2 files changed, 18 insertions, 12 deletions

diff --git a/src/ninep/ctl.zig b/src/ninep/ctl.zig
index 5d08a77f..42b88b91 100644
--- a/src/ninep/ctl.zig
+++ b/src/ninep/ctl.zig
@@ -3234,19 +3234,23 @@ test "a tag write refuses NUL and the other control characters" {
     }
 }
 
-test "a malformed address is bad address syntax, on a terminal as on a text" {
+test "a malformed address is bad address syntax; on a pane with no text any address is refused as nothing to address" {
     const p = try th.withTerm(testing.allocator);
     defer p.deinit();
     const t = try withFile(testing.allocator, "one\n");
     defer t.deinit();
-    for ([_]*pardes.Pardes{ p, t }) |q| {
-        for ([_][]const u8{ "1x", "/(/", ",,x" }) |expr| {
-            const refused = wr(q, Node.of(serialOf(q), .addr), expr);
-            try testing.expectEqual(E.INVAL, refused.errno());
-            try testing.expect(refused.reply.ename.len > 0);
-        }
-        try testing.expectEqualStrings("bad address syntax", wr(q, Node.of(serialOf(q), .addr), "1x").reply.ename);
+    for ([_][]const u8{ "1x", "/(/", ",,x" }) |expr| {
+        const refused = wr(t, Node.of(serialOf(t), .addr), expr);
+        try testing.expectEqual(E.INVAL, refused.errno());
+        try testing.expect(refused.reply.ename.len > 0);
     }
+    try testing.expectEqualStrings("bad address syntax", wr(t, Node.of(serialOf(t), .addr), "1x").reply.ename);
+    // A terminal (as an image or a PDF): addr, dot and limit alike.
+    for ([_]tree.PaneFile{ .addr, .dot, .limit }) |file| for ([_][]const u8{ "1", "1x" }) |expr| {
+        const refused = wr(p, Node.of(serialOf(p), file), expr);
+        try testing.expectEqual(E.INVAL, refused.errno());
+        try testing.expectEqualStrings("this pane has no text to address", refused.reply.ename);
+    };
 }
 
 test "a bad event record says what is wrong with it" {
diff --git a/src/ninep/pane.zig b/src/ninep/pane.zig
index 9aada3ee..47fdd755 100644
--- a/src/ninep/pane.zig
+++ b/src/ninep/pane.zig
@@ -819,6 +819,8 @@ fn pairOf(text: []const u8) ?State.Range {
     return .{ .q0 = q0, .q1 = q1 };
 }
 
+pub const e_no_text_address = "this pane has no text to address";
+
 pub const e_addr_failed = "no address: the last one written to addr failed";
 
 /// A range file takes an address expression, or that pair of offsets. One
@@ -826,6 +828,9 @@ pub const e_addr_failed = "no address: the last one written to addr failed";
 /// regexp`, `address out of range`, `bad regular expression`, `addresses
 /// out of order`.
 fn writeRange(req: Req, pane: *Pane, file: PaneFile) Reply {
+    // A terminal, an image or a PDF has no text an address names: refused
+    // alike for addr, dot and limit, before the expression is read.
+    if (fileOf(pane) == null) return tree.failText(req.tag, E.INVAL, e_no_text_address);
     const pf = &pane.fs;
     const text = bodyOf(pane);
     clampAddr(pf, text.len);
@@ -868,10 +873,7 @@ fn writeRange(req: Req, pane: *Pane, file: PaneFile) Reply {
         },
         .limit => pf.limit = range,
         // Setting dot scrolls to it, which is the whole of acme's `show`.
-        .dot => {
-            if (fileOf(pane) == null) return tree.failText(req.tag, E.INVAL, e_no_text);
-            setDot(pane, range);
-        },
+        .dot => setDot(pane, range),
         else => unreachable,
     }
     return .{ .tag = req.tag, .written = @intCast(req.data.len) };