docs: trace conda_avail re-wiring insertion point; decision to defer implementation

[mixmansoundude]

Summary

Completes the scoping pass CLAUDE.md's own Active Backlog explicitly asked for before any further conda_avail work: "this needs a proper trace, not a guess, before being reintroduced."

• Traced batch-check.yml's full selftest job step order from the top, checking each step for an HP_CI_SKIP_ENV override or a static-only check that never invokes run_setup.bat.
• Confirmed selfapps_single.ps1/selfapps_entry.ps1/selfapps_isolation.ps1 all set HP_CI_SKIP_ENV: '1' at the step level (previously only cited, now directly confirmed); found a fourth candidate not previously named (selfapps_envname.ps1, sets it internally); confirmed selftests.ps1 replays a captured log rather than re-bootstrapping, and selfapps_size.ps1 is a static byte-size check.
• Identified the genuine first real-install candidate: selfapps_envsmoke.ps1 ("Self-test: real env smoke (CI-only)") -- its own script comment says "FULL bootstrap here: do NOT set HP_CI_SKIP_ENV," it runs unrestricted by lane, and it sits immediately before the first real/conda-full only self-test block.
• Decision: do not implement the re-wiring itself in this pass. This exact mechanism (conda_avail, gating the two must-not-regress lanes) has already produced two real, subtle bugs in quick succession -- the original premature-gating bug (ci: fix conda_avail circular gate silently skipping conda-full self-tests #391) and a distinct wording slip CodeRabbit caught on the PR that reverted it (docs/tools: address PR #391 CodeRabbit findings; add advisory MD029 markdownlint check #392). A third attempt at the same fragile spot, even with the trace now in hand, is treated as architecturally significant enough to need explicit owner sign-off rather than autonomous action, per this repo's own standing escalation policy. The full implementation shape (move the existing unused conda_avail step to right after selfapps_envsmoke.ps1, re-point the same 36 if: conditions) is documented and ready if/when approved.

Doc-only change, zero run_setup.bat/workflow-YAML risk.

Test plan

• python -m compileall -q .
• python tools/check_delimiters.py run_setup.bat
• markdownlint-cli2 CLAUDE.md (clean, only the expected permanent baseline finding)
• python -m yamllint .github/workflows/
• actionlint -oneline .github/workflows/*.yml
• PowerShell AST parse sweep (tests/.ps1, tools/.ps1)
• python -m pytest tests/test_*.py -q (437 passed, 2 skipped)
• Full tools/run_sanity_sweep.sh run, all checks OK

Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_015xbWLPbiaKVsobB9FZy8kS

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Run ID: 0447c699-1979-43b8-ab23-e052cfed8d4d

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Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 176c06b and f0473e6.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• CLAUDE.md

📜 Recent review details

⏰ Context from checks skipped due to timeout. (9)

• GitHub Check: auto_merge
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (contract-uv)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (real)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (uv-dl-fallback)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (justme-test)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (uv)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (contract-uv-fail)
• GitHub Check: Batch syntax/run check (conda-full)
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🧰 Additional context used

📓 Path-based instructions (2)

**/*

📄 CodeRabbit inference engine (AGENTS.md)

**/*: Use GitHub Actions results, especially Windows runner behavior, as the authoritative source of truth; treat local or sandbox runs as advisory.
Do not weaken tests, remove logging or artifacts, or delete or skip checks to obtain a green build.
Any new observable log line, disk file, or assertion-detectable behavior must produce an NDJSON row and have its artifact path added to the batch-check.yml test-logs upload using both existing slash-style variants.
Follow an explicit Plan -> Check the plan -> Execute -> Self-check/tests loop, and make one change set per loop.
Push every commit before it can be lost; do not leave commits unpushed when a turn ends.
Do not implement scope changes without first creating a backlog item unless explicitly instructed; fix CI failures before proceeding, and add a derived-requirement comment for untraceable code.

**/*: When a change teaches or invalidates a lesson, update the relevant knowledge document in the same commit, editing existing entries rather than only appending.
Implement exactly one missing feature slice and add exactly one missing test per iteration loop; freeze scope and defer new requirements to backlog.

Files:

• CLAUDE.md

**/*.{md,bat,cmd}

📄 CodeRabbit inference engine (AGENTS.md)

Reference run_setup.bat locations in documentation by stable label or subroutine name rather than exact line numbers.

Files:

• CLAUDE.md

🔇 Additional comments (1)

CLAUDE.md (1)

779-814: LGTM!

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📝 Walkthrough

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Documentation
  • Updated the active backlog with findings from the CI step-order review.
  • Documented a potential future location for the conda_avail step, pending approval.
  • Recorded the decision not to duplicate existing gating logic without explicit sign-off.

Walkthrough

CLAUDE.md item 7 now documents the CI step-order trace, identifies selfapps_envsmoke.ps1 as the first realistic conda_avail candidate, and records that further gating changes require owner approval.

Changes

CI backlog clarification

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Document CI gating decision CLAUDE.md	Active Backlog item 7 records the traced step order, proposed future conda_avail placement, and decision to defer additional rewiring without owner sign-off.

Estimated code review effort: 1 (Trivial) | ~2 minutes

Possibly related PRs

• mixmansoundude/Python_vs_Windows#390: Documents the related conda_avail CI step-order and gating decision.
• mixmansoundude/Python_vs_Windows#391: Provides the related CI gate/order context and follow-up decision.
• mixmansoundude/Python_vs_Windows#392: Covers the related conda_avail placement and rewiring clarification.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 5

✅ Passed checks (5 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly summarizes the documentation-only trace and the decision to defer implementation.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description matches the PR scope and details the trace, findings, and deferred re-wiring plan.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.

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• Create PR with unit tests
• Commit unit tests in branch claude/pipreqs-fallback-maintenance-49jhr9

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