From 0a81be84f631d8e997f241d397cb9965eb1a8c1b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Eric Rakestraw <eric@rakestraw.us>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2026 15:56:25 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Format declaration paths only for issues

---
 command.go                     | 7 +++++--
 docs/roadmap/audit/catalog.md  | 5 ++++-
 docs/roadmap/implementation.md | 7 ++++++-
 3 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index cf39ff6..d48f009 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -453,8 +453,11 @@ func collectDeclarationIssues(command Command, parents []string, root bool, issu
 		return
 	}
 	record := command.record
-	path := append(append([]string(nil), parents...), record.name)
-	label := commandpath.FromTokens(path).String()
+	path := append(parents, record.name)
+	var label string
+	if len(record.issues) > 0 || (record.rootOnly && !root) {
+		label = commandpath.Path(path).String()
+	}
 	for _, issue := range record.issues {
 		if label != "" {
 			*issues = append(*issues, fmt.Errorf("command %q: %w", label, issue))
diff --git a/docs/roadmap/audit/catalog.md b/docs/roadmap/audit/catalog.md
index d3c35de..0bbb73d 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/audit/catalog.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/audit/catalog.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Consolidated audit catalog
 
-Status: **9 distinct open findings: 9 P3**, consolidated from 30
+Status: **8 distinct open findings: 8 P3**, consolidated from 30
 numbered entries in seven audit documents. Reviewed audit state:
 `db732e3a1de55c844f77870e1c6db683c2685d5d`.
 
@@ -479,6 +479,9 @@ Also discussed in the [responsibility assessment](A1-responsibility.md#machinery
 
 ## F22 — P3: Successful declaration validation eagerly formats every full path
 
+**Complete.** The walk reuses a scratch path and formats it only for retained
+issues or root-only placement errors. Focused declaration and registry tests pass.
+
 `collectDeclarationIssues` copies and formats each ancestral path before knowing
 whether a diagnostic is needed. A valid depth-N declaration chain incurs Θ(N²)
 cumulative path work and allocation while producing no errors.
diff --git a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
index a2d6ba6..52dc1aa 100644
--- a/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
+++ b/docs/roadmap/implementation.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Audit remediation implementation plan
 
-Status: in progress; Stages 1–16 complete.
+Status: in progress; Stages 1–17 complete.
 
 Baseline: `d492c7747175c01a53261206c2b4356e53453621`. Before this sprint,
 intervening changes recorded decisions and retired the completed older
@@ -563,6 +563,11 @@ Neither finding closes merely because the new tree methods exist.
 
 ## Stage 17 — Format declaration paths only for diagnostics
 
+**Complete.** Declaration traversal uses the recursive scratch path and formats
+labels only for emitted issues. Focused declaration, registry and retained-error
+tests pass offline with Go 1.27.0 and `-mod=readonly`; source review confirms
+valid paths are not eagerly copied and formatted during this walk.
+
 Findings: F22. Source: `command.go` collectDeclarationIssues.
 
 1. Traverse with one scratch append/truncate path. Construct an owned formatted