feat: enhanced text-parsing dispatch with reliability fixes (#229)

PolyPilot.Tests/ChatExperienceSafetyTests.cs

@@ -426,30 +426,33 @@ private static int ComputeEffectiveTimeout(
         bool isResumed, bool hasReceivedEvents)
     {
         var useResumeQuiescence = isResumed && !hasReceivedEvents && !hasActiveTool && !hasUsedTools;
-        var useToolTimeout = hasActiveTool || (isResumed && !useResumeQuiescence) || hasUsedTools || isMultiAgent;
+        var useToolTimeout = hasActiveTool || (isResumed && !useResumeQuiescence);
+        var useUsedToolsTimeout = !useToolTimeout && hasUsedTools && !hasActiveTool;
         return useResumeQuiescence
             ? CopilotService.WatchdogResumeQuiescenceTimeoutSeconds
             : useToolTimeout
                 ? CopilotService.WatchdogToolExecutionTimeoutSeconds
-                : CopilotService.WatchdogInactivityTimeoutSeconds;
+                : useUsedToolsTimeout
+                    ? CopilotService.WatchdogUsedToolsIdleTimeoutSeconds
+                    : CopilotService.WatchdogInactivityTimeoutSeconds;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// INV-5: HasUsedToolsThisTurn BETWEEN tool rounds must keep 600s timeout.
+    /// INV-5: HasUsedToolsThisTurn BETWEEN tool rounds must keep 180s timeout (used-tools idle tier).
     /// This is the primary protection against "messages killed during long-running processes."
     /// ActiveToolCallCount resets on AssistantTurnStartEvent between rounds — only
     /// HasUsedToolsThisTurn persists and keeps the longer timeout.
     /// </summary>
     [Fact]
-    public void WatchdogTimeout_BetweenToolRounds_Uses600s()
+    public void WatchdogTimeout_BetweenToolRounds_Uses180s()
     {
         // Between tool rounds: ActiveToolCallCount=0, but HasUsedToolsThisTurn=true
         var timeout = ComputeEffectiveTimeout(
             hasActiveTool: false, hasUsedTools: true, isMultiAgent: false,
             isResumed: false, hasReceivedEvents: false);
 
-        Assert.Equal(CopilotService.WatchdogToolExecutionTimeoutSeconds, timeout);
-        Assert.Equal(600, timeout);
+        Assert.Equal(CopilotService.WatchdogUsedToolsIdleTimeoutSeconds, timeout);
+        Assert.Equal(180, timeout);
     }
 
     /// <summary>Active tool execution gets the 600s timeout.</summary>
@@ -462,14 +465,14 @@ public void WatchdogTimeout_ActiveTool_Uses600s()
         Assert.Equal(600, timeout);
     }
 
-    /// <summary>Multi-agent sessions always get 600s to prevent killing workers mid-task.</summary>
+    /// <summary>Multi-agent sessions without active tools get 120s base timeout (isMultiAgent alone no longer escalates).</summary>
     [Fact]
-    public void WatchdogTimeout_MultiAgent_Uses600s()
+    public void WatchdogTimeout_MultiAgent_Uses120s()
     {
         var timeout = ComputeEffectiveTimeout(
             hasActiveTool: false, hasUsedTools: false, isMultiAgent: true,
             isResumed: false, hasReceivedEvents: false);
-        Assert.Equal(600, timeout);
+        Assert.Equal(120, timeout);
     }
 
     /// <summary>Resumed session with no events → 30s quiescence (fast recovery).</summary>
@@ -483,6 +486,17 @@ public void WatchdogTimeout_ResumedNoEvents_Uses30sQuiescence()
         Assert.Equal(30, timeout);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>Used tools but none active → 180s middle tier (between 600s active and 120s base).</summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void WatchdogTimeout_UsedToolsIdle_Uses180s()
+    {
+        var timeout = ComputeEffectiveTimeout(
+            hasActiveTool: false, hasUsedTools: true, isMultiAgent: false,
+            isResumed: false, hasReceivedEvents: false);
+        Assert.Equal(CopilotService.WatchdogUsedToolsIdleTimeoutSeconds, timeout);
+        Assert.Equal(180, timeout);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Resumed session with events flowing → 600s (session is active).</summary>
     [Fact]
     public void WatchdogTimeout_ResumedWithEvents_Uses600s()
@@ -511,12 +525,12 @@ public void WatchdogTimeout_BaseCase_Uses120s()
     [Theory]
     [InlineData(false, false, false, false, false, 120)]  // base case
     [InlineData(true,  false, false, false, false, 600)]  // active tool
-    [InlineData(false, true,  false, false, false, 600)]  // used tools (between rounds!)
-    [InlineData(false, false, true,  false, false, 600)]  // multi-agent
-    [InlineData(true,  true,  false, false, false, 600)]  // active + used
+    [InlineData(false, true,  false, false, false, 180)]  // used tools (between rounds) → 180s middle tier
+    [InlineData(false, false, true,  false, false, 120)]  // multi-agent alone → base (no escalation)
+    [InlineData(true,  true,  false, false, false, 600)]  // active + used → active wins (600s)
     [InlineData(true,  false, true,  false, false, 600)]  // active + multi
-    [InlineData(false, true,  true,  false, false, 600)]  // used + multi
-    [InlineData(true,  true,  true,  false, false, 600)]  // all three
+    [InlineData(false, true,  true,  false, false, 180)]  // used + multi → used-tools tier (180s)
+    [InlineData(true,  true,  true,  false, false, 600)]  // all three → active wins (600s)
     public void WatchdogTimeout_AllCombinations(
         bool hasActive, bool hasUsed, bool isMulti,
         bool isResumed, bool hasEvents, int expected)
@@ -842,12 +856,18 @@ public void ReconnectPath_IncludesMcpServersAndSkills()
         var source = File.ReadAllText(
             Path.Combine(GetRepoRoot(), "PolyPilot", "Services", "CopilotService.cs"));
 
+        // After extraction to BuildFreshSessionConfig, verify the reconnect path calls the helper
         var sessionNotFoundIdx = source.IndexOf("Session not found", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
         Assert.True(sessionNotFoundIdx > 0);
-
-        var afterNotFound = source.Substring(sessionNotFoundIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - sessionNotFoundIdx));
-        Assert.Contains("McpServers", afterNotFound);
-        Assert.Contains("SkillDirectories", afterNotFound);
+        var afterNotFound = source.Substring(sessionNotFoundIdx, Math.Min(1000, source.Length - sessionNotFoundIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("BuildFreshSessionConfig", afterNotFound);
+
+        // And verify the helper itself includes MCP and Skills
+        var helperIdx = source.IndexOf("BuildFreshSessionConfig(SessionState state");
+        Assert.True(helperIdx > 0);
+        var helperBlock = source.Substring(helperIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - helperIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("McpServers", helperBlock);
+        Assert.Contains("SkillDirectories", helperBlock);
     }
 
     // =========================================================================

PolyPilot.Tests/ConnectionRecoveryTests.cs

@@ -276,16 +276,20 @@ public void SendPromptAsync_FreshSessionConfig_IncludesMcpServers()
     {
         // STRUCTURAL REGRESSION GUARD: The "Session not found" fallback must assign
         // McpServers in the freshConfig so MCP tools survive reconnection.
+        // After extraction to BuildFreshSessionConfig helper, verify the helper contains it.
         var source = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(GetRepoRoot(), "PolyPilot", "Services", "CopilotService.cs"));
 
-        // Anchor on the freshConfig initializer inside the "Session not found" reconnect path
-        var freshConfigIndex = source.IndexOf("freshConfig = new SessionConfig");
-        Assert.True(freshConfigIndex > 0, "Could not find freshConfig in reconnect path");
+        // Verify the reconnect path calls the helper
+        var sessionNotFoundIdx = source.IndexOf("Session not found", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        Assert.True(sessionNotFoundIdx > 0, "Could not find 'Session not found' in reconnect path");
+        var afterNotFound = source.Substring(sessionNotFoundIdx, Math.Min(1000, source.Length - sessionNotFoundIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("BuildFreshSessionConfig", afterNotFound);
 
-        // Extract the config block (generously sized to cover all fields)
-        var endIndex = Math.Min(freshConfigIndex + 600, source.Length);
-        var configBlock = source.Substring(freshConfigIndex, endIndex - freshConfigIndex);
-        Assert.Contains("McpServers = ", configBlock);
+        // Verify the helper body includes McpServers
+        var helperIdx = source.IndexOf("BuildFreshSessionConfig(SessionState state");
+        Assert.True(helperIdx > 0, "Could not find BuildFreshSessionConfig helper");
+        var helperBlock = source.Substring(helperIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - helperIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("McpServers = ", helperBlock);
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -295,12 +299,10 @@ public void SendPromptAsync_FreshSessionConfig_IncludesSkillDirectories()
         // SkillDirectories in the freshConfig so skills survive reconnection.
         var source = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(GetRepoRoot(), "PolyPilot", "Services", "CopilotService.cs"));
 
-        var freshConfigIndex = source.IndexOf("freshConfig = new SessionConfig");
-        Assert.True(freshConfigIndex > 0, "Could not find freshConfig in reconnect path");
-
-        var endIndex = Math.Min(freshConfigIndex + 600, source.Length);
-        var configBlock = source.Substring(freshConfigIndex, endIndex - freshConfigIndex);
-        Assert.Contains("SkillDirectories = ", configBlock);
+        var helperIdx = source.IndexOf("BuildFreshSessionConfig(SessionState state");
+        Assert.True(helperIdx > 0, "Could not find BuildFreshSessionConfig helper");
+        var helperBlock = source.Substring(helperIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - helperIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("SkillDirectories = ", helperBlock);
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -310,39 +312,33 @@ public void SendPromptAsync_FreshSessionConfig_IncludesSystemMessage()
         // SystemMessage so the session retains its system prompt after reconnection.
         var source = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(GetRepoRoot(), "PolyPilot", "Services", "CopilotService.cs"));
 
-        var freshConfigIndex = source.IndexOf("freshConfig = new SessionConfig");
-        Assert.True(freshConfigIndex > 0, "Could not find freshConfig in reconnect path");
-
-        var endIndex = Math.Min(freshConfigIndex + 600, source.Length);
-        var configBlock = source.Substring(freshConfigIndex, endIndex - freshConfigIndex);
-        Assert.Contains("SystemMessage = ", configBlock);
-        Assert.Contains("SystemMessageMode.Append", configBlock);
+        var helperIdx = source.IndexOf("BuildFreshSessionConfig(SessionState state");
+        Assert.True(helperIdx > 0, "Could not find BuildFreshSessionConfig helper");
+        var helperBlock = source.Substring(helperIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - helperIdx));
+        Assert.Contains("SystemMessage = ", helperBlock);
+        Assert.Contains("SystemMessageMode.Append", helperBlock);
     }
 
     [Fact]
     public void SendPromptAsync_FreshSessionConfig_MatchesCreateSessionFields()
     {
-        // STRUCTURAL REGRESSION GUARD: The freshConfig in the reconnect path must
+        // STRUCTURAL REGRESSION GUARD: The BuildFreshSessionConfig helper must
         // set the same critical fields as the original CreateSessionAsync config.
-        // This prevents "environment keeps going away" after connection loss.
         var source = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(GetRepoRoot(), "PolyPilot", "Services", "CopilotService.cs"));
 
-        var freshConfigIndex = source.IndexOf("freshConfig = new SessionConfig");
-        Assert.True(freshConfigIndex > 0);
+        var helperIdx = source.IndexOf("BuildFreshSessionConfig(SessionState state");
+        Assert.True(helperIdx > 0);
 
-        // Extract the full config initializer block
-        var endIndex = Math.Min(freshConfigIndex + 800, source.Length);
-        var configBlock = source.Substring(freshConfigIndex, endIndex - freshConfigIndex);
+        var helperBlock = source.Substring(helperIdx, Math.Min(2000, source.Length - helperIdx));
 
-        // All critical SessionConfig property assignments must be present
         var requiredAssignments = new[]
         {
             "Model = ", "WorkingDirectory = ", "McpServers = ", "SkillDirectories = ",
             "Tools = ", "SystemMessage = ", "OnPermissionRequest = "
         };
         foreach (var assignment in requiredAssignments)
         {
-            Assert.Contains(assignment, configBlock);
+            Assert.Contains(assignment, helperBlock);
         }
     }
 

PolyPilot.Tests/MultiAgentGapTests.cs

@@ -50,14 +50,13 @@ Task three.
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void ParseTaskAssignments_FuzzyMatch_FindsClosestWorker()
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_ExactMatchOnly_RejectsSubstring()
     {
-        // "coder" is a substring of "coder-session" → fuzzy match
+        // With exact-match-only, "coder" does NOT match "coder-session"
         var response = "@worker:coder\nWrite the code.\n@end";
         var result = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, new List<string> { "coder-session", "reviewer-session" });
 
-        Assert.Single(result);
-        Assert.Equal("coder-session", result[0].WorkerName);
+        Assert.Empty(result); // No exact match
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -282,6 +281,53 @@ public void ParseTaskAssignments_CaseInsensitiveWorker_Resolves()
         Assert.Equal("team-worker-1", result[0].WorkerName);
     }
 
+    // --- JSON Parsing Tests ---
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_JsonArray_ParsesCorrectly()
+    {
+        var response = """[{"worker":"alpha","task":"Do task A"},{"worker":"beta","task":"Do task B"}]""";
+        var result = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, new List<string> { "alpha", "beta" });
+        Assert.Equal(2, result.Count);
+        Assert.Equal("alpha", result[0].WorkerName);
+        Assert.Equal("Do task A", result[0].Task);
+        Assert.Equal("beta", result[1].WorkerName);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_JsonInCodeFence_ParsesCorrectly()
+    {
+        var response = "```json\n[{\"worker\":\"alpha\",\"task\":\"Do task A\"}]\n```";
+        var result = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, new List<string> { "alpha", "beta" });
+        Assert.Single(result);
+        Assert.Equal("alpha", result[0].WorkerName);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_JsonWithUnknownWorker_SkipsUnmatched()
+    {
+        var response = """[{"worker":"alpha","task":"Do A"},{"worker":"ghost","task":"Do G"}]""";
+        var result = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, new List<string> { "alpha", "beta" });
+        Assert.Single(result);
+        Assert.Equal("alpha", result[0].WorkerName);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_MalformedJson_FallsBackToRegex()
+    {
+        var response = "[broken json\n@worker:alpha\nDo task A.\n@end";
+        var result = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, new List<string> { "alpha" });
+        Assert.Single(result);
+        Assert.Equal("alpha", result[0].WorkerName);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void TryParseJsonAssignments_EmptyArray_ReturnsEmpty()
+    {
+        var result = CopilotService.TryParseJsonAssignments("[]", new List<string> { "alpha" });
+        Assert.Empty(result);
+    }
+
     // --- BuildDelegationNudgePrompt ---
 
     [Fact]

PolyPilot.Tests/SessionOrganizationTests.cs

@@ -692,17 +692,17 @@ Implement the login form with email and password fields.
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void ParseTaskAssignments_FuzzyMatchesWorkerNames()
+    public void ParseTaskAssignments_ExactMatchOnly_NoFuzzy()
     {
+        // With exact-match-only, "session" does NOT match "session-alpha"
         var response = @"@worker:session
 Do the work.
 @end";
 
         var workers = new List<string> { "session-alpha", "session-beta" };
         var assignments = CopilotService.ParseTaskAssignments(response, workers);
 
-        Assert.Single(assignments);
-        Assert.Equal("session-alpha", assignments[0].WorkerName);
+        Assert.Empty(assignments); // No exact match for "session"
     }
 
     [Fact]

PolyPilot/Components/Layout/SessionSidebar.razor

@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@ else
             // Show an actionable error instead and let the user decide whether to delete.
             if (IsCorruptSessionError(ex.Message))
             {
-                resumeError = "Session data appears corrupted. You can delete it manually from ~/.copilot/session-state if needed.";
+                resumeError = "Session is locked — likely in use by a Copilot CLI terminal session. Close the CLI session first, or delete the session data from ~/.copilot/session-state if it's stale.";
             }
             else
             {