feat(cortex): dashboard leads with projects, check-in prompt and a freshness stamp; epics discarded #354

Affected Repositories

• PyAutoBrain (primary — renderer + tests + cortex skill doc)
• PyAutoCortex (epics.md removal, docs, checkin.yaml, regenerated pages)

Branch Survey

Suggested branch: feature/cortex-dashboard-projects-first

Implementation Steps

1. PyAutoBrain/agents/conductors/cortex/_cortex.py
   • census(): read <root>/checkin.yaml (refreshed: <UTC ISO>) into c["checkin"] (empty when missing); drop parse_epics and c["epics"].
   • cmd_checkin (and collect --apply): write the refresh stamp to checkin.yaml before rendering so push_ledger carries it; dirty_paths must include it.
   • New _checkin_payload(c) — the paste prompt naming the last stamp; rendered as the first task row in both twins, followed by the "Last check-in" line (<time datetime> + inline script in HTML: red + "stale, paste the check-in" when older than 60 min on the viewer's clock; "never checked in" in red when the file is missing).
   • New summary_rows(c) → table (project, next phase + state, awaiting / running / ready, last ruling date) for active projects.
   • SECTIONS → projects, awaiting, live, ready, gated, rulings (by_project and epics removed; blurbs updated; REFRESH_BLURB no longer names epics.md).
   • project_paths returns separate lines with bold labels; project_card(key, c): next open phase via next_open_phase (awaiting > live > ready > gated > planned, lowest phase number) with its phase_chips, then a <details> fold of the remaining open phases as links plus phases/<project>/ and <remote>/issues; no where-to-look bullets. Order by status rank active < planned < dormant; dormant projects with nothing open stay one folded line.
   • phase_chips: no rerun chip for LIVE_STATES (Awaiting keeps it).
   • Ready: group by project, first (lowest phase) row visible with the submit chip, rest in a <details>.
   • emit_census / emit_by_project / check-in printout keep the full per-phase tree — only the page shrinks.
2. PyAutoBrain/tests/test_cortex_conductor.py: replace the by-project-leads and epics-schema pins with: check-in chip is the first task row; stamp rendered from checkin.yaml and "never checked in" without it; the stale script is present in the HTML twin; summary table present; Projects precedes Awaiting; active before planned before dormant; Local/RAL on separate bold lines; one visible Ready row per project with the rest folded; no rerun chip in the live section; no Epics section; census tolerates a missing epics.md.
3. PyAutoBrain/skills/cortex/cortex.md and agents/conductors/cortex/AGENTS.md: drop epics.md mentions; document checkin.yaml.
4. PyAutoCortex: delete epics.md; strip references from AGENTS.md, README.md, REFERENCE.md, scripts/ledger_merge.py, .github/workflows/dashboard_refresh.yml paths (add checkin.yaml); add checkin.yaml with the current stamp; regenerate dashboard.md / dashboard.html with PYAUTO_CORTEX pointed at the worktree.

Key Files

• PyAutoBrain/agents/conductors/cortex/_cortex.py — both renderers, SECTIONS, phase_chips, census, cmd_checkin
• PyAutoBrain/tests/test_cortex_conductor.py — section-order and payload pins
• PyAutoCortex/epics.md — removed; PyAutoCortex/checkin.yaml — new
• PyAutoCortex/.github/workflows/dashboard_refresh.yml — path triggers

PyAutoMind/draft/feature/pyautobrain/cortex_dashboard_projects_first.md (the full text, including the verbatim feedback and the freshness-stamp addendum, moves to active/ with this issue).