work

src/dabmodel/tools.py

@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ class AnnotationWalkerCtx:
         self.__allowed_annotations: dict[str, Any] = allowed_annotations
         self.__ext: dict[Any, ChainMap] = {}  # per-trigger namespaces (lazy)
 
+        # NEW: edge routing metadata (walker sets; triggers read)
+        self.__edge_role: str | None = None  # 'elem' | 'key' | 'val' | 'branch' | 'annotated' | 'arg'
+        self.__edge_token: Any | None = None  # index/key/branch-id/etc.
+        self.__arg_index: int | None = None  # which schema arg of the parent this child is
+
     @property
     def origin(self) -> Any:
         return self.__origin
@@ -99,6 +104,19 @@ class AnnotationWalkerCtx:
     def allowed_annotations(self) -> Mapping[str, Any]:
         return self.__allowed_annotations
 
+    # NEW: read-only edge metadata for routing inside triggers
+    @property
+    def edge_role(self) -> str | None:
+        return self.__edge_role
+
+    @property
+    def edge_token(self) -> Any | None:
+        return self.__edge_token
+
+    @property
+    def arg_index(self) -> int | None:
+        return self.__arg_index
+
     def ns(self, owner: Any) -> ChainMap:
         """
         A per-trigger overlay namespace that inherits from parent ctx.
@@ -107,11 +125,30 @@ class AnnotationWalkerCtx:
         """
         if owner in self.__ext:
             return self.__ext[owner]
-        parent_map = self.__parent.__ext.get(owner) if (self.__parent and hasattr(self.__parent, "_AnnotationWalkerCtx__ext")) else {}
-        cm = ChainMap({}, parent_map if isinstance(parent_map, ChainMap) else dict(parent_map))
+
+        # Determine the parent chain for this owner
+        parent_chain = ()
+        if self.__parent is not None and hasattr(self.__parent, "_AnnotationWalkerCtx__ext"):
+            parent_map = self.__parent._AnnotationWalkerCtx__ext.get(owner)  # access private attr intentionally
+            if isinstance(parent_map, ChainMap):
+                # IMPORTANT: preserve the whole chain (not the ChainMap object as a single mapping)
+                parent_chain = tuple(parent_map.maps)
+            elif isinstance(parent_map, dict):
+                parent_chain = (parent_map,)
+            else:
+                parent_chain = ()
+
+        # Build a new ChainMap whose first map is this node's local overlay
+        cm = ChainMap({}, *parent_chain)
         self.__ext[owner] = cm
         return cm
 
+    # INTERNAL (walker only): set edge metadata on a child ctx
+    def _set_edge(self, *, role: str | None, token: Any | None, arg_index: int | None) -> None:
+        self.__edge_role = role
+        self.__edge_token = token
+        self.__arg_index = arg_index
+
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
 class TriggerResult:
@@ -169,6 +206,12 @@ class AnnotationTrigger:
     def process_allowed(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
         return None
 
+    def process_exit(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        return None
+
+    def end_trigger(self, ctx: Optional[AnnotationWalkerCtx]) -> None:
+        pass
+
 
 class LAMSchemaValidation(AnnotationTrigger):
     def init_trigger(self) -> None:
@@ -224,6 +267,462 @@ class LAMSchemaValidation(AnnotationTrigger):
                 raise IncompletelyAnnotatedField(f"None is only accepted with Union, to implement Optional[]")
         return None
 
+    def process_exit(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        print(f"process_exit: {ctx.origin}")
+        return None
+
+    def end_trigger(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        pass
+
+
+class DataValidation(AnnotationTrigger):
+    def __init__(self, value: Any) -> None:
+        self._root = value
+
+    def init_trigger(self) -> None:
+        self._seeded = False
+
+    def _bag(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = ctx.ns(self)
+        if not self._seeded:
+            bag["value"] = self._root
+            bag["path"] = ()
+            self._seeded = True
+        return bag
+
+    def process_annotated(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_union(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_dict(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_tuple(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_list(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_set(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_unknown(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_allowed(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_exit(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> None | TriggerResult:
+        b = self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def end_trigger(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        pass
+
+
+class SchemaValidationError(TypeError):
+    def __init__(self, path: tuple[Any, ...], msg: str):
+        dotted = "".join(f"[{p}]" if isinstance(p, int) else (f".{p}" if path and i else str(p)) for i, p in enumerate(path)) or "<root>"
+        super().__init__(f"{dotted}: {msg}")
+        self.path = path
+
+
+class HorizontalValidationTrigger(AnnotationTrigger):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        value: Any,
+        *,
+        strict_bool: bool = False,
+        collect_all: bool = True,
+        union_summary_max_per_branch: int = 3,  # NEW
+        show_branch_types: bool = True,  # NEW
+    ):
+        self._root_value = value
+        self._strict_bool = strict_bool
+        self._collect_all = collect_all
+        self._union_summary_max = union_summary_max_per_branch
+        self._show_branch_types = show_branch_types
+        self._seeded = False
+        self._id_counter = 0
+
+    # ---------- utilities ----------
+
+    # ---------- utilities ----------
+
+    def _mk_cand(self, value: Any, path: tuple[Any, ...]):
+        cid = self._id_counter
+        self._id_counter += 1
+        return {"id": cid, "value": value, "path": path}
+
+    def _spawn_from(self, bag, parent_cand: dict, value: Any, path: tuple[Any, ...]):
+        """
+        Create a child candidate inheriting union root id when inside a union branch.
+        """
+        nc = self._mk_cand(value, path)
+        if "__union_branch_id" in bag:
+            # Ensure every descendant carries union-root id
+            nc["union_cid"] = parent_cand.get("union_cid", parent_cand["id"])
+        elif "union_cid" in parent_cand:
+            # Preserve if already present (e.g., nested under a branch)
+            nc["union_cid"] = parent_cand["union_cid"]
+        return nc
+
+    def _bag(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = ctx.ns(self)
+        local = bag.maps[0]
+        parent_bag = ctx.parent.ns(self) if ctx.parent is not None else None
+
+        if not self._seeded and ctx.parent is None:
+            local["candidates"] = [self._mk_cand(self._root_value, ())]
+            local["errors"] = []
+            self._seeded = True
+
+        if "errors" not in local and parent_bag is not None:
+            local["errors"] = parent_bag.get("errors", [])
+
+        if ctx.parent is not None:
+            role = ctx.edge_role
+            if role == "elem":
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get("pending_elem", []))
+            elif role == "key":
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get("pending_key", []))
+            elif role == "val":
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get("pending_val", []))
+            elif role == "arg":
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get(f"pending_arg_{ctx.arg_index}", []))
+            elif role in ("branch", "annotated"):
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get("candidates", []))
+            else:
+                local["candidates"] = list(parent_bag.get("candidates", []))
+
+        # If immediate child of a Union (branch), switch to branch-local errors
+        if ctx.parent is not None and ctx.parent.origin is UnionType and ctx.edge_role == "branch":
+            ubag = ctx.parent.ns(self)
+            branches = ubag.setdefault("union_branches_state", {})
+            bid = ctx.edge_token
+            bstate = branches.setdefault(bid, {"failed_ids": set(), "errors": []})
+            local["errors"] = bstate["errors"]
+            local["__union_branch_id"] = bid
+            local["__union_state_ref"] = ubag
+            # NEW: propagate the union scope id to this branch
+            local["__union_scope_id"] = ubag.get("__union_scope_id")
+
+            # Stamp union_cid for all candidates at branch entry
+            stamped = []
+            for c in local.get("candidates", []):
+                c2 = dict(c)
+                c2.setdefault("union_cid", c2["id"])
+                stamped.append(c2)
+            local["candidates"] = stamped
+
+        return bag
+
+    def _mark_branch_fail(self, bag, cand: dict):
+        if "__union_branch_id" in bag and "__union_state_ref" in bag:
+            bid = bag["__union_branch_id"]
+            uref = bag["__union_state_ref"]
+            branches = uref.setdefault("union_branches_state", {})
+            bstate = branches.setdefault(bid, {"failed_ids": set(), "errors": []})
+            root_id = cand.get("union_cid", cand["id"])
+            bstate["failed_ids"].add(root_id)
+
+    def _err(self, bag, cand, msg: str):
+        """
+        Record an error. If we are inside a union branch, attach (cid, scope) so the
+        outer union can attribute it correctly to its branch/candidate.
+        """
+        e = SchemaValidationError(cand["path"], msg)
+
+        # Find nearest union scope (walk ChainMap parents if needed)
+        def nearest_union_scope(b):
+            if "__union_scope_id" in b:
+                return b["__union_scope_id"]
+            # ChainMap.get() already searches parents; use get() with a sentinel
+            sentinel = object()
+            v = b.get("__union_scope_id", sentinel)
+            return None if v is sentinel else v
+
+        in_union_branch = ("__union_branch_id" in bag) and ("__union_state_ref" in bag)
+        if in_union_branch:
+            # union-root candidate id for attribution (propagated by spawn_from / branch entry)
+            root_id = cand.get("union_cid", cand["id"])
+            scope = nearest_union_scope(bag)
+            # Branch-local error bucket lives under union state
+            uref = bag["__union_state_ref"]
+            bid = bag["__union_branch_id"]
+            branches = uref.setdefault("union_branches_state", {})
+            bstate = branches.setdefault(bid, {"failed_ids": set(), "errors": []})
+            bstate["failed_ids"].add(root_id)
+            bstate["errors"].append({"cid": root_id, "scope": scope, "err": e})
+            return
+
+        # Outside any union branch: add to global errors (and optional fail-fast)
+        bag["errors"].append(e)
+        if not self._collect_all:
+            raise e
+
+    def _check_leaf(self, bag, cand: dict, T: type):
+        v = cand["value"]
+        if T is type(None):
+            if v is not None:
+                self._err(bag, cand, "expected None")
+            return
+        if self._strict_bool and T is bool and type(v) is not bool:
+            self._err(bag, cand, f"expected bool, got {type(v).__name__}")
+            return
+        if v is None or not isinstance(v, T):
+            got = "None" if v is None else type(v).__name__
+            self._err(bag, cand, f"expected {T.__name__}, got {got}")
+
+    # ---------- entry hooks (seed pending; validate leaves; no aggregation here) ----------
+
+    def process_allowed(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        T = ctx.origin
+        for cand in bag.get("candidates", []):
+            self._check_leaf(bag, cand, T)
+
+    def process_list(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+        if len(ctx.args) != 1:
+            for cand in cands:
+                self._err(bag, cand, "List[T] requires 1 argument")
+            return
+        pending = []
+        for cand in cands:
+            v = cand["value"]
+            if not isinstance(v, list):
+                self._err(bag, cand, f"expected list, got {type(v).__name__}")
+                continue
+            base = cand["path"]
+            for i in range(len(v)):
+                pending.append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, v[i], base + (i,)))
+        bag["pending_elem"] = pending
+
+    def process_tuple(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+        vararg = len(ctx.args) == 2 and ctx.args[1] is Ellipsis
+        if vararg:
+            pending = []
+            for cand in cands:
+                v = cand["value"]
+                if not isinstance(v, tuple):
+                    self._err(bag, cand, f"expected tuple, got {type(v).__name__}")
+                    continue
+                base = cand["path"]
+                for i in range(len(v)):
+                    pending.append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, v[i], base + (i,)))
+            bag["pending_elem"] = pending
+        else:
+            arity = len(ctx.args)
+            slots: dict[int, list] = {}
+            for cand in cands:
+                v = cand["value"]
+                if not isinstance(v, tuple):
+                    self._err(bag, cand, f"expected tuple, got {type(v).__name__}")
+                    continue
+                if len(v) != arity:
+                    self._err(bag, cand, f"expected tuple len {arity}, got {len(v)}")
+                    continue
+                base = cand["path"]
+                for i, elem in enumerate(v):
+                    slots.setdefault(i, []).append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, elem, base + (i,)))
+            for i, group in slots.items():
+                bag[f"pending_arg_{i}"] = group
+
+    def process_set(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+        if len(ctx.args) != 1:
+            for cand in cands:
+                self._err(bag, cand, "Set[T]/FrozenSet[T] requires 1 argument")
+            return
+        pending = []
+        for cand in cands:
+            v = cand["value"]
+            if not isinstance(v, (set, frozenset)):
+                self._err(bag, cand, f"expected set/frozenset, got {type(v).__name__}")
+                continue
+            base = cand["path"]
+            for e in v:
+                pending.append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, e, base + ("<elem>",)))
+        bag["pending_elem"] = pending
+
+    def process_dict(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+        if len(ctx.args) != 2:
+            for cand in cands:
+                self._err(bag, cand, "Dict[K,V] requires 2 arguments")
+            return
+        pkeys, pvals = [], []
+        for cand in cands:
+            v = cand["value"]
+            if not isinstance(v, dict):
+                self._err(bag, cand, f"expected dict, got {type(v).__name__}")
+                continue
+            base = cand["path"]
+            for k, val in v.items():
+                pkeys.append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, k, base + ("<key>",)))
+                pvals.append(self._spawn_from(bag, cand, val, base + (k,)))
+        bag["pending_key"] = pkeys
+        bag["pending_val"] = pvals
+
+    def process_annotated(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        # No checks here; inner T will validate routed candidates.
+        self._bag(ctx)
+
+    def process_union(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        bag = self._bag(ctx)
+        # Candidates arriving at THIS union node (e.g., per list element when union is element type)
+        cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+        # Track these exact candidate ids for this union scope
+        bag["union_candidate_ids"] = [c["id"] for c in cands]
+        # One entry per branch; each branch accumulates scoped errors keyed by union-root cid
+        bag.setdefault("union_branches_state", {})  # bid -> {"failed_ids": set(), "errors": []}
+        bag["union_branch_labels"] = [self._pretty_type(a) for a in ctx.args]
+        # Scope id distinguishes nested unions; only errors tagged with this scope count here
+        bag["__union_scope_id"] = id(ctx)
+
+    # ---------- exit (aggregation only) ----------
+
+    def process_exit(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
+        if ctx.origin is not UnionType:
+            return None
+
+        bag = ctx.ns(self)
+        root_errors = bag.get("errors", [])
+        branches = bag.get("union_branches_state", {})
+        cand_ids = bag.get("union_candidate_ids", [])
+        labels = bag.get("union_branch_labels", [])
+        scope_id = bag.get("__union_scope_id")  # THIS union's scope
+
+        # Build: per_branch_errors[bid][cid] -> [SchemaValidationError, ...] filtered to THIS union scope
+        per_branch_errors: dict[int, dict[int, list[SchemaValidationError]]] = {}
+        for bid, state in branches.items():
+            berrs = state.get("errors", [])
+            m: dict[int, list[SchemaValidationError]] = {}
+            for item in berrs:
+                if isinstance(item, dict):
+                    # Only errors tagged for THIS union scope
+                    if item.get("scope") != scope_id:
+                        continue
+                    cid = item.get("cid")
+                    err = item.get("err")
+                    if cid is not None and isinstance(err, SchemaValidationError):
+                        m.setdefault(cid, []).append(err)
+                elif isinstance(item, SchemaValidationError):
+                    # Legacy/plain error: attribute to all failed ids of this branch
+                    for cid in state.get("failed_ids", set()):
+                        m.setdefault(cid, []).append(item)
+            # Dedupe identical (path, text)
+            for cid, lst in m.items():
+                seen = set()
+                uniq = []
+                for e in lst:
+                    key = (e.path, str(e))
+                    if key not in seen:
+                        seen.add(key)
+                        uniq.append(e)
+                m[cid] = uniq
+            per_branch_errors[bid] = m
+
+        # Decide per candidate of THIS union
+        for cid in cand_ids:
+            branch_ok = any(len(per_branch_errors.get(bid, {}).get(cid, [])) == 0 for bid in branches.keys())
+            if branch_ok:
+                continue  # some branch matched, good
+
+            # Pretty summary for this failing candidate
+            # Get the path for this union's candidate; fall back to <root> if absent
+            cands_here = bag.get("candidates", [])
+            path = next((c["path"] for c in cands_here if c.get("id") == cid), ())
+
+            lines = ["no union branch matched; tried:"]
+            for bid, state in branches.items():
+                label = labels[bid] if bid < len(labels) else f"branch {bid}"
+                errs = per_branch_errors.get(bid, {}).get(cid, [])
+                if not errs:
+                    lines.append(f" - {label}: mismatch")
+                    continue
+                N = self._union_summary_max
+                shown = errs[:N]
+                lines.append(f" - {label}: {len(errs)} issue(s)")
+                for e in shown:
+                    lines.append(f"     - {e}")
+                if len(errs) > N:
+                    lines.append(f"     - (+{len(errs) - N} more)")
+
+            root_errors.append(SchemaValidationError(path, "\n".join(lines)))
+
+        # Also, if THIS union is nested inside an enclosing union branch, and ALL branches
+        # of THIS union failed for a candidate, bubble a single 'mismatch' up to that parent
+        # so the parent union can mark its branch as failed for that union-root cid.
+        if ("__union_state_ref" in bag) and ("__union_branch_id" in bag):
+            uref = bag["__union_state_ref"]  # enclosing union's bag
+            up_bid = bag["__union_branch_id"]  # which branch we're in
+            up_branches = uref.setdefault("union_branches_state", {})
+            up_state = up_branches.setdefault(up_bid, {"failed_ids": set(), "errors": []})
+            up_scope = uref.get("__union_scope_id")
+
+            # Map THIS union's local cid to the enclosing union's root cid via union_cid
+            local_cands = bag.get("candidates", [])
+            # Fallback map: if local_cands missing, assume 1:1
+            fallback_map = {cid: cid for cid in cand_ids}
+            map_local_to_outer = {}
+            for lc in local_cands:
+                local_id = lc.get("id")
+                outer_root = lc.get("union_cid", local_id)
+                map_local_to_outer[local_id] = outer_root
+
+            for cid in cand_ids:
+                branch_ok = any(len(per_branch_errors.get(bid, {}).get(cid, [])) == 0 for bid in branches.keys())
+                if branch_ok:
+                    continue  # do not bubble success
+
+                outer_cid = map_local_to_outer.get(cid, fallback_map[cid])
+                up_state["failed_ids"].add(outer_cid)
+                # lightweight marker so parent has at least one error on record for this cid
+                up_state["errors"].append({"cid": outer_cid, "scope": up_scope, "err": SchemaValidationError((), "mismatch")})
+
+        return None
+
+    def end_trigger(self, ctx: Optional[AnnotationWalkerCtx]):
+        if ctx is None:
+            return
+        errors = ctx.ns(self).get("errors", [])
+        if errors:
+            # Raise them together; swap for your preferred error carrier if needed
+            raise ExceptionGroup("schema validation failed", errors)
+
+    # --- pretty type for messages (best-effort) ---
+    def _pretty_type(self, t: Any) -> str:
+        origin = get_origin(t) or t
+        args = get_args(t)
+        try:
+            if origin is UnionType or origin is Union:
+                return " | ".join(self._pretty_type(a) for a in args)
+            if origin in (list, tuple, set, frozenset, dict, Annotated):
+                if origin is dict and len(args) == 2:
+                    return f"dict[{self._pretty_type(args[0])}, {self._pretty_type(args[1])}]"
+                if origin in (list, set, frozenset) and len(args) == 1:
+                    name = "list" if origin is list else ("set" if origin is set else "frozenset")
+                    return f"{name}[{self._pretty_type(args[0])}]"
+                if origin is tuple:
+                    if len(args) == 2 and args[1] is Ellipsis:
+                        return f"tuple[{self._pretty_type(args[0])}, ...]"
+                    return f"tuple[{', '.join(self._pretty_type(a) for a in args)}]"
+                if origin is Annotated and args:
+                    return f"Annotated[{self._pretty_type(args[0])}, ...]"
+            if isinstance(origin, type):
+                return origin.__name__
+            return str(t)
+        except Exception:
+            return repr(t)
+
 
 class AnnotationWalker:
     DEFAULT_ALLOWED_TYPES = frozenset({str, int, float, complex, bool, bytes, NoneType})
@@ -235,7 +734,7 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
             "Dict": Dict,
             "Tuple": Tuple,
             "Set": Set,
-            "FrozenSet": FrozenSet,
+            # "FrozenSet": FrozenSet,
             "Annotated": Annotated,
             # builtins:
             "int": int,
@@ -248,7 +747,7 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
             "list": list,
             "dict": dict,
             "set": set,
-            "frozenset": frozenset,
+            # "frozenset": frozenset,
             "tuple": tuple,
         }
     )
@@ -285,9 +784,12 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
             self.__ann = eval(ann, {"__builtins__": {}}, self._allowed_annotations)
 
     def run(self) -> TriggerResult:
-        for trigger in self._triggers:
-            trigger.init_trigger()
-        return self._walk(self.__ann, None)
+        for t in self._triggers:
+            t.init_trigger()
+        self.root_ctx = None
+        self._walk(self.__ann, None)
+        for t in self._triggers:
+            t.end_trigger(self.root_ctx)
 
     # --- Helpers ---
 
@@ -296,8 +798,8 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
 
     def _apply_triggers(self, method: str, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> TriggerResult:
         final = TriggerResult.passthrough()
-        for trig in self._triggers:
-            res = getattr(trig, method)(ctx)
+        for t in self._triggers:
+            res = getattr(t, method)(ctx)
             if not res:
                 continue
             if res.restart_with is not None:
@@ -311,33 +813,55 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
                 )
         return final
 
+    def _apply_exits(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx) -> Any | None:
+        """
+        Run exits in order: type-specific (if implemented) then generic `process_exit`.
+        Only `replace_with` is honored at exit; last `replace_with` wins.
+        """
+        final = None
+        for t in self._triggers:
+            res = t.process_exit(ctx)
+            if res and (res.replace_with is not None):
+                final = res.replace_with
+        return final
+
     def _handle_with_triggers(
         self,
         trigger_name: str,
         ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx,
         args_handler: Callable[[AnnotationWalkerCtx], Any] | None = None,
     ) -> Any:
-        """Generic handler: run triggers, maybe recurse into args with a custom handler."""
+        # ENTER
         res = self._apply_triggers(trigger_name, ctx)
         if res.restart_with is not None:
             return self._walk(res.restart_with, ctx.parent)
         if res.replace_with is not None:
-            return res.replace_with
+            exit_val = self._apply_exits(ctx)
+            return exit_val if exit_val is not None else res.replace_with
+
+        node_value = None
         if not res.skip_children:
             if args_handler:
-                return args_handler(ctx)
-            return tuple(self._walk(a, ctx) for a in ctx.args)
-        return None
+                node_value = args_handler(ctx)
+            else:
+                # DEFAULT: descend once per schema arg; mark as positional arg
+                node_value = tuple(self._walk_child(a, ctx, arg_index=i, role="arg", token=i) for i, a in enumerate(ctx.args))
+
+        # EXIT
+        exit_val = self._apply_exits(ctx)
+        return exit_val if exit_val is not None else node_value
 
     def _walk_args_tuple(self, ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx):
-        # special Ellipsis case for Tuple
+        # Tuple[T, ...] (variadic): one schema child, mark role='elem'
         if len(ctx.args) == 2 and ctx.args[1] is Ellipsis:
-            return (self._walk(ctx.args[0], ctx), Ellipsis)
-        return tuple(self._walk(a, ctx) for a in ctx.args)
+            return (self._walk_child(ctx.args[0], ctx, arg_index=0, role="elem", token=None), Ellipsis)
+        # Fixed tuple: each positional arg gets role='arg'
+        return tuple(self._walk_child(a, ctx, arg_index=i, role="arg", token=i) for i, a in enumerate(ctx.args))
 
     # --- Dispatcher ---
 
     def _walk(self, type_: Any, parent_ctx: Optional[AnnotationWalkerCtx]) -> Any:
+        # For logs only: show the calling layer
         print(f"[{parent_ctx.layer if parent_ctx else 0}] walking through: {type_}")
 
         origin = get_origin(type_) or type_
@@ -349,31 +873,102 @@ class AnnotationWalker:
             raise RuntimeError("Annotation must be using type(s), not instances")
 
         args = get_args(type_)
+
+        # IMPORTANT:
+        # If caller (_walk_child) already constructed a child ctx with edge metadata,
+        # reuse that object as *the* ctx for this node instead of allocating a new one.
+        if isinstance(parent_ctx, AnnotationWalkerCtx) and parent_ctx.origin is origin and parent_ctx.args == args:
+            ctx = parent_ctx
+        else:
+            # Root or internal calls that didn't prebuild the ctx
             layer = 0 if parent_ctx is None else parent_ctx.layer + 1
             ctx = self._new_ctx(origin, args, layer, parent_ctx)
 
+        # Remember root ctx for end_trigger()
+        if ctx.parent is None:
+            self.root_ctx = ctx
+
         print(origin)
         match origin:
             case typing.Annotated:
+                # inner type gets role='annotated'
                 return self._handle_with_triggers(
-                    "process_annotated", ctx, args_handler=lambda c: self._walk(c.args[0], c) if c.args else None
+                    "process_annotated",
+                    ctx,
+                    args_handler=lambda c: self._walk_child(c.args[0], c, arg_index=0, role="annotated", token=None) if c.args else None,
                 )
+
             case types.UnionType:
-                return self._handle_with_triggers("process_union", ctx)
+                # branches get role='branch' and token=branch index
+                return self._handle_with_triggers(
+                    "process_union",
+                    ctx,
+                    args_handler=lambda c: tuple(self._walk_child(a, c, arg_index=i, role="branch", token=i) for i, a in enumerate(c.args)),
+                )
+
             case _ if issubclass(origin, dict):
-                return self._handle_with_triggers("process_dict", ctx)
+                # arg0=key (role='key'), arg1=value (role='val')
+                return self._handle_with_triggers(
+                    "process_dict",
+                    ctx,
+                    args_handler=lambda c: (
+                        self._walk_child(c.args[0], c, arg_index=0, role="key", token=None),
+                        self._walk_child(c.args[1], c, arg_index=1, role="val", token=None),
+                    ),
+                )
+
             case _ if issubclass(origin, tuple):
                 return self._handle_with_triggers("process_tuple", ctx, self._walk_args_tuple)
+
             case _ if issubclass(origin, list):
-                return self._handle_with_triggers("process_list", ctx)
+                # single child T with role='elem'
+                return self._handle_with_triggers(
+                    "process_list",
+                    ctx,
+                    args_handler=lambda c: self._walk_child(c.args[0], c, arg_index=0, role="elem", token=None) if c.args else None,
+                )
+
             case _ if issubclass(origin, set):
-                return self._handle_with_triggers("process_set", ctx)
+                # single child T with role='elem'
+                return self._handle_with_triggers(
+                    "process_set",
+                    ctx,
+                    args_handler=lambda c: self._walk_child(c.args[0], c, arg_index=0, role="elem", token=None) if c.args else None,
+                )
+
             case _ if origin in self._allowed_types:
                 return self._handle_with_triggers("process_allowed", ctx)
+
             case _:
                 res = self._apply_triggers("process_unknown", ctx)
                 if res.restart_with is not None:
                     return self._walk(res.restart_with, ctx.parent)
                 if res.replace_with is not None:
                     return res.replace_with
-                raise UnsupportedFieldType(f"Not supported Field: {ctx.origin}, " f"Supported list: {self._allowed_types}")
+                raise UnsupportedFieldType(f"Not supported Field: {ctx.origin}, Supported list: {self._allowed_types}")
+
+    def _walk_child(
+        self,
+        type_expr: Any,
+        parent_ctx: AnnotationWalkerCtx,
+        *,
+        arg_index: int,
+        role: str | None,
+        token: Any | None,
+    ) -> Any:
+        origin = get_origin(type_expr) or type_expr
+        if origin is None:
+            origin = NoneType
+        if origin is Union:
+            origin = UnionType
+        if not isinstance(origin, type):
+            raise RuntimeError("Annotation must be using type(s), not instances")
+
+        args = get_args(type_expr)
+        child = self._new_ctx(origin, args, parent_ctx.layer + 1, parent_ctx)
+        # stamp routing metadata for triggers
+        child._set_edge(role=role, token=token, arg_index=arg_index)
+
+        # IMPORTANT: recurse with the CHILD as the parent_ctx for the next step,
+        # so the walker uses this child ctx (with edge metadata & incremented layer).
+        return self._walk(type_expr, child)

test/test_AnnotationTool.py

@@ -22,11 +22,18 @@ testdir_path = Path(__file__).parent.resolve()
 chdir(testdir_path.parent.resolve())
 
 
-class ElementTest(unittest.TestCase):
+class AnnotationsWalkerTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         print("\n->", unittest.TestCase.id(self))
 
-    def test_element_simple(self):
+    def test_validate(self):
+        ann = dict[int, list[int]] | dict[int, list[int | str]]
+        val = {1: [2], 2: ["a", [1]]}
+
+        res = dm.tools.AnnotationWalker(ann, (dm.tools.HorizontalValidationTrigger(val),))
+        res.run()
+
+    def test_simple(self):
         print(isinstance(None, type(None)))
         print("\n== From OBJs ==")
         res = dm.tools.AnnotationWalker(Annotated[Optional[dict[int, list[str]]], "comment"], (dm.tools.LAMSchemaValidation(),))