fix(findings): path-shaped file refs + per-round collapsible findings (#687)

* fix(findings): enforce path-shaped file refs; group panel findings by round

- The findings chokepoint rejects a file that is not a repo-relative
  path shape (prose like a PR reference validated before, and the panel
  then rendered a doomed file-content fetch for it) — narrative belongs
  in evidence, the remediate says so.
- The task-detail Findings tab groups findings into per-round
  collapsible sections (newest expanded) and only attempts a code
  snippet for a path-shaped file ref, so historical prose refs render
  as plain metadata instead of a broken loader.

* fix(findings): admit client-repo path conventions; teach the file-less option

- The shape gate reviews arbitrary client projects, not just this repo:
  plus and at-sign join the character class so SvelteKit route files,
  @types dirs, and @2x assets stay citable. Spaces stay excluded — they
  are the prose signal.
- The file-rejection remediate names the file-less option for
  cross-cutting findings.
- The client mirror notes its deliberate non-ASCII divergence from the
  server gate (unicode server-pass renders snippetless, fail-open).

---------

Co-authored-by: Renn F <rennf93@users.noreply.github.com>

panel/src/components/tasks/task-detail/__tests__/tab-findings.test.tsx

@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe("TabFindings", () => {
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it("groups findings by round and renders severity/status", () => {
+  it("groups findings by round, expands the newest, collapses older rounds", async () => {
     const response: TaskFindingsResponse = {
       findings: [
         {
@@ -99,8 +99,20 @@ describe("TabFindings", () => {
 
     expect(screen.getByText("Round 2")).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText("Round 1")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    // The newest round (2) is expanded by default — its finding is visible.
+    const round2Button = screen.getByText("Round 2").closest("button");
+    const round1Button = screen.getByText("Round 1").closest("button");
+    expect(round2Button).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "true");
+    expect(round1Button).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "false");
     expect(screen.getByText("blocker")).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.getByText("minor")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    // Round 1's finding is collapsed, so its content isn't rendered yet.
+    expect(screen.queryByText("minor")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("abc1234")).toBeNull();
+
+    // Expanding round 1 reveals its finding.
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    await user.click(round1Button!);
+    expect(await screen.findByText("minor")).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText("abc1234")).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.queryByText(/more not shown/)).toBeNull();
   });
@@ -179,4 +191,75 @@ describe("TabFindings", () => {
       "Must be fixed before this task can pass review.",
     );
   });
+
+  it("skips the CodeSnippet fetch for a non-path file but still renders it as text", () => {
+    const response: TaskFindingsResponse = {
+      findings: [
+        {
+          id: "eeeeeeee-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
+          task_id: "t1",
+          origin: "pm",
+          round: 1,
+          author_slug: "be-pm",
+          file: "PR #676 description",
+          line: null,
+          severity: "major",
+          criterion: null,
+          expected: "x",
+          actual: "y",
+          fix: null,
+          evidence: null,
+          status: "open",
+          addressed_by_commit: null,
+          resolution_note: null,
+          created_at: "2026-07-11T00:00:00Z",
+          updated_at: null,
+        },
+      ],
+      summary: [],
+      total: 1,
+      truncated: false,
+    };
+    useTaskFindings.mockReturnValue({ data: response, isLoading: false });
+    render(<TabFindings task={buildTask()} />);
+
+    // The prose file still renders as plain metadata text...
+    expect(screen.getByText("PR #676 description")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    // ...but never drives the doomed CodeSnippet fetch.
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId("code-snippet")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("still renders CodeSnippet for a real path-shaped file", () => {
+    const response: TaskFindingsResponse = {
+      findings: [
+        {
+          id: "ffffffff-0000-0000-0000-000000000000",
+          task_id: "t1",
+          origin: "qa",
+          round: 1,
+          author_slug: "be-qa",
+          file: "roboco/services/task.py",
+          line: 12,
+          severity: "major",
+          criterion: null,
+          expected: "x",
+          actual: "y",
+          fix: null,
+          evidence: null,
+          status: "open",
+          addressed_by_commit: null,
+          resolution_note: null,
+          created_at: "2026-07-11T00:00:00Z",
+          updated_at: null,
+        },
+      ],
+      summary: [],
+      total: 1,
+      truncated: false,
+    };
+    useTaskFindings.mockReturnValue({ data: response, isLoading: false });
+    render(<TabFindings task={buildTask()} />);
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("code-snippet")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
 });

panel/src/components/tasks/task-detail/tab-findings.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,19 @@ import { Skeleton } from "@/components/ui/skeleton";
 import { HelpTip } from "@/components/ui/help-tip";
 import { ListChecks } from "lucide-react";
 import { CodeSnippet } from "@/components/git/code-snippet";
+import { CollapsibleSection } from "./collapsible-section";
+
+// Mirrors the server-side shape gate (Finding._file_repo_relative in
+// roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py) — keep the character classes
+// in sync, knowing they deliberately diverge on non-ASCII: Python's \w is
+// unicode, JS's is ASCII, so a unicode path the server accepted renders
+// snippetless here (fail-open — the plain-text metadata still shows). A
+// prose `file` (e.g. a PR reference) predates that gate on older ledger
+// rows and must not drive a doomed CodeSnippet fetch.
+const FILE_SHAPE_RE = /^[\w.\-/()[\]+@]+$/;
+function looksLikePath(file: string): boolean {
+  return FILE_SHAPE_RE.test(file);
+}
 
 interface TabFindingsProps {
   task: Task;
@@ -43,14 +56,16 @@ const ORIGIN_LABEL: Record<string, string> = {
 // findings-ledger domain (roboco/foundation/policy/conventions/findings.py).
 const SEVERITY_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {
   blocker: "Must be fixed before this task can pass review.",
-  major: "A significant defect; should be fixed but isn't review-blocking alone.",
+  major:
+    "A significant defect; should be fixed but isn't review-blocking alone.",
   minor: "A smaller defect worth fixing.",
   nit: "A nitpick — cosmetic or stylistic; fix if convenient.",
 };
 
 const STATUS_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {
   open: "Not yet addressed by the assignee.",
-  addressed: "The assignee says this is fixed — awaiting reviewer verification.",
+  addressed:
+    "The assignee says this is fixed — awaiting reviewer verification.",
   verified: "A reviewer confirmed the fix.",
   waived: "Explicitly waived — no fix required.",
 };
@@ -67,7 +82,9 @@ function FindingCard({
       <CardContent className="pt-4 space-y-2">
         <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
           <HelpTip label={SEVERITY_DESCRIPTIONS[finding.severity]}>
-            <Badge className={SEVERITY_CLASS[finding.severity] ?? SEVERITY_CLASS.nit}>
+            <Badge
+              className={SEVERITY_CLASS[finding.severity] ?? SEVERITY_CLASS.nit}
+            >
               {finding.severity}
             </Badge>
           </HelpTip>
@@ -95,7 +112,7 @@ function FindingCard({
             </HelpTip>
           )}
         </div>
-        {finding.file && (
+        {finding.file && looksLikePath(finding.file) && (
           <CodeSnippet
             branch={branch}
             file={finding.file}
@@ -158,8 +175,7 @@ export function TabFindings({ task }: TabFindingsProps) {
         <ListChecks className="mx-auto mb-4 h-12 w-12 opacity-50" />
         <p>No revision findings recorded yet.</p>
         <p className="mt-2 text-sm">
-          Findings appear here after the first QA / PR-review / PM / CEO
+          Findings appear here after the first QA / PR-review / PM / CEO bounce.
-          bounce.
         </p>
       </div>
     );
@@ -190,27 +206,43 @@ export function TabFindings({ task }: TabFindingsProps) {
           ))}
         </div>
       )}
-      {rounds.map((group) => (
+      {rounds.map((group, idx) => {
-        <div key={group.round} className="space-y-3">
+        const openCount = group.items.filter((f) => f.status === "open").length;
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+        return (
-            <HelpTip label="Each bounce back to the assignee starts a new round">
+          <CollapsibleSection
-              <h3 className="text-sm font-semibold w-fit">
+            key={group.round}
-                Round {group.round}
+            // Rounds arrive newest-first (see the grouping loop above) — only
-              </h3>
+            // the newest is worth seeing without a click; older rounds are
-            </HelpTip>
+            // usually already resolved history.
-            <HelpTip label="Which reviewer stage raised this round's findings">
+            defaultOpen={idx === 0}
-              <Badge variant="outline">
+            title={
-                {ORIGIN_LABEL[group.origin] ?? group.origin}
+              <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
-              </Badge>
+                <HelpTip label="Each bounce back to the assignee starts a new round">
-            </HelpTip>
+                  <span>Round {group.round}</span>
-          </div>
+                </HelpTip>
-          <div className="space-y-3">
+                <HelpTip label="Which reviewer stage raised this round's findings">
-            {group.items.map((f) => (
+                  <Badge variant="outline">
-              <FindingCard key={f.id} finding={f} branch={task.branch_name} />
+                    {ORIGIN_LABEL[group.origin] ?? group.origin}
-            ))}
+                  </Badge>
-          </div>
+                </HelpTip>
-        </div>
+                <HelpTip label="Total findings this round, and how many are still unaddressed">
-      ))}
+                  <Badge variant="secondary">
+                    {group.items.length}{" "}
+                    {group.items.length === 1 ? "finding" : "findings"}
+                    {openCount > 0 ? ` · ${openCount} open` : ""}
+                  </Badge>
+                </HelpTip>
+              </div>
+            }
+          >
+            <div className="space-y-3">
+              {group.items.map((f) => (
+                <FindingCard key={f.id} finding={f} branch={task.branch_name} />
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </CollapsibleSection>
+        );
+      })}
       {data?.truncated && (
         <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
           … {data.total - findings.length} more not shown ({data.total} total)

roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py

@@ -55,6 +55,21 @@ _FINDING_CRITERION_CAP = 500
 # agent's own filesystem layout.
 _WINDOWS_ABS_RE = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z]:[\\/]")
 
+# A finding's `file` must look like a path, not prose (a live bug: a finding
+# with `file = "PR #676 description"` validated, and the panel then tried to
+# fetch a git blob literally named that). Word chars/dot/hyphen/slash cover
+# every ordinary path segment; parens/brackets/plus/at are additionally
+# allowed because findings reference paths in ARBITRARY reviewed projects,
+# not just this repo — Next.js route groups (`app/(dashboard)/page.tsx`) and
+# dynamic segments (`app/[taskId]/page.tsx`) here, SvelteKit route files
+# (`src/routes/+page.svelte`), `@types/` dirs, and `@2x` retina assets in
+# client repos. Deliberately excludes spaces — they ARE the prose signal:
+# verified via `git ls-files` that only 2 of 2270 tracked paths (both static
+# `vault_assets/meta/` template notes, never a code-review target) contain
+# one, while every prose example a reviewer might mistakenly pass as `file`
+# ("PR #676 description", "the description in the PR") always does.
+_PATH_SHAPE_RE = re.compile(r"^[\w.\-/()\[\]+@]+$")
+
 
 class _Base(BaseModel):
     """Shared config: drop unknown keys (graceful), validate assignment."""
@@ -138,6 +153,11 @@ class Finding(_Base):
             raise ValueError(
                 "file must not contain '..' path segments — repo-relative only"
             )
+        if not _PATH_SHAPE_RE.match(v):
+            raise ValueError(
+                "file does not look like a path — put narrative/context in "
+                "`evidence` and reference a real `file:line` in `file`/`line`"
+            )
         return v
 
 

roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/findings.py

@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
 import structlog
 
-from roboco.foundation.policy.content import Finding, Severity
+from roboco.foundation.policy.content import (
+    ContentValidationError,
+    Finding,
+    Severity,
+    validate_findings,
+)
 from roboco.services.gateway.envelope import Envelope
 from roboco.services.gateway.evidence_builder import BRIEFING_LIST_CAP
 from roboco.services.repositories.review_findings import (
@@ -124,6 +129,37 @@ def findings_count_hint(findings: Sequence[Any]) -> str | None:
     )
 
 
+def validate_or_reject(
+    raw: list[dict[str, Any]],
+) -> tuple[list[Finding], Envelope | None]:
+    """``validate_findings``, converting a ``ContentValidationError`` into a
+    field-aware rejection instead of the generic one every producer
+    (fail_review / pr_fail) used to hardcode regardless of which field failed
+    — unhelpful for a rejected ``file`` in particular, since the generic
+    remediate says "file ... optional", which reads as though the value
+    simply shouldn't have been sent rather than naming where it belongs.
+    """
+    try:
+        return validate_findings(raw), None
+    except ContentValidationError as exc:
+        if exc.field == "file":
+            remediate = (
+                "`file` must be a real repo-relative path — put narrative or "
+                "context in `evidence` instead, and reference a real "
+                "`file`/`line` here (or omit `file` entirely for a "
+                "cross-cutting finding not tied to one file)"
+            )
+        else:
+            remediate = (
+                "each finding needs expected + actual (file/line/severity/"
+                "criterion/fix/evidence optional)"
+            )
+        return [], Envelope.invalid_state(
+            message=f"malformed finding: {exc.field} — {exc.reason}",
+            remediate=remediate,
+        )
+
+
 def unmatched_criteria(task: Any, criteria: list[str]) -> list[str]:
     """``criteria`` entries matching neither an AC id nor AC text on ``task``.
 

roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/pr_gate.py

@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ from roboco.foundation.policy.batch import is_batch_root_subtask
 from roboco.foundation.policy.content import (
     ContentValidationError,
     markers,
-    validate_findings,
 )
 from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer import findings as findings_lib
 from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer.collision import build_collision_context
@@ -174,16 +173,9 @@ class PRGateMixin(_Base):
             )
         if cap := findings_lib.findings_count_guard(raw):
             return [], cap
-        try:
+        validated, bad = findings_lib.validate_or_reject(raw)
-            validated = validate_findings(raw)
+        if bad is not None:
-        except ContentValidationError as exc:
+            return [], bad
-            return [], Envelope.invalid_state(
-                message=f"malformed finding: {exc.field} — {exc.reason}",
-                remediate=(
-                    "each finding needs expected + actual (file/line/severity/"
-                    "criterion/fix/evidence optional)"
-                ),
-            )
         if t is not None and (
             unknown := findings_lib.unknown_finding_criteria(t, validated)
         ):

roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/qa.py

@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ from roboco.foundation.policy import tracing as _tr
 from roboco.foundation.policy.content import (
     ContentValidationError,
     markers,
-    validate_findings,
 )
 from roboco.services.content_notes import apply_structured_note
 from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer import findings as findings_lib
@@ -893,16 +892,9 @@ class QAMixin(_Base):
             )
         if cap := findings_lib.findings_count_guard(raw):
             return [], cap
-        try:
+        validated, bad = findings_lib.validate_or_reject(raw)
-            validated = validate_findings(raw)
+        if bad is not None:
-        except ContentValidationError as exc:
+            return [], bad
-            return [], Envelope.invalid_state(
-                message=f"malformed finding: {exc.field} — {exc.reason}",
-                remediate=(
-                    "each finding needs expected + actual (file/line/severity/"
-                    "criterion/fix/evidence optional)"
-                ),
-            )
         if unknown := findings_lib.unknown_finding_criteria(t, validated):
             return [], findings_lib.criterion_mismatch_rejection(t, unknown)
         return validated, None

tests/unit/foundation/policy/content/test_content_models.py

@@ -346,6 +346,51 @@ def test_finding_accepts_dot_segment_and_double_dot_substring() -> None:
     assert ok.file == "./roboco/services/foo..bar.py"
 
 
+def test_finding_rejects_prose_file_with_spaces() -> None:
+    # Live bug: a finding's `file` carried a PR reference ("PR #676
+    # description") instead of a path — it validated, and the panel then
+    # tried (and failed) to fetch a git blob literally named that.
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        Finding.model_validate(_finding(file="PR #676 description"))
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        Finding.model_validate(_finding(file="the description in the PR"))
+
+
+def test_finding_accepts_real_nested_path() -> None:
+    ok = Finding.model_validate(
+        _finding(file="roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/findings.py")
+    )
+    assert ok.file == "roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/findings.py"
+
+
+def test_finding_accepts_nextjs_route_group_and_dynamic_segment_paths() -> None:
+    # This repo's own tracked tree uses parens (route groups) and brackets
+    # (dynamic segments) in real, common paths — the shape gate must not
+    # reject them.
+    ok = Finding.model_validate(
+        _finding(file="panel/src/app/(dashboard)/tasks/[taskId]/page.tsx")
+    )
+    assert ok.file == "panel/src/app/(dashboard)/tasks/[taskId]/page.tsx"
+
+
+def test_finding_accepts_client_repo_path_conventions() -> None:
+    # Findings reference paths in arbitrary reviewed projects, not just this
+    # repo: SvelteKit route files (+), @types dirs and @2x assets (@) are
+    # real, common tracked paths a reviewer must be able to cite.
+    for path in (
+        "src/routes/+page.svelte",
+        "src/@types/foo.d.ts",
+        "assets/logo@2x.png",
+    ):
+        ok = Finding.model_validate(_finding(file=path))
+        assert ok.file == path
+
+
+def test_finding_file_none_bypasses_the_shape_gate() -> None:
+    f = Finding.model_validate(_finding(file=None))
+    assert f.file is None
+
+
 def test_finding_rejects_non_positive_line() -> None:
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
         Finding.model_validate(_finding(line=0))

tests/unit/gateway/test_choreographer_qa.py

@@ -488,6 +488,34 @@ async def test_fail_review_requires_at_least_one_issue() -> None:
     assert "finding" in body["message"].lower()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_fail_review_rejects_prose_file_names_evidence_in_remediate() -> None:
+    qa_id = uuid4()
+    task_id = uuid4()
+    t = _qa_owned_task(task_id, qa_id)
+    task_svc = AsyncMock()
+    task_svc.get.return_value = t
+    task_svc.agent_for.return_value = _qa_agent_mock(qa_id)
+    journal_svc = AsyncMock()
+    journal_svc.has_learning_for_task.return_value = True
+    deps = _make_deps(task=task_svc, journal=journal_svc)
+    c = Choreographer(deps)
+
+    findings = [
+        {
+            "file": "PR #676 description",
+            "severity": "major",
+            "expected": "matches the acceptance criteria",
+            "actual": "diverges from the acceptance criteria",
+        }
+    ]
+    env = await c.fail_review(qa_id, task_id, findings=findings)
+    body = env.as_dict()
+    assert body["error"] == "invalid_state"
+    assert "evidence" in body["remediate"]
+    assert "file" in body["remediate"]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_fail_review_not_assigned_returns_not_authorized() -> None:
     qa_id = uuid4()

tests/unit/gateway/test_pr_gate_records_verdict.py

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from uuid import uuid4
 
 from roboco.foundation.policy.content import Finding, Severity
 from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer import Choreographer, ChoreographerDeps
+from roboco.services.gateway.choreographer.pr_gate import PRGateMixin
 
 
 def _make_choreographer() -> Choreographer:
@@ -194,3 +195,24 @@ def test_pr_fail_embeds_findings_and_summary_does_not_duplicate() -> None:
     assert "returns 500 on the timestamp branch" not in slot["summary"]
     # The derived TEXT mirror renders the findings table (render_markdown).
     assert "returns 500 on the timestamp branch" in t.pr_reviewer_notes
+
+
+def test_pr_fail_findings_validation_rejects_prose_file_names_evidence() -> None:
+    """The static validator behind ``pr_fail`` — mirrors QA's
+    ``fail_review`` rejection: a non-path ``file`` is refused, and the
+    remediate points the reviewer at ``evidence`` instead."""
+    findings = [
+        {
+            "file": "PR #676 description",
+            "severity": "major",
+            "expected": "matches the acceptance criteria",
+            "actual": "diverges from the acceptance criteria",
+        }
+    ]
+    validated, rejection = PRGateMixin._validate_pr_fail_findings(None, None, findings)
+    assert validated == []
+    assert rejection is not None
+    body = rejection.as_dict()
+    assert body["error"] == "invalid_state"
+    assert "evidence" in body["remediate"]
+    assert "file" in body["remediate"]