modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/ownnode.go

@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"slices"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	stdio "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go"
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/catalogue"
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ func (v *Vault) credentialRefusal(node string, c CredentialAsked, plan *planRead
 		}
 		// The consuming module stands on the machine: read from the placement and the assignments, never assumed (one
 		// that cannot be read refuses). The assignments' mirror can be behind, so one it does not hold is confirmed directly.
-		placed, err := v.placedOn(node, c.ConsumerModule)
+		placed, err := plan.placedOn(c.ConsumerModule)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Sprintf(notYetPrefix+"where %s stands could not be read: %v", c.ConsumerModule, err)
 		}
@@ -122,13 +124,19 @@ func (v *Vault) credentialRefusal(node string, c CredentialAsked, plan *planRead
 }
 
 // planReader reads the assignments of one machine's modules for one answer of `own`, each module's once (issue 1126,
-// 2026-10-28: one read per own secret and per credential, 203 on novox, held the answer past the node-engine's bound).
+// 2026-10-28: one read per own secret and per credential, 203 on novox, held the answer past the node-engine's bound),
+// and the machine's placement once (issue 774, 2026-10-31: read once per credential, 143 bus reads in one answer to ace).
 type planReader struct {
 	node    string
 	reader  AssignmentReader
 	confirm AssignmentReader
 	why     string
 	got     map[string]planRead
+	// placement reads the machine's placed modules; placed and placedErr keep the one read for the answer.
+	placement  func() ([]string, error)
+	placedRead bool
+	placed     []string
+	placedErr  error
 }
 
 type planRead struct {
@@ -142,7 +150,17 @@ func (v *Vault) plansOf(node string) *planReader {
 	if d, ok := v.Askers.(Declared); ok && d.Confirm != nil {
 		confirm = standing(d.Confirm)
 	}
-	return &planReader{node: node, confirm: confirm, reader: read, why: why, got: map[string]planRead{}}
+	return &planReader{node: node, confirm: confirm, reader: read, why: why, got: map[string]planRead{},
+		placement: func() ([]string, error) { return v.placedModules(node) }}
+}
+
+// placedOn says module is placed on the machine by the catalogue, from the machine's placement read once for the answer.
+func (p *planReader) placedOn(module string) (bool, error) {
+	if !p.placedRead {
+		p.placed, p.placedErr = p.placement()
+		p.placedRead = true
+	}
+	return slices.Contains(p.placed, module), p.placedErr
 }
 
 // read is module's assignment on the machine, nil when there is none, or why the vault reads none.
@@ -222,7 +240,22 @@ func composeOrigin(origin string) string {
 }
 
 // OwnOfNode answers the node-engine of a machine the own secrets of its modules, each sealed to the machine's stated key.
+// Every answer says how long it took, and a refusal is said too (issue 774, 2026-10-31: ace's asks went unanswered past
+// the node-engine's 15 s and the vault's journal named none of them, so whether they arrived could not be told).
 func (v *Vault) OwnOfNode(caller string, asked ...CredentialAsked) (OwnAnswer, error) {
+	began := v.Now()
+	a, err := v.ownOfNode(caller, asked...)
+	took := v.Now().Sub(began).Round(time.Millisecond)
+	if err != nil {
+		v.log("own for %s, %d credentials asked, refused after %s: %v", caller, len(asked), took, err)
+		return a, err
+	}
+	v.log("handed %s's node-engine the %d own secrets of its modules and %d credentials (%d not held), sealed to its key, in %s",
+		a.Node, len(a.Own), len(a.Credentials), len(a.Missing), took)
+	return a, nil
+}
+
+func (v *Vault) ownOfNode(caller string, asked ...CredentialAsked) (OwnAnswer, error) {
 	node, ok := nodeEngineOf(caller)
 	if !ok {
 		if caller == "" || caller == stdio.Unproven {
@@ -328,8 +361,6 @@ func (v *Vault) OwnOfNode(caller string, asked ...CredentialAsked) (OwnAnswer, e
 		return OwnAnswer{}, fmt.Errorf("nothing is handed out to %s: who was handed its %d values could not be recorded: %w",
 			caller, len(handings), err)
 	}
-	v.log("handed %s's node-engine the %d own secrets of its modules and %d credentials (%d not held), sealed to its key",
-		node, len(out.Own), len(out.Credentials), len(out.Missing))
 	return out, nil
 }
 

modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/ownnode_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -143,6 +144,11 @@ func TestOwnReadsEachAssignmentOnceAndSyncsItsRecordOnce(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	}
+	// Issue 774, 2026-10-31 (ace's 143 credentials went unanswered past the node-engine's 15 s while novox's asked every
+	// 8 s): the machine's placement, one key, is read once per answer too, never once per credential.
+	placed := placementsOf(t, map[string][]string{"anchor": {"web"}})
+	placementReads := 0
+	v.Placement = PlacementReader{Keys: placed.Keys, Read: func(key string) ([]byte, error) { placementReads++; return placed.Read(key) }}
 	for k := range reads {
 		delete(reads, k)
 	}
@@ -161,6 +167,10 @@ func TestOwnReadsEachAssignmentOnceAndSyncsItsRecordOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(reads) != 2 {
 		t.Errorf("the answer read %v, want each of anchor's two modules once", reads)
 	}
+	if placementReads != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("one answer of two credentials read anchor's placement %d times, want once", placementReads)
+	}
+	v.Placement = PlacementReader{}
 	if n := v.Store.syncs - syncs; n != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("one answer synced the record %d times", n)
 	}
@@ -182,9 +192,15 @@ func TestOwnReadsEachAssignmentOnceAndSyncsItsRecordOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(v.dir, "store", "handed.jsonl"), 0o700); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+	// And the refusal is said in the vault's journal with how long it took, as every answer is.
+	var said []string
+	v.Log = func(format string, args ...any) { said = append(said, fmt.Sprintf(format, args...)) }
 	if a, err := v.OwnOfNode("node.anchor"); err == nil {
 		t.Errorf("handed with no record of it: %+v", a)
 	}
+	if last := strings.Join(said, "\n"); !strings.Contains(last, "own for node.anchor, 0 credentials asked, refused after ") {
+		t.Errorf("a refused own was said as %q", last)
+	}
 }
 
 func mustHanded(t *testing.T, v testVault) []Handing {

modules/mesh-vault/cmd/mesh-vault/placed.go

@@ -58,22 +58,29 @@ func (v *Vault) placements() (map[string]delivery.Placement, error) {
 
 // placedOn says module is placed on node by the catalogue.
 func (v *Vault) placedOn(node, module string) (bool, error) {
+	placed, err := v.placedModules(node)
+	return slices.Contains(placed, module), err
+}
+
+// placedModules is every module the catalogue places on node, read from the node's one key of the placement; none when
+// the vault reads no placement or the node has no key.
+func (v *Vault) placedModules(node string) ([]string, error) {
 	if v.Placement.Read == nil {
-		return false, nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	key, err := delivery.PlacementKey(node)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	raw, err := v.Placement.Read(key)
 	if err != nil || raw == nil {
-		return false, err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	p, err := delivery.DecodePlacement(raw)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("the placement of %s is not readable: %w", node, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the placement of %s is not readable: %w", node, err)
 	}
-	return slices.Contains(p.Assigned(), module), nil
+	return p.Assigned(), nil
 }
 
 // standsOn says module stands on node: placed there, or assigned there while the assignments stand. A read that fails is