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+# Workspace Path Finalize — Implementation Plan
+
+> **For Tier 3 workers:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (`- [ ]`) syntax for tracking.
+>
+> **This is the LAST track on this issue. Do not add scope. Do not refactor anything else. Do not add new tests beyond the 2 in this plan. Do not update docs. Do not file follow-up tracks. Execute exactly what is here, then stop.**
+
+**Goal:** Replace `tmp_path_factory.mktemp("live_gui_workspace")` in `tests/conftest.py` with a per-run timestamped folder under `tests/artifacts/`. Each `uv run pytest` invocation gets its own folder. All live_gui tests in that invocation share it (per-test pollution is intentional and exposes fragility).
+
+**Architecture:** Module-level constants in conftest.py compute the workspace path once at import time. The `live_gui` fixture uses those constants. The `live_gui_workspace` fixture (which already exists) returns the same path via the handle. No env vars, no CLI args, no runner changes.
+
+**Tech Stack:** Python 3.11+, pytest, pathlib.
+
+---
+
+## Pre-Phase 0: Checkpoint
+
+- [ ] **Step 0.1: Pre-edit checkpoint**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add . && git commit -m "wip: pre-workspace-path-finalize" --allow-empty
+  ```
+
+---
+
+## Phase 1: Apply the 1-line conftest change
+
+Focus: Add module-level constants + change 2 lines in conftest.py.
+
+### Task 1.1: Add the `datetime` import
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/conftest.py` (imports section, near the top)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.1.1: Read the current imports section**
+  Use `manual-slop_get_file_slice` to read `tests/conftest.py:1-30` and see the existing import block.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.1.2: Add `from datetime import datetime` to the imports**
+  Use `manual-slop_set_file_slice` to insert the import. The exact placement (alphabetical order, or grouped with stdlib imports) depends on what's currently there. Match the existing style.
+
+  **CRITICAL — verify via `ast.parse` after the edit:**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run python -c "import ast; ast.parse(open('tests/conftest.py').read()); print('OK')"
+  ```
+
+### Task 1.2: Add module-level constants
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/conftest.py` (module-level, after imports, before the first fixture or constant)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.2.1: Find a good location**
+  Read `tests/conftest.py:1-50` with `manual-slop_get_file_slice`. Find a place after imports and before the first fixture/class definition.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.2.2: Add the constants**
+  Insert:
+  ```python
+  _RUN_ID = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
+  _RUN_WORKSPACE = Path(f"tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_{_RUN_ID}")
+  ```
+
+  Use `manual-slop_set_file_slice` with the exact start_line and end_line of the insertion point.
+
+  **CRITICAL — 1-space indent.** These are top-level statements, no indent. Use exactly the snippet above.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.2.3: Verify syntax**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run python -c "import ast; ast.parse(open('tests/conftest.py').read()); print('OK')"
+  ```
+
+### Task 1.3: Change the `live_gui` fixture signature
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/conftest.py:453` (the `def live_gui(...)` line)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.3.1: Read the exact line**
+  Use `manual-slop_get_file_slice` to read `tests/conftest.py:453` and get the exact text.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.3.2: Remove `tmp_path_factory` from the parameter list**
+  Change:
+  ```python
+  def live_gui(request, tmp_path_factory) -> Generator["_LiveGuiHandle", None, None]:
+  ```
+  to:
+  ```python
+  def live_gui(request) -> Generator["_LiveGuiHandle", None, None]:
+  ```
+
+  Use `manual-slop_set_file_slice` with the exact line.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.3.3: Verify syntax**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run python -c "import ast; ast.parse(open('tests/conftest.py').read()); print('OK')"
+  ```
+
+### Task 1.4: Replace the workspace creation
+
+**Files:**
+- Modify: `tests/conftest.py:465` (the `temp_workspace = ...` line)
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.4.1: Read the exact line**
+  Use `manual-slop_get_file_slice` to read `tests/conftest.py:464-466` and get the exact text.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.4.2: Replace the workspace creation**
+  Change:
+  ```python
+  temp_workspace = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("live_gui_workspace")
+  ```
+  to:
+  ```python
+  temp_workspace = _RUN_WORKSPACE
+  ```
+
+  Use `manual-slop_set_file_slice` with the exact line.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.4.3: Verify syntax**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run python -c "import ast; ast.parse(open('tests/conftest.py').read()); print('OK')"
+  ```
+
+### Task 1.5: Run a smoke test
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.5.1: Run a single live_gui test to verify the fixture works**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run pytest tests/test_gui_startup_smoke.py -v --timeout=30
+  ```
+  Expected: PASS.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.5.2: Verify the workspace folder was created**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; ls tests/artifacts/ | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "live_gui_workspace_*" }
+  ```
+  Expected: a folder like `live_gui_workspace_20260609_HHMMSS` exists.
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.5.3: Verify the subprocess CWD is the new workspace**
+  Run `tests/test_gui_startup_smoke.py` with `-s` to see prints, OR add a temporary `print(handle.workspace)` in the test to verify.
+
+  Expected: handle.workspace is `C:\projects\manual_slop\tests\artifacts\live_gui_workspace_<timestamp>`.
+
+### Phase 1 commit
+
+- [ ] **Step 1.C.1: Commit the conftest change**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add tests/conftest.py
+  git commit -m "fix(test): per-run workspace under tests/artifacts/ (replaces tmp_path_factory)"
+  $h = git log -1 --format='%H'
+  git notes add -m "Replaces tmp_path_factory.mktemp with _RUN_WORKSPACE, a module-level constant computed once at conftest import time. Each pytest invocation gets tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_<YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS>/. All live_gui tests in that invocation share the workspace (per-test pollution is intentional). The workspace is gitignored via tests/artifacts/. 1 import + 2 line changes in conftest.py." $h
+  ```
+
+---
+
+## Phase 2: Add 2 verification tests
+
+Focus: 2 small tests that prove the workspace is at the right path and is gitignored.
+
+### Task 2.1: Write the 2 verification tests
+
+**Files:**
+- Create: `tests/test_workspace_path_finalize.py`
+
+- [ ] **Step 2.1.1: Write the test file**
+  Create `tests/test_workspace_path_finalize.py` with the following content:
+  ```python
+  """Tests for the per-run workspace path (workspace_path_finalize_20260609)."""
+  import subprocess
+  from pathlib import Path
+
+
+  def test_live_gui_workspace_is_under_tests_artifacts(live_gui_workspace: Path) -> None:
+   """The live_gui_workspace fixture returns a path under tests/artifacts/."""
+   s = str(live_gui_workspace).replace("\\", "/")
+   assert s.startswith("tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_"), f"Expected tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_*, got {s}"
+
+
+  def test_live_gui_workspace_is_gitignored(live_gui_workspace: Path) -> None:
+   """The live_gui_workspace path is gitignored (via tests/artifacts/ in .gitignore)."""
+   result = subprocess.run(
+    ["git", "check-ignore", str(live_gui_workspace)],
+    capture_output=True, text=True, cwd="."
+   )
+   assert result.returncode == 0, f"Workspace {live_gui_workspace} is not gitignored. git check-ignore output: {result.stdout!r} {result.stderr!r}"
+  ```
+
+  **CRITICAL — 1-space indent for all function bodies.** The file-level content has no indent. The `def` lines have no indent. The function body lines have exactly 1 space.
+
+- [ ] **Step 2.1.2: Verify syntax**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run python -c "import ast; ast.parse(open('tests/test_workspace_path_finalize.py').read()); print('OK')"
+  ```
+
+- [ ] **Step 2.1.3: Run the 2 tests**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run pytest tests/test_workspace_path_finalize.py -v --timeout=30
+  ```
+  Expected: 2/2 pass.
+
+### Phase 2 commit
+
+- [ ] **Step 2.C.1: Commit the verification tests**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add tests/test_workspace_path_finalize.py
+  git commit -m "test(workspace): verify per-run workspace path and gitignore status"
+  $h = git log -1 --format='%H'
+  git notes add -m "2 tests: test_live_gui_workspace_is_under_tests_artifacts (asserts the path starts with tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_) and test_live_gui_workspace_is_gitignored (asserts git check-ignore returns 0 for the workspace path). Both pass with the new _RUN_WORKSPACE constant." $h
+  ```
+
+---
+
+## Phase 3: Run the full batch and verify
+
+Focus: The moment of truth. tier-1 5/5, tier-2 5/5, tier-3 0 new failures. The 4 sim tests in `test_extended_sims.py` now pass.
+
+### Task 3.1: Run the full batch
+
+- [ ] **Step 3.1.1: Run the full batched test suite**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run .\scripts\run_tests_batched.py 2>&1 | Tee-Object -FilePath "tests/artifacts/post_finalize_batch_20260609.log" | Select-Object -Last 50
+  ```
+
+  Expected:
+  - tier-1: 5/5 batches pass
+  - tier-2: 5/5 batches pass
+  - tier-3: 0 NEW failures vs the `fe240db4` baseline
+  - The 4 sim tests in `tests/test_extended_sims.py` PASS (they were failing at the `fe240db4` baseline due to the workspace path mismatch)
+
+- [ ] **Step 3.1.2: If tier-3 has new failures, STOP and report**
+  **DO NOT** try to fix new failures in this track. This track's scope is ONLY the workspace path. New failures are out of scope — document them in the git note and move on.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3.1.3: Verify the new workspace folder exists in tests/artifacts/**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; ls tests/artifacts/ | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "live_gui_workspace_*" }
+  ```
+  Expected: a fresh folder for this run.
+
+- [ ] **Step 3.1.4: Verify the old %TEMP% workspace is NOT being used**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; ls $env:TEMP | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "pytest-of-*" }
+  ```
+  Expected: nothing (or only stale folders from prior runs before this change). The conftest no longer creates new ones in %TEMP%.
+
+### Task 3.2: Commit the batch log
+
+- [ ] **Step 3.2.1: Commit the batch log**
+  ```powershell
+  cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add tests/artifacts/post_finalize_batch_20260609.log
+  git commit -m "docs(batch): post-workspace-path-finalize batch log"
+  $h = git log -1 --format='%H'
+  git notes add -m "Final batch run log. tier-1 5/5, tier-2 5/5, tier-3 [count] failures. The 4 sim tests in test_extended_sims.py now pass because their os.path.abspath('tests/artifacts/...') paths resolve correctly to the project tree where the new workspace lives." $h
+  ```
+
+---
+
+## Final Verification
+
+- [ ] All 3 commits in place
+- [ ] `tests/conftest.py` no longer uses `tmp_path_factory` in the `live_gui` fixture
+- [ ] `tests/artifacts/live_gui_workspace_<timestamp>/` exists after a pytest run
+- [ ] `.gitignore` already has `tests/artifacts/` (no change needed)
+- [ ] 2 verification tests pass
+- [ ] Full batch: tier-1 5/5, tier-2 5/5, tier-3 [count] failures (should match or improve on `fe240db4` baseline)
+- [ ] The 4 sim tests in `tests/test_extended_sims.py` pass in batch
+
+## Track Done
+
+After the 3 commits and the full batch verification, the track is DONE. **Do not:**
+- File follow-up tracks
+- Add scope
+- Refactor anything else
+- Update docs
+- Add more tests
+
+**Do:**
+- Report the final state to the user
+- Mark the track as complete in `conductor/tracks.md`
+- Move on to the 4 upcoming tracks (qwen_llama_grok, data_oriented_error_handling, data_structure_strengthening, mcp_architecture_refactor)
+
+---
+
+## Execution Constraints
+
+- **1-space indent, CRLF, type hints.** Per project conventions.
+- **1-line edits via `manual-slop_set_file_slice`.** Per `conductor/edit_workflow.md`. The previous attempt at a conftest refactor was reverted due to corruption — use the recommended surgical tool.
+- **Verify syntax with `ast.parse` after each edit.**
+- **No diagnostic noise in production.** No `print()` statements added to conftest.py for debugging.
+- **Per-task atomic commits.** Not batched.
+- **No "while we're at it" refactors.** This is the LAST track on this issue. Stay in scope.