feat: FC links a conclusive pair itself instead of asking (4392)

Operator, 2026-09-24: *"I don't want this to be manual that defeats the
convenience that I'm going for."*

Confirm-only was right while every signal was circumstantial. Time proximity
and a body that mentions Discord can never be more than suggestive, so asking
was the honest response to what FC actually knew. A shared working name is
different in kind: when the creator's own name for a piece appears in exactly
these two posts and nowhere else in their library, there is nothing left for
the operator to adjudicate, and asking is a chore FC invented for them.

AUTO_LINK_FLOOR is 1.0 and sits deliberately above IDENTITY_FLOOR's 0.75. The
gap between them IS the review queue — real evidence, not certain enough for
FC to act on alone. Measured on artist 8, of 15 name-sharing pairs: 11 are
conclusive, 2 more propose, 2 fall short of both.

Three refusals, because an auto-link is FC asserting something the operator
never saw:

  * Exactly one candidate may be conclusive. Two is not a tie to be broken by
    score — one post can tease two pieces dropped separately, and then each
    drop carries a different name from the same teaser, each individually
    conclusive. Two conclusive answers to "which drop is this" means the
    question was wrong, so both queue and FC says nothing.
  * Neither end may already be claimed by an accepted link. That link is the
    operator's decision and reassigning its other end would overrule them
    silently.
  * The whole thing is one setting, defaulting on, reversible in the UI —
    an accepted link is a row they can dismiss.

`match_post` now returns (proposed, linked) so a sweep can report what it did
on its own rather than only what it queued.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01LVjrnpQjRgHdvq95rASoiR

tests/test_post_association.py

@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ async def test_a_teaser_and_its_drop_an_hour_apart_are_proposed(db):
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
     )
     await db.commit()
-    assert made == 1
+    assert made == (1, 0)
 
     assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
     assert assoc.announcement_post_id == teaser.id
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ async def test_two_unrelated_posts_the_same_day_are_not_proposed(db):
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
     )
     await db.commit()
-    assert made == 0
+    assert made == (0, 0)
     assert (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalars().all() == []
 
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ async def test_a_drop_outside_the_window_is_not_proposed(db):
 
     assert await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
-    ) == 0
+    ) == (0, 0)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ async def test_another_artists_drop_is_never_proposed(db):
 
     assert await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
-    ) == 0
+    ) == (0, 0)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ async def test_an_artist_with_no_discord_source_produces_nothing_and_no_error(db
 
     assert await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
-    ) == 0
+    ) == (0, 0)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ async def test_a_synthetic_post_cannot_announce_anything(db):
 
     assert await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
         drop_a.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
-    ) == 0
+    ) == (0, 0)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ async def test_a_dismissed_pair_is_never_proposed_again(db):
 
     assert await svc.match_post(
         teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
-    ) == 0
+    ) == (0, 0)
     await db.commit()
     assert len((await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalars().all()) == 1
 
@@ -384,7 +384,9 @@ async def test_the_rescan_is_a_no_op_when_the_switch_is_off(db):
     settings = await ImportSettings.load(db)
     settings.discord_link_enabled = False
     await db.commit()
-    assert await rescan(db) == {"enabled": False, "scanned": 0, "proposed": 0}
+    assert await rescan(db) == {
+        "enabled": False, "scanned": 0, "proposed": 0, "linked": 0,
+    }
 
 
 # --- the identity route ----------------------------------------------------
@@ -422,7 +424,7 @@ async def test_a_shared_working_name_proposes_a_pair_time_cannot_reach(db):
     )
     await db.commit()
 
-    assert made == 1
+    assert made == (1, 0)
     assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
     assert assoc.payload_post_id == drop.id
     assert assoc.signals["identity"] == 1.0
@@ -484,7 +486,7 @@ async def test_a_name_the_creator_reuses_everywhere_links_nothing(db):
     )
     await db.commit()
 
-    assert made == 0
+    assert made == (0, 0)
     assert (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalars().all() == []
 
 
@@ -518,7 +520,7 @@ async def test_a_name_below_the_floor_is_recorded_but_carries_nothing(db):
     )
     await db.commit()
 
-    assert made == 0
+    assert made == (0, 0)
     corpus = await svc._corpus(artist.id)
     assert corpus.token_posts["cnni18x"] == 4, "four posts carry the name"
 
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ async def test_a_marker_the_creator_uses_once_lifts_a_pair_over_the_line(db):
     )
     await db.commit()
 
-    assert made == 1
+    assert made == (1, 0)
     assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
     assert assoc.signals["marker"] == 1.0
 
@@ -582,7 +584,7 @@ async def test_a_marker_the_creator_uses_constantly_lifts_nothing(db):
     )
     await db.commit()
 
-    assert made == 0
+    assert made == (0, 0)
 
 
 def test_the_creators_own_phrasing_counts_as_a_declaration():
@@ -661,3 +663,171 @@ async def test_the_sweep_still_ignores_a_drop_nothing_is_near(db):
 
     assert result["proposed"] == 0
     assert (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalars().all() == []
+
+
+# --- linking without asking ------------------------------------------------
+#
+# Operator, 2026-09-24: "I don't want this to be manual that defeats the
+# convenience that I'm going for." Confirm-only was right while every signal
+# was circumstantial; a name the creator uses on these two posts and nowhere
+# else is different in kind. These pin where that line sits.
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_a_conclusive_name_links_without_asking(db):
+    """A name appearing in exactly these two posts is not strong evidence —
+    within the artist's library it is conclusive, and there is nothing left for
+    the operator to adjudicate. 20 hours apart, with nothing else to go on."""
+    artist, patreon, discord = await _artist_with_channels(db, "autoartist")
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    teaser = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=20),
+        body="a little preview", names=["Frieren1Clean"],
+    )
+    await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now, names=["01_Frieren1Clean"])
+    await db.commit()
+
+    made = await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
+        teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
+        auto_link=True,
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    assert made == (1, 1)
+    assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
+    assert assoc.status == "linked"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_the_same_pair_still_waits_when_the_switch_is_off(db):
+    """The setting is the whole difference; nothing else about the pair
+    changes. Confirm-only has to remain reachable, because "link it yourself"
+    is a change of posture and not everyone wants it."""
+    artist, patreon, discord = await _artist_with_channels(db, "manualartist")
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    teaser = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=20),
+        body="a little preview", names=["Frieren1Clean"],
+    )
+    await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now, names=["01_Frieren1Clean"])
+    await db.commit()
+
+    made = await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
+        teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
+        auto_link=False,
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    assert made == (1, 0)
+    assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
+    assert assoc.status == "pending"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_evidence_short_of_conclusive_is_queued_not_linked(db):
+    """The gap between IDENTITY_FLOOR and AUTO_LINK_FLOOR, which is the review
+    queue. This pair proposes on a name spanning three posts — real evidence,
+    not certain enough for FC to act on by itself. Measured equivalent on
+    artist 8: `0-k`, the operator's own example, at three posts."""
+    artist, patreon, discord = await _artist_with_channels(db, "queuedartist")
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    teaser = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=20),
+        body="a little preview", ext="t0", names=["0-k"],
+    )
+    await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now, names=["01_0-k"])
+    await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(days=30),
+        body="older", ext="other", names=["0-k_wip1"],
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    made = await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
+        teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
+        auto_link=True,
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    assert made == (1, 0)
+    assoc = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalar_one()
+    assert assoc.status == "pending"
+    assert assoc.signals["identity"] == 0.75
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_two_drops_sharing_one_name_link_neither(db):
+    """Not a tie to be broken by score.
+
+    One post can tease two pieces that were dropped separately, and then each
+    drop carries a DIFFERENT name from the same teaser — each spanning exactly
+    two posts, so each is individually conclusive. Two conclusive answers to
+    "which drop is this" is not a close call; it means the question was wrong.
+    Both are queued and FC says nothing.
+
+    (One name cannot do this on its own: under post-span counting, a token in
+    the teaser and two drops spans three posts and is not conclusive at all.
+    The ambiguity has to come from two names, which is why this fixture has
+    two.)
+    """
+    artist, patreon, discord = await _artist_with_channels(db, "ambigartist")
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    teaser = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=2),
+        body="a little preview", names=["Sabirth", "Terra3"],
+    )
+    await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now, ext="fc-drop:1",
+                names=["01_Sabirth"])
+    await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now - timedelta(hours=4),
+                ext="fc-drop:2", names=["01_Terra3"])
+    await db.commit()
+
+    made = await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
+        teaser.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
+        auto_link=True,
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    proposed, linked = made
+    assert (proposed, linked) == (2, 0)
+    rows = (await db.execute(select(PostAssociation))).scalars().all()
+    assert {r.status for r in rows} == {"pending"}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_a_drop_another_post_already_claims_is_never_taken(db):
+    """An accepted link is the operator's decision. FC reassigning its other
+    end on the next sweep would silently overrule them."""
+    artist, patreon, discord = await _artist_with_channels(db, "claimedartist")
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    first = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=2),
+        body="first", ext="t0", names=["Terra3"],
+    )
+    # The drop carries both names, so the second teaser's claim on it is
+    # CONCLUSIVE on `Svtt` — two posts, nowhere else. Only the existing link
+    # stops it, which is the point being pinned.
+    drop = await _drop(db, artist, discord, at=now,
+                       names=["01_Terra3", "02_Svtt"])
+    second = await _teaser(
+        db, artist, patreon, at=now - timedelta(hours=3),
+        body="second", ext="t1", names=["Svtt"],
+    )
+    db.add(PostAssociation(
+        announcement_post_id=first.id, payload_post_id=drop.id,
+        score=1.0, signals={"identity": 1.0}, status="linked",
+    ))
+    await db.commit()
+
+    made = await PostAssociationService(db).match_post(
+        second.id, threshold=DEFAULT_THRESHOLD, window_hours=WINDOW,
+        auto_link=True,
+    )
+    await db.commit()
+
+    assert made[1] == 0, "the drop is already spoken for"
+    rows = (await db.execute(
+        select(PostAssociation).where(
+            PostAssociation.announcement_post_id == second.id
+        )
+    )).scalars().all()
+    assert [r.status for r in rows] == ["pending"]