manual_slop/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-06-05-wait-for-ready-test-pattern.md

wait_for_ready_test_pattern_20260605 Implementation Plan

For agentic workers: REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:subagent-driven-development (recommended) or superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task. Steps use checkbox (- [ ]) syntax for tracking.

Goal: Replace time.sleep(N) in test_workspace_profiles_sim.py and test_auto_switch_sim.py with polling helpers that wait for the operation to complete. Tests should pass consistently across machines.

Architecture: Inline polling helpers (or extracted to tests/helpers.py if 3+ tests need them). 100ms poll interval, 5s default timeout.

Tech Stack: Python 3.11+, pytest 9.0, time-based polling.

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File Structure

File	Change	Purpose
tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py	Modify	Replace time.sleep with polling
tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py	Modify	Replace time.sleep with polling

No production code changes. No new shared module (helpers are inlined for now).

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Task 1: Migrate test_workspace_profiles_sim.py

Files:

• Modify: tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py

• Step 1.1: Pre-edit checkpoint

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git status --short

• Step 1.2: Read the test

Read tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py to see the current time.sleep calls.

• Step 1.3: Add the polling helpers at the top of the file

After the existing imports, add:

import time

def wait_for_save_completion(client, profile_name, timeout=5.0):
    """Poll until the saved profile appears in the workspace profiles."""
    deadline = time.time() + timeout
    while time.time() < deadline:
        profiles = client.get_value('workspace_profiles') or {}
        if profile_name in profiles:
            return
        time.sleep(0.1)
    raise TimeoutError(f"Profile '{profile_name}' did not appear in workspace_profiles within {timeout}s")

def wait_for_load_completion(client, item, expected, timeout=5.0):
    """Poll until the item's value matches expected."""
    deadline = time.time() + timeout
    while time.time() < deadline:
        if client.get_value(item) == expected:
            return
        time.sleep(0.1)
    raise TimeoutError(f"Item '{item}' did not become {expected!r} within {timeout}s")

Use exactly 1-space indentation. No comments.

• Step 1.4: Replace the time.sleep calls

In the test body, replace:

• time.sleep(2.0) after save_workspace_profile → wait_for_save_completion(client, "test_restore")
• time.sleep(2.0) after load_workspace_profile → wait_for_load_completion(client, 'ui_separate_tier1', True)
• The other time.sleep(1.0) calls after set_value can stay (set_value is synchronous in the controller) OR be replaced with wait_for_load_completion for consistency.

Recommended: keep the set_value sleeps for now (set_value writes to controller synchronously; the sleep is for the GUI to process the change), but replace the save/load ones.

• Step 1.5: Run the test

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run pytest tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py -v --timeout=30

Expected: 1 passed.

• Step 1.6: Commit

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py
git -C C:\projects\manual_slop commit -m "test(workspace_profiles): replace time.sleep with wait_for_X polling helpers"
$h = git -C C:\projects\manual_slop log -1 --format='%H'
git -C C:\projects\manual_slop notes add -m "Replaced time.sleep(2.0) with wait_for_save_completion and wait_for_load_completion polling helpers. 100ms poll interval, 5s default timeout. Per the Authoring Robust live_gui Tests rules in docs/guide_testing.md: use wait-for-ready pattern, not fixed sleeps." $h

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Task 2: Migrate test_auto_switch_sim.py

Files:

• Modify: tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py

• Step 2.1: Read the test

Read tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py to see the current time.sleep calls.

• Step 2.2: Add the polling helpers at the top of the file

Same as Task 1 Step 1.3 (or import from a shared location if extracted in the future).

• Step 2.3: Replace the time.sleep(1) calls after each trigger_tier(...) call

The test triggers a tier-2 then tier-3 transition. After each trigger, wait for show_windows['Diagnostics'] to reach the expected value:

trigger_tier('Tier 2 (Tech Lead)')
wait_for_load_completion(client, 'show_windows', {'Diagnostics': False})
assert client.get_value('show_windows').get('Diagnostics', False) == False

trigger_tier('Tier 3 (Worker): task-1')
wait_for_load_completion(client, 'show_windows', {'Diagnostics': True})
assert client.get_value('show_windows').get('Diagnostics', False) == True

• Step 2.4: Run the test

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run pytest tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py -v --timeout=60

Expected: 1 passed.

• Step 2.5: Commit

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py
git -C C:\projects\manual_slop commit -m "test(auto_switch): replace time.sleep with wait_for_load_completion polling"
$h = git -C C:\projects\manual_slop log -1 --format='%H'
git -C C:\projects\manual_slop notes add -m "Replaced time.sleep(1) after each trigger_tier with wait_for_load_completion. The auto-switch applies a workspace profile; the test now polls until the expected show_windows state is observed." $h

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Task 3: Verify both tests pass in the full batched suite

Files: (no file changes; verification only)

• Step 3.1: Run both tests

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; uv run pytest tests/test_workspace_profiles_sim.py tests/test_auto_switch_sim.py -v --timeout=60

Expected: 2 passed.

• Step 3.2: Commit (no-op)

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git -c core.autocrlf=false commit --allow-empty -m "verify: wait_for_ready migration unblocks 2 tests"

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Task 4: Update tracks.md

Files:

• Modify: conductor/tracks.md

• Step 4.1: Add a brief note

Find the live_gui_test_hardening_v2 entry and add: "Sub-track wait_for_ready_test_pattern_20260605 complete: time.sleep replaced with polling helpers in test_workspace_profiles_sim and test_auto_switch_sim."

• Step 4.2: Commit

cd C:\projects\manual_slop; git add conductor/tracks.md
git -C C:\projects\manual_slop commit -m "conductor: wait_for_ready_test_pattern sub-track complete"

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Self-Review

• Spec coverage: 2 tests migrated; polling helpers defined; fixed sleeps replaced.
• Placeholders: None.
• Type consistency: Polling helpers return None on success, raise TimeoutError on failure. Test assertions unchanged.
• Risk: Low — only test files change.

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Execution Handoff

Inline execution. 4 tasks, atomic commits. User runs the full batched suite to confirm.