From 9346ae9062cac650251579029db1c679d1c332bc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "Zachary J. Fields (OpenClaw)" <zachary_fields@outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 14:45:19 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix: make transaction reset best effort

---
 n_request.c                       | 18 ++++--------------
 test/src/NoteTransaction_test.cpp | 23 +++++++++++++----------
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-)

diff --git a/n_request.c b/n_request.c
index c774720a..a3e75e99 100644
--- a/n_request.c
+++ b/n_request.c
@@ -528,22 +528,12 @@ J *_noteTransactionShouldLock(J *req, bool lockNotecard)
         _LockNote();
     }
 
-    // If a reset of the I/O interface is required for any reason, do it now.
+    // If a reset of the I/O interface is required for any reason, make a best
+    // effort to resynchronize before continuing with the transaction.
     if (resetRequired) {
         NOTE_C_LOG_DEBUG("Resetting Notecard I/O Interface...");
-        if ((resetRequired = !_Reset())) {
-            if (lockNotecard) {
-                _UnlockNote();
-            }
-            _Free(json);
-            _TransactionStop();
-            const char *errStr = ERRSTR("failed to reset Notecard interface {io}", c_iobad);
-            if (cmdFound) {
-                NOTE_C_LOG_ERROR(errStr);
-                return NULL;
-            }
-            return _errDoc(id, errStr);
-        }
+        _Reset();
+        resetRequired = false;
     }
 
     // If we're performing retries, this is where we come back to
diff --git a/test/src/NoteTransaction_test.cpp b/test/src/NoteTransaction_test.cpp
index ee64e1d3..c4eec44a 100644
--- a/test/src/NoteTransaction_test.cpp
+++ b/test/src/NoteTransaction_test.cpp
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ SCENARIO("NoteTransaction")
         JDelete(req);
     }
 
-    SECTION("A reset is required and it fails") {
+    SECTION("A reset is required and it fails before a command") {
         J *req = NoteNewCommand("note.add");
         REQUIRE(req != NULL);
         NoteResetRequired();
@@ -515,31 +515,34 @@ SCENARIO("NoteTransaction")
         J *resp = NoteTransaction(req);
         REQUIRE(_noteHardReset_fake.call_count == 1);
 
-        // The transaction shouldn't be attempted if reset failed.
-        CHECK(_noteJSONTransaction_fake.call_count == 0);
+        // Reset is best effort; the transaction is still attempted.
+        CHECK(_noteJSONTransaction_fake.call_count == 1);
+        CHECK(resetRequired == false);
 
-        // The response should be null if reset failed.
-        CHECK(resp == NULL);
+        // Commands return an empty response object after the transaction attempt.
+        CHECK(resp != NULL);
 
         JDelete(req);
+        JDelete(resp);
     }
 
-    SECTION("A reset is required and it fails") {
+    SECTION("A reset is required and it fails before a request") {
         J *req = NoteNewRequest("note.add");
         REQUIRE(req != NULL);
         NoteResetRequired();
         // Force NoteReset failure.
         _noteHardReset_fake.return_val = false;
+        _noteJSONTransaction_fake.custom_fake = _noteJSONTransactionValid;
 
         J *resp = NoteTransaction(req);
         REQUIRE(_noteHardReset_fake.call_count == 1);
 
-        // The transaction shouldn't be attempted if reset failed.
-        CHECK(_noteJSONTransaction_fake.call_count == 0);
+        // Reset is best effort; the transaction is still attempted.
+        CHECK(_noteJSONTransaction_fake.call_count == 1);
+        CHECK(resetRequired == false);
 
-        // The response should be null if reset failed.
         CHECK(resp != NULL);
-        CHECK(NoteResponseError(resp));
+        CHECK(!NoteResponseError(resp));
 
         JDelete(req);
         JDelete(resp);