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+# Playlist & Processed-Files Database Design
+
+## Overview
+
+Two new features added to the existing 8-cut tool:
+
+1. **Playlist** — a queue of source video files; auto-advances to the next file after each export.
+2. **Processed-files database** — SQLite store of exported source filenames; warns when a newly loaded file is fuzzy-similar to one already processed.
+
+## Stack additions
+
+- `sqlite3` (Python built-in) — persistent DB at `~/.8cut.db`
+- `difflib.SequenceMatcher` (Python built-in) — fuzzy filename similarity, threshold 0.75
+
+## Layout
+
+```
+┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
+│  [Drop video files here]                             │
+├─────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┤
+│ QUEUE           │                                    │
+│ ▶ clip_a.mp4   │        mpv video preview           │
+│   clip_b.mp4   │                                    │
+│   clip_c.mp4   ├────────────────────────────────────┤
+│                 │  Timeline ──────|cursor──────      │
+│                 ├────────────────────────────────────┤
+│                 │  [▶ Play 8s] [⏸]  cursor / dur    │
+├─────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┤
+│  Name: [clip]  Folder: [~]  → clip_001.mp4  [Export] │
+└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
+```
+
+- Drop one or multiple files → all added to the queue
+- Clicking a queue item loads it immediately
+- `▶` marks the current file
+- Auto-advances to next item after a successful export
+
+## Components
+
+### `ProcessedDB`
+
+Wraps `sqlite3`. DB file: `~/.8cut.db`, created on first run.
+
+Table:
+```sql
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS processed (
+    filename TEXT NOT NULL,
+    processed_at TEXT NOT NULL
+)
+```
+
+Methods:
+- `add(filename: str)` — inserts row with `filename` and current UTC ISO timestamp
+- `find_similar(filename: str) -> str | None` — loads all filenames, iterates with `SequenceMatcher(None, a, b).ratio() >= 0.75`, returns the best-matching stored filename or `None`
+
+### `PlaylistWidget(QListWidget)`
+
+- Accepts file drops (via `dragEnterEvent` / `dropEvent`)
+- Emits `file_selected = pyqtSignal(str)` when an item is activated (click or auto-advance)
+- `add_files(paths: list[str])` — appends paths, skips duplicates already in the list
+- `advance()` — selects the next item; if at end, does nothing (queue exhausted)
+- Current item shown with a `▶ ` prefix in the display text; others show bare filename
+
+### `MainWindow` changes
+
+- Drop zone (`dragEnterEvent`/`dropEvent`) now calls `playlist.add_files(paths)` instead of loading directly
+- `playlist.file_selected` connected to `_load_file`
+- `_after_load`: calls `db.find_similar(os.path.basename(path))` — if match found, shows `"⚠ Similar to already processed: {match}"` in status bar
+- `_on_export_done`: calls `db.add(os.path.basename(self._file_path))`, then `self._playlist.advance()`
+
+## Warning behavior
+
+- Warning is informational only — does not block export
+- Shown in the existing status bar with a `⚠` prefix
+- Shown each time a file is loaded (queue advance or manual click)
+
+## Error handling
+
+- DB connection errors on startup: logged to stderr, app continues without DB (warning feature silently disabled)
+- Queue exhaustion (advance past last item): silently does nothing; user can add more files