Prepare optional spell catalog inputs

internal/app/operator_helpers_test.go

@@ -458,6 +458,63 @@ inputs:
 	}
 }
 
+func TestOperatorCommandsReportConfiguredSpellCatalog(t *testing.T) {
+	workspaceRoot := t.TempDir()
+	pipelinePath, campaignPath, sessionPath := writeValidConfigFiles(t, workspaceRoot)
+	campaignBytes, err := os.ReadFile(campaignPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read campaign: %v", err)
+	}
+	campaignYAML := strings.Replace(string(campaignBytes), "  party_file: ./party.yml\n", "  party_file: ./party.yml\n  spell_catalog_file: ./spells.json\n", 1)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(campaignPath, []byte(campaignYAML), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write campaign: %v", err)
+	}
+	spellPath := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(campaignPath), "spells.json")
+	mustWriteTestFile(t, spellPath, "{\"spells\":[]}\n")
+
+	fake := &storage.FakeBackend{}
+	var storeInitCalls int
+	restoreAppConfigTestGlobals(t, fake, &storeInitCalls, []string{sessionPath})
+	commonArgs := []string{
+		"2026-05-03",
+		"--config", pipelinePath,
+		"--campaign-file", campaignPath,
+		"--session", sessionPath,
+	}
+
+	var stdout bytes.Buffer
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	validateArgs := append([]string{"session", "validate"}, commonArgs...)
+	if code := Execute(validateArgs, &stdout, &stderr); code != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("validate exit code = %d, want 0; stdout=%q stderr=%q", code, stdout.String(), stderr.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(stdout.String(), "OK    inputs     spell_catalog: "+spellPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("validate stdout = %q, want spell catalog finding", stdout.String())
+	}
+
+	stdout.Reset()
+	stderr.Reset()
+	statusArgs := append([]string{"session", "status"}, commonArgs...)
+	if code := Execute(statusArgs, &stdout, &stderr); code != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("status exit code = %d, want 0; stdout=%q stderr=%q", code, stdout.String(), stderr.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(stdout.String(), "Stable input spell_catalog: "+spellPath) {
+		t.Fatalf("status stdout = %q, want spell catalog inventory", stdout.String())
+	}
+
+	if err := os.Remove(spellPath); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("remove spell catalog: %v", err)
+	}
+	stdout.Reset()
+	stderr.Reset()
+	if code := Execute(validateArgs, &stdout, &stderr); code == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("validate missing spell catalog exit code = 0; stdout=%q", stdout.String())
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(stdout.String(), "ERROR inputs     spell_catalog missing:") {
+		t.Fatalf("validate stdout = %q, want missing spell catalog finding", stdout.String())
+	}
+}
+
 func TestExecuteLocksAddListAndRemoveUseRemoteLockStore(t *testing.T) {
 	workspaceRoot := t.TempDir()
 	pipelinePath, campaignPath, sessionPath := writeValidConfigFiles(t, workspaceRoot)

internal/app/operator_inspection.go

@@ -53,23 +53,28 @@ type effectiveLocksCheck struct {
 
 func inspectStableInputs(cfg *config.Config) []stableInputCheck {
 	items := []struct {
-		name string
-		in   config.ResolvedInputFile
+		name     string
+		in       config.ResolvedInputFile
+		optional bool
 	}{
 		{name: "speakers", in: cfg.StableInputs.SpeakersFile},
 		{name: "autocorrect", in: cfg.StableInputs.AutocorrectFile},
 		{name: "glossary", in: cfg.StableInputs.GlossaryFile},
 		{name: "players", in: cfg.StableInputs.PlayersFile},
 		{name: "party", in: cfg.StableInputs.PartyFile},
+		{name: "spell_catalog", in: cfg.StableInputs.SpellCatalogFile, optional: true},
 	}
 	out := make([]stableInputCheck, 0, len(items))
 	for _, item := range items {
+		if item.optional && strings.TrimSpace(item.in.Path) == "" {
+			continue
+		}
 		path, err := resolveHelperConfigRelativePath(item.in)
 		if err != nil {
 			out = append(out, stableInputCheck{Name: item.name, Err: err})
 			continue
 		}
-		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+		if err := requireInspectionFile(path, item.name); err != nil {
 			out = append(out, stableInputCheck{Name: item.name, Path: path, Err: err})
 			continue
 		}