecsRoot).toBe("/custom/ws/specs");
+    expect(cfg.filesAllowlistRaw).toBe("workspace:/custom/ws");
+    expect(cfg.progressScanRootsRaw).toBe("workspace:/custom/ws");
   });
 
   it("per-subdir override beats the workspace.root cascade", () => {