Fixed Makefile and systemd automation rollout issues

• Day: 2026-05-19
• Time: 11:10 to 11:20
• Project: Dev
• Workspace: WP 2: Operational
• Status: In Progress
• Priority: HIGH
• Assignee: Matías Nehuen Iglesias
• Tags: Makefile, Systemd, Automation, Debugging, Smoke-Tests, Observability

Description

Session Goal

Stabilize the refactored office automation/runtime repo by resolving blocking shell semantics, cleanup issues, and systemd-backed evidence pipeline bugs so smoke tests and scheduled execution can proceed reliably.

Key Activities

• Diagnosed a Makefile shell semantics issue where heredoc-style Python blocks fail because each recipe line runs in a separate shell.
• Recommended replacing the imports target heredoc with a single python3 -c invocation, or alternatively using .ONESHELL if multi-line shell behavior is required.
• Identified lingering cleanup work in the Makefile, including trailing whitespace and stale heredoc content that could keep smoke checks failing.
• Investigated a plugin loader namespace corruption problem caused by repeated prefix replacement in plugin_loader.py, with guidance to inspect, patch, and revalidate the file.
• Reviewed a broader refactor stabilization handoff covering CLI routing, staff scan decoupling, observability layers, daily ledgers, run/event logs, and Makefile command surfaces.
• Examined the staged rollout plan for background execution and systemd timers, including wrapper scripts, reversible deployment, and manual verification steps.
• Debugged a systemd evidence service path bug where shell/date variables were expanded incorrectly, producing _.jsonl artifact names.
• Clarified that systemd expands ${TODAY} inside ExecStart=, and that shell variables must be escaped with $$ while date formatting in unit files must use %%F.

Achievements

• Narrowed the immediate failure mode to Makefile shell behavior rather than Python import logic.
• Established a concrete fix path for the Makefile smoke-import target and cleanup steps before rerunning validation.
• Confirmed the evidence pipeline is otherwise functioning, while isolating the filename bug to systemd variable expansion.
• Produced a clear remediation pattern for the service unit: escape shell variables, correct date formatting, and verify via journal/log inspection.
• Consolidated the refactor and rollout work into phased PR-style guidance, separating stabilization, observability, and timer activation concerns.

Pending Tasks

• Patch the Makefile imports target and remove stale heredoc/trailing whitespace.
• Repair plugin_loader.py namespace prefix corruption and rerun validation.
• Apply the systemd unit fix for escaped variables/date formatting and confirm evidence files are written with the expected date-based names.
• Re-run smoke checks, inspect logs/journal output, and stage the repository after fixes.
• Continue the staged rollout only after the low-risk evidence lane is stable.

Evidence

• source_file=2026-05-19.sessions.jsonl, line_number=6, event_count=0, session_id=3c3f95ac6a1498948e2dd6ff06373d3d702ea5c31441159f7329bfe485cc25da
• event_ids: []