Fix startup commands for four historical ceiling cards

docs/research/ceiling-task-startup.md

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+# Executable startup for the four historical ceiling cards
+
+The current task picker now gives four cards an ordered route: current selected
+metadata orientation, then the existing authenticated historical ceiling replay.
+This closes Open next question 2 of
+[PR #5359](https://github.com/CrocSwap/integer-mult-bounds/pull/5359)'s
+[package](../../research/historical-complex-ceiling-replay/README.md), using
+Ali Romman's [PR #5378](https://github.com/CrocSwap/integer-mult-bounds/pull/5378)
+CLI boundary. It changes no mathematical result or selected frontier.
+
+At canonical main `32890bc5de034ab8fc93ac88ead7279a6a416d04`, priority revision 7,
+all four cards emit `python3 -B research/complex-local-word-ceiling/verify.py`.
+With its inputs materialized, that command raises `KeyError: 'complex_profile'`
+at `verify.py:38`: the selected #5413 certificate uses the productive-helper
+schema. The current selected metadata baseline passes and reports
+`605457647/200000000000`. This reproduces the already credited mismatch; it is
+not a newly discovered mathematical defect.
+
+## Route and evidence boundary
+
+```sh
+python3 -B scripts/choose_current_research_task.py --task complex-rank-shape-decoder
+python3 -B scripts/research_selected_baseline.py
+python3 -B scripts/research_package.py --package research/historical-complex-ceiling-replay
+```
+
+`first_step` describes the current selected baseline, expecting
+`PASS_RESEARCH_BASELINE_BINDINGS_ONLY`. `follow_up_steps` describes the historical
+registered replay, expecting `PASS_REGISTERED_RESEARCH_PACKAGE`. The latter
+executes the unchanged #1094 checker and its #1042 comparison in normal and
+optimized modes. Its ceiling is a historical positive control. Applying its
+ceiling or lever budget to a changed current supplier still requires an
+applicable, source-bound complete cost law.
+
+The same route applies to `complex-new-helper-inventory`, `centre-path-sharing`
+and `coverage-law-change`. Only the exact original command matches. A variant
+with extra flags or a different script remains unchanged. The original
+`catalog_first_step` retains all four fields verbatim; task, method, scope key,
+selection seed and acceptance gate remain unchanged. Historical picker output,
+catalogue bytes, package `original_card` receipts and scientific inputs remain
+unchanged.
+
+Before modifying any suggestion, the resolver validates the current baseline,
+registered runner, historical manifest and historical verifier references with
+the existing catalogue-file check. A missing/deleted file or an omitted staged
+replacement fails. Exact HEAD-matching sparse omissions remain admissible and
+are named for materialization. This is reference validation only: follow the
+baseline sparse diagnosis and historical replay README for the complete input
+closure and shallow-checkout provenance fetches.
+
+## Task, overlap and compatibility
+
+The verifier-engineering draw used nonce `c15fe091c7821f358c79b35e885e7a0d`.
+The selected `portable-replay` suggestion is explicitly changed from its
+environment/artifact question to the concrete startup handoff above. The bounded
+success test is executable emitted commands with retained historical evidence
+and rejection controls; no speedup or new supplier cost is claimed.
+[Canonical claim and handoff](https://github.com/CrocSwap/integer-mult-bounds/discussions/4458#discussioncomment-19174048).
+
+The entry overlap snapshot at 2026-10-25 06:11–06:12 UTC covered 378 open PRs,
+4,790 Discussion records and all 7,402 tracked in-scope notes, with complete
+reported pagination and inventory. Exact-command and ceiling/first-step searches
+found the motivating handoff and completed predecessors. This is text coverage,
+not proof of novelty or a search of arbitrary diffs and unpublished work.
+Before submission, canonical main was fetched unchanged. The 06:20–06:21 UTC
+refresh covered 378 open PRs, 4,797 Discussion records and the same complete
+local inventory, with no warnings or new competing scope in these searches.
+
+All 6,922 tracked top-level `research/*/SOURCES.json` and `VERIFY.json` files
+were parsed and their raw working bytes compared to their HEAD Git blob IDs.
+No JSON string value names `scripts/choose_current_research_task.py`,
+`tests/test_research_current_assignment.py` or
+`docs/research/selected-baseline.md`. The historical picker, catalogue and
+frozen packages are not edited. Nested manifests, archives, code imports and
+undeclared reads are outside this compatibility inventory.
+The committed-object snippet in [the compatibility note](task-startup-compatibility.md#reproduce-the-inventory)
+reproduces the pin/input counts with `BASE` set to the commit above and `TARGETS`
+set to these three paths. The broader JSON-string scan also checks other fields.
+
+## Verification
+
+The focused controls run with Python 3.12 and Git:
+
+```sh
+python3 -W error -B -m unittest discover -s tests -p test_research_current_assignment.py -v
+python3 -O -W error -B -m unittest discover -s tests -p test_research_current_assignment.py -v
+```
+
+The extended tests first rejected the old resolver: the historical route and
+retained card were absent, missing replay references were accepted, and sparse
+references were not reported. The controls also cover exact-command matching,
+all-or-nothing updates across mixed cards, missing files, ordinary deletion,
+staged replacement, sparse omission and unchanged legacy help/error output.
+
+On native Windows 11 build 26300 / CPython 3.12.0, all ten focused tests pass in
+normal and optimized mode. The 65 adjacent assignment, coordination, baseline
+and onboarding tests also pass (UTF-8 mode enabled for that existing suite).
+All four emitted routes were compared and their two distinct commands executed,
+using the installed Python interpreter in place of Windows' `python3` alias.
+Current selected metadata binding passes. The historical registered command
+passes both modes, retaining the original four controls, all 18 input
+corruption/omission cases and all three scientific-data rejections. The existing
+historical replay, its hashes and the live selected record retain their bytes.
+
+The contribution PR records the final Linux check, committed-diff replay plan
+and raw committed-byte comparison.
+No full selected cold replay, current cost-law derivation, full-history provenance
+audit, independent human review or proof-kernel acceptance is claimed.
+
+## Open next questions
+
+The current supplier's applicable cost law remains a separate research task.
+Start from the selected certificate and its reviewed complete paid, productive,
+compiler and outer ledger; the historical ceiling is not a substitute. Other
+named scientific cards still need their own source and applicability checks;
+this exact-command rule does not migrate arbitrary historical scientific work.
+
+Credit Douglas Colkitt and the retained picker, source-checker and ceiling
+contributors; Ali Romman for #5378; Mihir Srivastava for #4463/#4906/#5359; and
+the #1094/#1042 construction and audit lineage retained by the historical replay.
+Prepared for Mihir Srivastava with substantial OpenAI Codex assistance, one agent.
+Apache-2.0. Evidence is author-checked tooling, not scientific approval.

docs/research/selected-baseline.md

@@ -92,11 +92,37 @@ The current task-picker CLI, `scripts/choose_current_research_task.py`, resolves
 Each affected suggestion retains its complete original entry in
 `catalog_first_step` and explains the change in `first_step_resolution`.
 Only the command changes. The inspection text, scope, task, method, scope key
-and acceptance gate stay the same. Other scientific first-step commands are
-not changed. The CLI checks that the current helper exists, or is an exact
+and acceptance gate stay the same for these generic cards.
+The CLI checks that the current helper exists, or is an exact
 HEAD file omitted by a sparse checkout, before it emits the resolved command.
 A sparse result names the missing helper for materialization.
 
+Four cards instead name `research/complex-local-word-ceiling/verify.py`:
+`complex-rank-shape-decoder`, `complex-new-helper-inventory`,
+`centre-path-sharing` and `coverage-law-change`. Their current `first_step`
+is the selected baseline above, with its own expected status and inspection
+instructions. Run the emitted `follow_up_steps` afterward, in order. For these
+cards the single follow-up is:
+
+```sh
+python3 -B scripts/research_package.py --package research/historical-complex-ceiling-replay
+```
+
+It expects `PASS_REGISTERED_RESEARCH_PACKAGE` and checks the historical #1094
+ceiling against #1042. That ceiling and its lever budgets do not bound the
+current supplier without a new source-bound cost law. The complete original
+command, expectation, inspection text and scope remain in `catalog_first_step`.
+The task, method, scope key and acceptance gate remain unchanged. Other scientific
+commands, including variants with extra flags, are not reinterpreted.
+
+All route references are validated before any suggestion changes. Missing or
+deleted runner, replay manifest or verifier files fail; exact HEAD-matching
+sparse omissions appear in `omitted_current_first_step_paths`. Materialize the
+selected closure and the historical package's declared inputs before executing
+them. The CLI validates entry references, not the full replay dependency closure
+or source authenticity. See [the four-card routing evidence](ceiling-task-startup.md)
+for the reproduced failure, compatibility inventory and bounded checks.
+
 The historical `scripts/choose_research_task.py`, catalogue bytes, `select()`
 result and package `TASK.json` original-card receipts remain exact. The current
 entry point runs the historical CLI with unchanged arguments and resolves its
@@ -109,15 +135,17 @@ copy the resolved command into an old package or repin its frozen inputs.
 runtime consumers of the catalogue and requested this receipt-preserving
 migration. [PR5359](https://github.com/CrocSwap/integer-mult-bounds/pull/5359)
 provides the separate authenticated historical complex-ceiling replay.
-That scientific command is outside this generic-baseline resolution rule.
+The four-card route uses that unchanged replay as its historical positive control.
 
 The displayed scientific starting points still need a current overlap and
 scope check. Command resolution is not a strategic reassessment or scientific
-acceptance. Tests cover all 16 generic cards, unchanged other cards, exact
-command matching, missing/deleted/sparse helpers and actual CLI output.
+acceptance. Tests cover all 16 generic cards and four historical-ceiling cards,
+unchanged other cards, exact command matching, missing/deleted/sparse references,
+staged reference drift and actual CLI output.
 Run them with `python3 -B -m unittest discover -s tests -p test_research_current_assignment.py`.
 Current CLI resolution and these controls: Ali Romman with substantial OpenAI
-Codex assistance; Apache-2.0.
+Codex assistance. Four-card historical routing and additional controls: Mihir
+Srivastava with substantial OpenAI Codex assistance; Apache-2.0.
 
 ## Open next questions
 

scripts/choose_current_research_task.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """Show current first steps and preserve the frozen task-picker output.
 
 Ali Romman with substantial OpenAI Codex assistance. Apache-2.0.
+Historical-ceiling routing: Mihir Srivastava with OpenAI Codex assistance.
 Arguments and selection are delegated to the historical picker CLI.
 """
 import json
@@ -16,19 +17,63 @@
 
 
 def resolve_current_first_steps(result, root):
-    """Resolve generic orientation at the CLI boundary; keep the source card."""
+    """Resolve known startup routes at the CLI boundary; keep the source card."""
     old = ["python3", "-B", "scripts/research_baseline.py"]
+    ceiling = ["python3", "-B", "research/complex-local-word-ceiling/verify.py"]
     current = "scripts/research_selected_baseline.py"
     cards = [card for card in result["suggestions"]
-             if card["first_step"]["command"] == old]
+             if card["first_step"]["command"] in (old, ceiling)]
     if not cards:
         return []
-    omitted = check_catalog_files(root, [
+    required = [
         (current, "missing current first-step script: " + current),
-    ])
+    ]
+    package = "research/historical-complex-ceiling-replay"
+    runner = "scripts/research_package.py"
+    if any(card["first_step"]["command"] == ceiling for card in cards):
+        required += [(name, "missing historical first-step reference: " + name)
+                     for name in (runner, package + "/VERIFY.json", package + "/verify.py")]
+    # Validate the whole route before changing any suggestion. These are entry
+    # references only; the registered replay authenticates its own input closure.
+    omitted = check_catalog_files(root, required)
     for card in cards:
         original = card["first_step"]
         card["catalog_first_step"] = original
+        if original["command"] == ceiling:
+            card["first_step"] = {
+                "command": ["python3", "-B", current],
+                "expected": "PASS_RESEARCH_BASELINE_BINDINGS_ONLY",
+                "inspect": (
+                    "Read the current selected certificate, review and reproduction "
+                    "command; then run follow_up_steps in order."
+                ),
+                "scope": (
+                    "Current selected source bindings and metadata orientation only; "
+                    "not a cold replay or a current packing ceiling."
+                ),
+            }
+            card["follow_up_steps"] = [{
+                "command": ["python3", "-B", runner, "--package", package],
+                "expected": "PASS_REGISTERED_RESEARCH_PACKAGE",
+                "inspect": (
+                    "Read the authenticated #1094 ceiling and the historical replay "
+                    "README. Derive a source-bound cost law for a changed current "
+                    "supplier before applying any historical ceiling or lever budget."
+                ),
+                "scope": (
+                    "Historical #1094 positive control with #1042 comparison; "
+                    "not a bound on the current supplier."
+                ),
+            }]
+            card["first_step_resolution"] = (
+                "Run current selected orientation first, then the authenticated "
+                "historical positive control in follow_up_steps. catalog_first_step "
+                "is the exact frozen card entry. The task and acceptance gate are "
+                "unchanged; the historical planning budget needs a new applicability "
+                "argument for the current construction. Materialize each route's "
+                "inputs before execution; reference validation is not source authentication."
+            )
+            continue
         card["first_step"] = {**original, "command": ["python3", "-B", current]}
         card["first_step_resolution"] = (
             "The current CLI uses the selected-certificate baseline for generic "