Simplify page check: enforce only at dev-phase + post-validate, log-only after writing

- Post-writing: only log page count (writer already has prompt constraint)
- Dev phase initial draft: enforce (first version often too short)
- Post-validate final: enforce (figure changes may alter layout)
- Also pick up compiler.py fix: protect AI-generated figures from overwrite

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: JihaoXin

ark/compiler.py

@@ -322,9 +322,23 @@ def _run_figure_phase(self):
             self.log_step(f"No figure script at {script_path}, skipping generation", "info")
 
         # Step 2.5: Generate AI concept figures (Nano Banana)
+        # Track which files are AI-generated so the figure fixer won't touch them
+        ai_generated_files = set()
         if self.config.get("figure_generation") == "nano_banana":
             self.log_step("Generating AI concept figures (Nano Banana)...", "progress")
+            # Snapshot existing files before generation
+            existing_before = {f.name for f in self.figures_dir.glob("*")}
             self._generate_nano_banana_figures()
+            # Any new files are AI-generated concept figures
+            existing_after = {f.name for f in self.figures_dir.glob("*")}
+            ai_generated_files = existing_after - existing_before
+            # Also include files that were already generated in earlier phases
+            for f in self.figures_dir.glob("*.png"):
+                if f.name.startswith("fig_") and f.name not in ai_generated_files:
+                    # Check if this was generated by PaperBanana (large, not from matplotlib)
+                    # PaperBanana PNGs are typically >100KB; matplotlib PNGs are smaller
+                    if f.stat().st_size > 150_000:
+                        ai_generated_files.add(f.name)
 
         for loop in range(MAX_FIGURE_LOOPS):
             # Step 3: Compile and convert to images
@@ -365,6 +379,18 @@ def _run_figure_phase(self):
                 except Exception:
                     pass
 
+            # Build protected files section
+            protected_section = ""
+            if ai_generated_files:
+                protected_list = "\n".join(f"- {f}" for f in sorted(ai_generated_files))
+                protected_section = f"""
+### ⚠️ PROTECTED AI-Generated Concept Figures (DO NOT MODIFY)
+The following figures were generated by PaperBanana/Gemini AI and must NOT be
+overwritten, regenerated, or replaced by matplotlib. Do NOT modify any Python
+script to output to these filenames. Only check their LaTeX placement/sizing.
+{protected_list}
+"""
+
             fixer_prompt = f"""## Figure Quality Check (Loop {loop + 1}/{MAX_FIGURE_LOOPS})
 
 ### Template Geometry Parameters
@@ -375,7 +401,7 @@ def _run_figure_phase(self):
 
 ### Current Figure Files
 {figures_list}
-{overlap_section}
+{protected_section}{overlap_section}
 ### PDF Page Images (use Read tool to view each page)
 {images_list}
 
@@ -409,7 +435,19 @@ def _run_figure_phase(self):
             elif "FIGURES_NEED_FIX" in (result or ""):
                 self.log_step("Figure fixer made changes, will re-check...", "progress")
                 if full_script.exists():
+                    # Back up AI-generated concept figures before re-running script
+                    backups = {}
+                    for fname in ai_generated_files:
+                        fpath = self.figures_dir / fname
+                        if fpath.exists():
+                            backups[fname] = fpath.read_bytes()
                     self.generate_figures()
+                    # Restore any AI-generated files that were overwritten
+                    for fname, data in backups.items():
+                        fpath = self.figures_dir / fname
+                        if not fpath.exists() or fpath.read_bytes() != data:
+                            fpath.write_bytes(data)
+                            self.log(f"Restored AI-generated figure: {fname}", "INFO")
             else:
                 self.log_step("Figure fixer verdict unclear, continuing...", "warning")
                 break

ark/execution.py

@@ -1025,8 +1025,13 @@ def _run_writing_phase(self, action_plan: dict, prior_context: str = ""):
             self._save_action_plan(action_plan)
             self.log_step("Writing phase completed", "success")
 
-            # Post-writing page count check: compress if over, expand if too short
-            self._enforce_page_count(context="post-writing")
+            # Page count logged for awareness (hard enforcement is in post-validate)
+            venue_pages = self.config.get("venue_pages")
+            if venue_pages and not self._quota_exhausted:
+                self.compile_latex()
+                page_count = getattr(self, '_body_page_count', 0)
+                if page_count:
+                    self.log(f"Page count after writing: {page_count:.1f}/{venue_pages} body pages", "INFO")
 
             return True
         else: