Lesson 4.3: Run, stop, checkpoints and What changed #

Editors stay in control of a running thread: they can stop it, queue the next message, see what it costs, and turn the thread back to an earlier point. For drafts written without staged review, What changed shows the difference and takes parts back. This lesson practices the controls.

At a glance #

Learning objectives #

After this lesson, learners can:

• Run, Stop and Queue messages, and steer a running turn;
• read the thread's cost: spent, tokens, requests, model, lane;
• restore a thread to a checkpoint after reading the preview;
• open What changed on a draft and Revert a part or a field.

Trainer's notes #

How to present it #

Sources: the Vector, checkpoints and review pages under EI: Help (extension/expai/doc/vector.md, extension/expai/doc/checkpoints.md, extension/expai/doc/review.md).

1. Run, Stop, Queue, Steer (4 minutes). Run (Ctrl/Cmd+Enter) sends; Stop (the button, or Esc twice) stops calling the next step (a call already sent finishes first); Queue keeps a message until the turn ends; Steer (Alt+Enter while running) sends a note the model reads at its next step.
2. Cost (2 minutes). The right pane's Cost: spent, tokens, requests, model, lane.
3. Checkpoints (5 minutes). A checkpoint is written at the start of each turn, before accepted changes are written and before an approved plan runs. Restore first previews: drafts discarded, drafts set back, what is left alone (drafts already published or sent), staged changes set aside, exchanges removed, queued messages dropped. Only the owner restores, and only while nothing runs. A restore writes its own checkpoint, so it can be undone (a discarded draft does not come back).
4. What changed (3 minutes). On a draft written directly (Intelligence tab, or a thread with Direct review), What changed shows the diff against the version it was based on; Revert takes a part back, Revert field a field, into the same draft. Nothing is published.

Common questions #

Does Stop undo what was done? No. It stops further steps; use a checkpoint to go back.

Can I restore after I published a draft? Published or sent drafts are left alone by a restore.

Why is Direct review not offered to me? The role allows only staged review (lesson 1.3).

Pitfalls #

• Restoring without the preview. Read what will be discarded.
• Pressing Stop too late. A call already sent finishes first; wait for it.
• Direct mode for many items. It is limited to one item in one language for a reason.

Hands-on exercise #

Use your thread from lesson 4.2 and your course folder.

1. In your thread, send: Suggest a better title for each article in this folder. Stage the changes. Press Run.
2. While it runs, type Keep titles under 60 characters. and send it with Steer (or Queue if steering is not offered).
3. Press Stop once you see the first step finish. Read the thread's state.
4. Open Cost in the right pane. Write down the spent amount, tokens and requests.
5. Find the checkpoint strip under the conversation. Press Restore on the checkpoint before your last message and read the preview. Confirm the restore if the preview only discards what you expect.
6. In the Intelligence tab of one article, ask for a small direct change, for example Fix the grammar of the intro. Then open What changed on the draft it wrote.
7. Revert one part, then publish or discard the draft.

Expected result #

• The learner stopped a run, read its cost, and restored the thread to a checkpoint after reading the preview.
• One direct draft was reviewed with What changed, partly reverted, and published or discarded.
• The trainer checks by asking two learners what the restore preview listed.

Quiz #

1. What is the difference between Stop and restoring a checkpoint?
2. When is a checkpoint written?
3. What does a restore leave alone? A. Every draft B. Drafts already published or sent for approval C. The conversation D. Nothing
4. Where do you see what a direct draft changed?
5. True or false: Revert publishes the reverted text.

Further reading #

• The checkpoints, Vector and review pages under EI: Help.

Related pages #

• Module 4: Vector
• Exponential Intelligence: course overview
• Trainers: start here
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.