diff --git a/frontend/e2e/helpers.ts b/frontend/e2e/helpers.ts
index 50aad53..5a7e998 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/helpers.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/helpers.ts
@@ -26,13 +26,21 @@ export async function selectValue(page: Page, selector: string, value: string) {
   }, value)
 }
 
+interface CyNode {
+  id(): string
+  position(k: 'x' | 'y'): number
+  data(key: string): unknown
+  pstyle(key: string): { value: unknown }
+}
+
 declare global {
   interface Window {
     __norma: {
       cy: {
         nodes(): {
           length: number
-          map<T>(f: (n: { id(): string; position(k: 'x' | 'y'): number }) => T): T[]
+          map<T>(f: (n: CyNode) => T): T[]
+          find(f: (n: CyNode) => boolean): CyNode | undefined
         }
         edges(): { length: number }
       }
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/smoke.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
index 545a14d..c395b14 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -267,3 +267,61 @@ test('OmniPath search is case-insensitive: a lowercase query is sent to the API
   await expect.poll(() => requestedUrl).toContain('partners=EGFR')
   expect(requestedUrl).not.toContain('partners=egfr')
 })
+
+test('Upload Data panels report loading progress at the bottom of their own section', async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await page.goto('/')
+
+  // Examples: opening one reports progress in #examplesStatus, not #normaStatus
+  await page.locator('.section[data-tint="examples"] h3').click()
+  await page.locator('#btnSample').click()
+  await expect(page.locator('#examplesStatus .note.ok')).toContainText(/opened/i)
+
+  // Files: reading an uploaded file reports progress in #normaStatus (already
+  // covered structurally elsewhere; here we just confirm it still ends well)
+  await page.locator('#filesSection h3').click()
+  await page.setInputFiles('#normaFileInput', {
+    name: 'network2.txt',
+    mimeType: 'text/plain',
+    buffer: Buffer.from('Source\tTarget\nX\tY\n'),
+  })
+  await expect(page.locator('#normaStatus .note.ok').first()).toContainText(/added/i)
+
+  // Open saved work: a settings file reports progress in #savedWorkStatus
+  await page.locator('.section[data-tint="saved"] h3').click()
+  await page.setInputFiles('#configFileInput', {
+    name: 'norma-settings.json',
+    mimeType: 'application/json',
+    buffer: Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ themeSelect: 'dark' })),
+  })
+  await expect(page.locator('#savedWorkStatus .note.ok')).toContainText(/applied settings/i)
+})
+
+test('multi-group nodes keep pie-slice coloring under WebGL rendering', async ({ page }) => {
+  // Cytoscape's WebGL renderer takes a "simple shape" fast path (solid
+  // background, drawn as WebGL geometry) for any node whose background-fill
+  // is 'solid' -- that check never looks at pie-*-background-* styles, so a
+  // node with pie slices used to render as a flat color under WebGL. The fix
+  // gives such nodes a one-stop gradient fill, which is enough to route them
+  // through the full (pie-aware) draw path.
+  await page.goto(`/norma.html?example=${EXAMPLE}&webgl=1`)
+  await expect(page.locator('#tabNetwork')).toHaveAttribute('aria-selected', 'true')
+  await expect.poll(() => nodeCount(page)).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+  await selectValue(page, '#nodeFillSelect', 'groups')
+
+  const styles = await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const nodes = window.__norma.cy.nodes()
+    const multi = nodes.find((n) => n.data('pieSize2') !== '0%')
+    const single = nodes.find((n) => n.data('pieSize2') === '0%')
+    return {
+      multiFill: multi?.pstyle('background-fill').value,
+      multiPieSize2: multi?.data('pieSize2'),
+      singleFill: single?.pstyle('background-fill').value,
+    }
+  })
+  expect(styles.multiPieSize2).not.toBe('0%')
+  expect(styles.multiFill).toBe('radial-gradient')
+  // single-group nodes stay on the fast "simple shape" path
+  expect(styles.singleFill).toBe('solid')
+})
diff --git a/frontend/norma.html b/frontend/norma.html
index 92907c0..75c7364 100644
--- a/frontend/norma.html
+++ b/frontend/norma.html
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ <h3 role="button" tabindex="0" aria-expanded="false">Examples<button type="butto
           <button class="primary" id="btnSample" title="Opens the example in a new view">Open example</button>
           <button id="btnClear" title="Empty the current view; files stay in the lists">Clear view</button>
         </div>
+        <div id="examplesStatus" class="status" role="status" aria-live="polite"></div>
       </div>
 
       <div class="section collapsible collapsed" id="filesSection" data-tint="files">
@@ -199,12 +200,12 @@ <h3 role="button" tabindex="0" aria-expanded="false">Open saved work<button type
           <button type="button" id="btnSessionOpen">Open session file…</button>
           <input type="file" id="sessionFileInput" accept=".json,application/json" hidden>
         </div>
-        <div id="sessionStatus" class="status" role="status" aria-live="polite"></div>
         <div class="menu-sep"><span>Settings file (.json) <span class="lib-hint">display settings only</span></span></div>
         <div class="row" style="margin-top:0;">
           <button id="btnImportConfigTrigger">Open settings file…</button>
         </div>
         <input type="file" id="configFileInput" accept="application/json,.json" style="display:none;">
+        <div id="savedWorkStatus" class="status" role="status" aria-live="polite"></div>
       </div>
 
     </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/cy.ts b/frontend/src/cy.ts
index 1e71443..22c3866 100644
--- a/frontend/src/cy.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/cy.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ import { webglPreference } from './enrichment'
    wins) stays fixed: node, node.dimmed, ..., edge, ..., edge.highlighted. */
 export const SELECTION_YELLOW = '#facc15'
 
+// WebGL drawing is chosen once, when the canvas is created (see Display → Performance).
+export const WEBGL_ACTIVE = (() => {
+  try {
+    return webglPreference()
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false
+  }
+})()
+
 const BASE_STYLE = [
   {
     selector: 'node',
@@ -41,6 +50,27 @@ const BASE_STYLE = [
       'overlay-opacity': 0,
     },
   },
+  // Cytoscape's WebGL renderer skips pie slices for any node it classifies as
+  // a "simple shape" (a fast path that only reads background-color/opacity
+  // and border, drawn as WebGL geometry instead of a texture) -- and that
+  // classification never looks at pie-*-background-* styles, so multi-group
+  // nodes silently lose their pie coloring under WebGL. pieSize2 is only
+  // ever non-zero for a node with 2+ visible groups (see
+  // computeNodeVisualFields); giving those nodes a one-stop gradient fill
+  // (visually identical to a flat color) is enough to fail the "simple
+  // shape" check and force the full (pie-aware) draw path, without touching
+  // plain canvas rendering, where it already works.
+  ...(WEBGL_ACTIVE
+    ? [
+        {
+          selector: 'node[pieSize2 != "0%"]',
+          style: {
+            'background-fill': 'radial-gradient',
+            'background-gradient-stop-colors': 'data(color)',
+          },
+        },
+      ]
+    : []),
   {
     selector: 'node.dimmed',
     style: { opacity: 0.12 },
@@ -153,15 +183,6 @@ export function setStyle(selector, props) {
   }
 }
 
-// WebGL drawing is chosen once, when the canvas is created (see Display → Performance).
-export const WEBGL_ACTIVE = (() => {
-  try {
-    return webglPreference()
-  } catch (e) {
-    return false
-  }
-})()
-
 export const cy = cytoscape({
   container: document.getElementById('cy'),
   ...(WEBGL_ACTIVE ? { renderer: { name: 'canvas', webgl: true } } : {}),
diff --git a/frontend/src/enrichment.ts b/frontend/src/enrichment.ts
index 6d386c0..252113d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/enrichment.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/enrichment.ts
@@ -1139,17 +1139,20 @@ export function loadSession(obj) {
 }
 
 async function openSessionFile(file) {
+  const task = startProgress('savedWorkStatus', [1])
+  task.step(0, `Reading "${file.name}"…`)
   try {
-    const obj = JSON.parse(await readFileText(file))
+    const text = await readFileText(file, (loaded, total) => task.bytes(loaded, total))
+    const obj = JSON.parse(text)
     const r = loadSession(obj)
-    setStatus('sessionStatus', [
+    setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
       {
         level: 'ok',
         text: `Opened the session "${file.name}": ${plural(r.views, 'view')} and ${plural(r.files, 'file')}.`,
       },
     ])
   } catch (err) {
-    setStatus('sessionStatus', [
+    setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
       { level: 'error', text: `The session couldn't be opened: ${err.message}` },
     ])
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/layouts/controls.ts b/frontend/src/layouts/controls.ts
index a20f10f..15481db 100644
--- a/frontend/src/layouts/controls.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/layouts/controls.ts
@@ -949,10 +949,13 @@ export function init() {
 
   document.getElementById('btnFit').addEventListener('click', () => fitView())
 
-  document.getElementById('btnSample').addEventListener('click', () => {
+  document.getElementById('btnSample').addEventListener('click', async () => {
     const sel = document.getElementById('sampleSelect')
     const key = sel.value
     const title = sel.options[sel.selectedIndex].text.replace(/\s*\([^)]*nodes\)\s*$/, '')
+    const task = startProgress('examplesStatus', [1])
+    task.step(0, `Opening "${title}"…`)
+    await nextPaint()
     openInNewView(title, () => {
       if (key.startsWith('norma:')) {
         loadNormaExampleSet(key.slice(6))
@@ -966,6 +969,7 @@ export function init() {
       loadData(gen())
       setStatus('normaStatus', [])
     })
+    setStatus('examplesStatus', [{ level: 'ok', text: `Opened "${title}".` }])
   })
 
   document.getElementById('btnClear').addEventListener('click', () => {
@@ -1001,8 +1005,11 @@ export function init() {
       if (!parsed.nodes || !parsed.edges) throw new Error('JSON needs "nodes" and "edges" arrays.')
       openInNewView('Pasted JSON', () => loadData(parsed))
       document.getElementById('importBox').style.display = 'none'
+      setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [{ level: 'ok', text: 'Opened the pasted JSON.' }])
     } catch (err) {
-      alert('Could not parse JSON: ' + err.message)
+      setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
+        { level: 'error', text: `Could not parse JSON: ${err.message}` },
+      ])
     }
   })
 
@@ -1013,15 +1020,21 @@ export function init() {
   document.getElementById('fileInput').addEventListener('change', (e) => {
     const file = e.target.files[0]
     if (!file) return
+    const task = startProgress('savedWorkStatus', [1])
+    task.step(0, `Reading "${file.name}"…`)
     const reader = new FileReader()
+    reader.onprogress = (ev) => task.bytes(ev.loaded, ev.lengthComputable ? ev.total : file.size)
     reader.onload = (ev) => {
       try {
         const parsed = JSON.parse(ev.target.result)
         if (!parsed.nodes || !parsed.edges)
           throw new Error('JSON needs "nodes" and "edges" arrays.')
         openInNewView(file.name.replace(/\.json$/i, ''), () => loadData(parsed))
+        setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [{ level: 'ok', text: `Opened "${file.name}".` }])
       } catch (err) {
-        alert('Could not read file: ' + err.message)
+        setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
+          { level: 'error', text: `Could not read the file: ${err.message}` },
+        ])
       }
     }
     reader.readAsText(file)
@@ -1091,13 +1104,21 @@ export function init() {
   document.getElementById('configFileInput').addEventListener('change', (e) => {
     const file = e.target.files[0]
     if (!file) return
+    const task = startProgress('savedWorkStatus', [1])
+    task.step(0, `Reading "${file.name}"…`)
     const reader = new FileReader()
+    reader.onprogress = (ev) => task.bytes(ev.loaded, ev.lengthComputable ? ev.total : file.size)
     reader.onload = (ev) => {
       try {
         const parsed = JSON.parse(ev.target.result)
         applyConfig(parsed)
+        setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
+          { level: 'ok', text: `Applied settings from "${file.name}".` },
+        ])
       } catch (err) {
-        alert('Could not read settings file: ' + err.message)
+        setStatus('savedWorkStatus', [
+          { level: 'error', text: `Could not read settings file: ${err.message}` },
+        ])
       }
     }
     reader.readAsText(file)
diff --git a/frontend/src/uploads.ts b/frontend/src/uploads.ts
index a73e07f..3e871ce 100644
--- a/frontend/src/uploads.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/uploads.ts
@@ -16,13 +16,18 @@ import {
   renderLibraryLists,
   selectedNetworks,
   setStatus,
+  startProgress,
 } from './layouts/controls'
 import { convertArena3dNetwork, isArena3dNetworkText } from './arena3d'
 
 /* ---------- uploads ---------- */
-export function readFileText(file) {
+// onBytes(loaded, total), if given, is called as the file is read (total
+// falls back to the file's own size when the browser can't report progress).
+export function readFileText(file, onBytes) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     const reader = new FileReader()
+    if (onBytes)
+      reader.onprogress = (ev) => onBytes(ev.loaded, ev.lengthComputable ? ev.total : file.size)
     reader.onload = (ev) => resolve(ev.target.result)
     reader.onerror = () =>
       reject(new Error('The file could not be read. Check that it is a plain text file.'))
@@ -55,9 +60,15 @@ export async function handleNormaUploads(fileList) {
   const notes = []
   const added = []
   const addedNotes = new Map()
-  for (const file of files) {
+  const task = startProgress(
+    'normaStatus',
+    files.map(() => 1)
+  )
+  for (let i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
+    const file = files[i]
+    task.step(i, `Reading "${file.name}"…`)
     try {
-      const text = await readFileText(file)
+      const text = await readFileText(file, (loaded, total) => task.bytes(loaded, total))
       checkNormaFileFormat(text)
       if ((chosenKind === 'auto' || chosenKind === 'network') && isArena3dNetworkText(text)) {
         // an Arena3D network file: a network plus its layers as groups