fix(host): stop forcing compose -T so operator logs stream live

podman-compose and docker compose allocate a pseudo-TTY by default;
always passing -T block-buffered export progress. Omit -T for operator
runs and set DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0 only for cron log append. Adds compose
TTY smokes and cron job env assertion.

docs/plans/2026-06-04-050-feat-compose-tty-live-logs-plan.md

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+---
+title: "feat: Allocate compose TTY for live operator scrape logs"
+type: feat
+status: complete
+date: 2026-06-04
+origin: /lfg — plan 048 host tee still shows frozen validation logs; yes_general temp grows but podman run -T block-buffers CLI progress
+---
+
+# feat: Allocate compose TTY for live operator scrape logs
+
+## Problem
+
+Plan 048 streams host-side compose output via `tee`, but `compose_run_args` always passes `-T` (no pseudo-TTY). Containerized DiscordChatExporter progress lines stay block-buffered when piped, so operator validation logs remain silent for hours during large exports.
+
+## Requirements
+
+| ID | Requirement |
+|----|-------------|
+| R1 | `compose_run_args` omits `-T` when `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY` is unset or non-zero; passes `-T` only when `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0` |
+| R2 | `setup-cron.sh` cron job sets `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0` (non-interactive log append) |
+| R3 | Host smoke asserts default omits `-T` and `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0` passes `-T` |
+| R4 | Cron smoke asserts installed job includes `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0` |
+| R5 | `run-all-smokes.sh` passes |
+
+## Implementation
+
+- `scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh` — `compose_tty_flag()` + use in all compose branches; document env in usage
+- `scripts/setup-cron.sh` — prefix cron job with `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0`
+- `scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-host-smoke.sh` — compose arg capture for `-t`/`-T`
+- `scripts/tests/setup-cron-smoke.sh` — grep crontab for `DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0`
+
+## Verification
+
+```bash
+./scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-host-smoke.sh
+./scripts/tests/setup-cron-smoke.sh
+DCE_MIN_FREE_MB=0 ./scripts/run-all-smokes.sh
+```
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- yes_general catch-up completion
+- Container memory limits

scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh

@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ Environment:
   DISCORD_TOKEN            Direct token value (highest precedence after refresh).
   DISCORD_TOKEN_FILE       Optional path to a file containing the Discord token.
   DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND       Optional absolute path to an executable reauth script under the repo root.
+  DCE_COMPOSE_TTY          When zero, compose run passes -T (no pseudo-TTY). Default omits -T
+                           so compose backends allocate a TTY for line-buffered progress logs.
 
 Notes:
   When $ENV_FILE is missing, exported DISCORD_TOKEN or DISCORD_TOKEN_FILE is used instead.
@@ -255,11 +257,19 @@ resolve_compose_bin() {
   COMPOSE_BIN=""
 }
 
+compose_tty_flag() {
+  if [[ "${DCE_COMPOSE_TTY:-1}" == "0" ]]; then
+    printf '%s' '-T'
+  fi
+}
+
 compose_run_args() {
   local -n _out=$1
   local subcommand=$2
+  local tty_flag
   shift 2
 
+  tty_flag=$(compose_tty_flag)
   resolve_compose_bin
 
   _out=()
@@ -269,7 +279,9 @@ compose_run_args() {
       --env-file "$COMPOSE_ENV_FILE"
       -f "$COMPOSE_FILE"
       run
-      -T
+    )
+    [[ -n "$tty_flag" ]] && _out+=("$tty_flag")
+    _out+=(
       --rm
       discord-scraper
       "$subcommand"
@@ -280,7 +292,9 @@ compose_run_args() {
       --env-file "$COMPOSE_ENV_FILE"
       -f "$COMPOSE_FILE"
       run
-      -T
+    )
+    [[ -n "$tty_flag" ]] && _out+=("$tty_flag")
+    _out+=(
       --rm
       discord-scraper
       "$subcommand"
@@ -292,7 +306,9 @@ compose_run_args() {
       --env-file "$COMPOSE_ENV_FILE"
       -f "$COMPOSE_FILE"
       run
-      -T
+    )
+    [[ -n "$tty_flag" ]] && _out+=("$tty_flag")
+    _out+=(
       --rm
       discord-scraper
       "$subcommand"

scripts/setup-cron.sh

@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ main() {
     lock_prefix=""
   fi
 
-  job_line="$cron_line cd $(printf '%q' "$REPO_ROOT") && ${lock_prefix}${scrape_command}>> $(printf '%q' "$LOG_FILE") 2>&1"
+  job_line="$cron_line cd $(printf '%q' "$REPO_ROOT") && DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0 ${lock_prefix}${scrape_command}>> $(printf '%q' "$LOG_FILE") 2>&1"
 
   local cron_block
   cron_block=$(printf '%s\n%s\n%s\n' "$begin_marker" "$job_line" "$end_marker")

scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-host-smoke.sh

@@ -103,6 +103,24 @@ run_host() {
     "$REPO_ROOT/scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh" scrape --target demo
 }
 
+run_host_compose_capture() {
+  local env_path=${1:-$ENV_FILE}
+  local compose_bin=$2
+  local args_log=$3
+  shift 3
+  local -a extra_env=( "$@" )
+
+  env -u DISCORD_TOKEN \
+    DCE_SKIP_SCRAPE_LOCK=1 \
+    DCE_COMPOSE_BIN="$compose_bin" \
+    DCE_REPO_ROOT="$REPO_ROOT" \
+    DCE_ENV_FILE="$env_path" \
+    DCE_COMPOSE_FILE="$COMPOSE_FILE" \
+    FAKE_COMPOSE_ARGS_LOG="$args_log" \
+    "${extra_env[@]}" \
+    "$REPO_ROOT/scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh" scrape --target demo
+}
+
 run_host_with_shell_token() {
   local mode=$1
   local missing_env_path=$2
@@ -173,4 +191,33 @@ grep -q streaming-line2 "$STREAM_OUTPUT" || {
   exit 1
 }
 
+COMPOSE_TTY_LOG="$TMP_DIR/compose-tty-default.log"
+FAKE_COMPOSE="$TMP_DIR/fake-compose"
+cat >"$FAKE_COMPOSE" <<'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+printf '%s\n' "$*" >>"${FAKE_COMPOSE_ARGS_LOG:?}"
+printf 'run succeeded\n'
+EOF
+chmod +x "$FAKE_COMPOSE"
+
+run_host_compose_capture "$ENV_FILE" "$FAKE_COMPOSE" "$COMPOSE_TTY_LOG" >/dev/null
+grep -q ' run --rm ' "$COMPOSE_TTY_LOG" || {
+  echo "expected default compose run to omit -T for live TTY allocation" >&2
+  cat "$COMPOSE_TTY_LOG" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+grep -qE '(^|[[:space:]])-T([[:space:]]|$)' "$COMPOSE_TTY_LOG" && {
+  echo "expected default compose run not to pass -T" >&2
+  cat "$COMPOSE_TTY_LOG" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+COMPOSE_NOTTY_LOG="$TMP_DIR/compose-tty-off.log"
+run_host_compose_capture "$ENV_FILE" "$FAKE_COMPOSE" "$COMPOSE_NOTTY_LOG" DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0 >/dev/null
+grep -qE '(^|[[:space:]])-T([[:space:]]|$)' "$COMPOSE_NOTTY_LOG" || {
+  echo "expected DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0 compose run to use -T" >&2
+  cat "$COMPOSE_NOTTY_LOG" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
 echo "run-discord-scrape-host smoke test passed"

scripts/tests/setup-cron-smoke.sh

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ grep -q '^MAILTO=test@example.com$' "$CRONTAB_FILE" || { echo "expected unrelate
 [[ "$(grep -c '^# BEGIN discord-scrape$' "$CRONTAB_FILE")" == "1" ]] || { echo "expected exactly one managed cron block after install" >&2; exit 1; }
 grep -q 'compose --env-file' "$DOCKER_LOG" || { echo "expected docker preflight to run during install" >&2; exit 1; }
 grep -q 'scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh' "$CRONTAB_FILE" || { echo "expected cron job to run host wrapper" >&2; exit 1; }
+grep -q 'DCE_COMPOSE_TTY=0' "$CRONTAB_FILE" || { echo "expected cron job to disable compose TTY for log append" >&2; exit 1; }
 
 run_setup
 [[ "$(grep -c '^# BEGIN discord-scrape$' "$CRONTAB_FILE")" == "1" ]] || { echo "expected exactly one managed cron block after reinstall" >&2; exit 1; }