From ffd1c24b6cf9eedcceb63c5a8b5f0ef7c7a9c0e8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Joel Brock <joelbrock@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 28 May 2026 07:56:53 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] loader: warn when links.json parses fail instead of silently
 using example

---
 assets/js/app.js | 10 +++++++++-
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/assets/js/app.js b/assets/js/app.js
index cc76f19..eab7f5b 100644
--- a/assets/js/app.js
+++ b/assets/js/app.js
@@ -712,7 +712,15 @@
       try {
         const res = await fetch(src, { cache: "no-cache" });
         if (!res.ok) { lastErr = new Error(`${src}: HTTP ${res.status}`); continue; }
-        return await res.json();
+        try {
+          return await res.json();
+        } catch (parseErr) {
+          // File loaded but JSON is malformed — surface this loudly instead of
+          // silently falling back to the next source.
+          console.warn(`[dlstack] ${src} loaded but failed to parse — falling back. Fix the JSON to see your content.`, parseErr);
+          lastErr = new Error(`${src}: invalid JSON — ${parseErr.message}`);
+          continue;
+        }
       } catch (err) { lastErr = err; }
     }
     throw lastErr || new Error("No data file found.");