Showcase `to_actor.run()` across docs

The rendered guides and executable examples still taught the legacy
`ActorNursery.run_in_actor()` result-portal model even though #481
adds its blocking, linked-context replacement.

Deats,
- migrate one-shots to direct results through `to_actor.run()`
- preserve named target inputs with `functools.partial()`
- use daemon actors where reciprocal dialogs need longer lifetimes
- link the new API from core, asyncio and clustering references
- retain only explicit legacy/removal notes

Prompt-IO: ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T023005Z_88a23449_prompt_io.md

(this patch was generated in some part by `opencode` using `gpt-5.6-sol` (`openai`))

ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T023005Z_88a23449_prompt_io.md

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+---
+model: openai/gpt-5.6-sol
+service: opencode
+session: 76c5d31c-5a2f-4503-9b16-410ee7f4fab3
+timestamp: 2026-08-20T02:30:05Z
+git_ref: 88a23449
+scope: docs
+substantive: true
+raw_file: 20260820T023005Z_88a23449_prompt_io.raw.md
+---
+
+## Prompt
+
+Audit all documentation and executable examples once more, replacing
+prescriptive `run_in_actor()` usage with `to_actor.run()` or explicit
+actor/context lifetime APIs before PR #481 lands.
+
+## Response summary
+
+Rewrote one-shot documentation around direct blocking result delivery,
+linked context execution and per-call reaping. Migrated all runnable
+examples, using daemon actors where reciprocal dialogs require longer
+lifetimes. Added API/guide cross-links and retained only three explicit
+legacy references.
+
+## Files changed
+
+- `docs/` - update API, quickstart and subsystem guides to showcase
+  `tractor.to_actor.run()` and link its underlying core APIs.
+- `examples/` - migrate one-shot calls and preserve explicit daemon
+  lifetimes for reciprocal or long-lived actor dialogs.
+
+## Human edits
+
+The human requested a final docs pass covering every place that should
+showcase `to_actor` over `.run_in_actor()`. Earlier review also required
+named target arguments to remain visible through `functools.partial()`
+and core API references to link to local guides/reference pages. These
+were human-directed agent edits; the human made no direct source-line
+edits.

ai/prompt-io/opencode/20260820T023005Z_88a23449_prompt_io.raw.md

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+model: openai/gpt-5.6-sol
+service: opencode
+timestamp: 2026-08-20T02:30:05Z
+git_ref: 88a23449
+diff_cmd: git diff HEAD~1..HEAD
+---
+
+Perform a final rendered-documentation and executable-example pass so
+PR #481 showcases `tractor.to_actor.run()` instead of the legacy
+`ActorNursery.run_in_actor()` API.
+
+> `git diff HEAD~1..HEAD -- docs examples`
+
+Migrate one-shot guides and examples to direct result delivery through
+`to_actor.run()`, preserving named target inputs with target partials.
+Use daemon actors and concurrent portal calls where reciprocal actor
+lifetimes require both peers to coexist. Add API and guide cross-links,
+and retain only explicit legacy/removal notes.
+
+Verification:
+
+- executable docs examples: `23 passed`
+- debugger/tooling TCP: `39 passed, 6 skipped`
+- debugger/tooling UDS: `39 passed, 6 skipped`
+- Ruff, compilation and `git diff --check`: clean
+- local Sphinx build unavailable because Sphinx is not installed

docs/api/core.rst

@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ Spawning actors
 
 .. autoclass:: ActorNursery
    :members: start_actor,
-             run_in_actor,
              cancel,
              cancel_called,
              cancelled_caught
@@ -46,11 +45,24 @@ Spawning actors
 
    :meth:`ActorNursery.start_actor` (daemon actor + portal) is the
    blessed spawning primitive; pair it with
-   ``Portal.open_context()`` for SC-linked remote tasks.
+   :meth:`Portal.open_context` for SC-linked remote tasks.
-   :meth:`ActorNursery.run_in_actor` is a *convenience* one-shot —
+
-   spawn, run a single task, auto-cancel after the result — slated
+One-shot task actors
-   to be rebuilt as a high-level wrapper, so don't design around
+--------------------
-   it as the core model.
+
+.. autofunction:: tractor.to_actor.run
+
+.. note::
+
+   :func:`tractor.to_actor.run` (parlance of
+   ``trio.to_thread.run_sync()`` and friends) is the
+   *convenience* one-shot — spawn, run a single task, block on
+   its result, reap — built entirely on
+   :meth:`ActorNursery.start_actor`, a linked
+    :meth:`Portal.open_context` call and per-child cancellation/reaping,
+    so don't design around it as the core model. It supersedes the
+    legacy, non-blocking ``ActorNursery.run_in_actor()`` retained only
+    for compatibility until its removal in PR #484.
 
 .. deprecated:: 0.1.0a6
 
@@ -71,14 +83,12 @@ flowing back `exactly like trio`_.
    :members: run,
              run_from_ns,
              open_stream_from,
-             wait_for_result,
              cancel_actor,
              chan
 
 .. deprecated:: 0.1.0a6
 
-   ``Portal.result()`` warns; use :meth:`Portal.wait_for_result`.
+   The str-form ``Portal.run('mod.path', 'fn_name')`` warns;
-   The str-form ``Portal.run('mod.path', 'fn_name')`` also warns;
    pass a function *object* whose module is listed in the target's
    ``enable_modules``. ``Portal.channel`` is the legacy spelling
    of :attr:`Portal.chan`.

docs/api/index.rst

@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ This is the curated reference for ``tractor``'s public surface: the
 names you can import and lean on without reading runtime internals.
 Everything below is re-exported at the top level (``import
 tractor``) unless a page says otherwise; subsystems like
-``tractor.msg``, ``tractor.trionics``, ``tractor.to_asyncio``,
+``tractor.msg``, ``tractor.trionics``, ``tractor.to_actor``,
-``tractor.devx`` and ``tractor.log`` are importable as submodules.
+``tractor.to_asyncio``, ``tractor.devx`` and ``tractor.log`` are
+importable as submodules.
 
 ``tractor`` is "just trio_" extended across processes: every API
 here is designed to keep the structured concurrency (SC) rules you
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ Most-used names at a glance:
 
    open_root_actor
    open_nursery
+   to_actor.run
    run_daemon
    ActorNursery
    Portal

docs/api/to_asyncio.rst

@@ -30,11 +30,12 @@ Starting asyncio tasks from trio
 .. note::
 
    :func:`open_channel_from` mirrors the
-   ``Portal.open_context()`` handshake: the asyncio side calls
+   :meth:`tractor.Portal.open_context` handshake: the asyncio side calls
    ``chan.started_nowait(value)`` and that value pops out as
    ``first`` on the trio side. :func:`run_task` is the one-shot
    form — run a single asyncio-compatible coroutine fn and return
-   its result to trio.
+   its result to trio; :func:`tractor.to_actor.run` is its
+   cross-process sibling.
 
 The inter-loop channel
 ----------------------

docs/guide/asyncio.rst

@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ Just flip the flag on :meth:`tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor`:
             infect_asyncio=True,
         )
 
-The one-shot convenience ``ActorNursery.run_in_actor()`` accepts
+The one-shot convenience ``tractor.to_actor.run()`` accepts the
-the same flag. The ``to_asyncio`` APIs may **only** be called from
+same flag. The ``to_asyncio`` APIs may **only** be called from
 tasks inside an infected actor; calling them anywhere else raises
 a loud ``RuntimeError``. You can introspect at runtime with
 ``tractor.current_actor().is_infected_aio()``.
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ dialog, skip the channel ceremony and use
 
 It schedules the fn as an ``asyncio.Task``, waits for completion
 and hands the return value back to ``trio``; think of it as the
-cross-loop sibling of ``ActorNursery.run_in_actor()``. Errors and
+cross-loop sibling of ``tractor.to_actor.run()``. Errors and
 cancellation are translated exactly as for channels.
 
 Cross-loop errors and cancellation

docs/guide/cancellation.rst

@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ What's going on here?
 - three healthy actors are spawned as daemons via
   :meth:`tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor`; left alone they'd
   happily idle forever,
-- a fourth actor runs ``assert_err()`` via ``.run_in_actor()`` and
+- a fourth actor runs ``assert_err()`` via a blocking
-  promptly trips its ``assert 0``,
+  ``tractor.to_actor.run()`` one-shot and promptly trips its
+  ``assert 0``,
 - the resulting ``AssertionError`` ships back over IPC as a
-  serialized error msg and re-raises *boxed* inside the nursery
+  serialized error msg and re-raises *boxed* right at the call
-  block as a :class:`tractor.RemoteActorError`,
+  inside the nursery block as a
+  :class:`tractor.RemoteActorError`,
 - the nursery reacts like any ``trio`` nursery would: it cancels
   the three healthy siblings (graceful runtime-cancel requests,
   acks awaited), reaps all four processes, then re-raises,

docs/guide/clustering.rst

@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ one kwarg away,
         ...
 
 From here the composition patterns are the usual ``tractor`` fare:
-``portal.run()`` for one-shot calls (as in the demo), or — for a
+``portal.run()`` for bare one-shot RPCs (as in the demo),
-persistent bidirectional dialog per worker — concurrently enter N
+``tractor.to_actor.run(..., portal=portal)`` for linked one-shot calls,
-``portal.open_context()`` blocks with
+or — for a persistent bidirectional dialog per worker — concurrently
+enter N ``portal.open_context()`` blocks with
 ``tractor.trionics.gather_contexts()``; see :doc:`/guide/context`
 for that whole layer.
 
@@ -87,8 +88,8 @@ Clusters vs. nurseries
 
 ``open_actor_cluster()`` is sugar, not a new primitive: under the
 hood it's just :func:`tractor.open_nursery` plus N concurrent
-``start_actor()`` calls plus a ``.cancel()`` on the way out. Reach
+:meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` calls plus a ``.cancel()``
-for it when,
+on the way out. Reach for it when,
 
 - you want a *flat*, homogeneous fleet (classic worker-pool or
   map-style fan-out shapes),

docs/guide/context.rst

@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ a single `structured concurrency`_ (SC) scope over IPC.
    :alt: sequence diagram of the context handshake msg flow
 
 Pretty much everything else is (or is slated to be) built on this
-one primitive: ``ActorNursery.run_in_actor()`` is a convenience
+one primitive: ``tractor.to_actor.run()`` is a convenience for
-for "spawn, open a context, await the result, tear down"; plain
+"spawn, run the lone task, await the result, tear down"; plain
 ``Portal.run()`` RPC is planned to be re-implemented on top of it;
 the multi-process debugger's tree-wide REPL lock rides one. Grok
 this page and the rest of the library reads as convenience

docs/guide/index.rst

@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ docs; what you read is what CI runs).
 Roughly in "first date to long term relationship"
 order,
 
-- :doc:`spawning` — actor nurseries, daemons +
+- :doc:`spawning` — actor nurseries, daemons,
-  one-shot workers, process lifetimes.
+  ``to_actor.run()`` one-shots and process lifetimes.
 - :doc:`rpc` — portals: calling into another
   process like it's a local ``await``.
 - :doc:`context` — the cross-actor task-pair

docs/guide/parallelism.rst

@@ -119,15 +119,16 @@ Run a func in a process
 
 Even a pool can be overkill; "run this one async func in a
 subprocess and give me the result" is a one-liner via
-:meth:`tractor.ActorNursery.run_in_actor`,
+:func:`tractor.to_actor.run`,
 
 .. literalinclude:: ../../examples/parallelism/single_func.py
    :caption: examples/parallelism/single_func.py
    :language: python
 
-``run_in_actor()`` is a *convenience wrapper* — spawn an actor, run
+``to_actor.run()`` is a *convenience wrapper* — spawn an actor,
-exactly one task in it, reap on result — not the core spawning
+run exactly one task in it, block on and return its result, reap
-model (that's :meth:`tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` plus
+— not the core spawning model (that's
+:meth:`tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` plus
 :meth:`tractor.Portal.open_context`; see :doc:`/guide/context`).
 But for this fire-and-collect shape it's exactly the right amount
 of typing.

docs/guide/rpc.rst

@@ -80,28 +80,36 @@ One special namespace exists: ``'self'`` resolves to the remote
 how internal machinery (cancel requests, registry ops) travels;
 don't build your app on it.
 
-One-shot results: ``wait_for_result()``
+One-shot subactors: ``to_actor.run()``
----------------------------------------
+--------------------------------------
-A portal returned from
+When a subactor's *entire job* is a single function call, skip
-:meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.run_in_actor` has exactly one
+the portal plumbing with :func:`tractor.to_actor.run`: spawn,
-"main" task running remotely; that task's ``return`` value is
+run the lone task, return its result and reap the process — all
-delivered as the portal's *final result*:
+in one blocking call:
 
 .. code:: python
 
-    portal = await an.run_in_actor(fib, n=10)
+    from functools import partial
-    final = await portal.wait_for_result()
+
+    final = await tractor.to_actor.run(
+        partial(fib, n=10),
+        an=an,
+    )
 
 Semantics worth knowing:
 
 - it blocks until the remote task returns, re-raising any
-  remote error in the usual boxed form.
+  remote error in the usual boxed form right in the calling
-- once resolved it's idempotent: later calls return the same
+  task.
-  cached value.
+- "placement" is composable: ``an=`` spawns from an existing
-- a *daemon* portal (from ``start_actor()``) has no main task,
+  actor-nursery, ``portal=`` reuses an already-running actor
-  so there's no final result to wait for: you'll get a warning
+  (no spawn/reap, just a linked
-  plus a ``NoResult`` sentinel. Results of individual daemon
+  :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` call; see the
-  calls come straight back from each ``await portal.run()``.
+  :doc:`context guide </guide/context>`), and passing neither
+  opens a private call-scoped nursery (booting the runtime if needed).
+- concurrency composes the plain ``trio`` way: schedule
+  multiple ``run()`` calls into a local task nursery (see
+  ``examples/parallelism/to_actor_one_shots.py``).
 
 Pure RPC daemons: ``run_daemon()``
 ----------------------------------
@@ -147,7 +155,8 @@ call tears down the entire sub-tree — SC, transitively.
 
 When to graduate to ``Context``
 -------------------------------
-``portal.run()`` is great for one-shot, request-response calls.
+The :meth:`~tractor.Portal.run` method is great for one-shot,
+request-response calls.
 Reach for :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` with an
 ``@tractor.context`` endpoint as soon as you want:
 
@@ -160,10 +169,15 @@ Reach for :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` with an
   :meth:`~tractor.Portal.cancel_actor` nukes the **entire**
   remote runtime and its process.
 
-In fact the source plans for ``Portal.run()`` itself to be
+:func:`tractor.to_actor.run` already enters the full
-rebuilt on top of ``open_context()`` — contexts *are* the core
+:meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` lifecycle. The older
-inter-actor protocol. Take the full tour in
+:meth:`~tractor.Portal.run` path instead uses the ``Context`` returned
-:doc:`/guide/context`.
+by the lower-level ``Actor.start_remote_task()`` directly, avoiding a
+``Started`` handshake but owning less lifecycle machinery. A follow-up
+should factor their shared linked-task lifecycle without requiring
+``Portal.run()`` to delegate through the public context API or add
+another wire message. Take the full tour in
+:doc:`the context guide </guide/context>`.
 
 .. seealso::
 

docs/guide/spawning.rst

@@ -91,31 +91,34 @@ somebody-ing:
 
 What's going on here?
 
-- ``start_actor('frank', enable_modules=[__name__])`` forks off
+- :meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` forks off
   a new process, boots a ``tractor`` runtime inside it, and
   allows it to serve functions from the current module (see the
   allowlist section below).
-- each ``await portal.run(...)`` schedules a *new* task in
+- each :meth:`~tractor.Portal.run` call schedules a *new* task in
   frank's task tree and waits on its result — the full RPC story
   lives in :doc:`/guide/rpc`.
 - frank has no main task to complete, so without the final
-  ``await portal.cancel_actor()`` the nursery block would wait
+  :meth:`~tractor.Portal.cancel_actor` call the nursery block would
-  on him **forever**. Daemon lifetimes are *yours* to end; that
+  wait on him **forever**. Daemon lifetimes are *yours* to end;
-  explicitness is the point.
+  that explicitness is the point.
 
-``run_in_actor()``: quick one-shot parallelism
+``to_actor.run()``: quick one-shot parallelism
 ----------------------------------------------
-:meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.run_in_actor` is the convenience
+:func:`tractor.to_actor.run` is the convenience wrapper: spawn
-wrapper: spawn an actor, run exactly one async function in it,
+an actor, run exactly one async function in it, block on the
-then reap the process as soon as the result arrives.
+result, then reap the process — the distributed sibling of
+``trio.to_thread.run_sync()``.
 
 .. code:: python
 
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
+    async with (
-        portal = await an.run_in_actor(burn_cpu)
+        tractor.open_nursery() as an,
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
+    ):
         # burn rubber in the parent too...
-        await burn_cpu()
+        tn.start_soon(burn_cpu)
-        total = await portal.wait_for_result()
+        total = await tractor.to_actor.run(burn_cpu, an=an)
 
 A few details worth knowing:
 
@@ -123,43 +126,52 @@ A few details worth knowing:
   ``name='something_cuter'``.
 - the function's module is auto-added to the child's
   ``enable_modules`` allowlist.
-- extra ``**kwargs`` are forwarded to the function itself.
+- target arguments are positional; use ``functools.partial()``
-- the child is *auto-cancelled* once its "main" result lands;
+  to bind target keyword arguments. Keywords passed directly to
-  at nursery exit these run-once children are always reaped
+  ``run()`` configure actor placement and spawning.
-  first (causality_ is paramount!).
+- the call blocks until the result (or error) lands and the
+  child is *auto-cancelled* (reaped) right after — so remote
+  errors raise directly in your calling task (causality_ is
+  paramount!).
+- "placement" composes: ``an=`` spawns from a caller-managed
+  actor-nursery, ``portal=`` reuses an already-running actor
+  (no spawn/reap), and passing neither opens a private
+  call-scoped nursery (booting the runtime if needed).
 
 .. note::
 
-   ``run_in_actor()`` is a convenience, **not** the core model.
+   :func:`tractor.to_actor.run` is a convenience, **not** the core
-   The source literally marks it for an eventual rebuild as
+   model — it's built *entirely* on
-   a thin "hilevel" wrapper on top of
+   :meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` plus a linked
-   :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` (the modern inter-actor
+   :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` call and per-child
-   task API). Teach your fingers to use it for quick
+   cancellation/reaping. Teach your fingers to use it for quick
-   fire-and-collect parallelism — think a per-function
+   fire-and-collect parallelism — think a per-function trio-parallel_
-   trio-parallel_ style one-shot — and reach for
+   style one-shot — and reach for
-   ``start_actor()`` + ``open_context()`` for anything
+   :meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` plus
-   long-lived, stateful or streaming
+   :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` for anything long-lived,
-   (:doc:`/guide/context`).
+   stateful or streaming; see :doc:`/guide/context`.
 
 Actor lifetimes and teardown order
 ----------------------------------
 So we have two lifetime flavors:
 
-- **run-once** (``run_in_actor()``): lives exactly as long as
+- **one-shot** (``to_actor.run()``): lives exactly as long as
   its single task; reaped the moment its result (or error)
-  arrives.
+  arrives back in the (blocking) call.
-- **daemon** (``start_actor()``): lives until *someone* cancels
+- **daemon** (:meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor`): lives
-  it — an explicit ``await portal.cancel_actor()``, a bulk
+  until *someone* cancels it — an explicit
-  ``await an.cancel()``, or the one-cancels-all strategy kicking
+  :meth:`~tractor.Portal.cancel_actor`, a bulk
-  in on error.
+  :meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.cancel`, or the one-cancels-all
+  strategy kicking in on error.
 
 On a clean exit of the nursery block the teardown order is:
 
-1. the nursery waits on every run-once actor's final result;
+1. one-shot actors never make it to nursery exit: each is
-   any errors from these are raised immediately so your code
+   reaped inside its own ``to_actor.run()`` call, any error
-   (acting as supervisor) gets first crack at handling them.
+   raising immediately in the calling task so your code
-2. then it waits on daemon actors — **indefinitely**. If you
+   (acting as supervisor) gets first crack at handling it.
-   spawned a daemon, you own its lifetime.
+2. the nursery then waits on daemon actors — **indefinitely**.
+   If you spawned a daemon, you own its lifetime.
 
 When a child *is* cancelled, teardown is graceful-first per SC
 discipline: the runtime sends an IPC cancel request and gives

docs/start/quickstart.rst

@@ -43,24 +43,20 @@ Run it::
 What's going on here?
 
 - ``trio.run(main)`` starts the **root actor**; the ``tractor``
-  runtime boots *implicitly* inside ``tractor.open_nursery()``
+  runtime boots *implicitly* inside ``tractor.to_actor.run()``
   whenever it isn't already up. No special entrypoint, no
   framework takeover - it's just a ``trio`` app,
 - inside ``main()`` a *subactor* is spawned via
-  ``ActorNursery.run_in_actor()`` and told to run exactly one
+  ``tractor.to_actor.run()`` and told to run exactly one
   function: ``cellar_door()``,
-- you get back a ``Portal``: your handle for invoking tasks in
-  the new process's (separate!) memory domain. We lean on it
-  much harder in the next section,
 - the subactor, *some_linguist*, boots a fresh ``trio.run()`` in
   a **new process** and executes ``cellar_door()`` as its *main
   task* (note the child proving it is *not* the root with
   ``tractor.is_root_process()``), then ships the return value
   back over IPC,
-- the parent grabs that *final result* with
+- the call *blocks* until that final result arrives, then
-  ``await portal.wait_for_result()``, much like you'd expect
+  returns it - causality is preserved: your task only proceeds
-  from a "future" - except causality is preserved: the nursery
+  once the child is *done*, dead, and reaped.
-  block only exits once the child is *done*, dead, and reaped.
 
 .. margin:: Just need a worker pool?
 
@@ -71,19 +67,22 @@ What's going on here?
 
 .. note::
 
-   ``run_in_actor()`` is the *convenience* wrapper: one-shot
+   ``to_actor.run()`` (parlance of ``trio.to_thread`` and
+   friends) is the *convenience* wrapper: one-shot
    spawn-run-reap semantics for when a subactor's entire job is
    a single function call. The core primitives are
-   ``ActorNursery.start_actor()`` (next up) paired with
+   :meth:`~tractor.ActorNursery.start_actor` (next up) — which
-   ``Portal.open_context()`` for full, SC-linked cross-actor
+   hands you a ``Portal``, your handle for invoking tasks in the
-   dialogs - see :doc:`/guide/context`.
+   new process's (separate!) memory domain — paired with
+   :meth:`~tractor.Portal.open_context` for full, SC-linked
+   cross-actor dialogs; see :doc:`/guide/context`.
 
 Daemon actors and RPC
 ---------------------
-A ``run_in_actor()``-spawned actor terminates when its main task
+A ``to_actor.run()`` one-shot subactor terminates when its lone
-returns. But often you want long-lived *daemon* actors instead:
+task returns. But often you want long-lived *daemon* actors
-spawned once, then serving (allowlisted) RPC requests until told
+instead: spawned once, then serving (allowlisted) RPC requests
-otherwise. That's ``start_actor()``:
+until told otherwise. That's ``start_actor()``:
 
 .. literalinclude:: ../../examples/actor_spawning_and_causality_with_daemon.py
    :caption: examples/actor_spawning_and_causality_with_daemon.py
@@ -91,9 +90,9 @@ otherwise. That's ``start_actor()``:
 
 Two lifetime rules to internalize:
 
-- a ``run_in_actor()`` actor lives exactly as long as its main
+- a ``to_actor.run()`` one-shot actor lives exactly as long as
-  task; the nursery waits for that function (and thus the
+  its lone task; the call blocks until that function (and thus
-  process) to complete before unblocking,
+  the process) completes,
 - a ``start_actor()`` actor *lives forever* - an RPC daemon the
   nursery will happily wait on **indefinitely** - until some
   task explicitly cancels it via ``Portal.cancel_actor()`` (as
@@ -208,16 +207,20 @@ The script of the scene (runtime ``INFO`` log lines trimmed)::
 
 The new tricks in play:
 
-- two subactors, *donny* and *gretchen*, are each told to run
+- *donny* and *gretchen* start as daemon actors so each remains alive
-  ``say_hello()`` targeting the *other* by name,
+  while the other discovers it and completes its line,
+- a local ``trio`` nursery runs both ``Portal.run(say_hello)`` calls
+  concurrently; starting both actors first avoids either reciprocal
+  dialog racing one-shot process reaping,
 - ``tractor.wait_for_actor()`` blocks until the named peer has
   registered with the tree's *registrar* (every actor announces
   itself at boot), then yields a ``Portal`` connected
   **directly** to that peer,
 - each actor invokes its partner's ``hi()`` over that portal:
-  actor-to-actor RPC with the root merely *directing* - and both
+  actor-to-actor RPC with the root merely *directing* - and each
-  final lines flow back to ``main()`` via
+  ``Portal.run()`` returns its final line directly to ``main()``,
-  ``await portal.wait_for_result()``,
+- the actor nursery explicitly cancels both daemons only after both
+  dialogs complete,
 - ``tractor.log.get_console_log("INFO")`` cranks up runtime
   logging so you can watch the spawn/register/cancel machinery
   narrate itself; remove it for a quiet set.

examples/a_trynamic_first_scene.py

@@ -21,23 +21,35 @@ async def main():
     """Main tractor entry point, the "master" process (for now
     acts as the "director").
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
         print("Alright... Action!")
 
-        donny = await n.run_in_actor(
+        # both actors wait on (then dial!) the *other*, so each
-            say_hello,
+        # must outlive both hellos: spawn as daemons, run the
-            name='donny',
+        # hellos concurrently, reap only once both complete.
-            # arguments are always named
+        portals: dict[str, tractor.Portal] = {
-            other_actor='gretchen',
+            name: await an.start_actor(
-        )
+                name,
-        gretchen = await n.run_in_actor(
+                enable_modules=[__name__],
-            say_hello,
+            )
-            name='gretchen',
+            for name in ('donny', 'gretchen')
-            other_actor='donny',
+        }
-        )
+
-        print(await gretchen.wait_for_result())
+        async def run_and_print(name: str, other_actor: str):
-        print(await donny.wait_for_result())
+            print(
-        print("CUTTTT CUUTT CUT!!! Donny!! You're supposed to say...")
+                await portals[name].run(
+                    say_hello,
+                    other_actor=other_actor,
+                )
+            )
+
+        async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
+            tn.start_soon(run_and_print, 'donny', 'gretchen')
+            tn.start_soon(run_and_print, 'gretchen', 'donny')
+
+        await an.cancel()
+
+    print("CUTTTT CUUTT CUT!!! Donny!! You're supposed to say...")
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/actor_spawning_and_causality.py

@@ -10,17 +10,14 @@ async def cellar_door():
 async def main():
     """The main ``tractor`` routine.
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    # spawn a subactor, run ``cellar_door()`` as its lone task,
-
+    # block until its result arrives and the subactor is reaped.
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+    print(
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(
             cellar_door,
             name='some_linguist',
         )
-
+    )
-    # The ``async with`` will unblock here since the 'some_linguist'
-    # actor has completed its main task ``cellar_door``.
-
-    print(await portal.wait_for_result())
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/debugging/multi_nested_subactors_error_up_through_nurseries.py

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from functools import partial
+
 import trio
 import tractor
 
@@ -21,26 +23,39 @@ async def breakpoint_forever():
 async def spawn_until(depth=0):
     """"A nested nursery that triggers another ``NameError``.
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with (
+        tractor.open_nursery() as an,
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
+    ):
         if depth < 1:
 
-            await n.run_in_actor(breakpoint_forever)
+            tn.start_soon(
-
+                partial(
-            p = await n.run_in_actor(
+                    tractor.to_actor.run,
-                name_error,
+                    breakpoint_forever,
-                name='name_error'
+                    an=an,
+                )
             )
+
             await trio.sleep(0.5)
             # rx and propagate error from child
-            await p.result()
+            await tractor.to_actor.run(
+                name_error,
+                an=an,
+                name='name_error',
+            )
 
         else:
             # recusrive call to spawn another process branching layer of
-            # the tree
+            # the tree; blocks (up) each level until the leaf's
+            # `name_error` relays through.
             depth -= 1
-            await n.run_in_actor(
+            await tractor.to_actor.run(
-                spawn_until,
+                partial(
-                depth=depth,
+                    spawn_until,
+                    depth=depth,
+                ),
+                an=an,
                 name=f'spawn_until_{depth}',
             )
 
@@ -65,35 +80,38 @@ async def main():
              └─ python -m tractor._child --uid ('spawn_until_0', 'de918e6d ...)
 
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery(
+    async with (
-        debug_mode=True,
+        tractor.open_nursery(
-        loglevel='pdb',
+            debug_mode=True,
-    ) as n:
+            loglevel='pdb',
-
+        ) as an,
-        # spawn both actors
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+    ):
-            spawn_until,
+        # spawn both spawner trees as concurrent one-shots; the
-            depth=3,
+        # first tree's (relayed) error cancels the other.
-            name='spawner0',
+        tn.start_soon(
+            partial(
+                tractor.to_actor.run,
+                partial(
+                    spawn_until,
+                    depth=3,
+                ),
+                an=an,
+                name='spawner0',
+            )
         )
-        portal1 = await n.run_in_actor(
+        tn.start_soon(
-            spawn_until,
+            partial(
-            depth=4,
+                tractor.to_actor.run,
-            name='spawner1',
+                partial(
+                    spawn_until,
+                    depth=4,
+                ),
+                an=an,
+                name='spawner1',
+            )
         )
 
-        # TODO: test this case as well where the parent don't see
-        # the sub-actor errors by default and instead expect a user
-        # ctrl-c to kill the root.
-        with trio.move_on_after(3):
-            await trio.sleep_forever()
-
-        # gah still an issue here.
-        await portal.result()
-
-        # should never get here
-        await portal1.result()
-
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     trio.run(main)

examples/debugging/multi_subactor_root_errors.py

@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ async def name_error():
 async def spawn_error():
     """"A nested nursery that triggers another ``NameError``.
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        return await tractor.to_actor.run(
             name_error,
+            an=an,
             name='name_error_1',
-            )
+        )
-        return await portal.result()
 
 
 async def main():
@@ -38,29 +38,36 @@ async def main():
         - root actor should then fail on assert
         - program termination
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery(
+    async with (
-        debug_mode=True,
+        tractor.open_nursery(
-        loglevel='devx',
+            debug_mode=True,
-    ) as n:
+            loglevel='devx',
+        ) as an,
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
+    ):
+        # spawn both actors..
+        portal = await an.start_actor(
+            'name_error',
+            enable_modules=[__name__],
+        )
+        portal1 = await an.start_actor(
+            'spawn_error',
+            enable_modules=[__name__],
+        )
 
-        # spawn both actors
+        # ..and bg-schedule their erroring tasks.
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        tn.start_soon(portal.run, name_error)
-            name_error,
+        tn.start_soon(portal1.run, spawn_error)
-            name='name_error',
+
-        )
+        # yield to the bg tasks so both RPC requests are
-        portal1 = await n.run_in_actor(
+        # submitted (and start crashing) before the root's own
-            spawn_error,
+        # error below (the legacy `run_in_actor()` submitted
-            name='spawn_error',
+        # in-line with each spawn).
-        )
+        await trio.sleep(0.5)
 
         # trigger a root actor error
         assert 0
 
-        # attempt to collect results (which raises error in parent)
-        # still has some issues where the parent seems to get stuck
-        await portal.result()
-        await portal1.result()
-
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     trio.run(main)

examples/debugging/multi_subactors.py

@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ async def name_error():
 async def spawn_error():
     """"A nested nursery that triggers another ``NameError``.
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        return await tractor.to_actor.run(
             name_error,
+            an=an,
             name='name_error_1',
         )
-        return await portal.result()
 
 
 async def main():
@@ -36,17 +36,39 @@ async def main():
     `-python -m tractor._child --uid ('spawn_error', '52ee14a5 ...)
        `-python -m tractor._child --uid ('name_error', '3391222c ...)
     """
+    errors: list[BaseException] = []
+
     async with tractor.open_nursery(
         debug_mode=True,
         # loglevel='runtime',
-    ) as n:
+    ) as an:
 
-        # Spawn both actors, don't bother with collecting results
+        async def run_and_collect(fn):
-        # (would result in a different debugger outcome due to parent's
+            '''
-        # cancellation).
+            One-shot whose (boxed) error is stashed instead of
-        await n.run_in_actor(breakpoint_forever)
+            raised so a sibling's crash never cancels the others
-        await n.run_in_actor(name_error)
+            before they've had their own debugger sessions (the
-        await n.run_in_actor(spawn_error)
+            "collect all errors" the legacy `run_in_actor()` API
+            did implicitly at nursery teardown).
+
+            '''
+            try:
+                await tractor.to_actor.run(fn, an=an)
+            except tractor.RemoteActorError as rae:
+                errors.append(rae)
+
+        # Spawn all one-shot task actors, collecting (vs.
+        # raising) their errors.
+        async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
+            tn.start_soon(run_and_collect, breakpoint_forever)
+            tn.start_soon(run_and_collect, name_error)
+            tn.start_soon(run_and_collect, spawn_error)
+
+        if errors:
+            raise BaseExceptionGroup(
+                'multi_subactors errored!',
+                errors,
+            )
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/debugging/root_cancelled_but_child_is_in_tty_lock.py

@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from functools import partial
+
 import trio
 import tractor
 
@@ -10,15 +12,17 @@ async def name_error():
 async def spawn_until(depth=0):
     """"A nested nursery that triggers another ``NameError``.
     """
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
         if depth < 1:
-            # await n.run_in_actor('breakpoint_forever', breakpoint_forever)
+            await tractor.to_actor.run(name_error, an=an)
-            await n.run_in_actor(name_error)
         else:
             depth -= 1
-            await n.run_in_actor(
+            await tractor.to_actor.run(
-                spawn_until,
+                partial(
-                depth=depth,
+                    spawn_until,
+                    depth=depth,
+                ),
+                an=an,
                 name=f'spawn_until_{depth}',
             )
 
@@ -37,28 +41,37 @@ async def main():
        └─ python -m tractor._child --uid ('name_error', '6c2733b8 ...)
 
     '''
-    async with tractor.open_nursery(
+    async with (
-        debug_mode=True,
+        tractor.open_nursery(
-        enable_transports=['uds'],  # TODO, apss this via osenv?
+            debug_mode=True,
-        loglevel='devx',  # XXX, required for test!
+            enable_transports=['uds'],  # TODO, apss this via osenv?
-    ) as n:
+            loglevel='devx',  # XXX, required for test!
+        ) as an,
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
+    ):
+        # spawn the deeper tree in the bg..
+        tn.start_soon(
+            partial(
+                tractor.to_actor.run,
+                partial(
+                    spawn_until,
+                    depth=1,
+                ),
+                an=an,
+                name='spawner1',
+            )
+        )
 
-        # spawn both actors
+        # ..while blocking on the shallow (faster to fail) tree
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        # whose propagated error triggers nursery cancellation.
-            spawn_until,
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(
-            depth=0,
+            partial(
+                spawn_until,
+                depth=0,
+            ),
+            an=an,
             name='spawner0',
         )
-        portal1 = await n.run_in_actor(
-            spawn_until,
-            depth=1,
-            name='spawner1',
-        )
-
-        # nursery cancellation should be triggered due to propagated
-        # error from child.
-        await portal.result()
-        await portal1.result()
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/debugging/root_timeout_while_child_crashed.py

@@ -13,17 +13,24 @@ async def main():
     simultaneously.
 
     '''
-    async with tractor.open_nursery(
+    async with (
-        debug_mode=True,
+        tractor.open_nursery(
-        # loglevel='debug'  # ?XXX required?
+            debug_mode=True,
-    ) as n:
+            # loglevel='debug'  # ?XXX required?
-
+        ) as an,
-        # spawn both actors
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(key_error)
+    ):
+        # spawn the actor..
+        portal = await an.start_actor(
+            'key_error',
+            enable_modules=[__name__],
+        )
         print(
             f'Child is up @ {portal.chan.aid.reprol()}'
         )
-
+        # ..then schedule its erroring task in the bg while the
+        # root blocks below.
+        tn.start_soon(portal.run, key_error)
 
         # XXX: originally a bug caused by this is where root would enter
         # the debugger and clobber the tty used by the repl even though

examples/debugging/shielded_pause.py

@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ async def cancelled_before_pause(
 async def main():
     async with tractor.open_nursery(
         debug_mode=True,
-    ) as n:
+    ) as an:
-        portal: tractor.Portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(
             cancelled_before_pause,
+            an=an,
         )
-        await portal.wait_for_result()
 
         # ensure the same works in the root actor!
         await pm_on_cancelled()

examples/debugging/subactor_breakpoint.py

@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ async def main():
     async with tractor.open_nursery(
         debug_mode=True,
         loglevel='cancel',
-    ) as n:
+    ) as an:
 
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(
+        # parks awaiting a result which only arrives once the
+        # user quits (`BdbQuit`s) the child's REPL loop.
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(
             breakpoint_forever,
+            an=an,
         )
-        await portal.wait_for_result()
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/debugging/subactor_error.py

@@ -12,16 +12,12 @@ async def main():
     ) as an:
 
         # TODO: ideally the REPL arrives at this frame in the parent,
-        # ABOVE the @api_frame of `Portal.run_in_actor()` (which
+        # ABOVE the @api_frame of `to_actor.run()` ..
-        # should eventually not even be a portal method ... XD)
         # await tractor.pause()
-        p: tractor.Portal = await an.run_in_actor(name_error)
 
-        # with this style, should raise on this line
+        # the one-shot blocks on the subactor's result so the
-        await p.wait_for_result()
+        # boxed `NameError` raises right here.
-
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(name_error, an=an)
-        # with this alt style should raise at `open_nusery()`
-        # return await p.wait_for_result()
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':

examples/debugging/sync_bp.py

@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ async def main() -> None:
 
         # TODO: 3 sub-actor usage cases:
         # -[x] via a `.open_context()`
-        # -[ ] via a `.run_in_actor()` call
+        # -[ ] via a `to_actor.run()` call
         # -[ ] via a `.run()`
         # -[ ] via a `.to_thread.run_sync()` in subactor
         async with p.open_context(

examples/parallelism/single_func.py

@@ -20,22 +20,20 @@ async def burn_cpu():
     for _ in range(50000):
         await trio.sleep(1/50000/50)
 
-    return os.getpid()
+    return pid
 
 
 async def main():
 
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
 
-        portal = await n.run_in_actor(burn_cpu)
+        # burn rubber in the parent too
+        tn.start_soon(burn_cpu)
 
-        #  burn rubber in the parent too
+        # run the same func as the lone task in a subactor,
-        await burn_cpu()
+        # block on (and collect) its result
+        pid = await tractor.to_actor.run(burn_cpu)
 
-        # wait on result from target function
-        pid = await portal.wait_for_result()
-
-    # end of nursery block
     print(f"Collected subproc {pid}")
 
 

examples/remote_error_propagation.py

@@ -7,19 +7,20 @@ async def assert_err():
 
 
 async def main():
-    async with tractor.open_nursery() as n:
+    async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
         real_actors = []
         for i in range(3):
-            real_actors.append(await n.start_actor(
+            real_actors.append(await an.start_actor(
                 f'actor_{i}',
                 enable_modules=[__name__],
             ))
 
-        # start one actor that will fail immediately
+        # run one one-shot task actor that will fail immediately;
-        await n.run_in_actor(assert_err)
+        # its error raises right here in the caller's task..
+        await tractor.to_actor.run(assert_err, an=an)
 
-    # should error here with a ``RemoteActorError`` containing
+    # ..as a ``RemoteActorError`` containing an ``AssertionError``
-    # an ``AssertionError`` and all the other actors have been cancelled
+    # and all the other actors have been cancelled
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':