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+# B4.1a — `DeclarationRef` consumer migration for runner identity bridges `(M, Tier 1)`
+
+> **Worker brief.** Reports through Director (`zesty-bear-812`).
+> First B4 Phase 1 sub-brief from
+> [`docs/briefs/b4-identity-carrier-substrate-pass.md`](b4-identity-carrier-substrate-pass.md).
+> This is a consumer-migration brief, not a carrier-landing brief:
+> `DeclarationRef` already exists at `src/v3/spec/v3_l1.dag`.
+> This brief covers the runner-facing §0.1/§0.2/§0.3 portion of the
+> parent B4.1 scope. §0.5 and §0.7 are explicitly owned by named
+> follow-up briefs below.
+
+## Read first
+
+- **[`src/v3/spec/v3_l1.dag:62-69`](../../src/v3/spec/v3_l1.dag)** —
+  live `DeclarationRef` authority. A record field typed as
+  `DeclarationRef` lowers identifier/dotted-path field values to
+  `FieldValue::Reference(DeclarationId)`.
+- **[`src/v3/compiler/src/lower.rs:2824`](../../src/v3/compiler/src/lower.rs)** —
+  lowerer support for the `DeclarationRef` sentinel; the
+  `FieldValue::Reference` returns are currently at `:2844` and
+  `:2854`.
+- **[`src/v3/std/verification.dag`](../../src/v3/std/verification.dag)** —
+  existing verification consumers: `LensOutputEquals`,
+  `DifferentialEquals`, `MockBackedInvariant`, etc. already carry
+  `DeclarationRef` fields.
+- **[`src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs:20-48`](../../src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs)** —
+  canonical `named_function_count.dag` `include_str!` bridge and
+  fixture-filename routing comments, including
+  `cost_bind_for_claim_file`.
+- **[`src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs:1589-1765`](../../src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs)** —
+  `LensOutputEquals` program-input sentinel path.
+- **[`src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs:1829-1866`](../../src/v3/compiler/src/test_runner.rs)** —
+  `DifferentialEquals` program-input sentinel path.
+- **[`src/v3/compiler/tests/fixtures/r1_gates.dag`](../../src/v3/compiler/tests/fixtures/r1_gates.dag)**
+  and **[`src/v3/compiler/tests/t_demo/t_demo_fixtures.dag`](../../src/v3/compiler/tests/t_demo/t_demo_fixtures.dag)** —
+  fixture declarations that currently define/use
+  `r1_lens_output_input_from_program`.
+- **`feedback_groundedness_gates_lenses`**,
+  **`feedback_no_metadata_markers`**, and
+  **`feedback_construction_over_ratchets`**.
+
+## Existing-authority audit
+
+`DeclarationRef` is already landed and consumed. Grep audit:
+
+- `src/v3/spec/v3_l1.dag` declares `type DeclarationRef {}`.
+- `src/v3/std/verification.dag` imports it and uses it for
+  `LensOutputEquals.lens_ref`, `input_ref`, `expected_ref`,
+  `DifferentialEquals.subject_ref`, `oracle_ref`, `input_ref`, and
+  other verification payloads.
+- `src/v3/std/emit_model.dag`, `src/v3/std/resources.dag`,
+  `src/v3/std/substrate.dag`, and `src/v3/spec/python.dag` already
+  use `DeclarationRef`.
+- `lower.rs` resolves fields whose declared type walks to
+  `DeclarationRef` into `FieldValue::Reference`.
+
+Conclusion: do **not** add a new universal declaration-reference
+carrier. The runner slice of the remaining B4.1 work is a
+role/consumer migration on top of the existing `DeclarationRef`:
+replace runner-local sentinel and filename bridges with structural
+references that identify the program input role and canonical lens
+declaration without string dispatch.
+
+## Parent B4.1 Scope Split
+
+The parent brief defines B4.1 as the `DeclarationRef` consumer
+migration for §0.1, §0.2, §0.3, §0.5, and §0.7. This worker brief is
+therefore named **B4.1a** and covers only the runner identity bridges:
+
+- **§0.1 / §0.3 program-input and canonical-lens identity** in
+  `test_runner.rs`.
+- **§0.2 output-bind identity** in `cost_bind_for_claim_file` /
+  `TestClaim.file_name` routing.
+
+The remaining parent B4.1 sites are tracked as named follow-ups:
+
+- **B4.1b — structural type-alias carrier for §0.5.** Owns the
+  `span.file == "dsl/std/types.dag"` type-alias bridge at
+  `lower.rs:836`. Trigger: author and dispatch immediately after
+  B4.1a lands or earlier if an implementation touch in `lower.rs`
+  reaches the type-alias bridge. Acceptance must remove the
+  path-equality check or replace this brief with a Director-approved
+  substrate carrier if plain `DeclarationRef` is insufficient.
+- **B4.1c — structural declaration-source carrier for §0.7.** Owns
+  `declaration_name_preference_rank(&span.file)` in `dag.rs:2781`
+  plus the lowerer call sites at `lower.rs:1460-1461` and
+  `lower.rs:1555-1556`. Trigger: author and dispatch after B4.1a or
+  any time declaration collision/preference behavior is edited.
+  Acceptance must dissolve the file-suffix preference table into a
+  structural declaration-source fact, or explicitly STOP with
+  Grounding/Zero-Floor if the carrier is broader than `DeclarationRef`
+  plus a role layer.
+
+## Frame
+
+The current runner has three different facts collapsed into strings:
+
+1. **Program input identity.** `r1_lens_output_input_from_program`
+   means "the input value is the claim program DAG reflected from
+   `TestClaim.source`", not an ordinary declaration value. The current
+   code compares declaration names to this sentinel.
+2. **Canonical lens identity.** `named_function_count` uses
+   `include_str!("../lenses/named_function_count.dag")` and
+   filename checks to recover the canonical lens program.
+3. **Output-bind identity.** `cost_bind_for_claim_file` maps
+   `TestClaim.file_name` to ordinary bind names such as
+   `merge_sort_out` and `lane_e_diff_out`. This is a fixture-filename
+   bridge for "which bind is the asserted output?", not a property of
+   the source program.
+
+Plain `DeclarationRef` already carries "this field names a
+declaration" but it does not, by itself, distinguish ordinary
+declaration values from the special program-input role, nor does it
+load the referenced lens program, nor does it say which bind is the
+claim output. B4.1a should land the smallest structural role layer
+needed by the runner, then migrate the consumers.
+
+## Slice
+
+1. **Model the program-input role structurally.**
+   - Prefer a typed declaration in `src/v3/std/verification.dag`
+     that represents the program-input carrier/role used by
+     lens-output and differential checks.
+   - The runner should detect this role by `DeclarationId` or typed
+     `ValueBody`/meta-tag shape, not by the name
+     `r1_lens_output_input_from_program`.
+   - Keep the public fixture surface compatible only if the carrier is
+     explicit and structural; do not introduce a replacement sentinel
+     string.
+
+2. **Model canonical lens identity structurally.**
+   - Audit whether an existing `DeclarationRef` in the claim payload
+     can point directly at the canonical lens declaration loaded from
+     the same compiled fixture DAG.
+   - If not, land the minimal runner/lens registry carrier in
+     `std.verification` or a more appropriate existing std/spec file.
+   - Delete or confine the `include_str!` canonical-lens bridge once
+     the runner can obtain the referenced lens program structurally.
+
+3. **Model output-bind identity structurally (§0.2).**
+   - Replace `cost_bind_for_claim_file(TestClaim.file_name)` with a
+     structural reference from the claim payload to the output bind
+     declaration.
+   - Prefer a `DeclarationRef` field (or a typed role wrapper over a
+     `DeclarationRef`) that names the exact bind declaration whose
+     value port should be compared.
+   - If the current verification payload cannot express "this bind is
+     the claim output" without a broader role model, STOP and split a
+     named B4.1a-runner-output follow-up brief before implementation.
+   - Do not replace the file-name map with another string-to-string
+     registry.
+
+4. **Migrate `LensOutputEquals`.**
+   - Replace `PROGRAM_INPUT_SENTINEL` checks at
+     `test_runner.rs:1594`, `:1617`, `:1642`, and `:1709` with the
+     structural program-input role.
+   - Preserve fail-closed behavior for ordinary `input_ref`
+     declarations with missing value bodies.
+
+5. **Migrate `DifferentialEquals`.**
+   - Replace the `PROGRAM_INPUT_SENTINEL` check at
+     `test_runner.rs:1855` with the same structural program-input
+     role.
+
+6. **Update fixtures and tests.**
+   - Rewrite `r1_gates.dag`, `r1_gates.template.dag`, and
+     `t_demo_fixtures.dag` to use the structural carrier.
+   - Add regression coverage that an ordinary declaration named like
+     the old sentinel is not treated as program input unless it carries
+     the structural role.
+   - Add regression coverage that an ordinary fixture filename no
+     longer selects a claim output bind unless the claim carries the
+     structural output-bind reference.
+
+## Acceptance
+
+- [ ] No `PROGRAM_INPUT_SENTINEL` constant remains in `test_runner.rs`.
+- [ ] `test_runner.rs` no longer dispatches on the literal
+      `"r1_lens_output_input_from_program"`.
+- [ ] Canonical lens lookup no longer depends on fixture filename or
+      `include_str!` once the referenced lens identity is structurally
+      available. If this proves to require a separate registry carrier,
+      STOP and split that registry carrier as B4.1a-lens-registry.
+- [ ] `cost_bind_for_claim_file` and its `TestClaim.file_name` routing
+      are removed or split into a named B4.1a-runner-output follow-up
+      before any runner migration PR proceeds.
+- [ ] Claim output-bind selection is carried by a structural
+      `DeclarationRef`/role reference, not by fixture filename or bind
+      name strings.
+- [ ] Fixtures use `DeclarationRef` plus the new structural role layer;
+      no replacement sentinel string is introduced.
+- [ ] Regression test proves name-only spoofing of the old sentinel
+      does not select the program-input path.
+- [ ] Regression test proves filename-only spoofing does not select an
+      output bind without the structural output-bind reference.
+- [ ] `cargo test --workspace --exclude v2-compiler-tests` passes.
+- [ ] `cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings` clean.
+- [ ] `cargo fmt --all --check` clean.
+- [ ] DB-8 fixed-point converges bit-identically, or any intentional
+      std/verification fixture drift is recorded and approved by
+      Director.
+
+## STOP-AND-ESCALATE
+
+- **Plain `DeclarationRef` is insufficient and the needed role layer
+  wants a broader substrate change** (for example, a generic
+  `RoleRef<T>` or declaration metadata model). Stop and re-scope with
+  Director/Zero-Floor before editing consumers.
+- **Canonical lens identity requires loading a second DAG by path.**
+  Do not replace one `include_str!` bridge with another string registry;
+  split a structural lens-registry carrier brief.
+- **§0.5 type-alias or §0.7 declaration-source work is pulled into
+  this runner PR.** Stop and split to B4.1b or B4.1c unless Director
+  explicitly expands this brief.
+- **A fixture cannot express the program-input role without a string
+  sentinel.** Stop; the carrier is under-specified.
+- **DB-8 drifts unexpectedly.** Stop immediately.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- Not touching B4.2 fold-shape carrier or the `lens_apply.rs`
+  `std/algebra.dag` skip.
+- Not touching B4.3 emit-helper carriers.
+- Not touching B4.4 extdeps fixture-set carrier.
+- Not touching B4.1b §0.5 type-alias bridge.
+- Not touching B4.1c §0.7 declaration-source/file-preference rank.
+
+## Reporting
+
+Single PR for B4.1a once implemented. Title:
+`fix(v3): B4.1a migrate runner identity bridges to DeclarationRef roles`.
+PR body must cite this brief, include the existing-authority audit
+above, and record whether canonical lens identity stayed in B4.1a or
+was split to B4.1a-lens-registry. Director must queue B4.1b and B4.1c
+before closing the parent B4.1 DeclarationRef migration.