modules/mesh-grants/cmd/mesh-grants/main.go

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
 	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go/jetstream"
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, getenv func(string) string, logOut io.Writer) erro
 	// followed on the owners' views families, which the hearing below hands them.
 	sayCond := sayVia(ctx, js, account.Module)
 	fv := grants.NewViews(func(tool string) func(context.Context, string) (views.Answer, error) {
-		return views.AskVia(grants.Unwrapped(conn.Call), tool)
+		return grants.TimedAsk(tool, views.AskVia(grants.Unwrapped(conn.Call), tool), time.Now, logger.Printf)
 	}, sayCond, f.Wake, logger.Printf)
 	fv.Rest, fv.Watching = bus, bus
 	byState := map[string]*views.Follower{}

modules/mesh-grants/grants_test.go

@@ -801,6 +801,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		for _, s := range b.streams {
 			if s["name"] == "OBJ_mesh-knowledge_sections" {
 				s["bytes"] = int64(3500 << 20)
@@ -1664,6 +1665,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 
 		var said []oc.Condition
 		p.Say = func(c oc.Condition) error { said = append(said, c); return nil }
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		// settled is the assignments of the lists agreeing, every hash held, and the loaded list as edit leaves it.
 		settled := func(edit func(modX *grants.User)) func() {
 			return func() {
@@ -1768,6 +1770,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		fp.Say = channelTakes(t, fp.Say)
 		fp.Compose()
 		if len(fresh) == 0 || fresh[0].Key != grants.HeldCondition || fresh[0].State != occ.StateCleared {
 			t.Errorf("a fresh part's first pass does not say the held warning is cleared: %+v", fresh)
@@ -2442,6 +2445,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		// With no lease key (1126/A1).
 		// The private network the mesh provides is placed with no fingerprint by construction: never a missing grant.
 		b.assign("b", "mesh-wireguard")
@@ -2636,6 +2640,14 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 				b.put(grants.ReadHave, "b.mod-y", runs)
 				b.put(grants.ReadHave, "a.mesh-delivery-indexer", runs)
 			}, ""},
+			// The wants view unanswered, the assignments answered (issue 1966, the list held from 2026-11-08 16:39): what runs
+			// comes from the haves, the wants are no failed read, and the pass only adds.
+			{"the wants view unanswered", func(b *fakeBus, p *grants.Part) {
+				b.refused[grants.ReadWants] = true
+				if in := grants.ReadInputs(b, &grants.Manifests{}); in.WantsUnread == "" || len(in.ReadFailed()) != 0 {
+					t.Errorf("an unanswered wants view is a failed read, or composes no fallback: %q, %v", in.WantsUnread, in.ReadFailed())
+				}
+			}, ""},
 			// The ledger of a held module stays with its module's users, whatever the seat list (held.go).
 			{"the ledger of a module whose manifest is refused", func(b *fakeBus, p *grants.Part) {
 				b.refuse("mod-x", ledgerX, "it is held")
@@ -3074,6 +3086,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			sayMu.Unlock()
 			return nil
 		}
+		say = channelTakes(t, say)
 		fv := grants.NewViews(owner, say, func() {}, nil)
 		fv.Rest = b
 		var minutes atomic.Int64
@@ -3467,6 +3480,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		made["max_deliver"] = 9
 		res = p.Compose()
 		if len(res.Consumers.Differ) != 1 || !strings.Contains(res.Consumers.Differ[0], "EVENTS.b_mod-c: max deliver 9") ||
@@ -3538,6 +3552,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 		p.Objects = &fakeObjects{}
 		var said []oc.Condition
 		p.Say = func(c oc.Condition) error { said = append(said, c); return nil }
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		p.Compose()
 		inForce, _, _ := p.Sealed()
 		if inForce.Digest == "" {
@@ -3708,6 +3723,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		p.Compose()
 		inForce, _, _ := p.Sealed()
 		if inForce.Digest == "" {
@@ -3793,6 +3809,7 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			return nil
 		}
+		p.Say = channelTakes(t, p.Say)
 		p.Compose()
 		inForce, _, _ := p.Sealed()
 		before, _, ok, _ := b.ownGet(grants.StateUserList, grants.SealedUserKey(inForce.Digest, "b.mod-r.mod-r-tools"))
@@ -3888,6 +3905,28 @@ func TestGrants(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("the kept tool runner was not said: %+v", last)
 		}
 	})
+
+	// Each first view's page says in the log how long it took (issue 1966: the wants page outgrew the call's bound unseen).
+	t.Run("a first view's page says how long it took", func(t *testing.T) {
+		at := time.Date(2026, 11, 8, 22, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+		now := func() time.Time { at = at.Add(1500 * time.Millisecond); return at }
+		for _, row := range []struct {
+			name string
+			err  error
+			want string
+		}{
+			{"answered", nil, `the first view mesh-delivery-assigner.wants, the page after "", took 1.5s: 2 keys at revision 9, next ""`},
+			{"failed", errors.New("context deadline exceeded"), `the first view mesh-delivery-assigner.wants, the page after "", failed after 1.5s: context deadline exceeded`},
+		} {
+			var lines []string
+			ask := grants.TimedAsk(grants.ReadWants, func(context.Context, string) (views.Answer, error) {
+				return views.Answer{Revision: 9, Values: map[string]json.RawMessage{"a": nil, "b": nil}}, row.err
+			}, now, func(f string, a ...any) { lines = append(lines, fmt.Sprintf(f, a...)) })
+			if _, err := ask(context.Background(), ""); !errors.Is(err, row.err) || len(lines) != 1 || !strings.Contains(lines[0], row.want) {
+				t.Errorf("%s: said %q (%v), want %q", row.name, lines, err, row.want)
+			}
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 // fakeObjects is the part's object bucket of sealed lists.
@@ -4084,3 +4123,15 @@ func TestPassComposesMembershipFromTheHaveBuild(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 }
+
+// channelTakes is say, after the operator-channel's own check of each condition: one the channel would refuse (its
+// explanation not opening with "Needs you: " and what it needs) fails the test, since the operator would never see it.
+func channelTakes(t *testing.T, say func(oc.Condition) error) func(oc.Condition) error {
+	t.Helper()
+	return func(c oc.Condition) error {
+		if _, err := occ.EncodeCondition(c); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("the channel refuses the condition %s: %v", c.Key, err)
+		}
+		return say(c)
+	}
+}

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/consumers.go

@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ func (p *Part) sayDiffer(st *ConsumersState) {
 	} else {
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
 		c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%d durable consumers differ from their composed configuration", len(st.Differ))
-		c.Headline, c.Needs = "A module's consumer is not as composed", "a look, and grants_consumer_match for each"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a look. The bus holds these consumers otherwise than the bus composer composes them, " +
-			"and the grants part never changes a held one by itself (its delivery position would be lost): " + why
+		c.Headline = "A module's consumer is not as composed"
+		needsYou(&c, "a look, and grants_consumer_match for each", "The bus holds these consumers otherwise than the bus composer "+
+			"composes them, and the grants part never changes a held one by itself (its delivery position would be lost): "+why)
 		c.Resolved = "every account consumer matches, by grants_consumer_match or otherwise"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {
@@ -321,9 +321,9 @@ func (p *Part) sayBehind(st *ConsumersState) {
 	} else {
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
 		c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%d durable consumers are more than %d messages behind their stream's head", len(st.Behind), BehindBound)
-		c.Headline, c.Needs = "Messages pile up for a listener", "a look at the module that reads them"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a look. These consumers stayed far behind their stream's head at two passes " +
-			"running, so what is sent to their modules waits unread (how far each is, in the grants part's last pass): " + why
+		c.Headline = "Messages pile up for a listener"
+		needsYou(&c, "a look at the module that reads them", "These consumers stayed far behind their stream's head at two passes "+
+			"running, so what is sent to their modules waits unread (how far each is, in the grants part's last pass): "+why)
 		c.Resolved = "every account consumer is back within the bound"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/firstviews.go

@@ -354,9 +354,9 @@ func unansweredCondition(fv FirstView, s views.Status, raised bool) oc.Condition
 	c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("the grants part has no first view of %s's %s: %s has not answered since %s (%s)", fv.Owner, fv.State,
 		fv.Tool, s.Asked.Format(time.RFC3339), strings.TrimSpace(s.Error))
 	c.Headline = "The grants part waits for " + fv.Owner
-	c.Explanation = "The grants part reads " + fv.Owner + "'s " + fv.State + " only through " + fv.Tool + ", and keeps asking it; " +
-		"it never reads the state itself, and keeps what it composed meanwhile (novox/hq ADR 0615 §6). The answer clears this."
-	c.Needs = "a look at " + fv.Owner + "'s runtime of its own: is it running and connected?"
+	needsYou(&c, "a look at "+fv.Owner+"'s runtime of its own: is it running and connected?", "The grants part reads "+fv.Owner+
+		"'s "+fv.State+" only through "+fv.Tool+", and keeps asking it; it never reads the state itself, and keeps what it "+
+		"composed meanwhile (novox/hq ADR 0615 §6). The answer clears this.")
 	return c
 }
 
@@ -376,10 +376,10 @@ func emptyCondition(fv FirstView, raised bool) oc.Condition {
 	c.State, c.Severity = occ.StateRaised, occ.SeverityWarning
 	c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%s answered %s's %s empty at revision 0, so the grants part keeps the user list in force", fv.Tool, fv.Owner, fv.State)
 	c.Headline = fv.Owner + "'s " + fv.State + " is empty"
-	c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a step. The owner holds nothing of " + fv.State + " (its state rebuilt by a recreate that could " +
-		"not keep the data, or a fresh mesh), so the grants part drops no login and keeps what it holds; a login revoked meanwhile " +
-		"stays until the owner's first change (novox/hq design 25 § 12.2)."
-	c.Needs = "let the owner write its state again from its sources (" + step + "), then grants_first_view_again"
+	needsYou(&c, "let the owner write its state again from its sources ("+step+"), then grants_first_view_again", "The owner holds "+
+		"nothing of "+fv.State+" (its state rebuilt by a recreate that could not keep the data, or a fresh mesh), so the grants "+
+		"part drops no login and keeps what it holds; a login revoked meanwhile stays until the owner's first change "+
+		"(novox/hq design 25 § 12.2).")
 	return c
 }
 
@@ -479,6 +479,26 @@ func (p *Part) AskFirstViewAgain(caller, state, why string, record func(what, wh
 		"says": "the part's process asks it once more at this ask; grants_first_views shows its answer"}, nil
 }
 
+// TimedAsk is ask, saying in the log how long each page took and how many keys it brought, or after how long it failed:
+// a first view that never answers (issue 1966: the wants page outgrew the call's bound) shows how far from its bound it is.
+func TimedAsk(tool string, ask func(context.Context, string) (views.Answer, error), now func() time.Time,
+	logf func(string, ...any)) func(context.Context, string) (views.Answer, error) {
+	return func(ctx context.Context, after string) (views.Answer, error) {
+		start := now()
+		a, err := ask(ctx, after)
+		took := now().Sub(start).Round(time.Millisecond)
+		switch {
+		case logf == nil:
+		case err != nil:
+			logf("[mesh-grants] the first view %s, the page after %q, failed after %s: %v", tool, after, took, err)
+		default:
+			logf("[mesh-grants] the first view %s, the page after %q, took %s: %d keys at revision %d, next %q", tool, after, took,
+				len(a.Values), a.Revision, a.Next)
+		}
+		return a, err
+	}
+}
+
 // Unwrapped is a call whose answer is read as the tool's own text where the runtime wraps it as content (unwrap), as
 // a first view's answer is decoded (views.AskVia).
 func Unwrapped(call func(key string, body any) (json.RawMessage, error)) func(key string, body any) (json.RawMessage, error) {

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/grants.go

@@ -339,9 +339,9 @@ func (p *Part) sayMissing(missing []string) {
 	} else {
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
 		c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%d placed module(s) have no grant, so no want can name them", len(missing))
-		c.Headline, c.Needs = "A placed module has no bus grant", "a look at why each has none"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a look. The grants part wrote no grant for these modules, so the assigner's " +
-			"credential rule gives them no want: " + why
+		c.Headline = "A placed module has no bus grant"
+		needsYou(&c, "a look at why each has none", "The grants part wrote no grant for these modules, so the assigner's "+
+			"credential rule gives them no want: "+why)
 		c.Resolved = "every placed module has a grant at the fingerprint the indexer names"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/held.go

@@ -143,9 +143,10 @@ func (p *Part) sayHeldModules(held map[string]string, kept map[string]User) {
 	} else {
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
 		c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%d bus user(s) of a module whose manifest is held are kept in the list: %s", len(users), why)
-		c.Headline, c.Needs = "A module's manifest is held, its bus users are kept", "a manifest the indexer accepts, or a judge that knows its fields"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a manifest the indexer accepts (a refused one mended, or a waiting one judged by an indexer that knows its fields). " +
-			"The rest of the user list is written as ever; a held module's users stay as the list in force holds them: " + why
+		c.Headline = "A module's manifest is held, its bus users are kept"
+		needsYou(&c, "a manifest the indexer accepts, or a judge that knows its fields", "A refused one mended, or a waiting one "+
+			"judged by an indexer that knows its fields. The rest of the user list is written as ever; a held module's users stay "+
+			"as the list in force holds them: "+why)
 		c.Resolved = "every module's manifest is accepted"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/inputs.go

@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ type Inputs struct {
 	// answering (bootstrap only, issue 1966); empty when the assignments placed them. Such a pass retires nothing
 	// (ReadFailures) and seals no list dropping a user of the list in force (holdsBack).
 	ByHaves string
+	// WantsUnread says why this pass composed what runs from each have's fingerprint, the wants view not answering while
+	// the assignments view did (bootstrap only, issue 1966: a wants page the running assigner cannot answer in a call's
+	// bound); empty when the wants were read. As ByHaves, such a pass retires nothing (ReadFailures) and only adds
+	// (keepsLoaded): the list is held only where it would take a permission from a loaded user (holdsBack).
+	WantsUnread string
 	// Held is, by module, the manifest a held module's running build was judged on (its have's fingerprint, the builder's
 	// build of it): what the seats it defines, the streams others hear from it and its reads are composed from while its
 	// trunk manifest is refused or waits, so no other principal loses a grant to it (ADR 0601 clause 3).
@@ -519,12 +524,20 @@ func ReadInputs(r Reader, cache *Manifests) Inputs {
 	// What each machine is wanted to run: the want's fingerprint, the builder's build of it, the manifest it built.
 	var fromTrunk []string
 	wants := map[string][]byte{}
-	if in.ByHaves == "" {
+	_, wantsErr := r.Keys(ReadWants)
+	switch {
+	case in.ByHaves == "" && wantsErr == nil:
 		wants = each(r, ReadWants, &in.Gaps)
 		// What each machine runs now is its have's build, which the want may already have left (issue 1966): the
 		// memberships keep what either build reads, calls and consumes.
 		runningByHaves(r, &in, cache, in.Had)
-	} else {
+	case in.ByHaves == "":
+		// **Bootstrap only** (issue 1966), as the assignments' placement by the haves: while the wants view does not answer,
+		// what runs is each placed module's have's fingerprint, said as a gap that is no failed read, and the pass only adds.
+		in.WantsUnread = "the wants view did not answer (" + wantsErr.Error() + "), so what runs is composed from each have's fingerprint"
+		in.Gaps = append(in.Gaps, Gap{Input: ReadWants, Why: "refused or absent: what runs is composed from each have's fingerprint instead, until it answers (" + wantsErr.Error() + ")"})
+		fromTrunk = runningByHaves(r, &in, cache, in.Running)
+	default:
 		// Placed by the haves, what runs is what each have's fingerprint names, not a want: the assigner's wants are its
 		// view too, and not read in such a pass.
 		in.Gaps = append(in.Gaps, Gap{Input: ReadWants, Why: "not read: the modules are placed by the node-engines' haves this pass, so what runs is composed from each have's fingerprint"})
@@ -716,6 +729,9 @@ func (in Inputs) ReadFailures() []string {
 	if in.ByHaves != "" {
 		out = append(out, ReadAssignments+": "+in.ByHaves)
 	}
+	if in.WantsUnread != "" {
+		out = append(out, ReadWants+": "+in.WantsUnread)
+	}
 	for _, g := range in.Refused {
 		out = append(out, g.Input+": "+g.Why)
 	}

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/keeploaded.go

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ func (in Inputs) keepsLoaded() string {
 	switch {
 	case in.ByHaves != "":
 		return in.ByHaves
+	case in.WantsUnread != "":
+		return in.WantsUnread
 	case in.SeatListUnread:
 		return "the seat list is unread, so only the bootstrapped seats compose"
 	}

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/needsyou.go

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package grants
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+
+	occ "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/operator-and-conversation/go/clients/operatorchannelclient"
+	oc "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-contracts/operator-and-conversation/go/seats/operatorchannel"
+)
+
+// needsYou sets what a raised condition needs of the operator and its explanation: the channel takes a condition whose
+// explanation opens with "Needs you: " and those very words (operatorchannelclient.EncodeCondition, novox/hq ADR 0253 §1),
+// and refuses any other, so the operator would never see it. rest is the explanation after them.
+func needsYou(c *oc.Condition, needs, rest string) {
+	c.Needs = needs
+	sep := ". "
+	if strings.HasSuffix(needs, "?") || strings.HasSuffix(needs, ".") {
+		sep = " "
+	}
+	c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + needs + sep + rest
+}

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/refused.go

@@ -127,9 +127,10 @@ func (p *Part) sayPrincipalsRefused(refused map[string]string, kept map[string]U
 	} else {
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
 		c.Summary = fmt.Sprintf("%d principal(s) refused their composed grants: %s", len(refused), why)
-		c.Headline, c.Needs = "A principal's bus grants are refused", "a fix of the manifest or the writers table"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a fix of what makes it a second writer. The rest of the user list is written as ever; " +
-			"each refused principal keeps the grants the list in force gives it, or stays out where it holds none: " + why
+		c.Headline = "A principal's bus grants are refused"
+		needsYou(&c, "a fix of the manifest or the writers table, of what makes it a second writer",
+			"The rest of the user list is written as ever; each refused principal keeps the grants the list in force gives it, "+
+				"or stays out where it holds none: "+why)
 		c.Resolved = "every principal's grants compose again"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {

modules/mesh-grants/internal/grants/sealed.go

@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ func (p *Part) sayHeld(why string) {
 	} else {
 		reason := strings.TrimPrefix(why, "held: ")
 		c.Severity, c.State = occ.SeverityWarning, occ.StateRaised
-		c.Summary, c.Headline, c.Needs = "the user list is held: "+reason, "The user list in force is held back", "a look at why"
-		c.Explanation = occ.NeedsYou + "a look at why. The bus node keeps following the list written before, not the one composed now: " + reason
+		c.Summary, c.Headline = "the user list is held: "+reason, "The user list in force is held back"
+		needsYou(&c, "a look at why", "The bus node keeps following the list written before, not the one composed now: "+reason)
 		c.Resolved = "a pass finds nothing to hold back and the list advances"
 	}
 	if p.Say(c) == nil {