history

Electrochemistry source-field validation boundary

id: LK-20260716-electrochem-source-field-validation
date: 2026-07-16
sequence: 118
type: fix
compatibility: compatible
component: `labkit_ChronoOverlay_app` | `1.4.5 -> 1.4.6`
component: `labkit_CIC_app` | `1.4.5 -> 1.4.6`
component: `labkit_CSC_app` | `1.4.5 -> 1.4.6`
component: `labkit_EIS_app` | `1.4.5 -> 1.4.6`
component: `labkit_VTResistance_app` | `1.4.5 -> 1.4.6`
scope: electrochemistry project schemas
scope: malformed project rejection

Context

Runtime owns the format of a portable source record but intentionally allows a project whose inputs bucket has no sources field. Static and embedded-data Apps may not use external sources. The first electrochemistry validator reduction correctly removed record-format duplication but also stopped declaring that these five file-backed Apps require a source collection.

Decision and rationale

Keep field presence with the App schema and record shape with Runtime. This is the narrow ownership split: the App decides whether sources are required; Runtime decides what every supplied source record means.

Changes

• Restored the inputs.sources presence requirement in all five electrochemistry project validators.
• Added a GUI-free unit contract that accepts each default project and rejects the same project after its App-required source collection is removed.
• Kept canonical bucket and source-record field validation out of the Apps.

User and data impact

Valid projects are unchanged. A malformed electrochemistry project missing its entire source collection is rejected by the App validator before session reconstruction instead of failing later while decoded data are rebuilt.

Compatibility and migration

No saved format changed and no migration is required. Every project created or saved by these Apps already contains inputs.sources.

Validation

The focused project-spec test covers all five accepted defaults and all five missing-source rejection cases. The Runtime project and electrochemistry GUI tests continue to cover canonical record validation and working file flows.

Evidence

• Runtime and Lifecycle separates framework-owned record shape from App-owned fields and roles.
• The Electrochemistry App manuals identify the required App source collection.

Known limitations and follow-up

The same distinction must be applied explicitly while reducing validators in other App families; a generic source format does not imply that every App has the same required source fields or roles.