fix(ltl): keep the authored window on a step-bounded obligation

reduce decremented StepBound into the residual, so the trace reported the
remaining window rather than the authored one: a within(1915, "steps") showed
up as 1875 after 40 steps, and the replay UI renders that string verbatim. The
duration case was fixed when bounded windows were made to serialize their
resolved deadline; the step case was not, and withinFor's comment claimed
otherwise.

The window is now immutable and the closing observation is resolved once, which
mirrors Deadline exactly. A step counts observations the evaluator reduced,
not steps the runner executed, because a skipped step gave the property no
chance to discharge and transitional-step rate is itself policy-dependent.

Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01A5KmftdEJ49A9z5mF5ESrX
This commit is contained in:
pj committed 2026-08-14 17:50:19 +05:30
1 parent 0cc20539bc
commit a1e6bd7853
4 files changed
+329 -67

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+31 -19
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@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ type Evaluator struct {
violated bool
steps int
violation *Violation
// observations counts the states this evaluator actually reduced, which is
// what a `within(n, "steps")` window is measured in. It differs from steps
// whenever the caller's numbering skipped an observation, and the two are
// told apart in the serialized AST by expiresAtObservation.
observations int
// oneShot marks a root that is armed once at the first observation rather
// than re-asserted at every one; armed records that it has been.
oneShot bool
@@ -93,6 +98,7 @@ func (e *Evaluator) ObserveAtStep(now time.Time, step int) Verdict {
return VerdictViolated
}
e.steps = step
e.observations++
obligations := make([]obligation, 0, len(e.pending)+1)
obligations = append(obligations, e.pending...)
@@ -102,7 +108,7 @@ func (e *Evaluator) ObserveAtStep(now time.Time, step int) Verdict {
e.pending = e.pending[:0]
for _, entry := range obligations {
result := reduce(entry.formula, now)
result := reduce(entry.formula, now, e.observations)
switch result.status {
case statusHolds:
// drop
@@ -374,7 +380,11 @@ func pending(f Formula) reduceResult {
return reduceResult{status: statusPending, formula: f}
}
func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
// reduce advances one obligation against the current state. `now` is the
// observation's wall clock and `observation` its index in the sequence of
// states this evaluator reduced; the two are the clocks a duration-bounded and
// a step-bounded window are resolved against.
func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time, observation int) reduceResult {
switch concrete := formula.(type) {
case PureFormula:
if concrete.Value {
@@ -399,7 +409,7 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
return violatedWith(concrete, "predicate false")
case NowFormula:
return reduce(concrete.Inner, now)
return reduce(concrete.Inner, now, observation)
case NextFormula:
// Next defers the inner obligation to the following step without
@@ -414,23 +424,24 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
concrete.Deadline = now.Add(concrete.Duration)
concrete.HasDeadline = true
}
innerResult := reduce(concrete.Inner, now)
if concrete.HasStepBound && !concrete.HasExpiryObservation {
concrete.ExpiryObservation = observation + concrete.StepBound - 1
concrete.HasExpiryObservation = true
}
innerResult := reduce(concrete.Inner, now, observation)
if innerResult.status == statusHolds {
return holds()
}
// The window is measured in observations at which the inner could have
// discharged, so an inner that is merely pending has not discharged and
// the window closing on it is a violation.
if concrete.HasStepBound && concrete.StepBound <= 1 {
if concrete.HasExpiryObservation && observation >= concrete.ExpiryObservation {
return violatedFrom(innerResult, concrete, "eventually bound exhausted")
}
if concrete.HasDeadline && !now.Before(concrete.Deadline) {
return violatedFrom(innerResult, concrete, "eventually deadline reached")
}
next := concrete
if concrete.HasStepBound {
next.StepBound = concrete.StepBound - 1
}
// F(inner) unrolls to inner or X F(inner). A pending inner is a
// deferred way of satisfying the promise, so it is kept as a disjunct
// rather than dropped; dropping it is what made an inner that only
@@ -449,11 +460,11 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
return reduce(OrFormula{
Left: pushNot(concrete.Antecedent),
Right: nnf(concrete.Consequent),
}, now)
}, now, observation)
case OrFormula:
left := reduce(concrete.Left, now)
right := reduce(concrete.Right, now)
left := reduce(concrete.Left, now, observation)
right := reduce(concrete.Right, now, observation)
if left.status == statusHolds || right.status == statusHolds {
return holds()
}
@@ -469,8 +480,8 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
return pending(OrFormula{Left: left.formula, Right: right.formula})
case AndFormula:
left := reduce(concrete.Left, now)
right := reduce(concrete.Right, now)
left := reduce(concrete.Left, now, observation)
right := reduce(concrete.Right, now, observation)
if left.status == statusViolated {
return violatedFrom(left, concrete, "conjunct violated")
}
@@ -489,7 +500,7 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
return pending(AndFormula{Left: left.formula, Right: right.formula})
case NotFormula:
inner := reduce(concrete.Inner, now)
inner := reduce(concrete.Inner, now, observation)
switch inner.status {
case statusHolds:
return violatedWith(concrete, "negated formula held")
@@ -506,7 +517,11 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
concrete.Deadline = now.Add(concrete.Duration)
concrete.HasDeadline = true
}
innerResult := reduce(concrete.Inner, now)
if concrete.HasStepBound && !concrete.HasExpiryObservation {
concrete.ExpiryObservation = observation + concrete.StepBound - 1
concrete.HasExpiryObservation = true
}
innerResult := reduce(concrete.Inner, now, observation)
if innerResult.status == statusViolated {
return violatedFrom(innerResult, concrete, "always inner violated")
}
@@ -517,16 +532,13 @@ func reduce(formula Formula, now time.Time) reduceResult {
// hold". A pending inner has not been breached inside the window, so it
// discharges vacuously here exactly as its negation violates on the
// Eventually side.
if concrete.HasStepBound && concrete.StepBound <= 1 {
if concrete.HasExpiryObservation && observation >= concrete.ExpiryObservation {
return holds()
}
if concrete.HasDeadline && !now.Before(concrete.Deadline) {
return holds()
}
next := concrete
if concrete.HasStepBound {
next.StepBound = concrete.StepBound - 1
}
if innerResult.status == statusHolds {
return pending(next)
}
+87 -36
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@@ -39,12 +39,14 @@ func (e ErrorFormula) describe() string {
// window and is vacuously satisfied once the window closes. An unbounded
// Always carries no bound fields and is checked at every observed step.
type AlwaysFormula struct {
Inner Formula
StepBound int
HasStepBound bool
Duration time.Duration
Deadline time.Time
HasDeadline bool
Inner Formula
StepBound int
HasStepBound bool
ExpiryObservation int
HasExpiryObservation bool
Duration time.Duration
Deadline time.Time
HasDeadline bool
}
type PureFormula struct {
@@ -91,13 +93,20 @@ type NextFormula struct {
// resolves the absolute deadline on first reduction using the observation
// time. This matches the "within N seconds of obligation instantiation"
// semantics used by nested Always(Eventually(...).within(...)) formulas.
//
// StepBound is the step-domain counterpart: the window counts observations the
// evaluator reduced, and ExpiryObservation is the absolute closing observation
// the evaluator resolves on first reduction, exactly as Deadline is for
// Duration.
type EventuallyFormula struct {
Inner Formula
StepBound int
HasStepBound bool
Duration time.Duration
Deadline time.Time
HasDeadline bool
Inner Formula
StepBound int
HasStepBound bool
ExpiryObservation int
HasExpiryObservation bool
Duration time.Duration
Deadline time.Time
HasDeadline bool
}
type ImpliesFormula struct {
@@ -179,6 +188,9 @@ func (a AlwaysFormula) describe() string {
if a.HasStepBound {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("steps=%d", a.StepBound))
}
if a.HasExpiryObservation {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("expiresAtObservation=%d", a.ExpiryObservation))
}
if a.HasDeadline {
parts = append(parts, "deadline="+a.Deadline.Format(time.RFC3339Nano))
} else if a.Duration > 0 {
@@ -197,6 +209,9 @@ func (e EventuallyFormula) describe() string {
if e.HasStepBound {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("steps=%d", e.StepBound))
}
if e.HasExpiryObservation {
parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("expiresAtObservation=%d", e.ExpiryObservation))
}
if e.HasDeadline {
parts = append(parts, "deadline="+e.Deadline.Format(time.RFC3339Nano))
} else if e.Duration > 0 {
@@ -229,33 +244,73 @@ type withinNode struct {
// the same duration differ only here, so without it they serialize
// identically and the trace erases the distinction the evaluator makes.
Deadline int64 `json:"deadline,omitempty"`
// ExpiresAtObservation is the step-domain counterpart of Deadline: the
// index of the observation the window closes at. It names observations
// rather than runner steps because a step the verifier skipped never
// reached the evaluator and so cannot close a window; the pair of fields
// is what lets a reader tell the two numberings apart.
ExpiresAtObservation int `json:"expiresAtObservation,omitempty"`
}
// boundWindow is the optional window shared by AlwaysFormula and
// EventuallyFormula: the window the spec authored plus the absolute close the
// evaluator resolved for this obligation.
type boundWindow struct {
hasStepBound bool
stepBound int
hasExpiryObservation bool
expiryObservation int
duration time.Duration
hasDeadline bool
deadline time.Time
}
// withinFor renders the bound clause of a bounded Always or Eventually. The
// authored window (steps or duration) stays in amount/unit so readers keep
// seeing what the spec asked for; the resolved deadline rides alongside.
func withinFor(
hasStepBound bool,
stepBound int,
duration time.Duration,
hasDeadline bool,
deadline time.Time,
) *withinNode {
var node *withinNode
// seeing what the spec asked for; the resolved close rides alongside.
func withinFor(window boundWindow) *withinNode {
switch {
case hasStepBound:
node = &withinNode{Amount: int64(stepBound), Unit: "steps"}
case duration > 0:
node = &withinNode{Amount: duration.Milliseconds(), Unit: "milliseconds"}
case hasDeadline:
return &withinNode{Amount: deadline.UnixMilli(), Unit: "deadline"}
case window.hasStepBound:
node := &withinNode{Amount: int64(window.stepBound), Unit: "steps"}
if window.hasExpiryObservation {
node.ExpiresAtObservation = window.expiryObservation
}
return node
case window.duration > 0:
node := &withinNode{Amount: window.duration.Milliseconds(), Unit: "milliseconds"}
if window.hasDeadline {
node.Deadline = window.deadline.UnixMilli()
}
return node
case window.hasDeadline:
return &withinNode{Amount: window.deadline.UnixMilli(), Unit: "deadline"}
default:
return nil
}
if hasDeadline {
node.Deadline = deadline.UnixMilli()
}
func (a AlwaysFormula) boundWindow() boundWindow {
return boundWindow{
hasStepBound: a.HasStepBound,
stepBound: a.StepBound,
hasExpiryObservation: a.HasExpiryObservation,
expiryObservation: a.ExpiryObservation,
duration: a.Duration,
hasDeadline: a.HasDeadline,
deadline: a.Deadline,
}
}
func (e EventuallyFormula) boundWindow() boundWindow {
return boundWindow{
hasStepBound: e.HasStepBound,
stepBound: e.StepBound,
hasExpiryObservation: e.HasExpiryObservation,
expiryObservation: e.ExpiryObservation,
duration: e.Duration,
hasDeadline: e.HasDeadline,
deadline: e.Deadline,
}
return node
}
func (a AlwaysFormula) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
@@ -264,9 +319,7 @@ func (a AlwaysFormula) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
Arg Formula `json:"arg"`
Within *withinNode `json:"within,omitempty"`
}{Op: "always", Arg: a.Inner}
payload.Within = withinFor(
a.HasStepBound, a.StepBound, a.Duration, a.HasDeadline, a.Deadline,
)
payload.Within = withinFor(a.boundWindow())
return json.Marshal(payload)
}
@@ -297,9 +350,7 @@ func (e EventuallyFormula) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
Arg Formula `json:"arg"`
Within *withinNode `json:"within,omitempty"`
}{Op: "eventually", Arg: e.Inner}
payload.Within = withinFor(
e.HasStepBound, e.StepBound, e.Duration, e.HasDeadline, e.Deadline,
)
payload.Within = withinFor(e.boundWindow())
return json.Marshal(payload)
}
+16 -12
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@@ -65,21 +65,25 @@ func pushNot(formula Formula) Formula {
return NextFormula{Inner: pushNot(concrete.Inner)}
case AlwaysFormula:
return EventuallyFormula{
Inner: pushNot(concrete.Inner),
StepBound: concrete.StepBound,
HasStepBound: concrete.HasStepBound,
Duration: concrete.Duration,
Deadline: concrete.Deadline,
HasDeadline: concrete.HasDeadline,
Inner: pushNot(concrete.Inner),
StepBound: concrete.StepBound,
HasStepBound: concrete.HasStepBound,
ExpiryObservation: concrete.ExpiryObservation,
HasExpiryObservation: concrete.HasExpiryObservation,
Duration: concrete.Duration,
Deadline: concrete.Deadline,
HasDeadline: concrete.HasDeadline,
}
case EventuallyFormula:
return AlwaysFormula{
Inner: pushNot(concrete.Inner),
StepBound: concrete.StepBound,
HasStepBound: concrete.HasStepBound,
Duration: concrete.Duration,
Deadline: concrete.Deadline,
HasDeadline: concrete.HasDeadline,
Inner: pushNot(concrete.Inner),
StepBound: concrete.StepBound,
HasStepBound: concrete.HasStepBound,
ExpiryObservation: concrete.ExpiryObservation,
HasExpiryObservation: concrete.HasExpiryObservation,
Duration: concrete.Duration,
Deadline: concrete.Deadline,
HasDeadline: concrete.HasDeadline,
}
default:
return NotFormula{Inner: formula}
+195
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@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
package ltl
import (
"encoding/json"
"strings"
"testing"
"time"
)
func alwaysFalse() func() (bool, error) {
return func() (bool, error) { return false, nil }
}
// A step-bounded window counts the observations the evaluator reduced, and the
// residual has to keep saying which window the spec authored rather than the
// part of it that is left. Bug class: the replay UI renders "within N steps"
// straight off the residual, so a shrinking N tells the reader the spec asked
// for a window it never asked for.
func TestStepBoundedEventually_ResidualKeepsAuthoredWindow(t *testing.T) {
evaluator := NewEvaluator(EventuallyWithinSteps(ThunkNamed("p", alwaysFalse()), 5))
for index := range 3 {
if got := evaluator.ObserveAt(time.Unix(int64(index), 0)); got != VerdictPending {
t.Fatalf("observation %d: got %v, want pending", index+1, got)
}
}
body, err := json.Marshal(evaluator.Residual())
if err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
if !strings.Contains(string(body), `"unit":"steps"`) || !strings.Contains(string(body), `"amount":5`) {
t.Errorf("authored window lost after reduction: %s", body)
}
if !strings.Contains(string(body), `"expiresAtObservation":5`) {
t.Errorf("resolved expiry missing: %s", body)
}
}
// Two obligations spawned at different observations from one `within(n,
// "steps")` window close at different observations, and the serialized AST has
// to keep them apart the way a resolved deadline keeps two duration-bounded
// ones apart. Bug class: the trace shows one node where the evaluator holds
// several distinct obligations.
func TestStepBoundedEventually_ObligationsSerializeApart(t *testing.T) {
evaluator := NewEvaluator(Always(EventuallyWithinSteps(ThunkNamed("p", alwaysFalse()), 3)))
for index := range 2 {
if got := evaluator.ObserveAt(time.Unix(int64(index), 0)); got != VerdictPending {
t.Fatalf("observation %d: got %v, want pending", index+1, got)
}
}
body, err := json.Marshal(evaluator.Residual())
if err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
text := string(body)
if strings.Count(text, `"amount":3`) != 2 {
t.Errorf("both obligations should report the authored window of 3: %s", text)
}
if !strings.Contains(text, `"expiresAtObservation":3`) || !strings.Contains(text, `"expiresAtObservation":4`) {
t.Errorf("obligations armed at different observations share a closing observation: %s", text)
}
}
// A bounded Always is the dual of a bounded Eventually, so its window resolves
// and serializes the same way.
func TestStepBoundedAlways_ResidualKeepsAuthoredWindow(t *testing.T) {
formula := AlwaysFormula{
Inner: ThunkNamed("p", func() (bool, error) { return true, nil }),
StepBound: 4,
HasStepBound: true,
}
evaluator := NewEvaluator(formula)
for index := range 2 {
if got := evaluator.ObserveAt(time.Unix(int64(index), 0)); got != VerdictPending {
t.Fatalf("observation %d: got %v, want pending", index+1, got)
}
}
body, err := json.Marshal(evaluator.Residual())
if err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
if !strings.Contains(string(body), `"amount":4`) {
t.Errorf("authored window lost after reduction: %s", body)
}
if !strings.Contains(string(body), `"expiresAtObservation":4`) {
t.Errorf("resolved expiry missing: %s", body)
}
}
// A step the verifier skipped (a transitional tree, an empty hierarchy) never
// reached the evaluator, so the property was given no chance to discharge
// there and the window must not charge for it. The runner's step numbering
// only labels the witness; it does not drive the window.
func TestStepBoundedEventually_SkippedRunnerStepsDoNotConsumeWindow(t *testing.T) {
observed := 0
inner := ThunkNamed("p", func() (bool, error) {
observed++
return observed == 3, nil
})
evaluator := NewEvaluator(EventuallyWithinSteps(inner, 3))
var verdict Verdict
for _, runnerStep := range []int{1, 7, 19} {
verdict = evaluator.ObserveAtStep(time.Unix(int64(runnerStep), 0), runnerStep)
}
if verdict != VerdictHolds {
t.Errorf("three observations inside a three-observation window: got %v, want holds", verdict)
}
}
// The witness still carries the runner's numbering, so a report names the step
// that armed the obligation even though the window counted observations.
func TestStepBoundedEventually_WitnessCarriesRunnerStep(t *testing.T) {
evaluator := NewEvaluator(EventuallyWithinSteps(ThunkNamed("p", alwaysFalse()), 2))
for _, runnerStep := range []int{4, 11} {
evaluator.ObserveAtStep(time.Unix(int64(runnerStep), 0), runnerStep)
}
witness := evaluator.Violation()
if witness == nil {
t.Fatal("no violation recorded")
}
if witness.Step != 4 {
t.Errorf("witness Step = %d, want the runner step that armed the obligation (4)", witness.Step)
}
}
// An undischarged bounded eventually is a broken liveness promise at run end
// whatever unit bounded it. Bug class: choosing "steps" over "seconds" quietly
// turning an unmet obligation into a vacuous pass.
func TestFinalize_StepBoundedEventuallyMatchesWallClock(t *testing.T) {
byStep, stepEvaluator := runAndFinalize(EventuallyWithinSteps(ThunkNamed("p", alwaysFalse()), 50), 3)
byClock, clockEvaluator := runAndFinalize(EventuallyWithin(ThunkNamed("p", alwaysFalse()), time.Hour), 3)
if byStep != VerdictViolated || byClock != VerdictViolated {
t.Fatalf("step bound = %v, wall clock = %v, want both violated", byStep, byClock)
}
stepWitness, clockWitness := stepEvaluator.Violation(), clockEvaluator.Violation()
if stepWitness == nil || clockWitness == nil {
t.Fatal("both undischarged obligations must carry a witness")
}
if stepWitness.Reason != clockWitness.Reason {
t.Errorf("reasons diverge: step %q, wall clock %q", stepWitness.Reason, clockWitness.Reason)
}
if stepWitness.Step != clockWitness.Step {
t.Errorf("origin steps diverge: step %d, wall clock %d", stepWitness.Step, clockWitness.Step)
}
}
// The reason the unit exists. Two action-selection policies get the same
// 300-step budget and reach the same state at the same step, but the model
// policy takes 359 seconds where the seeded policy takes 47 because it makes a
// provider call per step. A wall-clock bound fails the slow policy on elapsed
// time alone; the same window written in steps decides both policies alike.
func TestStepBound_SlowPolicyDoesNotFailOnTimeAlone(t *testing.T) {
const budget = 300
const satisfiedAtObservation = 260
seededCadence := 47 * time.Second / budget
modelCadence := 359 * time.Second / budget
run := func(cadence time.Duration, bound func(Formula) Formula) Verdict {
observed := 0
inner := ThunkNamed("someTransactionExists", func() (bool, error) {
observed++
return observed >= satisfiedAtObservation, nil
})
evaluator := NewEvaluator(bound(inner))
base := time.Unix(1780000000, 0)
for index := range budget {
verdict := evaluator.ObserveAtStep(base.Add(time.Duration(index)*cadence), index+1)
if verdict != VerdictPending {
return verdict
}
}
return evaluator.Finalize()
}
byClock := func(inner Formula) Formula { return EventuallyWithin(inner, 300*time.Second) }
bySteps := func(inner Formula) Formula { return EventuallyWithinSteps(inner, 1915) }
if got := run(seededCadence, byClock); got != VerdictHolds {
t.Errorf("wall-clock bound under the seeded policy: got %v, want holds", got)
}
if got := run(modelCadence, byClock); got != VerdictViolated {
t.Errorf("wall-clock bound under the model policy: got %v, want violated (the false positive this unit removes)", got)
}
if got := run(seededCadence, bySteps); got != VerdictHolds {
t.Errorf("step bound under the seeded policy: got %v, want holds", got)
}
if got := run(modelCadence, bySteps); got != VerdictHolds {
t.Errorf("step bound under the model policy: got %v, want holds", got)
}
}