Conversation on the new loop (M2.7)

- Questions never change state (L5, #77): a message ending in "?" to a
  waiting project item starts a question run (reply and look-only tools,
  an instruction to change nothing), and the item goes back to the very
  wait it was in: a restatement up stays up and a go binds to it; the
  agent's own question stays open.
- Explanations: a restatement gives its reasons and the main alternative;
  a revision says what changed (restate(changed), sent back without it);
  a milestone's summary says what was done, verified and left open.
- Progress in prose (#42): the driver's and a helper's own words for a
  turn are posted, trimmed, at most once a minute per item; `details`
  shows the last tool calls; a message arriving mid-run is acknowledged at
  once ("Noted; ...").
- CI: the e2e job's comments and the plan no longer claim a newer push
  cancels the run it supersedes (Gitea here doesn't); the concurrency
  block goes.

Tests: conversation unit tests (questions in a go-ahead and an answer wait,
an unanswerable question, revisions, progress rate and trimming, details,
mid-run notes), the helper's progress, the walk asking questions in every
state with a questions_change_nothing property (routing questions the old
way fails 32 of 48 seeds), and an e2e question while a restatement is up.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01PPQ14L3LikyefCMFBqEbKE

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop.py

@@ -214,7 +214,9 @@ def test_go_starts_the_work_and_close_item_closes_the_issue(h: Harness) -> None:
 
 
 def test_a_go_for_an_earlier_revision_is_not_applied(h: Harness) -> None:
-    h.model.turns.append([call("restate", text="revised: in a new module")])
+    h.model.turns.append(
+        [call("restate", text="revised: in a new module", changed="a new module")]
+    )
     h.agent.intake()
     h.say("put it in its own module")  # changes, so the driver restates rev-2
     assert loop_of(h.item()).rev == 2

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop_help.py

@@ -301,3 +301,26 @@ def test_a_delegation_cut_off_by_a_crash_is_discarded_at_boot(
     ]
     assert any("cut off by a restart and discarded" in f for f in facts)
     assert git
+
+
+def test_a_helpers_progress_is_posted(world: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    helper = Spy(
+        [
+            AssistantText(text="Writing helped.py with the constant.", model="hlp"),
+            call("write_file", path="helped.py", content="H = 1\n"),
+        ],
+        [hand_back()],
+    )
+    model = ScriptedModel(
+        RESTATE,
+        [
+            call("start_milestone", name="words"),
+            call("delegate", task="write helped.py"),
+            call("ask_human", question="done?"),
+        ],
+    )
+    agent, transport = loop_agent(world, model, helpers=helpers(helper))
+    agent.intake()
+    say(transport, world, "go")
+    said = [m.text for m in transport.outbound]
+    assert "helper: Writing helped.py with the constant." in said

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop_labels.py

@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def test_a_plain_yes_is_a_go_ahead_said_so_first(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 def test_anything_else_goes_to_the_driver(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     h = Harness(
         tmp_path,
-        ScriptedModel(RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2")]),
+        ScriptedModel(RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2", changed="as you asked")]),
         FakeGitea(issue()),
         reader=Reader(),
     )
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def test_a_question_never_reaches_the_reader(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     reader = Reader("sounds good?")
     h = Harness(
         tmp_path,
-        ScriptedModel(RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2")]),
+        ScriptedModel(RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2", changed="as you asked")]),
         FakeGitea(issue()),
         reader=reader,
     )
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ def test_a_plain_yes_to_an_older_revision_is_not_a_go(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     reader = Reader("yes")
     h = Harness(
         tmp_path,
-        ScriptedModel(RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2")], STARTED),
+        ScriptedModel(
+            RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2", changed="as you asked")], STARTED
+        ),
         FakeGitea(issue()),
         reader=reader,
     )
@@ -224,7 +226,12 @@ def test_a_reply_stops_the_bugs_countdown(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 
 
 def test_a_new_revision_of_a_bug_gets_its_own_countdown(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
-    h, clock = bug(tmp_path, RESTATED, [call("restate", text="v2")], STARTED)
+    h, clock = bug(
+        tmp_path,
+        RESTATED,
+        [call("restate", text="v2", changed="as you asked")],
+        STARTED,
+    )
     h.agent.intake()
     clock.now += 300
     h.say("use the other file")

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop_multi.py

@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def test_the_next_milestone_waits_for_the_merge(world: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     agent, transport = loop_agent(world, model)
     agent.intake()
     say(transport, world, "go")
-    say(transport, world, "how's it going?")
+    say(transport, world, "carry on")
     assert "hasn't merged yet" in result_of(world, "start_milestone")
     assert (item(world).position, loop_of(item(world)).wait) == (WAITING, MERGE)
     assert len(forge.prs) == 1

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop_properties.py

@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class PolicyModel:
             return [call("ask_human", question=f"question {self.n}?")]
         if roll < 0.12:
             return [ToolCall(call_id=f"p{self.n}", tool="nonsense", arguments={})]
+        if "reply" in offered and "propose_work" not in offered:
+            return [call("reply", text=f"because {self.n}")]  # a question run
         if "reply" in offered:  # a conversation: talk, or propose work
             if self.rng.random() < 0.1:
                 return [
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ class PolicyModel:
         if "restate" not in offered and "finish_milestone" not in offered:
             return [call("ask_human", question=f"talk first {self.n}?")]  # discuss
         if "finish_milestone" not in offered:
-            return [call("restate", text=f"restatement {self.n}")]
+            return [call("restate", text=f"restatement {self.n}", changed=f"c{self.n}")]
         if "delegate" in offered and self.rng.random() < 0.1:
             return [call("delegate", task=f"help {self.n}")]
         if "wait_for_review" in offered and self.rng.random() < 0.2:
@@ -248,7 +250,7 @@ class Walk:
         forge: Forge = self.worlds[project]["forge"]
         if item and loop:
             weights.update({"go": 3, "answer": 2, "abandon": 1, "go-stale": 1})
-            weights.update({"plain-yes": 2, "wait": 2})
+            weights.update({"plain-yes": 2, "wait": 2, "question": 2})
             if loop.new_project:
                 weights.update({"done": 2})
             if item.scope != "general":  # conversations aren't named by number
@@ -264,6 +266,28 @@ class Walk:
         elif action == "done" and loop:
             # The operator says a new project is ready; no entry was added.
             self.transport.receive(DON, "done", thread=loop.thread)
+        elif action == "question" and loop:
+            # L5: a question never changes the item it's asked about.
+            before = (item.position, loop.wait, loop.rev, loop.pr, loop.branch)
+            self.transport.receive(DON, f"why {len(self.steps)}?", thread=loop.thread)
+            after_item = self.world["store"].work_item(item.id)
+            after = loop_of(after_item)
+            if (
+                item.scope != "general"
+                and item.position == WAITING
+                and loop.wait in (GO_AHEAD, ANSWER, MERGE)
+            ):
+                now = (
+                    after_item.position,
+                    after.wait,
+                    after.rev,
+                    after.pr,
+                    after.branch,
+                )
+                assert now == before, (
+                    f"questions_change_nothing: {before} -> {now}: "
+                    f"seed {self.seed}, steps {self.steps}"
+                )
         elif action == "chat":
             # A top-level message: a conversation of its own (L1, L5).
             self.transport.receive(DON, f"thinking aloud {len(self.steps)}")

nisse-dev/tests/test_loop_talk.py

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+"""Conversation on the new loop (M2.7, L5, #42, #77): questions answered
+without changing the item, revisions that say what changed, progress in
+prose at a readable rate, raw tool activity on request, and a note for a
+message that can't be read yet."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+from test_loop import DON, RESTATED, FakeGitea, Harness, ScriptedModel, call, issue
+
+from nisse_dev.canonical import AssistantText
+from nisse_dev.loop.items import ANSWER, GO_AHEAD, WAITING, loop_of
+
+
+class Clock:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.now = 1000.0
+
+    def __call__(self) -> float:
+        return self.now
+
+
+def harness(tmp_path: Path, *turns: list[Any], **kw: Any) -> Harness:
+    return Harness(tmp_path, ScriptedModel(*turns), FakeGitea(issue()), **kw)
+
+
+# --- questions never change state (#77) -------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_a_question_about_a_restatement_leaves_it_up(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        RESTATED,
+        [call("reply", text="Because text.py already holds the string helpers.")],
+        [call("ask_human", question="started; anything else?")],
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.say("Why text.py?")
+    loop = loop_of(h.item())
+    assert (h.item().position, loop.wait, loop.rev) == (WAITING, GO_AHEAD, 1)
+    assert not loop.question and not loop.started
+    assert h.posted()[-1] == "Because text.py already holds the string helpers."
+    h.say("go")  # still bound to rev-1
+    assert loop_of(h.item()).started
+
+
+def test_a_question_back_keeps_the_agents_own_question_open(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        [call("ask_human", question="One function or two?")],
+        [call("reply", text="One handles words, two would split lines too.")],
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.say("What would the second one do?")
+    loop = loop_of(h.item())
+    assert (loop.wait, loop.note) == (ANSWER, "One function or two?")
+
+
+def test_a_question_that_isnt_answered_still_goes_back(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        RESTATED,
+        [call("restate", text="sneaky v2", changed="x")],  # not offered
+        [AssistantText(text="hmm", model="m")],
+        [AssistantText(text="hmm", model="m")],  # prose twice: the run fails
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.say("why?")
+    loop = loop_of(h.item())
+    # restate isn't offered in a question run: no new revision.
+    assert (loop.wait, loop.rev) == (GO_AHEAD, 1)
+    assert h.posted()[-1].startswith("I couldn't answer that")
+
+
+# --- explanations ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_a_revision_says_what_changed(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        RESTATED,
+        [call("restate", text="count_words in words.py", changed="")],
+        [
+            call(
+                "restate",
+                text="count_words in words.py",
+                changed="a module of its own, as you asked",
+            )
+        ],
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.say("put it in its own module")
+    loop = loop_of(h.item())
+    assert loop.rev == 2
+    assert "Changed from rev-1: a module of its own, as you asked" in h.posted()[-1]
+
+
+# --- progress and details (#42) ----------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_progress_is_posted_at_a_readable_rate(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    clock = Clock()
+
+    class Ticking(ScriptedModel):
+        def complete(self, events, tools, model, system=None):  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
+            clock.now += 30  # each turn takes a while
+            return super().complete(events, tools, model, system)
+
+    h = Harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        Ticking(
+            [
+                AssistantText(text="Looking at text.py first.", model="m"),
+                call("list_dir", path="."),
+            ],
+            [
+                AssistantText(text="Reading the tests too.", model="m"),
+                call("list_dir", path="tests"),
+            ],
+            [
+                AssistantText(text="x" * 1000, model="m"),
+                call("list_dir", path="."),
+            ],
+            [call("restate", text="I'll add count_words.", changed="")],
+        ),
+        FakeGitea(issue()),
+        clock=clock,
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    said = h.posted()
+    assert "Looking at text.py first." in said
+    assert "Reading the tests too." not in said  # 30 s later: folded away
+    long = [p for p in said if p.startswith("xxx")]
+    assert long and len(long[0]) < 420 and long[0].endswith(" …")  # 60 s on
+
+
+def test_details_shows_the_last_tool_calls(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(
+        tmp_path,
+        [
+            call("list_dir", path="src"),
+            call("read_file", path="text.py"),
+            call("restate", text="I'll add count_words.", changed=""),
+        ],
+    )
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.say("details")
+    shown = h.posted()[-1]
+    assert shown.startswith("The last tool calls on #14:")
+    assert "list_dir(src)" in shown and "read_file(text.py)" in shown
+    assert loop_of(h.item()).wait == GO_AHEAD  # nothing changed
+
+
+def test_a_message_mid_run_is_acknowledged(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    h = harness(tmp_path, RESTATED)
+    h.agent.intake()
+    h.agent._running = True  # as if a driver run were under way
+    h.agent._active_thread = "elsewhere"
+    h.agent._active_name = "#15"
+    h.transport.receive(DON, "one more thing", thread=h.thread())
+    assert "Noted; I'm in the middle of #15" in h.posted()[-1]
+    h.transport.receive(DON, "and another", thread="elsewhere")
+    assert h.posted()[-1] == "Noted; I'll read it when this turn ends."