diff --git a/.specstory/history/2026-02-02_23-38Z-newproject-config-deployment-to-renders.md b/.specstory/history/2026-02-02_23-38Z-newproject-config-deployment-to-renders.md
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+<!-- Generated by SpecStory, Markdown v2.1.0 -->
+
+<!-- cursor Session eb2f47fa-525e-4b75-85dd-cc2b249fdd16 (2026-02-02 23:38Z) -->
+
+# NewProject config deployment to Renders (2026-02-02 23:38Z)
+
+_**User**_
+
+Issue #1: NewProject deploys config into Renders for some reason
+
+---
+
+_**Agent (model default, mode Agent)**_
+
+
+
+
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\NewProject.bat</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\config.json</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\CONFIG.md</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+
+
+
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\ConfigLoader.ps1</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\UpdateSequences.bat</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+
+Checking how the batch files in Renders use config:
+
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\ZipSeqArchv.bat</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\UnzipSeqArchv.bat</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="read" data-tool-name="read_file_v2">
+<details><summary>Tool use: **read_file_v2** • Read file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\GetStructDir.ps1</summary>
+
+</details>
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+
+Identifying the issue: NewProject.bat copies `config.json` and `ConfigLoader.ps1` into Renders (lines 65–67), but:
+
+- ZipSeqArchv.bat, UnzipSeqArchv.bat, and UpdateSequences.bat read config from `%PROJ_ROOT%\.config\config.json` (project root).
+- ConfigLoader.ps1 deploys config to `project root\.config\`, not Renders.
+
+Removing `config.json` and `ConfigLoader.ps1` from the files NewProject.bat copies into Renders.
+
+
+---
+
+<tool-use data-tool-type="write" data-tool-name="edit_file_v2">
+
+<details><summary>Tool use: **edit_file_v2** • Edit file: A:\1 Amazon_Active_Projects\3 ProjectStructure\NewProject.bat</summary>
+
+</details>
+
+</tool-use>
+
+---
+
+
+Update applied. NewProject.bat no longer copies `config.json` or `ConfigLoader.ps1` into Renders.
+
+Config is now only deployed to `project root\.config\` by ConfigLoader.ps1 at the end of NewProject.bat. The batch files in Renders (UpdateSequences.bat, ZipSeqArchv.bat, UnzipSeqArchv.bat) already read config from `%PROJ_ROOT%\.config\`, so they will continue to work without any changes.
+
+---
+
diff --git a/NewProject.bat b/NewProject.bat
index 0d297bd..16d5fd5 100644
--- a/NewProject.bat
+++ b/NewProject.bat
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ mkdir "%projectRoot%\Pr\RnR\RIFE"
 :: Add project root additions
 if not exist "%projectRoot%\Renders" mkdir "%projectRoot%\Renders"
 
-:: Place helper scripts into Renders
+:: Place helper scripts into Renders (config lives in .config\, deployed by ConfigLoader below)
 set "templateRoot=%STRUCT_DIR%"
-for %%F in (UpdateSequences.bat ZipSeqArchv.bat UnzipSeqArchv.bat ConfigLoader.ps1 config.json) do (
+for %%F in (UpdateSequences.bat ZipSeqArchv.bat UnzipSeqArchv.bat) do (
   if exist "%templateRoot%\%%F" copy /Y "%templateRoot%\%%F" "%projectRoot%\Renders\%%F" >nul
 )