# n8n Thesis Builder Debug Checkpoint (2026-01-04)

## Summary
- Workflow: `Options recommendation Engine Core LOCAL v2` (id `Nupt4vBG82JKFoGc`).
- Primary issue: `AI - Thesis Builder` returns garbled output even when workflow succeeds.
- Confirmed execution with garbled output: execution `7890` (status `success`).

## What changed in the workflow
Only this workflow was modified:
- `Code in JavaScript9` now pulls `symbol` from `Code7` (trigger) instead of AI output.
- `HTTP Request13` query forced to the stock symbol to avoid NewsAPI query-length errors.
- `Trim Thesis Data` node inserted between `Aggregate2` -> `AI - Thesis Builder`.
- `AI - Thesis Builder` prompt simplified to only: symbol, price, news, technicals.
- `Code10` now caps news items and string length.

## Last successful run details (execution 7890)
- `AI - Thesis Builder` output is garbled (example `symbol` and `thesis` fields full of junk tokens).
- `AI - Technicals Auditor` output looks valid JSON (see sample below).
- `Aggregate2` payload size ~6.7KB; `news` ~859 chars; `tech` ~1231 chars; `thesis_prompt` ~4448 chars.
- Garbling persists despite trimming input size; likely model/wrapper settings or response format handling.

### Sample `AI - Thesis Builder` output (garbled)
- symbol: `6097ig5ear18etymac3ofy4ppystugamp2llcashackicset0ovagates-hstt.20t*6fthm--offate9noptooth(2ccods+5ing, or 7ACYntat?9ur);8ot1ut`
- thesis: (junk tokens, mostly non-words)
- confidence: `0`

### Sample `AI - Technicals Auditor` output (valid JSON)
```
{
  "output": {
    "timeframes": [
      { "interval": "1m", "valid": true, "features": { "trend": "BEARISH" } },
      { "interval": "5m", "valid": true, "features": { "trend": "BEARISH" } },
      { "interval": "15m", "valid": true, "features": { "trend": "BEARISH" } },
      { "interval": "1h", "valid": true, "features": { "trend": "BULLISH" } }
    ],
    "optionsRegime": { "priceRegime": "TRENDING", "volRegime": "EXPANDING", "nearTermSensitivity": "HIGH" },
    "dataQualityScore": 0.5,
    "error": "INSUFFICIENT_DATA"
  }
}
```

## Open issues
- Thesis Builder garbling persists even with small prompt; likely model/wrapper output issue.
- Need to confirm whether llama.cpp wrapper is corrupting output or model is misconfigured for JSON-only output.

## Useful commands
- Last runs:
  `SELECT id, status, finished, "startedAt" FROM execution_entity WHERE "workflowId"='Nupt4vBG82JKFoGc' ORDER BY "startedAt" DESC LIMIT 5;`
- Export workflow:
  `sudo docker exec ix-n8n-n8n-1 n8n export:workflow --id Nupt4vBG82JKFoGc --output /tmp/n8n_local_v2.json`