Even moar bitty `Context` refinements

- set `._state._ctxvar_Context` just after `StartAck` inside
  `open_context_from_portal()` so that `current_ipc_ctx()` always
  works on the 'parent' side.
- always set `.canceller` to any `MsgTypeError.src_uid` and otherwise to
  any maybe-detected `.src_uid` (i.e. for RAEs).
- always set `.canceller` to us when we rx a ctxc which reports us as
  its canceller; this is a sanity check on definite "self cancellation".
- adjust `._is_self_cancelled()` logic to only be `True` when
  `._remote_error` is both a ctxc with a `.canceller` set to us AND
  when `Context.canceller` is also set to us (since the change above)
  as a little bit of extra rigor.
- fill-in/fix some `.repr_state` edge cases:
  - merge self-vs.-peer ctxc cases to one block and distinguish via
    nested `._is_self_cancelled()` check.
  - set 'errored' for all exception matched cases despite `.canceller`.
  - add pre-`Return` phase statuses:
   |_'pre-started' and 'syncing-to-child' depending on side and when
     `._stream` has not (yet) been set.
   |_'streaming' and 'streaming-finished' depending on side when
     `._stream` is set and whether it was stopped/closed.
- tweak drainage log-message to use "outcome" instead of "result".
- use new `.devx.pformat.pformat_cs()` inside `_maybe_cancel_and_set_remote_error()`
  but, IFF the log level is at least 'cancel'.

pyproject.toml

@@ -1,3 +1,68 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["poetry-core"]
+build-backend = "poetry.core.masonry.api"
+
+# ------ - ------
+
+[tool.poetry]
+name = "tractor"
+version = "0.1.0a6dev0"
+description='structured concurrent `trio`-"actors"'
+authors = ["Tyler Goodlet <goodboy_foss@protonmail.com>"]
+license = "AGPlv3"
+readme = "docs/README.rst"
+
+# TODO: do we need this xontrib loader at all given pep420
+# and xonsh's xontrib global-autoload-via-setuptools?
+# https://xon.sh/tutorial_xontrib.html#authoring-xontribs
+packages = [
+  {include = 'tractor' },
+  # {include = 'tractor.experimental' },
+  # {include = 'tractor.trionics' },
+  # {include = 'tractor.msg' },
+  # {include = 'tractor.devx' },
+]
+
+# ------ - ------
+
+[tool.poetry.dependencies]
+python = "^3.11"
+
+# trio runtime related
+# proper range spec:
+# https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/discussions/install-requires-vs-requirements/#id5
+trio='^0.24'
+tricycle = "^0.4.1"
+trio-typing = "^0.10.0"
+
+msgspec='^0.18.5'  # interchange
+wrapt = "^1.16.0"  # decorators
+colorlog = "^6.8.2"  # logging
+
+# .devx tooling
+stackscope = "^0.2.2"
+pdbp = "^1.5.0"
+
+
+# TODO: distributed transport using
+# linux kernel networking
+# 'pyroute2
+
+# ------ - ------
+xontrib-vox = "^0.0.1"
+
+[tool.poetry.group.dev]
+optional = false
+[tool.poetry.group.dev.dependencies]
+pytest = "^8.2.0"
+
+# only for xonsh as sh..
+xontrib-vox = "^0.0.1"
+prompt-toolkit = "^3.0.43"
+xonsh-vox-tabcomplete = "^0.5"
+
+# ------ - ------
+
 [tool.towncrier]
 package = "tractor"
 filename = "NEWS.rst"
@@ -27,6 +92,7 @@ all_bullets = true
   name = "Trivial/Internal Changes"
   showcontent = true
 
+# ------ - ------
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 minversion = '6.0'
@@ -46,3 +112,26 @@ log_cli = false
 # TODO: maybe some of these layout choices?
 # https://docs.pytest.org/en/8.0.x/explanation/goodpractices.html#choosing-a-test-layout-import-rules
 # pythonpath = "src"
+
+# ------ - ------
+
+[project]
+keywords = [
+  'trio',
+  'async',
+  'concurrency',
+  'structured concurrency',
+  'actor model',
+  'distributed',
+  'multiprocessing'
+]
+classifiers = [
+  "Development Status :: 3 - Alpha",
+  "Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux",
+  "Framework :: Trio",
+  "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU Affero General Public License v3 or later (AGPLv3+)",
+  "Programming Language :: Python :: Implementation :: CPython",
+  "Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only",
+  "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
+  "Topic :: System :: Distributed Computing",
+]

tests/test_context_stream_semantics.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from tractor._exceptions import (
     StreamOverrun,
     ContextCancelled,
 )
+from tractor._state import current_ipc_ctx
 
 from tractor._testing import (
     tractor_test,
@@ -144,6 +145,8 @@ async def simple_setup_teardown(
     global _state
     _state = True
 
+    assert current_ipc_ctx() is ctx
+
     # signal to parent that we're up
     await ctx.started(data + 1)
 
@@ -204,6 +207,7 @@ def test_simple_context(
                             block_forever=callee_blocks_forever,
                         ) as (ctx, sent),
                     ):
+                        assert current_ipc_ctx() is ctx
                         assert sent == 11
 
                         if callee_blocks_forever:

tractor/_context.py

@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ import inspect
 from pprint import pformat
 from typing import (
     Any,
-    Callable,
     AsyncGenerator,
+    Callable,
+    Mapping,
     Type,
     TYPE_CHECKING,
     Union,
@@ -59,9 +60,11 @@ from ._exceptions import (
     pack_from_raise,
     unpack_error,
 )
-from .log import get_logger
+from .log import (
+    get_logger,
+    at_least_level,
+)
 from .msg import (
-    _codec,
     Error,
     MsgType,
     MsgCodec,
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ from ._streaming import MsgStream
 from ._state import (
     current_actor,
     debug_mode,
+    _ctxvar_Context,
 )
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -103,7 +107,6 @@ class Unresolved:
     a final return value or raised error is resolved.
 
     '''
-    ...
 
 
 # TODO: make this a .msg.types.Struct!
@@ -116,19 +119,19 @@ class Context:
 
     NB: This class should **never be instatiated directly**, it is allocated
     by the runtime in 2 ways:
-     - by entering ``Portal.open_context()`` which is the primary
+     - by entering `Portal.open_context()` which is the primary
-       public API for any "caller" task or,
+       public API for any "parent" task or,
      - by the RPC machinery's `._rpc._invoke()` as a `ctx` arg
-       to a remotely scheduled "callee" function.
+       to a remotely scheduled "child" function.
 
-    AND is always constructed using the below ``mk_context()``.
+    AND is always constructed using the below `mk_context()`.
 
     Allows maintaining task or protocol specific state between
     2 cancel-scope-linked, communicating and parallel executing
     `trio.Task`s. Contexts are allocated on each side of any task
     RPC-linked msg dialog, i.e. for every request to a remote
     actor from a `Portal`. On the "callee" side a context is
-    always allocated inside ``._rpc._invoke()``.
+    always allocated inside `._rpc._invoke()`.
 
     TODO: more detailed writeup on cancellation, error and
     streaming semantics..
@@ -206,7 +209,7 @@ class Context:
     # cancelled that the other side is as well, so maybe we should
     # instead just have a `.canceller` pulled from the
     # `ContextCancelled`?
-    _canceller: tuple[str, str] | None = None
+    _canceller: tuple[str, str]|None = None
 
     # NOTE: we try to ensure assignment of a "cancel msg" since
     # there's always going to be an "underlying reason" that any
@@ -262,7 +265,13 @@ class Context:
     _strict_started: bool = False
     _cancel_on_msgerr: bool = True
 
-    def __str__(self) -> str:
+    def pformat(
+        self,
+        extra_fields: dict[str, Any]|None = None,
+        # ^-TODO-^ some built-in extra state fields
+        # we'll want in some devx specific cases?
+
+    ) -> str:
         ds: str = '='
         # ds: str = ': '
 
@@ -279,11 +288,7 @@ class Context:
         outcome_str: str = self.repr_outcome(
             show_error_fields=True
         )
-        outcome_typ_str: str = self.repr_outcome(
+        fmtstr: str = (
-            type_only=True
-        )
-
-        return (
             f'<Context(\n'
             # f'\n'
             # f'   ---\n'
@@ -304,12 +309,12 @@ class Context:
             # f'   -----\n'
             #
             # TODO: better state `str`ids?
-            # -[ ] maybe map err-types to strs like 'cancelled',
+            # -[x] maybe map err-types to strs like 'cancelled',
             #     'errored', 'streaming', 'started', .. etc.
             # -[ ] as well as a final result wrapper like
             #     `outcome.Value`?
             #
-            f' |_state: {outcome_typ_str}\n'
+            f' |_state: {self.repr_state!r}\n'
 
             f'   outcome{ds}{outcome_str}\n'
             f'   result{ds}{self._result}\n'
@@ -324,6 +329,16 @@ class Context:
             # -[ ] remove this ^ right?
 
             # f'  _remote_error={self._remote_error}
+        )
+        if extra_fields:
+            for key, val in extra_fields.items():
+                fmtstr += (
+                    f'   {key}{ds}{val!r}\n'
+                )
+
+        return (
+            fmtstr
+            +
             ')>\n'
         )
     # NOTE: making this return a value that can be passed to
@@ -335,7 +350,8 @@ class Context:
     # logging perspective over `eval()`-ability since we do NOT
     # target serializing non-struct instances!
     # def __repr__(self) -> str:
-    __repr__ = __str__
+    __str__ = pformat
+    __repr__ = pformat
 
     @property
     def cancel_called(self) -> bool:
@@ -373,8 +389,12 @@ class Context:
 
         re: BaseException|None = (
             remote_error
-            or self._remote_error
+            or
+            self._remote_error
         )
+        # XXX we only report "this context" as self-cancelled
+        # once we've received a ctxc from our direct-peer task
+        # (aka we're `.cancel_acked`).
         if not re:
             return False
 
@@ -385,10 +405,10 @@ class Context:
         our_canceller = self.canceller
 
         return bool(
-            isinstance(re, ContextCancelled)
+            isinstance((ctxc := re), ContextCancelled)
             and from_uid == self.chan.uid
-            and re.canceller == our_uid
+            and ctxc.canceller == our_uid
-            and our_canceller == from_uid
+            and our_canceller == our_uid
         )
 
     @property
@@ -608,52 +628,61 @@ class Context:
         )
         self._remote_error: BaseException = error
 
+        msgerr: bool = False
+
         # self-cancel (ack) or,
         # peer propagated remote cancellation.
-        msgerr: bool = False
         if isinstance(error, ContextCancelled):
+            # NOTE in the case error is a ctxc the canceller will
+            # either be another peer or us. in the case where it's us
+            # we mark ourself as the canceller of ourselves (a ctx
+            # "self cancel" from this side's perspective), if instead
+            # the far end was cancelled by some other (inter-) peer,
+            # we want to mark our canceller as the actor that was
+            # cancelled, NOT their reported canceller. IOW in the
+            # latter case we're cancelled by someone else getting
+            # cancelled.
+            if (canc := error.canceller) == self._actor.uid:
+                whom: str = 'us'
+                self._canceller = canc
+            else:
+                whom = 'a remote peer (not us)'
+                self._canceller = error.src_uid
 
-            whom: str = (
-                'us' if error.canceller == self._actor.uid
-                else 'peer'
-            )
             log.cancel(
-                f'IPC context cancelled by {whom}!\n\n'
+                f'IPC context was cancelled by {whom}!\n\n'
                 f'{error}'
             )
 
         elif isinstance(error, MsgTypeError):
             msgerr = True
+            self._canceller = error.src_uid
             log.error(
                 f'IPC dialog error due to msg-type caused by {self.peer_side!r} side\n\n'
-
                 f'{error}\n'
                 f'{pformat(self)}\n'
             )
 
         else:
+            # always record the cancelling actor's uid since its
+            # cancellation state is linked and we want to know
+            # which process was the cause / requester of the
+            # cancellation.
+            maybe_error_src_uid: tuple = getattr(
+                error,
+                'src_uid',
+                None,
+            )
+            # we mark the source actor as our canceller
+            self._canceller = maybe_error_src_uid
             log.error(
                 f'Remote context error:\n\n'
                 # f'{pformat(self)}\n'
                 f'{error}\n'
             )
 
-        # always record the cancelling actor's uid since its
+        if self._canceller is None:
-        # cancellation state is linked and we want to know
+            log.error('Ctx has no canceller set!?')
-        # which process was the cause / requester of the
-        # cancellation.
-        maybe_error_src: tuple = getattr(
-            error,
-            'src_uid',
-            None,
-        )
-        self._canceller = (
-            maybe_error_src
-            or
-            # XXX: in the case we get a non-boxed error?
-            # -> wait but this should never happen right?
-            self.chan.uid
-        )
 
         # Cancel the local `._scope`, catch that
         # `._scope.cancelled_caught` and re-raise any remote error
@@ -696,29 +725,35 @@ class Context:
         else:
             message: str = 'NOT cancelling `Context._scope` !\n\n'
 
-        scope_info: str = 'No `self._scope: CancelScope` was set/used ?'
+        fmt_str: str = 'No `self._scope: CancelScope` was set/used ?'
-        if cs:
+        if (
-            scope_info: str = (
+            cs
-                f'self._scope: {cs}\n'
+            and
-                f'|_ .cancel_called: {cs.cancel_called}\n'
+            at_least_level(log=log, level='cancel')
-                f'|_ .cancelled_caught: {cs.cancelled_caught}\n'
+        ):
-                f'|_ ._cancel_status: {cs._cancel_status}\n\n'
+            fmt_str: str = self.pformat(
-
+                extra_fields={
-                f'{self}\n'
+                    '._is_self_cancelled()': self._is_self_cancelled(),
-                f'|_ ._is_self_cancelled(): {self._is_self_cancelled()}\n'
+                    '._cancel_on_msgerr': self._cancel_on_msgerr,
-                f'|_ ._cancel_on_msgerr: {self._cancel_on_msgerr}\n\n'
+                }
-
+            )
-                f'msgerr: {msgerr}\n'
+            from .devx.pformat import pformat_cs
+            cs_fmt: str = pformat_cs(
+                cs,
+                var_name='Context._scope',
+            )
+            fmt_str += (
+                '\n'
+                +
+                cs_fmt
             )
         log.cancel(
             message
             +
-            f'{scope_info}'
+            fmt_str
         )
-        # TODO: maybe we should also call `._res_scope.cancel()` if it
-        # exists to support cancelling any drain loop hangs?
 
-    # TODO: add to `Channel`?
+    # TODO: also add to `Channel`?
     @property
     def dst_maddr(self) -> str:
         chan: Channel = self.chan
@@ -748,7 +783,7 @@ class Context:
         )
         return (
             # f'{self._nsf}() -{{{codec}}}-> {repr(self.outcome)}:'
-            f'{self._nsf}() -> {outcome_str}:'
+            f'{self._nsf}() -> {outcome_str}'
         )
 
     @property
@@ -836,7 +871,7 @@ class Context:
             if not self._portal:
                 raise InternalError(
                     'No portal found!?\n'
-                    'Why is this supposed caller context missing it?'
+                    'Why is this supposed {self.side!r}-side ctx task missing it?!?'
                 )
 
             cid: str = self.cid
@@ -1091,7 +1126,8 @@ class Context:
                             f'ctx id: {self.cid}'
                         )
 
-    # TODO: replace all the instances of this!! XD
+    # TODO: replace all the `._maybe_raise_remote_err()` usage
+    # with instances of this!!
     def maybe_raise(
         self,
         hide_tb: bool = True,
@@ -1102,6 +1138,7 @@ class Context:
         if re := self._remote_error:
             return self._maybe_raise_remote_err(
                 re,
+                hide_tb=hide_tb,
                 **kwargs,
             )
 
@@ -1203,7 +1240,6 @@ class Context:
         #       runtime frames from the tb explicitly?
         # https://docs.python.org/3/reference/simple_stmts.html#the-raise-statement
         # https://stackoverflow.com/a/24752607
-        __tracebackhide__: bool = True
         raise remote_error # from None
 
     # TODO: change  to `.wait_for_result()`?
@@ -1254,8 +1290,15 @@ class Context:
             # wait for a final context result/error by "draining"
             # (by more or less ignoring) any bi-dir-stream "yield"
             # msgs still in transit from the far end.
+            #
+            # XXX NOTE XXX: this call shouldn't really ever raise
+            # (other then internal error), instead delivering an
+            # `Error`-msg  and that being `.maybe_raise()`-ed below
+            # since every message should be delivered via the normal
+            # `._deliver_msg()` route which will appropriately set
+            # any `.maybe_error`.
             (
-                return_msg,
+                outcome_msg,
                 drained_msgs,
             ) = await msgops.drain_to_final_msg(
                 ctx=self,
@@ -1273,13 +1316,18 @@ class Context:
                         f'{msg}\n'
                     )
 
-            log.cancel(
+            drained_status: str = (
-                'Ctx drained pre-result msgs:\n'
+                'Ctx drained to final outcome msg\n\n'
-                f'{pformat(drained_msgs)}\n\n'
+                f'{outcome_msg}\n'
-
-                f'Final return msg:\n'
-                f'{return_msg}\n'
             )
+            if drained_msgs:
+                drained_status += (
+                    '\n'
+                    f'The pre-drained msgs are\n'
+                    f'{pformat(drained_msgs)}\n'
+                )
+
+            log.cancel(drained_status)
 
         self.maybe_raise(
             # NOTE: obvi we don't care if we
@@ -1310,7 +1358,7 @@ class Context:
 
     @property
     def maybe_error(self) -> BaseException|None:
-        le: Exception|None = self._local_error
+        le: BaseException|None = self._local_error
         re: RemoteActorError|ContextCancelled|None = self._remote_error
 
         match (le, re):
@@ -1338,7 +1386,7 @@ class Context:
             #     ContextCancelled(canceller=),
             # ):
 
-        error: Exception|None = le or re
+        error: BaseException|None = le or re
         if error:
             return error
 
@@ -1443,6 +1491,76 @@ class Context:
             repr(self._result)
         )
 
+    @property
+    def repr_state(self) -> str:
+        '''
+        A `str`-status describing the current state of this
+        inter-actor IPC context in terms of the current "phase" state
+        of the SC shuttling dialog protocol.
+
+        '''
+        merr: Exception|None = self.maybe_error
+        outcome: Unresolved|Exception|Any = self.outcome
+        status: str|None = None
+        match (
+            outcome,
+            merr,
+        ):
+            # "graceful" ctx cancellation
+            case (
+                Unresolved,
+                ContextCancelled(),
+            ):
+                if self._is_self_cancelled():
+                    status = 'self-cancelled'
+                elif (
+                    self.canceller
+                    and not self._cancel_called
+                ):
+                    status = 'peer-cancelled'
+
+            # (remote) error condition
+            case (
+                Unresolved,
+                BaseException(),  # any error-type
+            ):
+                status = 'errored'
+
+            # result already returned
+            case (
+                _,  # any non-unresolved value
+                None,
+            ) if self._final_result_is_set():
+                status = 'returned'
+
+            # normal operation but still in a pre-`Return`-result
+            # dialog phase
+            case (
+                Unresolved,  # noqa (ruff, you so weird..)
+                None,  # no (remote) error set
+            ):
+                if stream := self._stream:
+                    if stream.closed:
+                        status = 'streaming-finished'
+                    else:
+                        status = 'streaming'
+
+                elif self._started_called:
+                    status = 'started'
+
+                else:
+                    if self.side == 'child':
+                        status = 'pre-started'
+                    else:
+                        status = 'syncing-to-child'
+
+        if status is None:
+            status = '??unknown??'
+            # from tractor.devx import mk_pdb
+            # mk_pdb().set_trace()
+
+        return status
+
     async def started(
         self,
 
@@ -1451,7 +1569,11 @@ class Context:
         value: PayloadT|None = None,
 
         strict_parity: bool = False,
-        complain_no_parity: bool = True,
+
+        # TODO: this will always emit now that we do `.pld: Raw`
+        # passthrough.. so maybe just only complain when above strict
+        # flag is set?
+        complain_no_parity: bool = False,
 
     ) -> None:
         '''
@@ -1511,18 +1633,19 @@ class Context:
                     )
                     raise RuntimeError(
                         'Failed to roundtrip `Started` msg?\n'
-                        f'{pformat(rt_started)}\n'
+                        f'{pretty_struct.pformat(rt_started)}\n'
                     )
 
                 if rt_started != started_msg:
                     # TODO: break these methods out from the struct subtype?
 
+                    # TODO: make that one a mod func too..
                     diff = pretty_struct.Struct.__sub__(
                         rt_started,
                         started_msg,
                     )
                     complaint: str = (
-                        'Started value does not match after codec rountrip?\n\n'
+                        'Started value does not match after roundtrip?\n\n'
                         f'{diff}'
                     )
 
@@ -1538,8 +1661,6 @@ class Context:
                     else:
                         log.warning(complaint)
 
-                # started_msg = rt_started
-
             await self.chan.send(started_msg)
 
         # raise any msg type error NO MATTER WHAT!
@@ -1667,7 +1788,6 @@ class Context:
                 f'Delivering IPC ctx error from {self.peer_side!r} to {side!r} task\n\n'
 
                 f'{flow_body}'
-
                 f'{pformat(re)}\n'
             )
             self._cancel_msg: dict = msg
@@ -1932,6 +2052,7 @@ async def open_context_from_portal(
     )
     assert ctx._remote_func_type == 'context'
     assert ctx._caller_info
+    _ctxvar_Context.set(ctx)
 
     # XXX NOTE since `._scope` is NOT set BEFORE we retreive the
     # `Started`-msg any cancellation triggered
@@ -2085,7 +2206,7 @@ async def open_context_from_portal(
 
         # CASE 2: context was cancelled by local task calling
         # `.cancel()`, we don't raise and the exit block should
-        # exit silently.
+        # finish silently.
         if (
             ctx._cancel_called
             and
@@ -2210,6 +2331,11 @@ async def open_context_from_portal(
             try:
                 result_or_err: Exception|Any = await ctx.result()
             except BaseException as berr:
+                # cancelled before (or maybe during?) final result capture
+                # if isinstance(trio.Cancelled, berr):
+                #     from .devx import mk_pdb
+                #     mk_pdb.set_trace()
+
                 # on normal teardown, if we get some error
                 # raised in `Context.result()` we still want to
                 # save that error on the ctx's state to
@@ -2354,7 +2480,7 @@ async def open_context_from_portal(
         # FINALLY, remove the context from runtime tracking and
         # exit!
         log.runtime(
-            'De-allocating IPC ctx opened with {ctx.side!r} peer \n'
+            f'De-allocating IPC ctx opened with {ctx.side!r} peer \n'
             f'uid: {uid}\n'
             f'cid: {ctx.cid}\n'
         )
@@ -2390,10 +2516,8 @@ def mk_context(
     from .devx._code import find_caller_info
     caller_info: CallerInfo|None = find_caller_info()
 
-    pld_rx = msgops.PldRx(
+    # TODO: when/how do we apply `.limit_plds()` from here?
-        # _rx_mc=recv_chan,
+    pld_rx: msgops.PldRx = msgops.current_pldrx()
-        _msgdec=_codec.mk_dec(spec=pld_spec)
-    )
 
     ctx = Context(
         chan=chan,
@@ -2407,12 +2531,12 @@ def mk_context(
         _caller_info=caller_info,
         **kwargs,
     )
-    # TODO: we can drop the old placeholder yah?
-    # ctx._result: int | Any = id(ctx)
     ctx._result = Unresolved
     return ctx
 
 
+# TODO: use the new type-parameters to annotate this in 3.13?
+# -[ ] https://peps.python.org/pep-0718/#unknown-types
 def context(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     '''
     Mark an (async) function as an SC-supervised, inter-`Actor`,
@@ -2426,8 +2550,8 @@ def context(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     # https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/2087#issuecomment-769266912
     func._tractor_context_function = True  # type: ignore
 
-    sig = inspect.signature(func)
+    sig: inspect.Signature = inspect.signature(func)
-    params = sig.parameters
+    params: Mapping = sig.parameters
     if 'ctx' not in params:
         raise TypeError(
             "The first argument to the context function "

tractor/_entry.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Sub-process entry points.
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 from functools import partial
+# import textwrap
 from typing import (
     Any,
     TYPE_CHECKING,
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ def _mp_main(
         pass  # handle it the same way trio does?
 
     finally:
-        log.info(f"Actor {actor.uid} terminated")
+        log.info(f"Subactor {actor.uid} terminated")
 
 
 def _trio_main(
@@ -125,9 +126,11 @@ def _trio_main(
             f'  loglevel: {actor.loglevel}\n'
         )
         log.info(
-            'Started new trio process:\n'
+            'Started new trio subactor:\n'
             +
-            actor_info
+            '>\n'  # like a "started/play"-icon from super perspective
+            +
+            actor_info,
         )
 
     try:
@@ -146,7 +149,9 @@ def _trio_main(
 
     finally:
         log.info(
-            'Actor terminated\n'
+            'Subactor terminated\n'
+            +
+            'x\n'  # like a "crossed-out/killed" from super perspective
             +
             actor_info
         )

tractor/_exceptions.py

@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ from tractor.msg import (
     Error,
     MsgType,
     Stop,
-    Yield,
     types as msgtypes,
     MsgCodec,
     MsgDec,
@@ -140,71 +139,6 @@ def get_err_type(type_name: str) -> BaseException|None:
             return type_ref
 
 
-def pformat_boxed_tb(
-    tb_str: str,
-    fields_str: str|None = None,
-    field_prefix: str = ' |_',
-
-    tb_box_indent: int|None = None,
-    tb_body_indent: int = 1,
-
-) -> str:
-    if (
-        fields_str
-        and
-        field_prefix
-    ):
-        fields: str = textwrap.indent(
-            fields_str,
-            prefix=field_prefix,
-        )
-    else:
-        fields = fields_str or ''
-
-    tb_body = tb_str
-    if tb_body_indent:
-        tb_body: str = textwrap.indent(
-            tb_str,
-            prefix=tb_body_indent * ' ',
-        )
-
-    tb_box: str = (
-
-        # orig
-        # f'  |\n'
-        # f'   ------ - ------\n\n'
-        # f'{tb_str}\n'
-        # f'   ------ - ------\n'
-        # f' _|\n'
-
-        f'|\n'
-        f' ------ - ------\n\n'
-        # f'{tb_str}\n'
-        f'{tb_body}'
-        f' ------ - ------\n'
-        f'_|\n'
-    )
-    tb_box_indent: str = (
-        tb_box_indent
-        or
-        1
-
-        # (len(field_prefix))
-        # ? ^-TODO-^ ? if you wanted another indent level
-    )
-    if tb_box_indent > 0:
-        tb_box: str = textwrap.indent(
-            tb_box,
-            prefix=tb_box_indent * ' ',
-        )
-
-    return (
-        fields
-        +
-        tb_box
-    )
-
-
 def pack_from_raise(
     local_err: (
         ContextCancelled
@@ -277,6 +211,8 @@ class RemoteActorError(Exception):
     ) -> None:
         super().__init__(message)
 
+        # for manual display without having to muck with `Exception.args`
+        self._message: str = message
         # TODO: maybe a better name?
         # - .errtype
         # - .retype
@@ -504,43 +440,61 @@ class RemoteActorError(Exception):
         reprol_str: str = (
             f'{type(self).__name__}'  # type name
             f'[{self.boxed_type_str}]'  # parameterized by boxed type
-            '('  # init-style look
         )
+
         _repr: str = self._mk_fields_str(
             self.reprol_fields,
             end_char=' ',
         )
+        if _repr:
+            reprol_str += '('  # init-style call
+
         return (
             reprol_str
             +
             _repr
         )
 
-    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+    def pformat(self) -> str:
         '''
-        Nicely formatted boxed error meta data + traceback.
+        Nicely formatted boxed error meta data + traceback, OR just
+        the normal message from `.args` (for eg. as you'd want shown
+        by a locally raised `ContextCancelled`).
 
         '''
-        fields: str = self._mk_fields_str(
+        tb_str: str = self.tb_str
-            _body_fields
+        if tb_str:
-            +
+            fields: str = self._mk_fields_str(
-            self.extra_body_fields,
+                _body_fields
-        )
+                +
-        body: str = pformat_boxed_tb(
+                self.extra_body_fields,
-            tb_str=self.tb_str,
+            )
-            fields_str=fields,
+            from tractor.devx import (
-            field_prefix=' |_',
+                pformat_boxed_tb,
-            # ^- is so that it's placed like so,
+            )
-            # just after <Type(
+            body: str = pformat_boxed_tb(
-            #             |___ ..
+                tb_str=tb_str,
-            tb_body_indent=1,
+                fields_str=fields,
-        )
+                field_prefix=' |_',
+                # ^- is so that it's placed like so,
+                # just after <Type(
+                #             |___ ..
+                tb_body_indent=1,
+            )
+        else:
+            body: str = textwrap.indent(
+                self._message,
+                prefix='  ',
+            ) + '\n'
         return (
             f'<{type(self).__name__}(\n'
             f'{body}'
             ')>'
         )
 
+    __repr__ = pformat
+    __str__ = pformat
+
     def unwrap(
         self,
     ) -> BaseException:
@@ -870,12 +824,9 @@ def pack_error(
 
 def unpack_error(
     msg: Error,
-
+    chan: Channel,
-    chan: Channel|None = None,
     box_type: RemoteActorError = RemoteActorError,
 
-    hide_tb: bool = True,
-
 ) -> None|Exception:
     '''
     Unpack an 'error' message from the wire
@@ -885,12 +836,10 @@ def unpack_error(
     which is the responsibilitiy of the caller.
 
     '''
-    __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
-
     if not isinstance(msg, Error):
         return None
 
-    # retrieve the remote error's encoded details from fields
+    # retrieve the remote error's msg-encoded details
     tb_str: str = msg.tb_str
     message: str = (
         f'{chan.uid}\n'
@@ -919,7 +868,6 @@ def unpack_error(
     # original source error.
     elif boxed_type_str == 'RemoteActorError':
         assert boxed_type is RemoteActorError
-        # assert len(error_dict['relay_path']) >= 1
         assert len(msg.relay_path) >= 1
 
     exc = box_type(
@@ -1004,8 +952,6 @@ def _raise_from_unexpected_msg(
         raise unpack_error(
             msg,
             ctx.chan,
-            hide_tb=hide_tb,
-
         ) from src_err
 
     # `MsgStream` termination msg.
@@ -1075,6 +1021,7 @@ def _mk_msg_type_err(
 
     src_validation_error: ValidationError|None = None,
     src_type_error: TypeError|None = None,
+    is_invalid_payload: bool = False,
 
 ) -> MsgTypeError:
     '''
@@ -1089,17 +1036,13 @@ def _mk_msg_type_err(
                 '`codec` must be a `MsgCodec` for send-side errors?'
             )
 
+        from tractor.devx import (
+            pformat_caller_frame,
+        )
         # no src error from `msgspec.msgpack.Decoder.decode()` so
         # prolly a manual type-check on our part.
         if message is None:
-            fmt_stack: str = (
+            tb_fmt: str = pformat_caller_frame(stack_limit=3)
-                '\n'.join(traceback.format_stack(limit=3))
-            )
-            tb_fmt: str = pformat_boxed_tb(
-                tb_str=fmt_stack,
-                field_prefix='  ',
-                indent='',
-            )
             message: str = (
                 f'invalid msg -> {msg}: {type(msg)}\n\n'
                 f'{tb_fmt}\n'
@@ -1136,47 +1079,57 @@ def _mk_msg_type_err(
 
     # `Channel.recv()` case
     else:
-        # decode the msg-bytes using the std msgpack
+        if is_invalid_payload:
-        # interchange-prot (i.e. without any
+            msg_type: str = type(msg)
-        # `msgspec.Struct` handling) so that we can
+            message: str = (
-        # determine what `.msg.types.Msg` is the culprit
+                f'invalid `{msg_type.__qualname__}` payload\n\n'
-        # by reporting the received value.
+                f'<{type(msg).__qualname__}(\n'
-        msg_dict: dict = msgpack.decode(msg)
+                f' |_pld: {codec.pld_spec_str} = {msg.pld!r}'
-        msg_type_name: str = msg_dict['msg_type']
+                f')>\n'
-        msg_type = getattr(msgtypes, msg_type_name)
+            )
-        message: str = (
+
-            f'invalid `{msg_type_name}` IPC msg\n\n'
+        else:
-        )
+            # decode the msg-bytes using the std msgpack
+            # interchange-prot (i.e. without any
+            # `msgspec.Struct` handling) so that we can
+            # determine what `.msg.types.Msg` is the culprit
+            # by reporting the received value.
+            msg_dict: dict = msgpack.decode(msg)
+            msg_type_name: str = msg_dict['msg_type']
+            msg_type = getattr(msgtypes, msg_type_name)
+            message: str = (
+                f'invalid `{msg_type_name}` IPC msg\n\n'
+            )
+            # XXX be "fancy" and see if we can determine the exact
+            # invalid field such that we can comprehensively report
+            # the specific field's type problem.
+            msgspec_msg: str = src_validation_error.args[0].rstrip('`')
+            msg, _, maybe_field = msgspec_msg.rpartition('$.')
+            obj = object()
+            if (field_val := msg_dict.get(maybe_field, obj)) is not obj:
+                field_name_expr: str = (
+                    f' |_{maybe_field}: {codec.pld_spec_str} = '
+                )
+                fmt_val_lines: list[str] = pformat(field_val).splitlines()
+                fmt_val: str = (
+                    f'{fmt_val_lines[0]}\n'
+                    +
+                    textwrap.indent(
+                        '\n'.join(fmt_val_lines[1:]),
+                        prefix=' '*len(field_name_expr),
+                    )
+                )
+                message += (
+                    f'{msg.rstrip("`")}\n\n'
+                    f'<{msg_type.__qualname__}(\n'
+                    # f'{".".join([msg_type.__module__, msg_type.__qualname__])}\n'
+                    f'{field_name_expr}{fmt_val}\n'
+                    f')>'
+                )
+
         if verb_header:
             message = f'{verb_header} ' + message
 
-        # XXX see if we can determine the exact invalid field
-        # such that we can comprehensively report the
-        # specific field's type problem
-        msgspec_msg: str = src_validation_error.args[0].rstrip('`')
-        msg, _, maybe_field = msgspec_msg.rpartition('$.')
-        obj = object()
-        if (field_val := msg_dict.get(maybe_field, obj)) is not obj:
-            field_name_expr: str = (
-                f' |_{maybe_field}: {codec.pld_spec_str} = '
-            )
-            fmt_val_lines: list[str] = pformat(field_val).splitlines()
-            fmt_val: str = (
-                f'{fmt_val_lines[0]}\n'
-                +
-                textwrap.indent(
-                    '\n'.join(fmt_val_lines[1:]),
-                    prefix=' '*len(field_name_expr),
-                )
-            )
-            message += (
-                f'{msg.rstrip("`")}\n\n'
-                f'<{msg_type.__qualname__}(\n'
-                # f'{".".join([msg_type.__module__, msg_type.__qualname__])}\n'
-                f'{field_name_expr}{fmt_val}\n'
-                f')>'
-            )
-
         msgtyperr = MsgTypeError.from_decode(
             message=message,
             msgdict=msg_dict,

tractor/_portal.py

@@ -68,40 +68,6 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-# TODO: remove and/or rework?
-# -[ ] rename to `unwrap_result()` and use
-#     `._raise_from_unexpected_msg()` (after tweak to accept a `chan:
-#     Channel` arg) in key block??
-# -[ ] pretty sure this is entirely covered by
-# `_exceptions._raise_from_unexpected_msg()` so REMOVE!
-# def _unwrap_msg(
-#     msg: Return|Error,
-#     ctx: Context,
-
-#     hide_tb: bool = True,
-
-# ) -> Any:
-#     '''
-#     Unwrap a final result from a `{return: <Any>}` IPC msg.
-
-#     '''
-#     __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
-#     try:
-#         return msg.pld
-#     except AttributeError as err:
-
-#         # internal error should never get here
-#         # assert msg.get('cid'), (
-#         assert msg.cid, (
-#             "Received internal error at portal?"
-#         )
-
-#         raise unpack_error(
-#             msg,
-#             ctx.chan,
-#         ) from err
-
-
 class Portal:
     '''
     A 'portal' to a memory-domain-separated `Actor`.
@@ -173,12 +139,13 @@ class Portal:
             portal=self,
         )
 
+    # @api_frame
     async def result(self) -> Any:
         '''
         Return the result(s) from the remote actor's "main" task.
 
         '''
-        # __tracebackhide__ = True
+        __tracebackhide__ = True
         # Check for non-rpc errors slapped on the
         # channel for which we always raise
         exc = self.channel._exc
@@ -254,11 +221,11 @@ class Portal:
             return False
 
         reminfo: str = (
-            f'`Portal.cancel_actor()` => {self.channel.uid}\n'
+            f'Portal.cancel_actor() => {self.channel.uid}\n'
-            f' |_{chan}\n'
+            f'|_{chan}\n'
         )
         log.cancel(
-            f'Sending runtime `.cancel()` request to peer\n\n'
+            f'Requesting runtime cancel for peer\n\n'
             f'{reminfo}'
         )
 
@@ -435,7 +402,6 @@ class Portal:
                 yield stream
 
         finally:
-
             # cancel the far end task on consumer close
             # NOTE: this is a special case since we assume that if using
             # this ``.open_fream_from()`` api, the stream is one a one
@@ -496,7 +462,7 @@ class LocalPortal:
 async def open_portal(
 
     channel: Channel,
-    nursery: trio.Nursery|None = None,
+    tn: trio.Nursery|None = None,
     start_msg_loop: bool = True,
     shield: bool = False,
 
@@ -504,15 +470,19 @@ async def open_portal(
     '''
     Open a ``Portal`` through the provided ``channel``.
 
-    Spawns a background task to handle message processing (normally
+    Spawns a background task to handle RPC processing, normally
-    done by the actor-runtime implicitly).
+    done by the actor-runtime implicitly via a call to
+    `._rpc.process_messages()`. just after connection establishment.
 
     '''
     actor = current_actor()
     assert actor
     was_connected: bool = False
 
-    async with maybe_open_nursery(nursery, shield=shield) as nursery:
+    async with maybe_open_nursery(
+        tn,
+        shield=shield,
+    ) as tn:
 
         if not channel.connected():
             await channel.connect()
@@ -524,7 +494,7 @@ async def open_portal(
         msg_loop_cs: trio.CancelScope|None = None
         if start_msg_loop:
             from ._runtime import process_messages
-            msg_loop_cs = await nursery.start(
+            msg_loop_cs = await tn.start(
                 partial(
                     process_messages,
                     actor,
@@ -544,7 +514,7 @@ async def open_portal(
                 await channel.aclose()
 
             # cancel background msg loop task
-            if msg_loop_cs:
+            if msg_loop_cs is not None:
                 msg_loop_cs.cancel()
 
-            nursery.cancel_scope.cancel()
+            tn.cancel_scope.cancel()

tractor/_root.py

@@ -124,8 +124,9 @@ async def open_root_actor(
         # usage by a clobbered TTY's stdstreams!
         def block_bps(*args, **kwargs):
             raise RuntimeError(
-                '`tractor` blocks built-in `breakpoint()` calls by default!\n'
+                'Trying to use `breakpoint()` eh?\n'
-                'If you need to us it please install `greenback` and set '
+                'Welp, `tractor` blocks `breakpoint()` built-in calls by default!\n'
+                'If you need to use it please install `greenback` and set '
                 '`debug_mode=True` when opening the runtime '
                 '(either via `.open_nursery()` or `open_root_actor()`)\n'
             )

tractor/_rpc.py

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ from ._exceptions import (
 from .devx import (
     maybe_wait_for_debugger,
     _debug,
+    add_div,
 )
 from . import _state
 from .log import get_logger
@@ -64,11 +65,13 @@ from .msg import (
     current_codec,
     MsgCodec,
     NamespacePath,
+    pretty_struct,
 )
 from tractor.msg.types import (
     CancelAck,
     Error,
     Msg,
+    MsgType,
     Return,
     Start,
     StartAck,
@@ -248,6 +251,9 @@ async def _errors_relayed_via_ipc(
 
 ) -> None:
     __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
+    # TODO: a debug nursery when in debug mode!
+    # async with maybe_open_debugger_nursery() as debug_tn:
+    # => see matching comment in side `._debug._pause()`
     try:
         yield  # run RPC invoke body
 
@@ -271,6 +277,8 @@ async def _errors_relayed_via_ipc(
 
         # TODO: maybe we'll want different "levels" of debugging
         # eventualy such as ('app', 'supervisory', 'runtime') ?
+        #
+        # -[ ] this if check is duplicate with `._maybe_enter_pm()`..
         if not is_multi_cancelled(err):
             entered_debug: bool = False
             if (
@@ -294,7 +302,6 @@ async def _errors_relayed_via_ipc(
                     )
                 )
             ):
-                # await _debug.pause()
                 # XXX QUESTION XXX: is there any case where we'll
                 # want to debug IPC disconnects as a default?
                 # => I can't think of a reason that inspecting this
@@ -302,7 +309,14 @@ async def _errors_relayed_via_ipc(
                 # recovery logic - the only case is some kind of
                 # strange bug in our transport layer itself? Going
                 # to keep this open ended for now.
-                entered_debug = await _debug._maybe_enter_pm(err)
+                log.debug(
+                    'RPC task crashed, attempting to enter debugger\n'
+                    f'|_{ctx}'
+                )
+                entered_debug = await _debug._maybe_enter_pm(
+                    err,
+                    api_frame=inspect.currentframe(),
+                )
                 if not entered_debug:
                     log.exception(
                         'RPC task crashed\n'
@@ -432,6 +446,8 @@ async def _invoke(
     )
     context: bool = False
 
+    assert not _state._ctxvar_Context.get()
+
     # TODO: deprecate this style..
     if getattr(func, '_tractor_stream_function', False):
         # handle decorated ``@tractor.stream`` async functions
@@ -555,6 +571,7 @@ async def _invoke(
             async with trio.open_nursery() as tn:
                 ctx._scope_nursery = tn
                 ctx._scope = tn.cancel_scope
+                _state._ctxvar_Context.set(ctx)
                 task_status.started(ctx)
 
                 # TODO: should would be nice to have our
@@ -590,7 +607,6 @@ async def _invoke(
                 cs: CancelScope = ctx._scope
 
                 if cs.cancel_called:
-
                     canceller: tuple = ctx.canceller
                     explain: str = f'{ctx.side!r}-side task was cancelled by '
 
@@ -619,23 +635,9 @@ async def _invoke(
                     else:
                         explain += 'a remote peer'
 
-                    # TODO: move this "div centering" into
-                    # a helper for use elsewhere!
-                    div_chars: str = '------ - ------'
-                    div_offset: int = (
-                        round(len(explain)/2)+1
-                        +
-                        round(len(div_chars)/2)+1
-                    )
-                    div_str: str = (
-                        '\n'
-                        +
-                        ' '*div_offset
-                        +
-                        f'{div_chars}\n'
-                    )
                     explain += (
-                        div_str +
+                        add_div(message=explain)
+                        +
                         f'<= canceller: {canceller}\n'
                         f'=> cancellee: {our_uid}\n'
                         # TODO: better repr for ctx tasks..
@@ -662,10 +664,10 @@ async def _invoke(
                         boxed_type=trio.Cancelled,
                         canceller=canceller,
                     )
-                    # assign local error so that the `.outcome`
+                    # does this matter other then for
-                    # resolves to an error for both reporting and
+                    # consistentcy/testing? |_ no user code should be
-                    # state checks.
+                    # in this scope at this point..
-                    ctx._local_error = ctxc
+                    # ctx._local_error = ctxc
                     raise ctxc
 
         # XXX: do we ever trigger this block any more?
@@ -675,6 +677,13 @@ async def _invoke(
             BaseException,
 
         ) as scope_error:
+            if (
+                isinstance(scope_error, RuntimeError)
+                and scope_error.args
+                and 'Cancel scope stack corrupted' in scope_error.args[0]
+            ):
+                log.exception('Cancel scope stack corrupted!?\n')
+                # _debug.mk_pdb().set_trace()
 
             # always set this (child) side's exception as the
             # local error on the context
@@ -708,17 +717,32 @@ async def _invoke(
                 res_type_str,
                 res_str,
             ) = (
-                ('error', f'{type(merr)}',)
+                ('error', f'{type(merr)}',) if merr
-                if merr
                 else (
                     'result',
                     f'`{repr(ctx.outcome)}`',
                 )
             )
-            log.runtime(
+            message: str = (
                 f'IPC context terminated with a final {res_type_str}\n\n'
                 f'{ctx}'
             )
+            if merr:
+                from tractor import RemoteActorError
+                if not isinstance(merr, RemoteActorError):
+                    fmt_merr: str = (
+                        f'\n{merr!r}\n'
+                        # f'{merr.args[0]!r}\n'
+                    )
+                else:
+                    fmt_merr = f'\n{merr!r}'
+                log.error(
+                    message
+                    +
+                    fmt_merr
+                )
+            else:
+                log.runtime(message)
 
 
 async def try_ship_error_to_remote(
@@ -774,7 +798,10 @@ async def process_messages(
     shield: bool = False,
     task_status: TaskStatus[CancelScope] = trio.TASK_STATUS_IGNORED,
 
-) -> bool:
+) -> (
+    bool,  # chan diconnected
+    MsgType,  # last msg
+):
     '''
     This is the low-level, per-IPC-channel, RPC task scheduler loop.
 
@@ -816,11 +843,6 @@ async def process_messages(
     #  |_ for ex, from `aioquic` which exposed "stream ids":
     #  - https://github.com/aiortc/aioquic/blob/main/src/aioquic/quic/connection.py#L1175
     #  - https://github.com/aiortc/aioquic/blob/main/src/aioquic/quic/connection.py#L659
-    log.runtime(
-        'Entering RPC msg loop:\n'
-        f'peer: {chan.uid}\n'
-        f'|_{chan}\n'
-    )
     nursery_cancelled_before_task: bool = False
     msg: Msg|None = None
     try:
@@ -834,12 +856,15 @@ async def process_messages(
 
             async for msg in chan:
                 log.transport(   # type: ignore
-                    f'<= IPC msg from peer: {chan.uid}\n\n'
+                    f'IPC msg from peer\n'
+                    f'<= {chan.uid}\n\n'
 
                     # TODO: avoid fmting depending on loglevel for perf?
-                    # -[ ] specifically `pformat()` sub-call..?
+                    # -[ ] specifically `pretty_struct.pformat()` sub-call..?
+                    #   - how to only log-level-aware actually call this?
                     # -[ ] use `.msg.pretty_struct` here now instead!
-                    f'{pformat(msg)}\n'
+                    # f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
+                    f'{msg}\n'
                 )
 
                 match msg:
@@ -952,11 +977,19 @@ async def process_messages(
                         kwargs=kwargs,  # type-spec this? see `msg.types`
                         uid=actorid,
                     ):
-                        log.runtime(
+                        start_status: str = (
-                            'Handling RPC `Start` request from\n'
+                            'Handling RPC `Start` request\n'
-                            f'peer: {actorid}\n'
+                            f'<= peer: {actorid}\n\n'
-                            '\n'
+                            f'  |_{chan}\n'
-                            f'=> {ns}.{funcname}({kwargs})\n'
+                            f'  |_cid: {cid}\n\n'
+                            # f'  |_{ns}.{funcname}({kwargs})\n'
+                            f'>> {actor.uid}\n'
+                            f'  |_{actor}\n'
+                            f'   -> nsp: `{ns}.{funcname}({kwargs})`\n'
+
+                            # f'  |_{ns}.{funcname}({kwargs})\n\n'
+
+                            # f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
                         )
 
                         # runtime-internal endpoint: `Actor.<funcname>`
@@ -985,6 +1018,10 @@ async def process_messages(
                                 await chan.send(err_msg)
                                 continue
 
+                        start_status += (
+                            f'   -> func: {func}\n'
+                        )
+
                         # schedule a task for the requested RPC function
                         # in the actor's main "service nursery".
                         #
@@ -992,18 +1029,8 @@ async def process_messages(
                         # supervision isolation? would avoid having to
                         # manage RPC tasks individually in `._rpc_tasks`
                         # table?
-                        log.runtime(
+                        start_status += '   -> scheduling new task..\n'
-                            f'Spawning task for RPC request\n'
+                        log.runtime(start_status)
-                            f'<= caller: {chan.uid}\n'
-                            f'  |_{chan}\n\n'
-                            # ^-TODO-^ maddr style repr?
-                            # f'  |_@ /ipv4/{chan.raddr}/tcp/{chan.rport}/'
-                            # f'cid="{cid[-16:]} .."\n\n'
-
-                            f'=> {actor}\n'
-                            f'  |_cid: {cid}\n'
-                            f'   |>> {func}()\n'
-                        )
                         try:
                             ctx: Context = await actor._service_n.start(
                                 partial(
@@ -1031,8 +1058,9 @@ async def process_messages(
                         # scoped exception from ``_invoke()`` itself.
                         if isinstance(err := ctx, Exception):
                             log.warning(
-                                'Task for RPC failed?'
+                                start_status
-                                f'|_ {func}()\n\n'
+                                +
+                                '   -> task for RPC failed?\n\n'
                                 f'{err}'
                             )
                             continue
@@ -1097,25 +1125,24 @@ async def process_messages(
                 parent_chan=chan,
             )
 
-    except (
+    except TransportClosed:
-        TransportClosed,
-    ):
         # channels "breaking" (for TCP streams by EOF or 104
         # connection-reset) is ok since we don't have a teardown
         # handshake for them (yet) and instead we simply bail out of
         # the message loop and expect the teardown sequence to clean
         # up..
-        # TODO: add a teardown handshake? and,
+        #
+        # TODO: maybe add a teardown handshake? and,
         # -[ ] don't show this msg if it's an ephemeral discovery ep call?
         # -[ ] figure out how this will break with other transports?
         log.runtime(
-            f'channel closed abruptly with\n'
+            f'IPC channel closed abruptly\n'
-            f'peer: {chan.uid}\n' 
+            f'<=x peer: {chan.uid}\n'
-            f'|_{chan.raddr}\n'
+            f'   |_{chan.raddr}\n'
         )
 
         # transport **WAS** disconnected
-        return True
+        return (True, msg)
 
     except (
         Exception,
@@ -1152,12 +1179,17 @@ async def process_messages(
 
     finally:
         # msg debugging for when he machinery is brokey
-        log.runtime(
+        if msg is None:
-            'Exiting IPC msg loop with final msg\n\n'
+            message: str = 'Exiting IPC msg loop without receiving a msg?'
-            f'<= peer: {chan.uid}\n'
+        else:
-            f'|_{chan}\n\n'
+            message: str = (
-            f'{pformat(msg)}\n\n'
+                'Exiting IPC msg loop with final msg\n\n'
-        )
+                f'<= peer: {chan.uid}\n'
+                f'  |_{chan}\n\n'
+                f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}'
+            )
+
+        log.runtime(message)
 
     # transport **WAS NOT** disconnected
-    return False
+    return (False, msg)

tractor/_runtime.py

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ from pprint import pformat
 import signal
 import sys
 from typing import (
+    Any,
     Callable,
     TYPE_CHECKING,
 )
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ from tractor.msg import (
     pretty_struct,
     NamespacePath,
     types as msgtypes,
-    Msg,
+    MsgType,
 )
 from ._ipc import Channel
 from ._context import (
@@ -96,19 +97,6 @@ from ._rpc import (
     process_messages,
     try_ship_error_to_remote,
 )
-# from tractor.msg.types import (
-#     Aid,
-#     SpawnSpec,
-#     Start,
-#     StartAck,
-#     Started,
-#     Yield,
-#     Stop,
-#     Return,
-#     Error,
-# )
-
-
 
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -315,29 +303,32 @@ class Actor:
             self._reg_addrs = addrs
 
     async def wait_for_peer(
-        self, uid: tuple[str, str]
+        self,
+        uid: tuple[str, str],
+
     ) -> tuple[trio.Event, Channel]:
         '''
-        Wait for a connection back from a spawned actor with a `uid`
+        Wait for a connection back from a (spawned sub-)actor with
-        using a `trio.Event` for sync.
+        a `uid` using a `trio.Event` for sync.
 
         '''
-        log.runtime(f"Waiting for peer {uid} to connect")
+        log.debug(f'Waiting for peer {uid!r} to connect')
         event = self._peer_connected.setdefault(uid, trio.Event())
         await event.wait()
-        log.runtime(f"{uid} successfully connected back to us")
+        log.debug(f'{uid!r} successfully connected back to us')
         return event, self._peers[uid][-1]
 
     def load_modules(
         self,
-        debug_mode: bool = False,
+        # debug_mode: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         '''
-        Load enabled RPC py-modules locally (after process fork/spawn).
+        Load explicitly enabled python modules from local fs after
+        process spawn.
 
         Since this actor may be spawned on a different machine from
         the original nursery we need to try and load the local module
-        code (presuming it exists).
+        code manually (presuming it exists).
 
         '''
         try:
@@ -350,16 +341,21 @@ class Actor:
                     _mp_fixup_main._fixup_main_from_path(
                         parent_data['init_main_from_path'])
 
+            status: str = 'Attempting to import enabled modules:\n'
             for modpath, filepath in self.enable_modules.items():
                 # XXX append the allowed module to the python path which
                 # should allow for relative (at least downward) imports.
                 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(filepath))
-                log.runtime(f"Attempting to import {modpath}@{filepath}")
+                status += (
-                mod = importlib.import_module(modpath)
+                    f'|_{modpath!r} -> {filepath!r}\n'
+                )
+                mod: ModuleType = importlib.import_module(modpath)
                 self._mods[modpath] = mod
                 if modpath == '__main__':
                     self._mods['__mp_main__'] = mod
 
+            log.runtime(status)
+
         except ModuleNotFoundError:
             # it is expected the corresponding `ModuleNotExposed` error
             # will be raised later
@@ -413,21 +409,23 @@ class Actor:
         chan = Channel.from_stream(stream)
         their_uid: tuple[str, str]|None = chan.uid
 
-        con_msg: str = ''
+        con_status: str = ''
+
+        # TODO: remove this branch since can never happen?
+        # NOTE: `.uid` is only set after first contact
         if their_uid:
-            # NOTE: `.uid` is only set after first contact
+            con_status = (
-            con_msg = (
+                'IPC Re-connection from already known peer?\n'
-                'IPC Re-connection from already known peer? '
             )
         else:
-            con_msg = (
+            con_status = (
-                'New IPC connection to us '
+                'New inbound IPC connection <=\n'
             )
 
-        con_msg += (
+        con_status += (
-            f'<= @{chan.raddr}\n'
             f'|_{chan}\n'
             # f' |_@{chan.raddr}\n\n'
+            # ^-TODO-^ remove since alfready in chan.__repr__()?
         )
         # send/receive initial handshake response
         try:
@@ -447,13 +445,13 @@ class Actor:
             # a bound listener on the "arbiter" addr.  the reset will be
             # because the handshake was never meant took place.
             log.warning(
-                con_msg
+                con_status
                 +
                 ' -> But failed to handshake? Ignoring..\n'
             )
             return
 
-        con_msg += (
+        con_status += (
             f' -> Handshake with actor `{uid[0]}[{uid[1][-6:]}]` complete\n'
         )
         # IPC connection tracking for both peers and new children:
@@ -466,7 +464,7 @@ class Actor:
             None,
         )
         if event:
-            con_msg += (
+            con_status += (
                 ' -> Waking subactor spawn waiters: '
                 f'{event.statistics().tasks_waiting}\n'
                 f' -> Registered IPC chan for child actor {uid}@{chan.raddr}\n'
@@ -477,7 +475,7 @@ class Actor:
             event.set()
 
         else:
-            con_msg += (
+            con_status += (
                 f' -> Registered IPC chan for peer actor {uid}@{chan.raddr}\n'
             )  # type: ignore
 
@@ -491,13 +489,18 @@ class Actor:
         # TODO: can we just use list-ref directly?
         chans.append(chan)
 
-        log.runtime(con_msg)
+        con_status += ' -> Entering RPC msg loop..\n'
+        log.runtime(con_status)
 
         # Begin channel management - respond to remote requests and
         # process received reponses.
         disconnected: bool = False
+        last_msg: MsgType
         try:
-            disconnected: bool = await process_messages(
+            (
+                disconnected,
+                last_msg,
+            ) = await process_messages(
                 self,
                 chan,
             )
@@ -598,16 +601,24 @@ class Actor:
                     # that the IPC layer may have failed
                     # unexpectedly since it may be the cause of
                     # other downstream errors.
-                    entry = local_nursery._children.get(uid)
+                    entry: tuple|None = local_nursery._children.get(uid)
                     if entry:
                         proc: trio.Process
                         _, proc, _ = entry
 
                         if (
                             (poll := getattr(proc, 'poll', None))
-                            and poll() is None
+                            and
+                            poll() is None  # proc still alive
                         ):
-                            log.cancel(
+                            # TODO: change log level based on
+                            # detecting whether chan was created for
+                            # ephemeral `.register_actor()` request!
+                            # -[ ] also, that should be avoidable by
+                            #   re-using any existing chan from the
+                            #   `._discovery.get_registry()` call as
+                            #   well..
+                            log.runtime(
                                 f'Peer IPC broke but subproc is alive?\n\n'
 
                                 f'<=x {chan.uid}@{chan.raddr}\n'
@@ -616,17 +627,17 @@ class Actor:
 
             # ``Channel`` teardown and closure sequence
             # drop ref to channel so it can be gc-ed and disconnected
-            log.runtime(
+            con_teardown_status: str = (
-                f'Disconnected IPC channel:\n'
+                f'IPC channel disconnected:\n'
-                f'uid: {chan.uid}\n'
+                f'<=x uid: {chan.uid}\n'
-                f'|_{pformat(chan)}\n'
+                f'   |_{pformat(chan)}\n\n'
             )
             chans.remove(chan)
 
             # TODO: do we need to be this pedantic?
             if not chans:
-                log.runtime(
+                con_teardown_status += (
-                    f'No more channels with {chan.uid}'
+                    f'-> No more channels with {chan.uid}'
                 )
                 self._peers.pop(uid, None)
 
@@ -640,15 +651,16 @@ class Actor:
                         f' |_[{i}] {pformat(chan)}\n'
                     )
 
-            log.runtime(
+            con_teardown_status += (
-                f'Remaining IPC {len(self._peers)} peers:\n'
+                f'-> Remaining IPC {len(self._peers)} peers: {peers_str}\n'
-                + peers_str
             )
 
             # No more channels to other actors (at all) registered
             # as connected.
             if not self._peers:
-                log.runtime("Signalling no more peer channel connections")
+                con_teardown_status += (
+                    'Signalling no more peer channel connections'
+                )
                 self._no_more_peers.set()
 
                 # NOTE: block this actor from acquiring the
@@ -723,13 +735,16 @@ class Actor:
                         # TODO: figure out why this breaks tests..
                         db_cs.cancel()
 
+            log.runtime(con_teardown_status)
+        # finally block closure
+
     # TODO: rename to `._deliver_payload()` since this handles
     # more then just `result` msgs now obvi XD
     async def _deliver_ctx_payload(
         self,
         chan: Channel,
         cid: str,
-        msg: Msg|MsgTypeError,
+        msg: MsgType|MsgTypeError,
 
     ) -> None|bool:
         '''
@@ -754,7 +769,7 @@ class Actor:
                 # XXX don't need right since it's always in msg?
                 # f'=> cid: {cid}\n\n'
 
-                f'{pretty_struct.Struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
+                f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
             )
             return
 
@@ -896,9 +911,11 @@ class Actor:
             cid=cid,
         )
         log.runtime(
-            'Sending RPC start msg\n\n'
+            'Sending RPC `Start`\n\n'
             f'=> peer: {chan.uid}\n'
-            f'  |_ {ns}.{func}({kwargs})\n'
+            f'  |_ {ns}.{func}({kwargs})\n\n'
+
+            f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}'
         )
         await chan.send(msg)
 
@@ -955,31 +972,29 @@ class Actor:
 
             if self._spawn_method == "trio":
 
-                # Receive runtime state from our parent
+                # Receive post-spawn runtime state from our parent.
-                # parent_data: dict[str, Any]
-                # parent_data = await chan.recv()
-
-                # TODO: maybe we should just wrap this directly
-                # in a `Actor.spawn_info: SpawnInfo` struct?
                 spawnspec: msgtypes.SpawnSpec = await chan.recv()
                 self._spawn_spec = spawnspec
 
-                # TODO: eventually all these msgs as
-                # `msgspec.Struct` with a special mode that
-                # pformats them in multi-line mode, BUT only
-                # if "trace"/"util" mode is enabled?
                 log.runtime(
                     'Received runtime spec from parent:\n\n'
-                    f'{pformat(spawnspec)}\n'
+
+                    # TODO: eventually all these msgs as
+                    # `msgspec.Struct` with a special mode that
+                    # pformats them in multi-line mode, BUT only
+                    # if "trace"/"util" mode is enabled?
+                    f'{pretty_struct.pformat(spawnspec)}\n'
                 )
-                # accept_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]] = parent_data.pop('bind_addrs')
                 accept_addrs: list[tuple[str, int]] = spawnspec.bind_addrs
 
-                # rvs = parent_data.pop('_runtime_vars')
+                # TODO: another `Struct` for rtvs..
-                rvs = spawnspec._runtime_vars
+                rvs: dict[str, Any] = spawnspec._runtime_vars
                 if rvs['_debug_mode']:
                     try:
-                        log.info(
+                        # TODO: maybe return some status msgs upward
+                        # to that we can emit them in `con_status`
+                        # instead?
+                        log.devx(
                             'Enabling `stackscope` traces on SIGUSR1'
                         )
                         from .devx import enable_stack_on_sig
@@ -989,7 +1004,6 @@ class Actor:
                             '`stackscope` not installed for use in debug mode!'
                         )
 
-                log.runtime(f'Runtime vars are: {rvs}')
                 rvs['_is_root'] = False
                 _state._runtime_vars.update(rvs)
 
@@ -1006,18 +1020,12 @@ class Actor:
                     for val in spawnspec.reg_addrs
                 ]
 
-                # for attr, value in parent_data.items():
+                # TODO: better then monkey patching..
+                # -[ ] maybe read the actual f#$-in `._spawn_spec` XD
                 for _, attr, value in pretty_struct.iter_fields(
                     spawnspec,
                 ):
                     setattr(self, attr, value)
-                    # if (
-                    #     attr == 'reg_addrs'
-                    #     and value
-                    # ):
-                    #     self.reg_addrs = [tuple(val) for val in value]
-                    # else:
-                    #     setattr(self, attr, value)
 
             return (
                 chan,
@@ -1026,12 +1034,11 @@ class Actor:
 
         except OSError:  # failed to connect
             log.warning(
-                f'Failed to connect to parent!?\n\n'
+                f'Failed to connect to spawning parent actor!?\n'
-                'Closing IPC [TCP] transport server to\n'
+                f'x=> {parent_addr}\n'
-                f'{parent_addr}\n'
                 f'|_{self}\n\n'
             )
-            await self.cancel(chan=None)  # self cancel
+            await self.cancel(req_chan=None)  # self cancel
             raise
 
     async def _serve_forever(
@@ -1109,8 +1116,7 @@ class Actor:
         # chan whose lifetime limits the lifetime of its remotely
         # requested and locally spawned RPC tasks - similar to the
         # supervision semantics of a nursery wherein the actual
-        # implementation does start all such tasks in
+        # implementation does start all such tasks in a sub-nursery.
-        # a sub-nursery.
         req_chan: Channel|None,
 
     ) -> bool:
@@ -1151,7 +1157,7 @@ class Actor:
         # other) repr fields instead of doing this all manual..
         msg: str = (
             f'Runtime cancel request from {requester_type}:\n\n'
-            f'<= .cancel(): {requesting_uid}\n'
+            f'<= .cancel(): {requesting_uid}\n\n'
         )
 
         # TODO: what happens here when we self-cancel tho?
@@ -1166,8 +1172,8 @@ class Actor:
             dbcs = _debug.DebugStatus.req_cs
             if dbcs is not None:
                 msg += (
-                    '>> Cancelling active debugger request..\n'
+                    '-> Cancelling active debugger request..\n'
-                    f'|_{_debug.Lock}\n'
+                    f'|_{_debug.Lock.pformat()}'
                 )
                 dbcs.cancel()
 
@@ -1418,7 +1424,12 @@ class Actor:
 
         '''
         if self._server_n:
-            log.runtime("Shutting down channel server")
+            # TODO: obvi a different server type when we eventually
+            # support some others XD
+            server_prot: str = 'TCP'
+            log.runtime(
+                f'Cancelling {server_prot} server'
+            )
             self._server_n.cancel_scope.cancel()
             return True
 
@@ -1602,6 +1613,7 @@ async def async_main(
                 assert accept_addrs
 
                 try:
+                    # TODO: why is this not with the root nursery?
                     actor._server_n = await service_nursery.start(
                         partial(
                             actor._serve_forever,
@@ -1886,13 +1898,13 @@ class Arbiter(Actor):
         sockaddrs: list[tuple[str, int]] = []
         sockaddr: tuple[str, int]
 
-        for (aname, _), sockaddr in self._registry.items():
+        mailbox_info: str = 'Actor registry contact infos:\n'
-            log.runtime(
+        for uid, sockaddr in self._registry.items():
-                f'Actor mailbox info:\n'
+            mailbox_info += (
-                f'aname: {aname}\n'
+                f'|_uid: {uid}\n'
-                f'sockaddr: {sockaddr}\n'
+                f'|_sockaddr: {sockaddr}\n\n'
             )
-            if name == aname:
+            if name == uid[0]:
                 sockaddrs.append(sockaddr)
 
         if not sockaddrs:
@@ -1904,6 +1916,7 @@ class Arbiter(Actor):
                 if not isinstance(uid, trio.Event):
                     sockaddrs.append(self._registry[uid])
 
+        log.runtime(mailbox_info)
         return sockaddrs
 
     async def register_actor(

tractor/_spawn.py

@@ -451,10 +451,9 @@ async def trio_proc(
     proc: trio.Process|None = None
     try:
         try:
-            # TODO: needs ``trio_typing`` patch?
+            proc: trio.Process = await trio.lowlevel.open_process(spawn_cmd)
-            proc = await trio.lowlevel.open_process(spawn_cmd)
             log.runtime(
-                'Started new sub-proc\n'
+                'Started new child\n'
                 f'|_{proc}\n'
             )
 

tractor/_state.py

@@ -19,13 +19,19 @@ Per process state
 
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
+from contextvars import (
+    ContextVar,
+)
 from typing import (
     Any,
     TYPE_CHECKING,
 )
 
+from trio.lowlevel import current_task
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ._runtime import Actor
+    from ._context import Context
 
 
 _current_actor: Actor|None = None  # type: ignore # noqa
@@ -110,3 +116,20 @@ def debug_mode() -> bool:
 
 def is_root_process() -> bool:
     return _runtime_vars['_is_root']
+
+
+_ctxvar_Context: ContextVar[Context] = ContextVar(
+    'ipc_context',
+    default=None,
+)
+
+
+def current_ipc_ctx() -> Context:
+    ctx: Context = _ctxvar_Context.get()
+    if not ctx:
+        from ._exceptions import InternalError
+        raise InternalError(
+            'No IPC context has been allocated for this task yet?\n'
+            f'|_{current_task()}\n'
+        )
+    return ctx

tractor/_streaming.py

@@ -364,14 +364,10 @@ class MsgStream(trio.abc.Channel):
 
         if not self._eoc:
             message: str = (
-                f'Context stream closed by {self._ctx.side!r}\n'
+                f'Stream self-closed by {self._ctx.side!r}-side before EoC\n'
                 f'|_{self}\n'
             )
-            log.cancel(
+            log.cancel(message)
-                'Stream self-closed before receiving EoC\n\n'
-                +
-                message
-            )
             self._eoc = trio.EndOfChannel(message)
 
         # ?XXX WAIT, why do we not close the local mem chan `._rx_chan` XXX?

tractor/devx/__init__.py

@@ -30,7 +30,13 @@ from ._debug import (
     open_crash_handler as open_crash_handler,
     maybe_open_crash_handler as maybe_open_crash_handler,
     post_mortem as post_mortem,
+    mk_pdb as mk_pdb,
 )
 from ._stackscope import (
     enable_stack_on_sig as enable_stack_on_sig,
 )
+from .pformat import (
+    add_div as add_div,
+    pformat_caller_frame as pformat_caller_frame,
+    pformat_boxed_tb as pformat_boxed_tb,
+)

tractor/devx/_code.py

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import inspect
 # import msgspec
 # from pprint import pformat
+import textwrap
+import traceback
 from types import (
     FrameType,
     FunctionType,
@@ -175,3 +177,103 @@ def find_caller_info(
             )
 
     return None
+
+
+def pformat_boxed_tb(
+    tb_str: str,
+    fields_str: str|None = None,
+    field_prefix: str = ' |_',
+
+    tb_box_indent: int|None = None,
+    tb_body_indent: int = 1,
+
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Create a "boxed" looking traceback string.
+
+    Useful for emphasizing traceback text content as being an
+    embedded attribute of some other object (like
+    a `RemoteActorError` or other boxing remote error shuttle
+    container).
+
+    Any other parent/container "fields" can be passed in the
+    `fields_str` input along with other prefix/indent settings.
+
+    '''
+    if (
+        fields_str
+        and
+        field_prefix
+    ):
+        fields: str = textwrap.indent(
+            fields_str,
+            prefix=field_prefix,
+        )
+    else:
+        fields = fields_str or ''
+
+    tb_body = tb_str
+    if tb_body_indent:
+        tb_body: str = textwrap.indent(
+            tb_str,
+            prefix=tb_body_indent * ' ',
+        )
+
+    tb_box: str = (
+
+        # orig
+        # f'  |\n'
+        # f'   ------ - ------\n\n'
+        # f'{tb_str}\n'
+        # f'   ------ - ------\n'
+        # f' _|\n'
+
+        f'|\n'
+        f' ------ - ------\n\n'
+        # f'{tb_str}\n'
+        f'{tb_body}'
+        f' ------ - ------\n'
+        f'_|\n'
+    )
+    tb_box_indent: str = (
+        tb_box_indent
+        or
+        1
+
+        # (len(field_prefix))
+        # ? ^-TODO-^ ? if you wanted another indent level
+    )
+    if tb_box_indent > 0:
+        tb_box: str = textwrap.indent(
+            tb_box,
+            prefix=tb_box_indent * ' ',
+        )
+
+    return (
+        fields
+        +
+        tb_box
+    )
+
+
+def pformat_caller_frame(
+    stack_limit: int = 1,
+    box_tb: bool = True,
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Capture and return the traceback text content from
+    `stack_limit` call frames up.
+
+    '''
+    tb_str: str = (
+        '\n'.join(
+            traceback.format_stack(limit=stack_limit)
+        )
+    )
+    if box_tb:
+        tb_str: str = pformat_boxed_tb(
+            tb_str=tb_str,
+            field_prefix='  ',
+            indent='',
+        )
+    return tb_str

tractor/devx/_stackscope.py

@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def dump_task_tree() -> None:
         level='cancel',
     )
     actor: Actor = _state.current_actor()
-    log.pdb(
+    log.devx(
         f'Dumping `stackscope` tree for actor\n'
         f'{actor.name}: {actor}\n'
         f' |_{mp.current_process()}\n\n'
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def signal_handler(
         subproc: ProcessType
         subactor: Actor
         for subactor, subproc, _ in an._children.values():
-            log.pdb(
+            log.devx(
                 f'Relaying `SIGUSR1`[{sig}] to sub-actor\n'
                 f'{subactor}\n'
                 f' |_{subproc}\n'

tractor/devx/pformat.py

@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+# tractor: structured concurrent "actors".
+# Copyright 2018-eternity Tyler Goodlet.
+
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+'''
+Pretty formatters for use throughout the code base.
+Mostly handy for logging and exception message content.
+
+'''
+import textwrap
+import traceback
+
+from trio import CancelScope
+
+
+def add_div(
+    message: str,
+    div_str: str = '------ - ------',
+
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Add a "divider string" to the input `message` with
+    a little math to center it underneath.
+
+    '''
+    div_offset: int = (
+        round(len(message)/2)+1
+        -
+        round(len(div_str)/2)+1
+    )
+    div_str: str = (
+        '\n' + ' '*div_offset + f'{div_str}\n'
+    )
+    return div_str
+
+
+def pformat_boxed_tb(
+    tb_str: str,
+    fields_str: str|None = None,
+    field_prefix: str = ' |_',
+
+    tb_box_indent: int|None = None,
+    tb_body_indent: int = 1,
+
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Create a "boxed" looking traceback string.
+
+    Useful for emphasizing traceback text content as being an
+    embedded attribute of some other object (like
+    a `RemoteActorError` or other boxing remote error shuttle
+    container).
+
+    Any other parent/container "fields" can be passed in the
+    `fields_str` input along with other prefix/indent settings.
+
+    '''
+    if (
+        fields_str
+        and
+        field_prefix
+    ):
+        fields: str = textwrap.indent(
+            fields_str,
+            prefix=field_prefix,
+        )
+    else:
+        fields = fields_str or ''
+
+    tb_body = tb_str
+    if tb_body_indent:
+        tb_body: str = textwrap.indent(
+            tb_str,
+            prefix=tb_body_indent * ' ',
+        )
+
+    tb_box: str = (
+        f'|\n'
+        f' ------ - ------\n'
+        f'{tb_body}'
+        f' ------ - ------\n'
+        f'_|\n'
+    )
+    tb_box_indent: str = (
+        tb_box_indent
+        or
+        1
+
+        # (len(field_prefix))
+        # ? ^-TODO-^ ? if you wanted another indent level
+    )
+    if tb_box_indent > 0:
+        tb_box: str = textwrap.indent(
+            tb_box,
+            prefix=tb_box_indent * ' ',
+        )
+
+    return (
+        fields
+        +
+        tb_box
+    )
+
+
+def pformat_caller_frame(
+    stack_limit: int = 1,
+    box_tb: bool = True,
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Capture and return the traceback text content from
+    `stack_limit` call frames up.
+
+    '''
+    tb_str: str = (
+        '\n'.join(
+            traceback.format_stack(limit=stack_limit)
+        )
+    )
+    if box_tb:
+        tb_str: str = pformat_boxed_tb(
+            tb_str=tb_str,
+            field_prefix='  ',
+            indent='',
+        )
+    return tb_str
+
+
+def pformat_cs(
+    cs: CancelScope,
+    var_name: str = 'cs',
+    field_prefix: str = ' |_',
+) -> str:
+    '''
+    Pretty format info about a `trio.CancelScope` including most
+    of its public state and `._cancel_status`.
+
+    The output can be modified to show a "var name" for the
+    instance as a field prefix, just a simple str before each
+    line more or less.
+
+    '''
+
+    fields: str = textwrap.indent(
+        (
+            f'cancel_called = {cs.cancel_called}\n'
+            f'cancelled_caught = {cs.cancelled_caught}\n'
+            f'_cancel_status = {cs._cancel_status}\n'
+            f'shield = {cs.shield}\n'
+        ),
+        prefix=field_prefix,
+    )
+    return (
+        f'{var_name}: {cs}\n'
+        +
+        fields
+    )

tractor/log.py

@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ Log like a forester!
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 import sys
 import logging
+from logging import (
+    LoggerAdapter,
+    Logger,
+    StreamHandler,
+)
 import colorlog  # type: ignore
 
 import trio
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@ LEVELS: dict[str, int] = {
     'RUNTIME': 15,
     'CANCEL': 16,
     'PDB': 500,
+    'DEVX': 600,
 }
 # _custom_levels: set[str] = {
 #     lvlname.lower for lvlname in LEVELS.keys()
@@ -62,6 +68,7 @@ STD_PALETTE = {
     'CRITICAL': 'red',
     'ERROR': 'red',
     'PDB': 'white',
+    'DEVX': 'cyan',
     'WARNING': 'yellow',
     'INFO': 'green',
     'CANCEL': 'yellow',
@@ -78,7 +85,7 @@ BOLD_PALETTE = {
 
 # TODO: this isn't showing the correct '{filename}'
 # as it did before..
-class StackLevelAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
+class StackLevelAdapter(LoggerAdapter):
 
     def transport(
         self,
@@ -86,7 +93,8 @@ class StackLevelAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
 
     ) -> None:
         '''
-        IPC level msg-ing.
+        IPC transport level msg IO; generally anything below
+        `._ipc.Channel` and friends.
 
         '''
         return self.log(5, msg)
@@ -102,7 +110,7 @@ class StackLevelAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
         msg: str,
     ) -> None:
         '''
-        Cancellation logging, mostly for runtime reporting.
+        Cancellation sequencing, mostly for runtime reporting.
 
         '''
         return self.log(
@@ -116,11 +124,21 @@ class StackLevelAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
         msg: str,
     ) -> None:
         '''
-        Debugger logging.
+        `pdb`-REPL (debugger) related statuses.
 
         '''
         return self.log(500, msg)
 
+    def devx(
+        self,
+        msg: str,
+    ) -> None:
+        '''
+        "Developer experience" sub-sys statuses.
+
+        '''
+        return self.log(600, msg)
+
     def log(
         self,
         level,
@@ -224,6 +242,7 @@ def get_logger(
     '''Return the package log or a sub-logger for ``name`` if provided.
 
     '''
+    log: Logger
     log = rlog = logging.getLogger(_root_name)
 
     if (
@@ -278,7 +297,7 @@ def get_logger(
 def get_console_log(
     level: str | None = None,
     **kwargs,
-) -> logging.LoggerAdapter:
+) -> LoggerAdapter:
     '''Get the package logger and enable a handler which writes to stderr.
 
     Yeah yeah, i know we can use ``DictConfig``. You do it.
@@ -303,7 +322,7 @@ def get_console_log(
             None,
         )
     ):
-        handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+        handler = StreamHandler()
         formatter = colorlog.ColoredFormatter(
             LOG_FORMAT,
             datefmt=DATE_FORMAT,
@@ -323,3 +342,19 @@ def get_loglevel() -> str:
 
 # global module logger for tractor itself
 log = get_logger('tractor')
+
+
+def at_least_level(
+    log: Logger|LoggerAdapter,
+    level: int|str,
+) -> bool:
+    '''
+    Predicate to test if a given level is active.
+
+    '''
+    if isinstance(level, str):
+        level: int = LEVELS[level.upper()]
+
+    if log.getEffectiveLevel() <= level:
+        return True
+    return False

tractor/msg/_ops.py

@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ from contextlib import (
     # asynccontextmanager as acm,
     contextmanager as cm,
 )
-from pprint import pformat
+from contextvars import ContextVar
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Type,
     TYPE_CHECKING,
-    # Union,
+    Union,
 )
 # ------ - ------
 from msgspec import (
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ from .types import (
     Started,
     Stop,
     Yield,
-    # pretty_struct,
+    pretty_struct,
 )
 
 
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
+_def_any_pldec: MsgDec = mk_dec()
+
+
 class PldRx(Struct):
     '''
     A "msg payload receiver".
@@ -101,10 +104,13 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
     '''
     # TODO: better to bind it here?
     # _rx_mc: trio.MemoryReceiveChannel
-    _msgdec: MsgDec = mk_dec(spec=Any)
+    _pldec: MsgDec
-
     _ipc: Context|MsgStream|None = None
 
+    @property
+    def pld_dec(self) -> MsgDec:
+        return self._pldec
+
     @cm
     def apply_to_ipc(
         self,
@@ -122,9 +128,29 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
         finally:
             self._ipc = None
 
+    @cm
+    def limit_plds(
+        self,
+        spec: Union[Type[Struct]],
+
+    ) -> MsgDec:
+        '''
+        Type-limit the loadable msg payloads via an applied
+        `MsgDec` given an input spec, revert to prior decoder on
+        exit.
+
+        '''
+        orig_dec: MsgDec = self._pldec
+        limit_dec: MsgDec = mk_dec(spec=spec)
+        try:
+            self._pldec = limit_dec
+            yield limit_dec
+        finally:
+            self._pldec = orig_dec
+
     @property
     def dec(self) -> msgpack.Decoder:
-        return self._msgdec.dec
+        return self._pldec.dec
 
     def recv_pld_nowait(
         self,
@@ -135,9 +161,10 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
         ipc_msg: MsgType|None = None,
         expect_msg: Type[MsgType]|None = None,
 
-        **kwargs,
+        **dec_msg_kwargs,
 
     ) -> Any|Raw:
+        __tracebackhide__: bool = True
 
         msg: MsgType = (
             ipc_msg
@@ -150,6 +177,7 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
             msg,
             ctx=ctx,
             expect_msg=expect_msg,
+            **dec_msg_kwargs,
         )
 
     async def recv_pld(
@@ -157,14 +185,16 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
         ctx: Context,
         ipc_msg: MsgType|None = None,
         expect_msg: Type[MsgType]|None = None,
+        hide_tb: bool = True,
 
-        **kwargs
+        **dec_msg_kwargs,
 
     ) -> Any|Raw:
         '''
         Receive a `MsgType`, then decode and return its `.pld` field.
 
         '''
+        __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
         msg: MsgType = (
             ipc_msg
             or
@@ -173,16 +203,20 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
             await ctx._rx_chan.receive()
         )
         return self.dec_msg(
-            msg,
+            msg=msg,
             ctx=ctx,
             expect_msg=expect_msg,
+            **dec_msg_kwargs,
         )
 
     def dec_msg(
         self,
         msg: MsgType,
         ctx: Context,
-        expect_msg: Type[MsgType]|None = None,
+        expect_msg: Type[MsgType]|None,
+
+        raise_error: bool = True,
+        hide_tb: bool = True,
 
     ) -> PayloadT|Raw:
         '''
@@ -190,6 +224,7 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
         return the value or raise an appropriate error.
 
         '''
+        __tracebackhide__: bool = hide_tb
         match msg:
             # payload-data shuttle msg; deliver the `.pld` value
             # directly to IPC (primitive) client-consumer code.
@@ -199,11 +234,12 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
                 |Return(pld=pld)  # termination phase
             ):
                 try:
-                    pld: PayloadT = self._msgdec.decode(pld)
+                    pld: PayloadT = self._pldec.decode(pld)
                     log.runtime(
-                        'Decode msg payload\n\n'
+                        'Decoded msg payload\n\n'
                         f'{msg}\n\n'
-                        f'{pld}\n'
+                        f'where payload is\n'
+                        f'|_pld={pld!r}\n'
                     )
                     return pld
 
@@ -211,8 +247,9 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
                 except ValidationError as src_err:
                     msgterr: MsgTypeError = _mk_msg_type_err(
                         msg=msg,
-                        codec=self._dec,
+                        codec=self.pld_dec,
                         src_validation_error=src_err,
+                        is_invalid_payload=True,
                     )
                     msg: Error = pack_from_raise(
                         local_err=msgterr,
@@ -237,8 +274,62 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
 
             case Error():
                 src_err = MessagingError(
-                    'IPC dialog termination by msg'
+                    'IPC ctx dialog terminated without `Return`-ing a result\n'
+                    f'Instead it raised {msg.boxed_type_str!r}!'
                 )
+                # XXX NOTE XXX another super subtle runtime-y thing..
+                #
+                # - when user code (transitively) calls into this
+                #   func (usually via a `Context/MsgStream` API) we
+                #   generally want errors to propagate immediately
+                #   and directly so that the user can define how it
+                #   wants to handle them.
+                #
+                #  HOWEVER,
+                #
+                # - for certain runtime calling cases, we don't want to
+                #   directly raise since the calling code might have
+                #   special logic around whether to raise the error
+                #   or supress it silently (eg. a `ContextCancelled`
+                #   received from the far end which was requested by
+                #   this side, aka a self-cancel).
+                #
+                # SO, we offer a flag to control this.
+                if not raise_error:
+                    return src_err
+
+            case Stop(cid=cid):
+                message: str = (
+                    f'{ctx.side!r}-side of ctx received stream-`Stop` from '
+                    f'{ctx.peer_side!r} peer ?\n'
+                    f'|_cid: {cid}\n\n'
+
+                    f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
+                )
+                if ctx._stream is None:
+                    explain: str = (
+                        f'BUT, no `MsgStream` (was) open(ed) on this '
+                        f'{ctx.side!r}-side of the IPC ctx?\n'
+                        f'Maybe check your code for streaming phase race conditions?\n'
+                    )
+                    log.warning(
+                        message
+                        +
+                        explain
+                    )
+                    # let caller decide what to do when only one
+                    # side opened a stream, don't raise.
+                    return msg
+
+                else:
+                    explain: str = (
+                        'Received a `Stop` when it should NEVER be possible!?!?\n'
+                    )
+                    # TODO: this is constructed inside
+                    # `_raise_from_unexpected_msg()` but maybe we
+                    # should pass it in?
+                    # src_err = trio.EndOfChannel(explain)
+                    src_err = None
 
             case _:
                 src_err = InternalError(
@@ -246,6 +337,9 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
                     f'{msg}\n'
                 )
 
+        # TODO: maybe use the new `.add_note()` from 3.11?
+        # |_https://docs.python.org/3.11/library/exceptions.html#BaseException.add_note
+        #
         # fallthrough and raise from `src_err`
         _raise_from_unexpected_msg(
             ctx=ctx,
@@ -253,12 +347,18 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
             src_err=src_err,
             log=log,
             expect_msg=expect_msg,
-            hide_tb=False,
+            hide_tb=hide_tb,
         )
 
     async def recv_msg_w_pld(
         self,
         ipc: Context|MsgStream,
+        expect_msg: MsgType,
+
+        # NOTE: generally speaking only for handling `Stop`-msgs that
+        # arrive during a call to `drain_to_final_msg()` above!
+        passthrough_non_pld_msgs: bool = True,
+        **kwargs,
 
     ) -> tuple[MsgType, PayloadT]:
         '''
@@ -268,16 +368,102 @@ class PldRx(Struct):
         '''
         msg: MsgType = await ipc._rx_chan.receive()
 
+        if passthrough_non_pld_msgs:
+            match msg:
+                case Stop():
+                    return msg, None
+
         # TODO: is there some way we can inject the decoded
         # payload into an existing output buffer for the original
         # msg instance?
         pld: PayloadT = self.dec_msg(
             msg,
             ctx=ipc,
+            expect_msg=expect_msg,
+            **kwargs,
         )
         return msg, pld
 
 
+# Always maintain a task-context-global `PldRx`
+_def_pld_rx: PldRx = PldRx(
+    _pldec=_def_any_pldec,
+)
+_ctxvar_PldRx: ContextVar[PldRx] = ContextVar(
+    'pld_rx',
+    default=_def_pld_rx,
+)
+
+
+def current_pldrx() -> PldRx:
+    '''
+    Return the current `trio.Task.context`'s msg-payload-receiver.
+
+    A payload receiver is the IPC-msg processing sub-sys which
+    filters inter-actor-task communicated payload data, i.e. the
+    `PayloadMsg.pld: PayloadT` field value, AFTER it's container
+    shuttlle msg (eg. `Started`/`Yield`/`Return) has been delivered
+    up from `tractor`'s transport layer but BEFORE the data is
+    yielded to application code, normally via an IPC primitive API
+    like, for ex., `pld_data: PayloadT = MsgStream.receive()`.
+
+    Modification of the current payload spec via `limit_plds()`
+    allows a `tractor` application to contextually filter IPC
+    payload content with a type specification as supported by
+    the interchange backend.
+
+    - for `msgspec` see <PUTLINKHERE>.
+
+    NOTE that the `PldRx` itself is a per-`Context` global sub-system
+    that normally does not change other then the applied pld-spec
+    for the current `trio.Task`.
+
+    '''
+    # ctx: context = current_ipc_ctx()
+    # return ctx._pld_rx
+    return _ctxvar_PldRx.get()
+
+
+@cm
+def limit_plds(
+    spec: Union[Type[Struct]],
+    **kwargs,
+
+) -> MsgDec:
+    '''
+    Apply a `MsgCodec` that will natively decode the SC-msg set's
+    `Msg.pld: Union[Type[Struct]]` payload fields using
+    tagged-unions of `msgspec.Struct`s from the `payload_types`
+    for all IPC contexts in use by the current `trio.Task`.
+
+    '''
+    __tracebackhide__: bool = True
+    try:
+        # sanity on orig settings
+        orig_pldrx: PldRx = current_pldrx()
+        orig_pldec: MsgDec = orig_pldrx.pld_dec
+
+        with orig_pldrx.limit_plds(
+            spec=spec,
+            **kwargs,
+        ) as pldec:
+            log.info(
+                'Applying payload-decoder\n\n'
+                f'{pldec}\n'
+            )
+            yield pldec
+    finally:
+        log.info(
+            'Reverted to previous payload-decoder\n\n'
+            f'{orig_pldec}\n'
+        )
+        assert (
+            (pldrx := current_pldrx()) is orig_pldrx
+            and
+            pldrx.pld_dec is orig_pldec
+        )
+
+
 async def drain_to_final_msg(
     ctx: Context,
 
@@ -308,67 +494,33 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
     # basically ignoring) any bi-dir-stream msgs still in transit
     # from the far end.
     pre_result_drained: list[MsgType] = []
-    return_msg: Return|None = None
+    result_msg: Return|Error|None = None
     while not (
         ctx.maybe_error
         and not ctx._final_result_is_set()
     ):
         try:
-            # TODO: can remove?
+            # receive all msgs, scanning for either a final result
-            # await trio.lowlevel.checkpoint()
+            # or error; the underlying call should never raise any
-
+            # remote error directly!
-            # NOTE: this REPL usage actually works here dawg! Bo
+            msg, pld = await ctx._pld_rx.recv_msg_w_pld(
-            # from .devx._debug import pause
+                ipc=ctx,
-            # await pause()
+                expect_msg=Return,
-
+                raise_error=False,
-            # TODO: bad idea?
+            )
-            # -[ ] wrap final outcome channel wait in a scope so
+            # ^-TODO-^ some bad ideas?
-            # it can be cancelled out of band if needed?
+            # -[ ] wrap final outcome .receive() in a scope so
+            #     it can be cancelled out of band if needed?
+            # |_with trio.CancelScope() as res_cs:
+            #       ctx._res_scope = res_cs
+            #       msg: dict = await ctx._rx_chan.receive()
+            #   if res_cs.cancelled_caught:
             #
-            # with trio.CancelScope() as res_cs:
+            # -[ ] make sure pause points work here for REPLing
-            #     ctx._res_scope = res_cs
+            #   the runtime itself; i.e. ensure there's no hangs!
-            #     msg: dict = await ctx._rx_chan.receive()
+            # |_from tractor.devx._debug import pause
-            # if res_cs.cancelled_caught:
+            #   await pause()
 
-            # TODO: ensure there's no more hangs, debugging the
-            # runtime pretty preaase!
-            # from .devx._debug import pause
-            # await pause()
-
-            # TODO: can remove this finally?
-            # we have no more need for the sync draining right
-            # since we're can kinda guarantee the async
-            # `.receive()` below will never block yah?
-            #
-            # if (
-            #     ctx._cancel_called and (
-            #         ctx.cancel_acked
-            #         # or ctx.chan._cancel_called
-            #     )
-            #     # or not ctx._final_result_is_set()
-            #     # ctx.outcome is not
-            #     # or ctx.chan._closed
-            # ):
-            #     try:
-            #         msg: dict = await ctx._rx_chan.receive_nowait()()
-            #     except trio.WouldBlock:
-            #         log.warning(
-            #             'When draining already `.cancel_called` ctx!\n'
-            #             'No final msg arrived..\n'
-            #         )
-            #         break
-            # else:
-            #     msg: dict = await ctx._rx_chan.receive()
-
-            # TODO: don't need it right jefe?
-            # with trio.move_on_after(1) as cs:
-            # if cs.cancelled_caught:
-            #     from .devx._debug import pause
-            #     await pause()
-
-            # pray to the `trio` gawds that we're corrent with this
-            # msg: dict = await ctx._rx_chan.receive()
-            msg, pld = await ctx._pld_rx.recv_msg_w_pld(ipc=ctx)
 
         # NOTE: we get here if the far end was
         # `ContextCancelled` in 2 cases:
@@ -376,7 +528,7 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
         #    SHOULD NOT raise that far end error,
         # 2. WE DID NOT REQUEST that cancel and thus
         #    SHOULD RAISE HERE!
-        except trio.Cancelled:
+        except trio.Cancelled as taskc:
 
             # CASE 2: mask the local cancelled-error(s)
             # only when we are sure the remote error is
@@ -386,7 +538,7 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
 
             # CASE 1: we DID request the cancel we simply
             # continue to bubble up as normal.
-            raise
+            raise taskc
 
         match msg:
 
@@ -399,14 +551,14 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
                 ctx._result: Any = pld
                 log.runtime(
                     'Context delivered final draining msg:\n'
-                    f'{pformat(msg)}'
+                    f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}'
                 )
                 # XXX: only close the rx mem chan AFTER
                 # a final result is retreived.
                 # if ctx._rx_chan:
                 #     await ctx._rx_chan.aclose()
                 # TODO: ^ we don't need it right?
-                return_msg = msg
+                result_msg = msg
                 break
 
             # far end task is still streaming to us so discard
@@ -435,12 +587,9 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
                         f'=> {ctx._task}\n'
                         f'  |_{ctx._stream}\n\n'
 
-                        f'{pformat(msg)}\n'
+                        f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
-                    )
-                    return (
-                        return_msg,
-                        pre_result_drained,
                     )
+                    break
 
                 # drain up to the `msg_limit` hoping to get
                 # a final result or error/ctxc.
@@ -452,7 +601,7 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
                         f'=> {ctx._task}\n'
                         f'  |_{ctx._stream}\n\n'
 
-                        f'{pformat(msg)}\n'
+                        f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
                     )
                     continue
 
@@ -467,7 +616,7 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
                 pre_result_drained.append(msg)
                 log.cancel(
                     'Remote stream terminated due to "stop" msg:\n\n'
-                    f'{pformat(msg)}\n'
+                    f'{pretty_struct.pformat(msg)}\n'
                 )
                 continue
 
@@ -476,9 +625,9 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
             case Error():
                 # TODO: can we replace this with `ctx.maybe_raise()`?
                 # -[ ]  would this be handier for this case maybe?
-                #     async with maybe_raise_on_exit() as raises:
+                # |_async with maybe_raise_on_exit() as raises:
-                #         if raises:
+                #       if raises:
-                #             log.error('some msg about raising..')
+                #           log.error('some msg about raising..')
                 #
                 re: Exception|None = ctx._remote_error
                 if re:
@@ -512,7 +661,7 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
                         # raise_overrun_from_self=False,
                         raise_overrun_from_self=raise_overrun,
                     )
-
+                    result_msg = msg
                     break  # OOOOOF, yeah obvi we need this..
 
                 # XXX we should never really get here
@@ -558,6 +707,6 @@ async def drain_to_final_msg(
         )
 
     return (
-        return_msg,
+        result_msg,
         pre_result_drained,
     )

tractor/msg/types.py

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ log = get_logger('tractor.msgspec')
 PayloadT = TypeVar('PayloadT')
 
 
+# TODO: PayloadMsg
 class Msg(
     Struct,
     Generic[PayloadT],
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ class Msg(
     tree.
 
     '''
-    cid: str|None  # call/context-id
+    cid: str  # call/context-id
     # ^-TODO-^: more explicit type?
     # -[ ] use UNSET here?
     #  https://jcristharif.com/msgspec/supported-types.html#unset
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ class Msg(
     # TODO: could also be set to `msgspec.Raw` if the sub-decoders
     # approach is preferred over the generic parameterization 
     # approach as take by `mk_msg_spec()` below.
-    pld: PayloadT|Raw
+    pld: Raw
 
 
 class Aid(
@@ -143,6 +144,8 @@ class SpawnSpec(
     `Aid` msg.
 
     '''
+    # TODO: similar to the `Start` kwargs spec needed below, we need
+    # a hard `Struct` def for all of these fields!
     _parent_main_data: dict
     _runtime_vars: dict[str, Any]