changelog: fold the unreleased 3.32.3 entry into 3.32.4

The v3.32.3 changes (the traceback tail and the link-release wording)
were committed together with v3.32.4 and never tagged separately, so
the changelog named a version no release exists for.  The entry is
merged into [3.32.4] and the published v3.32.4 release body matches it.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -9,6 +9,56 @@ every change carries a descriptive commit message.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [3.32.5] — 2026-10-21
+
+### Fixed
+
+- A card removed during the **startup initialization** no longer leaves the server
+  reporting a phantom equipped card.  The init caught the PC/SC error (and printed a
+  traceback) but kept the card object it had already built, so `card_present` and
+  `_CARD_CONNECTED` stayed True — and the auto-equip then skipped every later insertion
+  (its `_CARD_CONNECTED` early return), leaving only a manual Equip or a restart.  A
+  PC/SC error now prints one line (`INIT: card removed during initialization …`), drops
+  the half-initialized session and lets the presence monitor equip the next card.
+
+## [3.32.4] — 2026-10-21
+
+### Fixed
+
+- The auto-equip's captured traceback now always includes the **exception line**: cmd2
+  renders a rich-box traceback longer than the logged head, so the actual error was cut
+  off.  The tail is appended after a `...` marker; the "releasing the old link failed"
+  message now says it continues with a fresh link (a removed card's dead PC/SC handle
+  always fails to disconnect).
+- A card insertion now marks the PC/SC link for a rebuild, so the **first** auto-equip
+  attempt already uses a fresh link.  On Windows the old link cannot connect after a
+  swap — v3.32.2 recovered it, but only on the second attempt, after a failed init, a
+  2–4 s delay and a traceback in the log.  A link created at a cardless startup has
+  never connected either, which the same mark covers.  The rebuild still runs in the
+  equip worker (never in the pyscard monitor thread) and `_ensure_transport` releases
+  the old link first.
+
+## [3.32.2] — 2026-10-21
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **The auto-equip loop after a card swap on Windows.** A failed initialization with
+  the card still present was reported as "card gone during initialization" and treated
+  as a no-op success — so the three retries never ran and the watchdog re-armed every
+  few seconds forever.  It is a failure now, and **every failed attempt marks the
+  PC/SC transport for a rebuild**, so the retry starts from a fresh link (the release
+  of the old link happens first, so it cannot inherit a stale card handle).  The error
+  pySim swallowed is printed as `AUTO-EQUIP: init output:` with its traceback.
+
+## [3.32.1] — 2026-10-21
+
+### Added
+
+- **"Start counter value"** in the outfile import: the counter every created keyset
+  starts from.  It defaults to the store's value (`1`); raise it for cards whose
+  counters are already past it.  The API takes `start_counter` (1–10 hex digits;
+  a bad value is a 400), and the preview carries the value.
+
 ## [3.32.0] — 2026-10-21
 
 ### Added

README.md

@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ its MSVC build chain) is not pulled in.
 - **"Failed to establish context: Access denied"** — `pcscd` isn't running or the user lacks permission: `sudo systemctl enable --now pcscd && sudo usermod -a -G pcscd $USER`.
 - **"device file /dev/ttyUSB0 does not exist"** — no serial reader; connect a USB reader or pass `-d` explicitly. The server still starts without a reader.
 - **"Service not available" (0x8010001D) / reader gone after a `pcscd` restart** — the server recovers by itself: a watchdog revives pyscard's presence monitor and the next equip (automatic after re-insertion, or the **Equip** button) recreates the PC/SC transport (releasing the old link first). No server restart needed.
-- **"Card was removed" errors / auto-equip fails after a card swap** — a normal card swap reconnects on the existing transport (card-level PC/SC errors no longer force a transport rebuild), a failed auto-equip is retried up to 3 times, and the watchdog re-arms it every 5 s while a card is present. A removed card also clears the card state completely, so handlers answer "no card" instead of transmitting over the dead card.
+- **"Card was removed" errors / auto-equip fails after a card swap** — a card insertion marks the PC/SC link for a rebuild (so the **first** attempt already uses a fresh link — on Windows the old one cannot connect after a swap), the auto-equip retries up to 3 times, and **every failed attempt rebuilds the transport** before the next one. A card removed while the server initializes at startup leaves it cardless with one line (no traceback), and the next insertion equips normally. The swallowed init error (with its traceback) is now printed as `AUTO-EQUIP: init output:`, and a card that is present but produced no card is a failure, not a silent "card gone". The watchdog re-arms with a doubling delay (5 s up to 60 s) while a card is present; a removed card clears the card state completely, so handlers answer "no card" instead of transmitting over the dead card.
 
 ### API reference
 

README_RUS.md

@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ pysim-simple-server --http-port 8080
 - **"Failed to establish context: Access denied"** — `pcscd` не запущен или нет прав: `sudo systemctl enable --now pcscd && sudo usermod -a -G pcscd $USER`.
 - **"device file /dev/ttyUSB0 does not exist"** — нет serial-ридера; подключите USB-ридер или укажите `-d`. Сервер всё равно стартует без ридера.
 - **"Service not available" (0x8010001D) / ридер пропал после перезапуска `pcscd`** — сервер восстанавливается сам: сторож перезапускает монитор присутствия pyscard, а следующий equip (автоматически после повторной вставки карты или кнопкой **Equip**) пересоздаёт транспорт PC/SC (сначала освобождая старый линк). Перезапуск сервера не нужен.
-- **Ошибки "Card was removed" / equip не срабатывает после смены карты** — обычная смена карты переподключается на существующем транспорте (карточные ошибки PC/SC больше не вызывают пересоздание транспорта), неудавшийся авто-equip повторяется до 3 раз, а сторож перезапускает его каждые 5 с, пока карта в ридере. Снятие карты теперь полностью очищает состояние, поэтому обработчики отвечают «нет карты», а не шлют APDU мёртвой карте.
+- **Ошибки "Card was removed" / equip не срабатывает после смены карты** — вставка карты помечает соединение PC/SC для пересоздания (поэтому **первая** попытка уже использует свежее соединение — в Windows старое после смены карты подключиться не может), авто-equip повторяется до 3 раз, и **каждая неудачная попытка пересоздаёт транспорт** перед следующей. Карта, снятая во время инициализации при старте сервера, оставляет его без карты с одной строкой (без трассировки), а следующая вставка инициализируется обычным образом. Проглоченная ошибка инициализации (с трассировкой) теперь печатается как `AUTO-EQUIP: init output:`, а «карта есть, но карта не создана» — это ошибка, а не тихое «карта пропала». Сторож повторяет с удвоением задержки (5 с … 60 с), пока карта в ридере; снятие карты полностью очищает состояние, поэтому обработчики отвечают «нет карты», а не шлют APDU мёртвой карте.
 
 ### Справочник API
 

docs/api.md

@@ -351,6 +351,10 @@ into a preview.
 - `tar_keyset` — an optional **global default keyset** (1–15) for the TAR
   entries that do not name one (the API's shorthand; the PWA sends per-row
   keysets instead).
+- `start_counter` — the counter **every created keyset starts from** (1–10 hex
+  digits; whitespace stripped, uppercased).  Without it the store's default
+  (`1`) applies.  A bad value is a `400`; the import stores the protocol's
+  10-digit form.
 
 Recognised columns (case-insensitive): `ICCID` (the digits + odd-nibble F
 pad, the plain digits, spaced digits or the raw nibble-swapped EF hex all

frontend/help.html

@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@
 		</tbody>
 	</table>
 	<p class="text-sm mb-3">The <strong>SCP81</strong> column shows whether the preset supplies a usable PSK pair: <strong>&#10003;</strong> (green) — identity and key set; <strong>&#9888;</strong> (amber) — only one of the two, so the listener ignores the preset; <strong>&mdash;</strong> — no PSK. PSK identity and key must be set together. <strong>Add preset</strong> opens the editor with a fresh preset; <strong>Edit</strong> loads the row's preset into it so fields can be changed without re-entering the card; <strong>Save</strong> stores it and returns to the list, <strong>Cancel</strong> discards the edits; <strong>Remove</strong> deletes the row (list only). Presets can be shared with <strong>Export to file</strong> and restored with <strong>Import from file</strong>. The selected card preset auto-fills the Secured Packet form and sets the TAR for the operation (RAM/GP &rarr; ISD TAR, SIM RFM &rarr; UICC RFM TAR, USIM RFM &rarr; ADF RFM TAR); a TAR typed into the Secured Packet form by hand is kept when sending - the counter, keys and the TAR's MSL are still re-read from the preset; the SPI1 is seeded from the TAR's MSL and a lower value warns (the server returns it as a <code class="font-mono text-sm">warning</code> too); edits are pushed into a running SCP81 listener automatically.</p>
-	<p class="text-sm mb-3"><strong>Import outfile</strong> imports many cards at once from a card vendor's <em>outfile</em> — the personalization tool's plain-text dump: a banner and a configuration header, then a whitespace-separated <strong>column line</strong> (the tokens include <code class="font-mono text-sm">ICCID</code>; the first token may carry a <code class="font-mono text-sm">var_out:</code>-style prefix) and one row per card. Everything before the column line and every unused column is ignored. Every data row must carry a value for <strong>every declared column</strong> &mdash; the format is positional, so an empty value is indistinguishable from a missing one &mdash; and a <code class="font-mono text-sm">KICn</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIDn</code> pair named in the header must have a usable value in every row; a violation makes the whole file invalid (the preview reports the line and the import is refused). The parser reads <code class="font-mono text-sm">ICCID</code> (digits, the digits with an odd-nibble <code class="font-mono text-sm">F</code> pad, spaced digits or the raw EF hex — all normalised to one form), <code class="font-mono text-sm">PIN1</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PIN2</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PUK1</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PUK2</code>, <code class="font-mono text-sm">ADM</code> (the key's hex value, 4&ndash;16 hex digits in byte pairs — e.g. <code class="font-mono text-sm">3632333239463337</code>), <code class="font-mono text-sm">PSK</code> (16 bytes; an optional <code class="font-mono text-sm">PSKID</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PSK_ID</code> names its identity, defaulting to the card's ICCID) and the numbered key pairs <code class="font-mono text-sm">KICn</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIDn</code> — one keyset per pair, up to 15. The <strong>KIc/KID bytes are never in the file</strong>: the keyset number is the column number (<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIC2</code> &rarr; keyset 2) and the algorithm nibble follows the key size — 8 bytes DES, 24 bytes 3DES3, and for <strong>16 bytes</strong> the preview's choice, <strong>3DES2</strong> (default) or <strong>AES</strong>; any other size skips that keyset with a note. The TARs never come from the file either: the preview shows the TAR table the imported cards get (the three role entries with their spec TARs and MSL 16 by default, editable, with <strong>+ TAR</strong> for extra entries) and <strong>every row carries its own keyset</strong> — a select over the keysets found in the file (the first one is preselected; a non-zero MSL needs one, marked amber), so each TAR's packets use exactly the keyset you choose. A <strong>common name</strong> is applied to every imported card (empty falls back to the ICCID); <strong>Import mode</strong> chooses <strong>Merge</strong> (default — existing presets are kept, duplicate ICCIDs are skipped and reported) or <strong>Replace</strong> (the store is wiped first). The preview lists the parsed cards (ICCID, keysets, the codes found) and every skipped row/key with its reason before anything is stored.</p>
+	<p class="text-sm mb-3"><strong>Import outfile</strong> imports many cards at once from a card vendor's <em>outfile</em> — the personalization tool's plain-text dump: a banner and a configuration header, then a whitespace-separated <strong>column line</strong> (the tokens include <code class="font-mono text-sm">ICCID</code>; the first token may carry a <code class="font-mono text-sm">var_out:</code>-style prefix) and one row per card. Everything before the column line and every unused column is ignored. Every data row must carry a value for <strong>every declared column</strong> &mdash; the format is positional, so an empty value is indistinguishable from a missing one &mdash; and a <code class="font-mono text-sm">KICn</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIDn</code> pair named in the header must have a usable value in every row; a violation makes the whole file invalid (the preview reports the line and the import is refused). The parser reads <code class="font-mono text-sm">ICCID</code> (digits, the digits with an odd-nibble <code class="font-mono text-sm">F</code> pad, spaced digits or the raw EF hex — all normalised to one form), <code class="font-mono text-sm">PIN1</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PIN2</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PUK1</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PUK2</code>, <code class="font-mono text-sm">ADM</code> (the key's hex value, 4&ndash;16 hex digits in byte pairs — e.g. <code class="font-mono text-sm">3632333239463337</code>), <code class="font-mono text-sm">PSK</code> (16 bytes; an optional <code class="font-mono text-sm">PSKID</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">PSK_ID</code> names its identity, defaulting to the card's ICCID) and the numbered key pairs <code class="font-mono text-sm">KICn</code>/<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIDn</code> — one keyset per pair, up to 15. The <strong>KIc/KID bytes are never in the file</strong>: the keyset number is the column number (<code class="font-mono text-sm">KIC2</code> &rarr; keyset 2) and the algorithm nibble follows the key size — 8 bytes DES, 24 bytes 3DES3, and for <strong>16 bytes</strong> the preview's choice, <strong>3DES2</strong> (default) or <strong>AES</strong>; any other size skips that keyset with a note. The TARs never come from the file either: the preview shows the TAR table the imported cards get (the three role entries with their spec TARs and MSL 16 by default, editable, with <strong>+ TAR</strong> for extra entries) and <strong>every row carries its own keyset</strong> — a select over the keysets found in the file (the first one is preselected; a non-zero MSL needs one, marked amber), so each TAR's packets use exactly the keyset you choose. <strong>Start counter value</strong> sets the counter every created keyset starts from (default <code class="font-mono text-sm">1</code> &mdash; the store's value; raise it for cards already past it).  A <strong>common name</strong> is applied to every imported card (empty falls back to the ICCID); <strong>Import mode</strong> chooses <strong>Merge</strong> (default — existing presets are kept, duplicate ICCIDs are skipped and reported) or <strong>Replace</strong> (the store is wiped first). The preview lists the parsed cards (ICCID, keysets, the codes found) and every skipped row/key with its reason before anything is stored.</p>
 </section>
 
 <section class="mb-10">

frontend/index.html

@@ -1943,7 +1943,7 @@
 // ===== Version =====
 // Single source of truth for the PWA version: shown in the header and used
 // by the server version check in pysimConnect().
-const SIMPLE_VERSION = '3.32.0';
+const SIMPLE_VERSION = '3.32.5';
 document.getElementById('app-version').textContent = 'v' + SIMPLE_VERSION;
 
 // ===== view history (the browser Back/Forward buttons) =====
@@ -15154,7 +15154,7 @@ async function cardsOutfileFile(input) {
 	}
 	_cardsOutfile = { text: text, file: String(file.name || ''),
 		name: String(file.name || '').replace(/\.[^.]+$/, ''),
-		algorithm16: '3des2', mode: 'merge', preview: null };
+		algorithm16: '3des2', cntr: '1', mode: 'merge', preview: null };
 	_cardsOutfileTars = 0;
 	cardsOutfileRender();
 	await cardsOutfilePreview();
@@ -15177,6 +15177,7 @@ function cardsOutfileControls() {
 	const val = id => { const el = document.getElementById(id); return el ? String(el.value) : ''; };
 	if (document.getElementById('cards-of-name')) o.name = val('cards-of-name').trim();
 	if (document.getElementById('cards-of-algo')) o.algorithm16 = val('cards-of-algo') || '3des2';
+	if (document.getElementById('cards-of-cntr')) o.cntr = val('cards-of-cntr').trim().toUpperCase();
 	if (document.getElementById('cards-of-mode')) {
 		o.mode = val('cards-of-mode') === 'replace' ? 'replace' : 'merge';
 	}
@@ -15371,6 +15372,13 @@ function cardsOutfileRender() {
 		'<select id="cards-of-mode" class="block mt-0.5 border border-gray-300 dark:border-slate-600 text-sm rounded px-2 py-1 dark:bg-slate-800">' +
 		'<option value="merge"' + (o.mode === 'replace' ? '' : ' selected') + '>' + esc(t('Merge')) + '</option>' +
 		'<option value="replace"' + (o.mode === 'replace' ? ' selected' : '') + '>' + esc(t('Replace')) + '</option></select></label>';
+	// The counter every created keyset starts from (v3.32.1): the store's
+	// default, editable for cards whose counter is already past it.
+	html += '<label class="text-xs text-gray-600 dark:text-slate-400" title="' +
+		esc(t('The counter every created keyset starts from (1-10 hex digits); the store default is 1')) + '">' +
+		esc(t('Start counter value')) +
+		'<input id="cards-of-cntr" class="block mt-0.5 w-24 border border-gray-300 dark:border-slate-600 text-sm rounded px-2 py-1 dark:bg-slate-800 font-mono" maxlength="10" value="' +
+		escHtml(o.cntr || '1') + '" onchange="cardsOutfilePreview()"></label>';
 	html += '</div>';
 	html += '<div class="text-xs text-gray-600 dark:text-slate-400 mb-1">' + esc(t('TAR table')) + '</div>';
 	html += '<div id="cards-of-tars">' + cardsOutfileTarRowsHtml() + '</div>';
@@ -15393,7 +15401,7 @@ async function cardsOutfilePreview() {
 	cardsOutfileControls();
 	const body = {
 		text: o.text, name: o.name, algorithm16: o.algorithm16,
-		tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm(),
+		tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm(), start_counter: o.cntr,
 	};
 	try {
 		o.preview = await pysimFetchOk('/api/presets/import-outfile', body);
@@ -15418,7 +15426,7 @@ async function cardsOutfileImport() {
 	if (btn) btn.disabled = true;
 	const body = {
 		text: o.text, name: o.name, algorithm16: o.algorithm16,
-		tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm(), mode: o.mode,
+		tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm(), start_counter: o.cntr, mode: o.mode,
 	};
 	try {
 		const res = await pysimFetchOk('/api/presets/import-outfile', body);
@@ -24012,6 +24020,8 @@ const LANG_RU = {
 	'Common name': 'Общее имя',
 	'16-byte keys': '16-байтные ключи',
 	'This TAR needs a keyset (its MSL requires security)': 'Этому TAR нужен keyset (его MSL требует защиты)',
+	'Start counter value': 'Начальное значение счётчика',
+	'The counter every created keyset starts from (1-10 hex digits); the store default is 1': 'Счётчик, с которого начинается каждый созданный keyset (1–10 hex-цифр); по умолчанию в хранилище — 1',
 	'The file is invalid - fix it and refresh the preview': 'Файл некорректен — исправьте его и обновите предпросмотр',
 	'Import mode': 'Режим импорта',
 	'Merge': 'Дополнить',

frontend/sw.js

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const CACHE = 'simple-v458';
+const CACHE = 'simple-v463';
 const URLS = [
   'index.html',
   'help.html',

frontend/tests/cards_outfile.test.js

@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ test('the preview and the import both post the outfile endpoint', () => {
 	// the keysets travel per TAR row (v3.29.1): no global tar_keyset
 	assert.ok(!preview.includes('tar_keyset'), 'the preview must not send a global keyset');
 	assert.ok(!imp.includes('tar_keyset'), 'the import must not send a global keyset');
-	assert.match(preview, /tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm\(\)/);
-	assert.match(imp, /tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm\(\), mode: o\.mode/);
+	assert.match(preview, /tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm\(\), start_counter: o\.cntr/);
+	assert.match(imp, /tars: cardsOutfileTarsFromForm\(\), start_counter: o\.cntr, mode: o\.mode/);
 });
 
 test('the 16-byte algorithm values match the server map', () => {
@@ -225,10 +225,12 @@ test('cardsOutfileControls reads the panel controls back into the state', () =>
 	setEl('cards-of-name', '  Batch 7  ');
 	setEl('cards-of-algo', 'aes');
 	setEl('cards-of-mode', 'replace');
+	setEl('cards-of-cntr', ' 1a ');
 	app.cardsOutfileControls();
 	assert.strictEqual(app.state.name, 'Batch 7');
 	assert.strictEqual(app.state.algorithm16, 'aes');
 	assert.strictEqual(app.state.mode, 'replace');
+	assert.strictEqual(app.state.cntr, '1A');   // the store's uppercase hex form
 });
 
 test('picking a file previews it with the file name and the TAR defaults', async () => {
@@ -254,6 +256,10 @@ test('picking a file previews it with the file name and the TAR defaults', async
 	assert.match(els['cards-outfile-panel'].innerHTML, /id="cards-of-tar-0-keyset"/);
 	assert.match(els['cards-outfile-panel'].innerHTML, /<option value="1" selected>Keyset 1 — 15\/15<\/option>/);
 	assert.match(els['cards-outfile-panel'].innerHTML, /8970119000004600098/);
+	// the start counter field defaults to the store's value and travels in the body
+	assert.match(els['cards-outfile-panel'].innerHTML, /id="cards-of-cntr"/);
+	assert.match(els['cards-outfile-panel'].innerHTML, /value="1"/);
+	assert.strictEqual(body.start_counter, '1');
 });
 
 test('a failing preview shows the server message in the panel', async () => {

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "pysim-simple-server"
-version = "3.32.0"
+version = "3.32.5"
 description = "HTTP REST server wrapping pysim for the SIMple PWA"
 license = { text = "GPL-2.0-or-later" }
 requires-python = ">=3.9"

pysim_simple_server/__main__.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from . import presets
 from . import test_scripts
 from . import test_suites
 from . import testscript
-from .server import PysimHandler, StderrApduTracer, _LoggingApduTracer, VERSION, _send_terminal_profile, _DefaultProactiveHandler, _handle_proactive_chain, _send_status, _init_proactive_session, _timing_on, _tlog, _set_menu_timeout, start_card_monitor, set_auto_equip, _read_iccid, _read_arr, _read_pbr, _netstate_read, _netstate_install, _LineFilter, _test_command_type, migrate_scripts_to_suites
+from .server import PysimHandler, StderrApduTracer, _LoggingApduTracer, VERSION, _send_terminal_profile, _DefaultProactiveHandler, _handle_proactive_chain, _send_status, _init_proactive_session, _timing_on, _tlog, _set_menu_timeout, start_card_monitor, set_auto_equip, _read_iccid, _read_arr, _read_pbr, _netstate_read, _netstate_install, _LineFilter, _test_command_type, migrate_scripts_to_suites, _is_pcsc_error, _clear_app_card_state
 
 
 _server_start = 0
@@ -295,7 +295,25 @@ def main():
                     break
                 _handle_proactive_chain(scc, st_sw)
             _tlog('terminal_profile_drain: %.0fms' % ((time.time() - t_phase) * 1000))
-        except Exception:
+        except Exception as e:
+            if _is_pcsc_error(e):
+                # The card (or the reader) went away during the startup init -
+                # a normal state, not a crash.  Drop the half-initialized
+                # session: keeping the card object would leave the server
+                # reporting a phantom equipped card, and the auto-equip would
+                # then skip every later insertion (_CARD_CONNECTED is True).
+                # The presence monitor equips the next card (live 2026-10-21).
+                sys.stderr.write('INIT: card removed during initialization - server ready; '
+                                 'insert a card or press Equip\n')
+                iccid = None
+                netstate_files = None
+                arr_files = None
+                pbr_files = None
+                card = None
+                rs = None
+                scc = None
+                _clear_app_card_state(app)
+            else:
                 traceback.print_exc(file=sys.stderr)
     if app is not None and tracer is not None:
         if opts.apdu_trace:

pysim_simple_server/outfile.py

@@ -184,13 +184,23 @@ def _hex_value(tok):
     return v if v and len(v) % 2 == 0 else ''
 
 
-def parse_outfile(text, name='', algorithm16='3des2', tars=None, tar_keyset=None):
+def parse_outfile(text, name='', algorithm16='3des2', tars=None, tar_keyset=None,
+                  start_counter=None):
     """Parse an outfile into preset dicts (the store's shape).
 
-    Returns ``{'presets': [...], 'report': {...}}``.  Every skipped row or key
-    is named in the report (up to ``SKIP_REPORT_MAX`` lines, then counted) -
-    nothing is silently dropped.  Raises ValueError on a malformed TAR table.
+    ``start_counter`` (1-10 hex digits) is written into every created keyset -
+    the counter an operation against that keyset starts from; without it the
+    store's default ('1') applies.  Returns
+    ``{'presets': [...], 'report': {...}}``.  Every skipped row or key is named
+    in the report (up to ``SKIP_REPORT_MAX`` lines, then counted) - nothing is
+    silently dropped.  Raises ValueError on a malformed TAR table or counter.
     """
+    counter = None
+    if start_counter not in (None, ''):
+        counter = re.sub(r'\s', '', str(start_counter)).upper()
+        if not re.fullmatch(r'[0-9A-F]{1,10}', counter):
+            raise ValueError('start_counter must be 1-10 hex digits: %r'
+                             % (start_counter,))
     columns, line_index = find_columns(text)
     report = {'columns': columns or [], 'header_lines': max(line_index, 0),
               'rows': 0, 'cards': 0, 'keysets': [], 'tars': 0,
@@ -256,8 +266,11 @@ def parse_outfile(text, name='', algorithm16='3des2', tars=None, tar_keyset=None
                      % (row_no, n, len(kic_key) // 2))
                 continue
             byte = '%02X' % ((n << 4) | algo)
-            keysets.append({'kic': byte, 'kid': byte,
-                            'kicKey': kic_key, 'kidKey': kid_key})
+            keyset = {'kic': byte, 'kid': byte,
+                      'kicKey': kic_key, 'kidKey': kid_key}
+            if counter is not None:
+                keyset['cntr'] = counter
+            keysets.append(keyset)
         if not keysets:
             skip('line %d: no usable keyset' % row_no)
             continue

pysim_simple_server/server.py

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from osmocom.tlv import BER_TLV_IE
 from osmocom.utils import rpad
 
 
-VERSION = '3.32.0'
+VERSION = '3.32.5'
 
 MAX_ENVELOPE_SEGMENTS = 5  # max SMS segments for outgoing C-APDU in ENVELOPE
 
@@ -5426,7 +5426,8 @@ def _ensure_transport(server):
         try:
             old.disconnect()
         except Exception as e:
-            sys.stderr.write('TRANSPORT: releasing the old link failed: %s\n' % e)
+            sys.stderr.write('TRANSPORT: releasing the old link failed '
+                             '(continuing with a fresh one): %s\n' % e)
     try:
         sl = factory()
     except Exception as e:
@@ -5701,8 +5702,8 @@ def _auto_equip_attempt(server):
         if not _ensure_transport(server):
             return False
         server.equipping = True
-        try:
         out = StringIO()
+        try:
             old_stdout, old_stderr = app.stdout, sys.stderr
             old_debug = getattr(app, 'debug', None)
             app.stdout = out
@@ -5716,9 +5717,17 @@ def _auto_equip_attempt(server):
                     app.debug = old_debug
                 app.stdout = old_stdout
                 sys.stderr = old_stderr
-            if not getattr(server, 'card_present', False) or server.app.card is None:
+            if not getattr(server, 'card_present', False):
+                # A real removal: _handle_card_disconnect already cleared the
+                # session, nothing to retry.
                 sys.stderr.write('AUTO-EQUIP: card gone during initialization\n')
                 return True
+            if server.app.card is None:
+                # The presence monitor still reports the card, so this is a
+                # failed initialization, not a swap - never a silent no-op
+                # (a Windows card swap showed an endless "card gone"
+                # re-arm loop because this returned True: 2026-10-21).
+                raise RuntimeError('the card is present but the init produced no card')
             if 'Traceback (most recent call last)' in out.getvalue():
                 raise RuntimeError('equip reported an error (see the captured output)')
             if not _app_equip_complete(app):
@@ -5729,12 +5738,31 @@ def _auto_equip_attempt(server):
             return True
         except Exception as e:
             sys.stderr.write('AUTO-EQUIP failed: %s\n' % e)
-            # A dead transport must be rebuilt before the next attempt;
-            # card-level failures reconnect on the existing link.  Unequip the
-            # half-initialized shell as well: a failed init can leave command
-            # sets registered that the next equip would refuse to re-register.
-            if _is_transport_fatal(e):
+            # Show what pySim swallowed (cmd2 printed it into the capture):
+            # without it the failure is undiagnosable in the run log.
+            captured = out.getvalue().strip()
+            if 'Traceback (most recent call last)' in captured:
+                lines = captured.splitlines()
+                start = next(i for i, l in enumerate(lines)
+                             if 'Traceback (most recent call last)' in l)
+                body = lines[start:start + 10]
+                tail = [l for l in lines[start:] if l.strip()][-3:]
+                if tail and tail[-1] not in body:
+                    # The exception itself is the last line of the traceback;
+                    # a rich-box traceback can be longer than the head slice.
+                    body.append('...')
+                    body.extend(tail)
+                sys.stderr.write('AUTO-EQUIP: init output:\n%s\n'
+                                 % '\n'.join(body))
+            # ANY failed attempt leaves the PC/SC card handle suspect: after a
+            # card swap on Windows the link can stay unable to connect, so
+            # every retry failed and the watchdog re-armed forever (live
+            # 2026-10-21).  Mark the transport stale so the retry rebuilds it -
+            # _ensure_transport releases the old link first, so the new one
+            # never inherits a stale handle (the 2026-09-24 bug).
             _handle_card_disconnect(stale=True)
+            # Unequip the half-initialized shell too: a failed init can leave
+            # command sets registered that the next equip would refuse.
             _clear_app_card_state(app)
             return False
         finally:
@@ -5799,6 +5827,15 @@ class _CardPresenceObserver(CardObserver):
                     with _CARD_LOCK:
                         if _server_ref:
                             _server_ref.card_present = True
+                        # A freshly inserted card gets a fresh PC/SC link: after a
+                        # swap the old link can stay unable to connect (seen on
+                        # Windows: the first init failed and only the retry's
+                        # rebuild recovered it), and a link created at a cardless
+                        # startup has never connected.  Marking it here (under the
+                        # lock) makes the FIRST attempt rebuild - the rebuild
+                        # itself runs in the equip worker, never in this thread.
+                        global _TRANSPORT_STALE
+                        _TRANSPORT_STALE = True
                     trigger_auto = True
             if trigger_auto and _AUTO_EQUIP:
                 _auto_equip_trigger()
@@ -11610,7 +11647,8 @@ class PysimHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                     name=str(body.get('name') or ''),
                     algorithm16=algorithm16,
                     tars=tars,
-                    tar_keyset=tar_keyset)
+                    tar_keyset=tar_keyset,
+                    start_counter=body.get('start_counter'))
             except ValueError as e:
                 resp = {'error': str(e)}
                 self._send_json(resp, 400)

tests/test_card_monitor.py

@@ -35,8 +35,11 @@ class TestCardPresenceObserver(unittest.TestCase):
         self.trigger_mock = self.trigger.start()
         self.saved_auto = S._AUTO_EQUIP
         S._AUTO_EQUIP = True
+        self.saved_stale = S._TRANSPORT_STALE
+        S._TRANSPORT_STALE = False
 
     def tearDown(self):
+        S._TRANSPORT_STALE = self.saved_stale
         S._AUTO_EQUIP = self.saved_auto
         self.trigger.stop()
         self.patcher.stop()
@@ -61,6 +64,16 @@ class TestCardPresenceObserver(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.disconnects, [])
         self.trigger_mock.assert_called_once()
 
+    def test_insertion_marks_the_transport_for_a_rebuild(self):
+        # The first equip attempt must already use a fresh link: after a swap
+        # the old one cannot connect on Windows, and a cardless-startup link
+        # never connected (v3.32.4).
+        S._TRANSPORT_STALE = False
+        self.server.card_present = False
+        self.observer.update(None, ([FakeCard('Test Reader 00 00')], []))
+        self.assertTrue(S._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+        self.trigger_mock.assert_called_once()
+
     def test_insertion_does_not_trigger_when_disabled(self):
         S._AUTO_EQUIP = False
         self.server.card_present = False

tests/test_card_recovery.py

@@ -269,9 +269,50 @@ class AutoEquipTests(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(server._auto_equip_attempts(srv, 3, lambda s: None))
         self.assertEqual(state['calls'], 2)
         self.assertEqual(applied, [srv])
+        # the failed attempt left the handle suspect; the retry's
+        # _ensure_transport (patched here) would rebuild and clear the flag
+        self.assertTrue(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+
+    def test_a_failed_init_rebuilds_the_transport_before_the_retry(self):
+        # The Windows swap end to end: the first init fails with the card
+        # present, the retry starts from a fresh PC/SC link and succeeds -
+        # and the old link is released before the new one is built.
+        srv = self.make_server(None)
+        released = []
+        built = []
+
+        class Link:
+            def disconnect(self):
+                released.append(self)
+
+        old = Link()
+        srv.sl = old
+        srv.transport_factory = lambda: built.append(Link()) or built[-1]
+        calls = {'n': 0}
+
+        def onecmd(cmd):
+            calls['n'] += 1
+            if calls['n'] == 1:
+                raise RuntimeError('ProtocolError: Connection failed')
+            # a completed equip installs both (the failure unequipped the shell)
+            srv.app.card = SimpleNamespace(_scc='scc')
+            srv.app.lchan = 'lchan'
+
+        srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
+        with mock.patch.object(server, '_apply_equipped_card', lambda s: None):
+            self.assertTrue(server._auto_equip_attempts(srv, 3, lambda s: None))
+        self.assertEqual(calls['n'], 2)
+        self.assertEqual(len(built), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(released, [old])
+        self.assertIs(srv.sl, built[0])
         self.assertFalse(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
 
-    def test_card_level_failure_keeps_the_transport(self):
+    def test_a_failed_attempt_marks_the_transport_for_the_rebuild(self):
+        # A card-level error used to keep the link: after a Windows card swap
+        # the link stayed unable to connect, every retry failed and the
+        # watchdog re-armed forever (live 2026-10-21).  Any failed attempt now
+        # marks the transport stale so the retry rebuilds it (which releases
+        # the old link first - the 2026-09-24 bug).
         srv = self.make_server(None)
 
         def onecmd(cmd):
@@ -282,7 +323,7 @@ class AutoEquipTests(unittest.TestCase):
         srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
         with mock.patch.object(server, '_ensure_transport', lambda s: True):
             self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
-        self.assertFalse(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+        self.assertTrue(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
 
     def test_transport_fatal_failure_marks_the_transport(self):
         srv = self.make_server(None)
@@ -341,7 +382,7 @@ class AutoEquipTests(unittest.TestCase):
              mock.patch.object(server, '_apply_equipped_card',
                                lambda s: self.fail('_apply_equipped_card must not run')):
             self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
-        self.assertFalse(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+        self.assertTrue(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
 
     def test_captured_equip_traceback_is_a_failure(self):
         # cmd2 prints swallowed exceptions (with cmd2 debug: a traceback) to
@@ -358,6 +399,73 @@ class AutoEquipTests(unittest.TestCase):
                                lambda s: self.fail('_apply_equipped_card must not run')):
             self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
 
+    def test_a_card_present_init_without_a_card_is_a_failure(self):
+        # The Windows loop: the presence monitor still reports the card, the
+        # init produced nothing - it must retry (and rebuild), never report a
+        # silent "card gone" success that re-arms forever (2026-10-21).
+        srv = self.make_server(None)
+
+        def onecmd(cmd):
+            pass        # cmd2 swallowed the real error: no card built
+
+        srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
+        with mock.patch.object(server, '_ensure_transport', lambda s: True):
+            self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
+        self.assertTrue(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+
+    def test_a_card_removed_during_the_init_is_still_a_silent_no_op(self):
+        srv = self.make_server(None)
+
+        def onecmd(cmd):
+            srv.card_present = False    # the monitor saw the removal mid-init
+
+        srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
+        with mock.patch.object(server, '_ensure_transport', lambda s: True), \
+             mock.patch('sys.stderr', new=StringIO()) as err:
+            self.assertTrue(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
+        self.assertIn('card gone during initialization', err.getvalue())
+        self.assertFalse(server._TRANSPORT_STALE)
+
+    def test_the_swallowed_traceback_reaches_the_log(self):
+        srv = self.make_server(None)
+
+        def onecmd(cmd):
+            srv.app.card = SimpleNamespace(_scc='scc')
+            sys.stderr.write('Traceback (most recent call last):\n'
+                             '  File "x", line 1, in equip\n'
+                             'ProtocolError: Connection failed\n')
+
+        srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
+        with mock.patch.object(server, '_ensure_transport', lambda s: True), \
+             mock.patch.object(server, '_apply_equipped_card', lambda s: None), \
+             mock.patch('sys.stderr', new=StringIO()) as err:
+            self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
+        out = err.getvalue()
+        self.assertIn('AUTO-EQUIP: init output:', out)
+        self.assertIn('ProtocolError: Connection failed', out)
+
+    def test_a_long_traceback_keeps_its_exception_line(self):
+        # cmd2 renders a rich-box traceback; a fixed head slice cut the
+        # exception itself off (seen live on Windows 2026-10-21), so the tail
+        # is always included.
+        srv = self.make_server(None)
+
+        def onecmd(cmd):
+            srv.app.card = SimpleNamespace(_scc='scc')
+            sys.stderr.write('Traceback (most recent call last):\n')
+            for i in range(30):
+                sys.stderr.write('  File "f%d", line %d, in step%d\n' % (i, i, i))
+            sys.stderr.write('CardConnectionException: No card is inserted\n')
+
+        srv.app.onecmd_plus_hooks = onecmd
+        with mock.patch.object(server, '_ensure_transport', lambda s: True), \
+             mock.patch.object(server, '_apply_equipped_card', lambda s: None), \
+             mock.patch('sys.stderr', new=StringIO()) as err:
+            self.assertFalse(server._auto_equip_attempt(srv))
+        out = err.getvalue()
+        self.assertIn('AUTO-EQUIP: init output:', out)
+        self.assertIn('CardConnectionException: No card is inserted', out)
+
     def test_failed_attempt_unequips_the_half_initialized_shell(self):
         calls = []
         srv = self.make_server(None)

tests/test_fetch_routes.py

@@ -979,6 +979,26 @@ class PresetStoreHttpTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(status, 400, resp)
         self.assertIn('the file is invalid', resp['error'])
         self.assertEqual(len(self.store.list()), before)
+        # the import form's start counter (v3.32.1): every created keyset
+        # carries it; an unusable value is a 400
+        status, resp = self._post('/api/presets/import-outfile', {
+            'text': text, 'start_counter': '1A'})
+        self.assertEqual(status, 200, resp)
+        self.assertEqual([k.get('cntr') for k in resp['presets'][0]['keysets']],
+                         ['1A'] * len(resp['presets'][0]['keysets']))
+        status, resp = self._post('/api/presets/import-outfile', {
+            'text': text, 'start_counter': 'XYZ'})
+        self.assertEqual(status, 400, resp)
+        self.assertIn('start_counter', resp['error'])
+        # ...and an import stores the protocol's padded form (a fresh ICCID:
+        # merge mode skips a duplicate)
+        fresh = text.replace('8970119000004600098', '8970119000004600999')
+        status, resp = self._post('/api/presets/import-outfile', {
+            'text': fresh, 'start_counter': '1A', 'mode': 'merge'})
+        self.assertEqual(status, 200, resp)
+        got = [p for p in self.store.list()
+               if p['iccid'] == '8970119000004600999']
+        self.assertEqual([k['cntr'] for k in got[0]['keysets']], ['000000001A'])
         # a non-list TAR table is the caller's error, never a silent fallback
         status, resp = self._post('/api/presets/import-outfile', {
             'text': text, 'tars': 'nope'})

tests/test_outfile.py

@@ -219,6 +219,26 @@ class OptionTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             outfile.parse_outfile(text, tars=[{'tar': '000000', 'msl': '16', 'keyset': 'x'}])
 
+    def test_the_start_counter_is_written_into_every_keyset(self):
+        """The import form's "Start counter value": every created keyset
+        carries it (the store pads it to the protocol's 10-digit form); without
+        it the store's default ('1') applies.  An unusable value is the
+        caller's error, never a silent default (v3.32.1)."""
+        res = outfile.parse_outfile(alfa_text(), start_counter='1a')
+        ks = res['presets'][0]['keysets']
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ks), 2)
+        self.assertEqual([k.get('cntr') for k in ks], ['1A'] * len(ks))
+        # normalised: whitespace stripped, uppercase
+        res = outfile.parse_outfile(alfa_text(), start_counter=' a1 ')
+        self.assertEqual(res['presets'][0]['keysets'][0]['cntr'], 'A1')
+        # unset: no field at all - the store fills its default
+        res = outfile.parse_outfile(alfa_text())
+        self.assertNotIn('cntr', res['presets'][0]['keysets'][0])
+        # an unusable value refuses the whole parse
+        for bad in ('XYZ', '1G', '1234567890A', '   '):
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                outfile.parse_outfile(alfa_text(), start_counter=bad)
+
     def test_a_malformed_tar_table_raises(self):
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             outfile.parse_outfile(alfa_text(), tars=[{'tar': 'ZZ', 'msl': '16'}])

tests/test_startup_cardless.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ line and no traceback, and the pySim-internal 'Waiting for card...' /
 failure keeps the stock-pysim fallback and its traceback.
 """
 
+import inspect
 import io
 import sys
 import unittest
@@ -158,3 +159,28 @@ def _parser():
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
+
+class StartupCardLostTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    """A card removed during the startup init leaves the server cardless.
+
+    The startup code used to keep the card object it had already built:
+    ``card_present`` and ``_CARD_CONNECTED`` stayed True, so the server
+    reported a phantom equipped card and the auto-equip skipped every later
+    insertion (its ``_CARD_CONNECTED`` early return).  The PC/SC error must
+    drop the half-initialized session instead - and not print a traceback for
+    a normal removal."""
+
+    def test_a_pcsc_interruption_drops_the_session(self):
+        src = inspect.getsource(srv_main.main)
+        self.assertIn('_is_pcsc_error(e)', src)
+        self.assertIn('card removed during initialization', src)
+        self.assertIn('_clear_app_card_state(app)', src)
+        # the locals that feed card_present / _CARD_CONNECTED are cleared
+        for line in ('iccid = None', 'card = None', 'rs = None', 'scc = None'):
+            self.assertIn(line, src)
+
+    def test_the_session_state_is_derived_from_the_cleared_card(self):
+        # the assignments that would otherwise report a phantom card
+        src = inspect.getsource(srv_main.main)
+        self.assertIn('server.card_present = card is not None', src)
+        self.assertIn('_CARD_CONNECTED = card is not None', src)