Fix apply stage on Windows and make dry-run side-effect-free

.gitignore

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ logs/
 .mcp*.json
 
 # Python
+.venv/
+venv/
 __pycache__/
 *.py[cod]
 *$py.class

src/applypilot/apply/launcher.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import os
 import platform
 import re
+import shutil
 import signal
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ def acquire_job(target_url: str | None = None, min_score: int = 7,
                 FROM jobs
                 WHERE (url = ? OR application_url = ? OR application_url LIKE ? OR url LIKE ?)
                   AND tailored_resume_path IS NOT NULL
-                  AND apply_status != 'in_progress'
+                  AND (apply_status IS NULL OR apply_status != 'in_progress')
                 LIMIT 1
             """, (target_url, target_url, like, like)).fetchone()
         else:
@@ -321,9 +322,12 @@ def run_job(job: dict, port: int, worker_id: int = 0,
     mcp_config_path = config.APP_DIR / f".mcp-apply-{worker_id}.json"
     mcp_config_path.write_text(json.dumps(_make_mcp_config(port)), encoding="utf-8")
 
-    # Build claude command
+    # Build claude command. Resolve the full path so Windows can spawn the
+    # `claude.cmd` shim -- subprocess/CreateProcess won't find a bare "claude"
+    # name (no PATHEXT resolution), causing WinError 2.
+    claude_exe = shutil.which("claude") or "claude"
     cmd = [
-        "claude",
+        claude_exe,
         "--model", model,
         "-p",
         "--mcp-config", str(mcp_config_path),
@@ -465,7 +469,7 @@ def run_job(job: dict, port: int, worker_id: int = 0,
         def _clean_reason(s: str) -> str:
             return re.sub(r'[*`"]+$', '', s).strip()
 
-        for result_status in ["APPLIED", "EXPIRED", "CAPTCHA", "LOGIN_ISSUE"]:
+        for result_status in ["DRY_RUN", "APPLIED", "EXPIRED", "CAPTCHA", "LOGIN_ISSUE"]:
             if f"RESULT:{result_status}" in output:
                 add_event(f"[W{worker_id}] {result_status} ({elapsed}s): {job['title'][:30]}")
                 update_state(worker_id, status=result_status.lower(),
@@ -608,6 +612,13 @@ def worker_loop(worker_id: int = 0, limit: int = 1,
                 release_lock(job["url"])
                 add_event(f"[W{worker_id}] Skipped: {job['title'][:30]}")
                 continue
+            elif result == "dry_run":
+                # Preview only -- never record as applied or failed. Clear the
+                # in_progress lock so the job stays available for a real apply.
+                release_lock(job["url"])
+                add_event(f"[W{worker_id}] DRY RUN done: {job['title'][:30]}")
+                update_state(worker_id, status="dry_run",
+                             last_action=f"dry run ({duration_ms // 1000}s)")
             elif result == "applied":
                 mark_result(job["url"], "applied", duration_ms=duration_ms)
                 applied += 1

src/applypilot/apply/prompt.py

@@ -507,14 +507,35 @@ def build_prompt(job: dict, tailored_resume: str,
     last_name = full_name.split()[-1] if " " in full_name else ""
     display_name = f"{preferred_name} {last_name}".strip()
 
-    # Dry-run: override submit instruction
+    # Dry-run: this is a PREVIEW. It must produce NO real side effects --
+    # no account creation, no data entry, no submission. Stop early and report
+    # what a real run would need to do, then emit a DISTINCT result token so the
+    # launcher never records it as a real application.
     if dry_run:
-        submit_instruction = "IMPORTANT: Do NOT click the final Submit/Apply button. Review the form, verify all fields, then output RESULT:APPLIED with a note that this was a dry run."
+        mission_tag = "This is a DRY RUN (preview only) -- DO NOT submit, DO NOT create accounts, DO NOT enter any data."
+        submit_instruction = "DRY RUN: do not fill or submit anything. Per the DRY RUN RULES you should already be stopping here. Output RESULT:DRY_RUN."
+        dry_run_banner = (
+            "\n== DRY RUN RULES (HIGHEST PRIORITY -- THESE OVERRIDE EVERY STEP BELOW) ==\n"
+            "This is a PREVIEW to inspect the application, not to apply. Do ONLY this:\n"
+            "1. browser_navigate to the job URL and browser_snapshot.\n"
+            "2. Do the LOCATION CHECK.\n"
+            "3. Locate the Apply button. You MAY click Apply ONCE to observe what the first\n"
+            "   step is (e.g. a login wall or account-creation screen).\n"
+            "Then STOP. You must NOT, under any circumstances: log in, register or create an\n"
+            "account, enter a password, type or upload ANY personal data, upload the resume or\n"
+            "cover letter, answer screening questions, or click Continue/Save/Next/Apply/Submit\n"
+            "on any form, and NEVER send email.\n"
+            "Finish by outputting RESULT:DRY_RUN followed by a 2-3 line summary of what a real\n"
+            "run would require (account needed? login/SSO wall? approx number of steps? any\n"
+            "blockers like CAPTCHA). NEVER output RESULT:APPLIED in a dry run.\n"
+        )
     else:
+        mission_tag = "Submit the application."
+        dry_run_banner = ""
         submit_instruction = "BEFORE clicking Submit/Apply, take a snapshot and review EVERY field on the page. Verify all data matches the APPLICANT PROFILE and TAILORED RESUME -- name, email, phone, location, work auth, resume uploaded, cover letter if applicable. If anything is wrong or missing, fix it FIRST. Only click Submit after confirming everything is correct."
 
-    prompt = f"""You are an autonomous job application agent. Your ONE mission: get this candidate an interview. You have all the information and tools. Think strategically. Act decisively. Submit the application.
-
+    prompt = f"""You are an autonomous job application agent. Your ONE mission: get this candidate an interview. You have all the information and tools. Think strategically. Act decisively. {mission_tag}
+{dry_run_banner}
 == JOB ==
 URL: {job.get('application_url') or job['url']}
 Title: {job['title']}
@@ -585,6 +606,7 @@ def build_prompt(job: dict, tailored_resume: str,
 12. Output your result.
 
 == RESULT CODES (output EXACTLY one) ==
+RESULT:DRY_RUN -- dry-run preview complete, nothing submitted (use ONLY in dry runs)
 RESULT:APPLIED -- submitted successfully
 RESULT:EXPIRED -- job closed or no longer accepting applications
 RESULT:CAPTCHA -- blocked by unsolvable captcha