memory-ingest stages inside GSTACK_HOME (gitignore=* repo) → gbrain git-aware import sees 0 files → silent false-success

[exGeni]

Summary

On a Supabase/Postgres + Windows setup, gstack-memory-ingest reports success but imports 0 transcript pages. Root cause is an interaction with gbrain v0.42's git-aware import.

Mechanism

1. makeStagingDir() stages prepared pages under $GSTACK_HOME (~/.gstack), which is itself a git work tree with .gitignore = * (the gstack-artifacts repo).
2. gbrain v0.42 import <dir> enumerates files via collectSyncableFiles → gitListSyncableFiles, which runs git ls-files --cached --others --exclude-standard. Inside a .gitignore = * tree this returns zero files.
3. gbrain prints Found 0 markdown files, imports 0, exits 0, emits valid {"imported":0,...} JSON.
4. gstack-memory-ingest sees exit 0 + parseable JSON → treats it as success → advances .transcript-ingest-state.json, marking every session ingested. Net: 0 transcript pages ever reach the brain, silently.

Repro (side-effect-free)

mkdir -p ~/.gstack/.staging-ingest-X/transcripts && printf -- '---\ntitle: t\ntype: transcript\n---\nhi' > ~/.gstack/.staging-ingest-X/transcripts/x.md
git -C ~/.gstack/.staging-ingest-X ls-files --cached --others --exclude-standard   # -> EMPTY

Same staged file in a non-git dir is found by gbrain's FS-walk fallback and imports fine.

Suggested fix

• Stage outside any git work tree (e.g. an OS temp dir), or
• Assert imported + skipped + errors == staged before advancing ingest state (fail loud on the 0-of-N mismatch).

Env

gstack 1.58.4.0, gbrain 0.42.42.0, Windows 10, Supabase Postgres engine.

[optimization2026]

This issue is another example of memory-ingest needing a hard output contract.

The failure mode is:

stage pages inside GSTACK_HOME
  -> GSTACK_HOME is gitignore=*
  -> git-aware import sees 0 files
  -> import returns success
  -> ingest state advances

That should be impossible.

A standard AISP-style ingest contract could require staged-count and imported-count validation:

[
  {
    "role": "system",
    "content": {
      "protocol": "AISP V1.0.0",
      "axiom_0": "Human_Sovereignty_and_Wellbeing",
      "id": "gstack_memory_ingest_commit_contract_aisp",
      "name": "gstack Memory Ingest Commit Contract",
      "version": "1.0.0",
      "license": "MIT",
      "summary": "Machine-checkable contract preventing silent false-success during gbrain memory ingest.",
      "flow_format": "mermaid",
      "loading_mode": "node",
      "tools": ["filesystem", "shell"],
      "params": {
        "staging_dir": "string",
        "gbrain_repo": "string"
      },
      "system_prompt": ""
    }
  },
  {
    "role": "user",
    "content": {
      "instruction": "STRICTLY OBEY aisp_contract; its non_negotiable rules are inviolable; then RUN aisop.main",
      "user_input": "{user_input}",
      "aisp_contract": {
        "profile": "aisp.skill.v1",
        "invocation": {
          "mode": "ingest_commit_validation",
          "when_to_use": [
            "before committing memory-ingest state",
            "after staging prepared memory pages",
            "after gbrain git-aware import returns"
          ],
          "when_not_to_use": [
            "dry-run preview with no state update",
            "manual import where user explicitly accepts zero files"
          ]
        },
        "non_negotiable": [
          {
            "rule": "A non-empty staging set must not produce imported=0 with success.",
            "enforced_by": "validate_import.step2:sys.assert"
          },
          {
            "rule": "Ingest state must not advance if staged pages were invisible to git-aware import.",
            "enforced_by": "commit.step2:sys.assert"
          },
          {
            "rule": "Staging directory must be inside a location visible to the import mechanism or use an import path that bypasses gitignore filtering intentionally.",
            "enforced_by": "stage.step2:sys.assert"
          }
        ],
        "discovery": {
          "category": "memory_ingest",
          "tags": ["gstack", "memory-ingest", "gbrain", "gitignore", "silent-success", "aisp"]
        },
        "risk_level": "high",
        "resources": [
          {
            "id": "staging_dir",
            "path": "{staging_dir}",
            "kind": "artifact_dir",
            "mode": "read_only",
            "when": "Read before import validation.",
            "scope": "skill"
          }
        ]
      },
      "aisop": {
        "main": "graph TD\n    stage[Validate staging location] --> count[Count staged pages] --> import[Run gbrain import] --> validate_import[Validate import counts] --> commit[Commit ingest state] --> end_node((End))"
      },
      "functions": {
        "stage": {
          "step1": "Check whether staging_dir is visible to gbrain git-aware import.",
          "step2": "sys.assert('staging_dir visible or intentionally bypasses gitignore filtering', 'Staging directory is hidden from import mechanism')",
          "output_mapping": "staging_visibility"
        },
        "count": {
          "step1": "Count prepared pages in staging_dir.",
          "output_mapping": "staged_count"
        },
        "import": {
          "step1": "Run gbrain import and collect imported, skipped, and errors counts.",
          "output_mapping": "import_result"
        },
        "validate_import": {
          "step1": "Compare staged_count with imported/skipped/errors.",
          "step2": "sys.assert('not staged_count > 0 with imported=0 and success', 'Silent false-success: staged pages were not imported')",
          "output_mapping": "import_validation"
        },
        "commit": {
          "step1": "Advance ingest state only if import_validation passes.",
          "step2": "sys.assert('ingest state not advanced on failed or empty import', 'Do not advance state after false-success')",
          "output_mapping": "commit_status"
        },
        "end_node": {
          "step1": "Return import_validation and commit_status."
        }
      }
    }
  }
]

The practical fix:

1. Stage prepared pages outside ignored GSTACK_HOME, or explicitly import them by path.
2. Check staged_count.
3. Treat staged_count > 0 and imported=0 as failure unless all files are explicitly skipped with reasons.
4. Do not advance ingest state on false-success.

The invariant:

success must mean something was imported, skipped with reason, or errored visibly.