Use the system clock in the CLI and headless MCP sessions (#554)

apps/lightcraft-cli/src/main.rs

@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ fn merge(args: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
         }
         i += 1;
     }
-    let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models();
+    let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock();
     let paths = expand_paths(&files);
     let r = s.execute("library.import", &json!({"paths": paths})).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     let mut ids: Vec<u64> = r["imported"].as_array().map(|a| a.iter().filter_map(Value::as_u64).collect()).unwrap_or_default();
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ fn render(args: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     }
     let input = input.ok_or("render: missing input file")?;
     let output = output.ok_or("render: missing -o OUTPUT")?;
-    let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models();
+    let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock();
     let abs = expand_paths(std::slice::from_ref(&input));
     let r = s.execute("library.import", &json!({"paths": abs})).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     let id = r["imported"][0].as_u64().ok_or_else(|| format!("{input}: not a readable photo"))?;
@@ -732,12 +732,12 @@ fn snapshot(args: &[String]) -> Result<(), String> {
     let t0 = Instant::now();
     let mut session = match &library {
         Some(dir) => {
-            let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_default_face_models();
+            let mut s = Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock().with_default_face_models();
             s.open_library(dir, false).map_err(|e| library_error(dir, e))?;
             s
         }
-        None if files.is_empty() => Session::with_demo().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_default_face_models(),
-        None => Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_default_face_models(),
+        None if files.is_empty() => Session::with_demo().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock().with_default_face_models(),
+        None => Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock().with_default_face_models(),
     };
     // Apply compute policy before imports or the first scripted query can discover an adapter.
     session.execute("app.gpu", &json!({"enabled": false})).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;

crates/mcp/src/headless.rs

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ impl Drop for Headless {
 
 impl Default for Headless {
     fn default() -> Self {
-        Self::new(Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_default_face_models())
+        Self::new(Session::new().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock().with_default_face_models())
     }
 }
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl Headless {
 
     /// A headless session with the procedurally generated demo library.
     pub fn demo() -> Self {
-        Self::new(Session::with_demo().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_default_face_models())
+        Self::new(Session::with_demo().with_fs().with_default_denoise_models().with_system_clock().with_default_face_models())
     }
 
     fn photo_or_active(&self, p: &Value) -> Result<PhotoId, String> {
@@ -201,6 +201,14 @@ pub fn write_image(path: &Path, img: &Rgba8, quality: u8) -> Result<(), String>
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    /// A headless session stamps imports and edits with the system clock, not the engine's fixed test clock.
+    #[test]
+    fn headless_uses_the_system_clock() {
+        const FIXED: &str = "2026-09-30T12:00:00";
+        assert_ne!((Headless::default().session.clock)(), FIXED);
+        assert_ne!((Headless::demo().session.clock)(), FIXED);
+    }
+
     /// `app.export` without `ids` exports the selection (as the desktop app does), else the active photo.
     #[test]
     fn export_follows_the_selection() {