From 3e388d178b1cfbac5e77ec9c2bad94183e19f71b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: cinnaboot <cinnaboot@protonmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 May 2026 18:04:46 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] clarify SCENARIO/SECTION guidance: shared fixture, distinct
 paths, fewer SECTIONs

---
 continue.md | 5 +++--
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/continue.md b/continue.md
index bad57b5..f98fc33 100644
--- a/continue.md
+++ b/continue.md
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 ### 1. Structure
 - One `SCENARIO("description")` per logical test group, with `[tag1][tag2]` annotations
 - Run `./build/orbit_test --list-tags` to see tags used by other tests. Original tags from the old test file are a useful starting point, but the implementor has discretion to choose appropriate tags.
-- **Use SCENARIO to share setup/teardown across multiple SECTIONs.** Catch2 re-initializes the fixture before each SECTION, so declare shared constants, structs, and variables in the SCENARIO body (between the opening `{` and the first `SECTION`). These persist across all SECTIONs within the SCENARIO.
-- Example: a `SimulationState* sim` created once in the SCENARIO body, then each SECTION mutates and tests it independently.
+- **Use SCENARIO as a shared fixture** for setup/initialization. SECTIONs represent **different test scenarios** that branch from that fixture with distinct operations. Avoid using SECTIONs as section headers to group assertions about the same result — group related assertions into fewer SECTIONs instead.
+- Catch2 re-initializes the fixture before each SECTION, so shared constants, structs, and variables declared in the SCENARIO body run fresh per SECTION. This is intentional: each SECTION should test a different code path or mutation of the fixture.
+- Example: one SECTION checks the initial state before modification; a separate SECTION applies a burn and checks all post-burn results.
 - Embed expected values directly in `WithinAbs()` calls (see Section 4 for precalc script usage). No need to declare named constants unless the value is reused.
 - **No decorative comments.** Do not add `// (Old: ...)` comments, `===` separators, `---` separators, or any other decorative annotations. The SECTION description string is the documentation.
 - **Use `REQUIRE()` for integer comparisons**, `WithinAbs()` only for floating-point. E.g., `REQUIRE(sim->body_count == 2)` not `REQUIRE_THAT(sim->body_count, WithinAbs(2.0, 0.001))`.