codex_truenas_helper/docs/n8n-thesis-builder-checkpoint-20260104.md

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