manual_slop/conductor/tracks/thinking_trace_handling_20260313/plan.md

Implementation Plan: Rich Thinking Trace Handling

Phase 1: Core Parsing & Model Update

• Task: Audit src/models.py and src/project_manager.py to identify current message serialization schemas.
• Task: Write Tests: Verify that raw AI responses with <thinking>, <thought>, and Thinking: markers are correctly parsed into segmented data structures (Thinking vs. Response).
• Task: Implement: Add ThinkingSegment model and update ChatMessage schema in src/models.py to support optional thinking traces.
• Task: Implement: Update parsing logic in src/ai_client.py or a dedicated utility to extract segments from raw provider responses.
• Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 1: Core Parsing & Model Update' (Protocol in workflow.md)

Phase 2: Persistence & History Integration

• Task: Write Tests: Verify that ProjectManager correctly serializes and deserializes messages with thinking segments to/from TOML history files.
• Task: Implement: Update src/project_manager.py to handle the new ChatMessage schema during session save/load.
• Task: Implement: Ensure src/aggregate.py or relevant context builders include thinking traces in the "Discussion History" sent back to the AI.
• Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 2: Persistence & History Integration' (Protocol in workflow.md)

Phase 3: GUI Rendering - Comms & Discussion

• Task: Write Tests: Verify the GUI rendering logic correctly handles messages with and without thinking segments.
• Task: Implement: Create a reusable _render_thinking_trace helper in src/gui_2.py using a collapsible header (e.g., imgui.collapsing_header).
• Task: Implement: Integrate the thinking trace renderer into the Comms History panel in src/gui_2.py.
• Task: Implement: Integrate the thinking trace renderer into the Discussion Hub message loop in src/gui_2.py.
• Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 3: GUI Rendering - Comms & Discussion' (Protocol in workflow.md)

Phase 4: Final Polish & Theming

• Task: Implement: Apply specialized styling (e.g., tinted background or italicized text) to expanded thinking traces to distinguish them from direct responses.
• Task: Implement: Ensure thinking trace headers show a "Calculating..." or "Monologue" indicator while an agent is active.
• Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 4: Final Polish & Theming' (Protocol in workflow.md)