Backfill watchlist alternative titles lazily

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.37.2 - 2026-05-23
+
+- Added lazy watchlist alt-title backfill for visible cards, so older entries can fetch and show the new `Alternative titles` button without requiring a manual refresh first.
+
 ## 0.37.1 - 2026-05-23
 
 - Fixed AllManga alternative title parsing to read the visible `span.altnames` markup and changed watchlist cards to reveal those titles only when the new `Alternative titles` button is pressed.

README.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Small local web UI for a system-wide `ani-cli` install.
 
-Current version: `0.37.1`
+Current version: `0.37.2`
 
 ## Project Layout
 
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ Title behavior:
 - Watchlist refreshes also try to pull alternative English and synonym titles from the AllManga show page.
 - Watchlist cards show an `Alternative titles` button when names are available.
 - Pressing that button expands the stored alternative titles on demand.
+- Visible watchlist cards also try to backfill missing alternative titles automatically, so older entries do not need a manual refresh just to get the button.
 - Missing covers are warmed in small batches.
 - Failed lookups back off before retrying.
 - You can force `Reload` or use `Upload` when no thumbnail exists.

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.37.1
+0.37.2

app.py

@@ -1875,6 +1875,54 @@ class WatchlistStore:
                 continue
         return {"items": updated}
 
+    def ensure_alt_titles(self, show_id, force=False):
+        item = self.get(show_id)
+        if not force and (item.get("alt_titles") or item.get("english_title")):
+            return item
+        parsed = fetch_allmanga_alternative_titles(item["show_id"], item.get("title"), timeout=self._refresh_request_timeout())
+        updated_at = now_iso()
+        alt_titles_json = json.dumps(unique_title_values(parsed.get("alt_titles") or [], item.get("title")))
+        with self.lock, self._connect() as conn:
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                UPDATE watchlist
+                SET english_title = ?, alt_titles_json = ?, updated_at = ?
+                WHERE show_id = ?
+                """,
+                (
+                    parsed.get("english_title") or None,
+                    alt_titles_json,
+                    updated_at,
+                    item["show_id"],
+                ),
+            )
+        return self.get(show_id)
+
+    def ensure_alt_titles_many(self, show_ids, limit=6, force=False):
+        normalized = []
+        for show_id in show_ids:
+            text = str(show_id or "").strip()
+            if text and text not in normalized:
+                normalized.append(text)
+        updated = []
+        for show_id in normalized[: max(1, min(int(limit or 6), 10))]:
+            try:
+                item = self.get(show_id)
+            except KeyError:
+                continue
+            if not force and (item.get("alt_titles") or item.get("english_title")):
+                updated.append(item)
+                continue
+            try:
+                updated.append(self.ensure_alt_titles(show_id, force=force))
+            except Exception as exc:
+                debug_log("watchlist.alt_titles.ensure_failed", show_id=show_id, error=exc)
+                try:
+                    updated.append(self.get(show_id))
+                except KeyError:
+                    continue
+        return {"items": updated}
+
 
 def add_to_watchlist(payload):
     ensure_runtime()

app_support.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from uuid import uuid4
 PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
 ANI_CLI = os.environ.get("ANI_CLI_BIN") or shutil.which("ani-cli") or "ani-cli"
 APP_NAME = "ani-cli-web"
-VERSION = "0.37.1"
+VERSION = "0.37.2"
 ALLANIME_BASE = "allanime.day"
 ALLANIME_API = f"https://api.{ALLANIME_BASE}"
 ALLANIME_REFERER = "https://allmanga.to"

http_handler.py

@@ -499,6 +499,16 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                         force=Handler.optional_bool_field(self, payload, "force", default=False),
                     )
                 )
+            elif parsed.path == "/api/watchlist/ensure-alt-titles":
+                runtime = Handler._runtime(self)
+                payload = Handler.require_json_object(self, self.body_json())
+                self.json(
+                    runtime["watchlist"].ensure_alt_titles_many(
+                        Handler.optional_list_field(self, payload, "show_ids") or [],
+                        limit=payload.get("limit", 6),
+                        force=Handler.optional_bool_field(self, payload, "force", default=False),
+                    )
+                )
             elif parsed.path == "/api/watchlist/update-status":
                 Handler._runtime(self)
                 payload = Handler.require_fields(self, self.body_json(), "show_id")

test_app.py

@@ -866,6 +866,16 @@ class WatchlistCompletionTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(item["english_title"], "Example Show English")
         self.assertEqual(item["display_alt_titles"], ["Example Show English", "Sample Alias"])
 
+    def test_ensure_alt_titles_backfills_existing_item(self):
+        self.seed_watchlist_item()
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            APP, "fetch_allmanga_alternative_titles", return_value={"english_title": "Example Show English", "alt_titles": ["Example Show English", "Sample Alias"]}
+        ):
+            item = APP.WATCHLIST.ensure_alt_titles("show-1")
+
+        self.assertEqual(item["english_title"], "Example Show English")
+        self.assertEqual(item["display_alt_titles"], ["Example Show English", "Sample Alias"])
+
     def test_list_filters_by_category_and_reports_category_counts(self):
         self.seed_watchlist_item(show_id="show-1", title="Watching Show", category="watching", status="queued")
         self.seed_watchlist_item(show_id="show-2", title="Finished Show", category="finished", downloaded=True)
@@ -1661,6 +1671,15 @@ class HandlerRouteTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(handler.json_payload, payload)
         self.assertEqual(handler.json_status, HTTPStatus.CREATED)
 
+    def test_watchlist_ensure_alt_titles_post_returns_items(self):
+        body = b'{"show_ids":["show-1"],"limit":1}'
+        handler = DummyHandler("/api/watchlist/ensure-alt-titles", body=body, content_length=len(body))
+        payload = {"items": [{"show_id": "show-1", "display_alt_titles": ["Example Show English"]}]}
+        with mock.patch.object(APP.WATCHLIST, "ensure_alt_titles_many", return_value=payload):
+            APP.Handler.do_POST(handler)
+        self.assertEqual(handler.json_payload, payload)
+        self.assertEqual(handler.json_status, HTTPStatus.OK)
+
     def test_generic_handler_exception_skips_traceback_when_debug_disabled(self):
         handler = DummyHandler("/api/config")
         with mock.patch.object(http_handler, "debug_enabled", return_value=False), mock.patch.object(
@@ -1750,6 +1769,8 @@ class TemplateHelperTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('class="alt-titles"', APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)
         self.assertIn('Alternative titles', APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)
         self.assertIn('altTitlesNode.classList.toggle("visible")', APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)
+        self.assertIn('api("/api/watchlist/ensure-alt-titles"', APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)
+        self.assertIn("altTitlePending: new Set()", APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)
 
     def test_watchlist_thumbnail_warmup_skips_repeated_attempts(self):
         self.assertIn("thumbnailWarmupPending: new Set()", APP.WATCHLIST_HTML)

watchlist_page.py

@@ -674,6 +674,8 @@ WATCHLIST_HTML = r"""<!doctype html>
       watchlistPerPage: 30,
       queuedCount: 0,
       watchlistCategory: "watching",
+      altTitleTokens: {},
+      altTitlePending: new Set(),
       thumbnailNonce: Date.now(),
       thumbnailWarmupTokens: {},
       thumbnailWarmupPending: new Set(),
@@ -863,6 +865,44 @@ WATCHLIST_HTML = r"""<!doctype html>
         .find((card) => card.dataset.showId === showId) || null;
     }
 
+    function altTitleToken(item) {
+      return [
+        item.english_title || "",
+        ...(item.display_alt_titles || []),
+      ].join("|");
+    }
+
+    function applyAltTitles(card, item) {
+      if (!card) return;
+      const altTitlesNode = card.querySelector(".alt-titles");
+      const oldToggle = card.querySelector(".alt-toggle");
+      if (!altTitlesNode || !oldToggle) return;
+      const altTitles = item.display_alt_titles || [];
+      const wasVisible = altTitlesNode.classList.contains("visible");
+      altTitlesNode.classList.remove("visible");
+      altTitlesNode.textContent = "";
+      altTitlesNode.hidden = true;
+      const newToggle = oldToggle.cloneNode(true);
+      oldToggle.replaceWith(newToggle);
+      newToggle.hidden = true;
+      newToggle.textContent = "Alternative titles";
+      newToggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
+      if (!altTitles.length) return;
+      altTitlesNode.hidden = false;
+      altTitlesNode.textContent = altTitles.join(" · ");
+      newToggle.hidden = false;
+      if (wasVisible) {
+        altTitlesNode.classList.add("visible");
+        newToggle.textContent = "Hide alternative titles";
+        newToggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "true");
+      }
+      newToggle.addEventListener("click", () => {
+        const visible = altTitlesNode.classList.toggle("visible");
+        newToggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", visible ? "true" : "false");
+        newToggle.textContent = visible ? "Hide alternative titles" : "Alternative titles";
+      });
+    }
+
     function thumbnailWarmupToken(item) {
       return [
         item.thumbnail_ready ? "1" : "0",
@@ -909,6 +949,42 @@ WATCHLIST_HTML = r"""<!doctype html>
       }
     }
 
+    async function hydrateAltTitlesOnce(items) {
+      const missing = [];
+      for (const item of items) {
+        const token = altTitleToken(item);
+        if ((item.display_alt_titles || []).length) {
+          state.altTitlePending.delete(item.show_id);
+          state.altTitleTokens[item.show_id] = token;
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (state.altTitlePending.has(item.show_id)) continue;
+        if (state.altTitleTokens[item.show_id] === token) continue;
+        state.altTitlePending.add(item.show_id);
+        state.altTitleTokens[item.show_id] = token;
+        missing.push(item.show_id);
+        if (missing.length >= 6) break;
+      }
+      if (!missing.length) return;
+      try {
+        const data = await api("/api/watchlist/ensure-alt-titles", {
+          method: "POST",
+          body: JSON.stringify({ show_ids: missing, limit: 6, force: false })
+        });
+        for (const item of data.items || []) {
+          state.altTitleTokens[item.show_id] = altTitleToken(item);
+          const card = findCardByShowId(item.show_id);
+          if (!card) continue;
+          applyAltTitles(card, item);
+        }
+      } catch (_error) {
+      } finally {
+        for (const showId of missing) {
+          state.altTitlePending.delete(showId);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     async function reloadWatchlistThumbnail(showId, title) {
       const card = findCardByShowId(showId);
       if (card) setThumbnailReloading(card, true);
@@ -1041,21 +1117,7 @@ WATCHLIST_HTML = r"""<!doctype html>
         titleLink.rel = "noopener noreferrer";
         titleLink.textContent = item.title;
         titleNode.replaceChildren(titleLink);
-        const altToggle = card.querySelector(".alt-toggle");
+        applyAltTitles(card, item);
-        const altTitlesNode = card.querySelector(".alt-titles");
-        const altTitles = item.display_alt_titles || [];
-        if (altTitles.length) {
-          altToggle.hidden = false;
-          altTitlesNode.hidden = false;
-          altTitlesNode.textContent = altTitles.join(" · ");
-          altToggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
-          altToggle.addEventListener("click", () => {
-            const visible = altTitlesNode.classList.toggle("visible");
-            altToggle.setAttribute("aria-expanded", visible ? "true" : "false");
-            altToggle.textContent = visible ? "Hide alternative titles" : "Alternative titles";
-          });
-          altToggle.textContent = "Alternative titles";
-        }
         const finishCheck = card.querySelector(".finish-check");
         if (finishCheck && item.finished_badge) {
           finishCheck.title = item.finished_badge === "downloaded"
@@ -1114,6 +1176,7 @@ WATCHLIST_HTML = r"""<!doctype html>
         applyThumbnail(card, item, false);
       }
       renderPager();
+      window.setTimeout(() => hydrateAltTitlesOnce(items), 120);
       window.setTimeout(() => hydrateThumbnailsOnce(items), 150);
     }