[dmccoystephenson]

Summary

• _json now runs value through a new private _number helper. A real number (numbers.Real or decimal.Decimal, excluding bool) is sent as a JSON number, converted with float() when it is not a plain int/float. NaN, infinity, anything float() overflows or refuses, and everything else (strings such as "3", bools, bytes, lists) is left out of the event, and the event itself is still sent.
• Previously "3" was sent as "value":"3" and True as "value":true. A Decimal or numpy integer made json.dumps raise, so the whole event was lost with only a DEBUG could not queue line.
• The report docstring and the README "The wire format" paragraph are updated to describe what happens to such values.

Closes #37

Test plan

• python3 -m unittest on Python 3.8.10 locally: Ran 76 tests, OK
• Stash-and-run: with the trace_client/trace_client.py change stashed, the three new tests fail (test_json_leaves_out_a_value_that_is_not_a_real_number_but_keeps_the_event, test_json_sends_other_real_numbers_as_floats, test_report_with_a_decimal_value_still_delivers_the_event). With the change restored, all 76 tests pass.
• CI test (3.8), test (3.10), test (3.12) green

Java parity

No Java-visible behavior changed. trace-client-java types value as Double, so it cannot send a string, a boolean or a non-float number. This change makes the Python client's output on those inputs match what the Java client would send. Endpoint, headers and JSON field names are unchanged.

Skipped issues

• The version tag is added even when it pushes an event past MAX_TAGS #16 (version tag at the MAX_TAGS cap) is still deferred. It needs an owner decision on the README's "tags always holds at least version" promise and a coordinated change in trace-client-java.

This PR description was drafted during a Gardener session (https://github.com/Stephenson-Software/gardener).

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

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drafted by Claude on behalf of Daniel Stephenson

[dmccoystephenson]

Self-review rubric (scored against the diff and command output, assuming FAIL until shown otherwise):

• Scope: PASS. Three files changed (trace_client/trace_client.py, tests/test_trace_client.py, README.md), each needed for A value that is not a number is sent as-is, or loses the whole event #37. 58 insertions and 7 deletions, of which about 25 lines are non-test code.
• Tests-new: PASS. The new private helper _number is covered by test_json_leaves_out_a_value_that_is_not_a_real_number_but_keeps_the_event and test_json_sends_other_real_numbers_as_floats, and the end-to-end path by test_report_with_a_decimal_value_still_delivers_the_event. No public name was added.
• Tests-fix: PASS. Stash-and-run was performed on Python 3.8.10. With the trace_client/trace_client.py change stashed: 2 failures and 1 error, exactly the three new tests. Restored: Ran 76 tests, OK.
• Sibling structure / Sibling renames: PASS. No new files and no renames.
• Docs: PASS. The README "The wire format" paragraph and the report docstring now describe the new omission rule. The class docstring and the README promises table make no claim about value types.
• Issue resolution: PASS. All three cases listed in A value that is not a number is sent as-is, or loses the whole event #37 (string, bool, Decimal) are handled and asserted.
• CI: PASS. test (3.8), test (3.10) and test (3.12) are green on the head commit.
• Stdlib-only: PASS. The new imports are decimal, numbers and fractions (tests only). pyproject.toml is untouched.
• Py3.8 floor: PASS. test (3.8) is green, and the local run was on 3.8.10.
• Never-raises / never-blocks: PASS. _number catches OverflowError and ValueError from float() (covered by Fraction(10**400) and Decimal("sNaN")). It runs inside report()'s existing try, and no blocking call was added.
• Log level: PASS. No _LOG calls were added.
• Version agreement: PASS. 0.4.2 appears in all five places, and the version was not bumped.
• Exports: PASS (N/A). _number is private.
• Java parity noted: PASS. The PR body explains that trace-client-java's Double-typed value cannot produce these inputs.

Judgment call that was flagged:

• trace_client/trace_client.py _json: the do-not-auto-merge list covers wire-format changes in _json (endpoint, headers, JSON fields). This diff leaves the endpoint, headers and field names unchanged. It only stops values outside the documented format, such as a JSON string or boolean value, from going out, which brings the Python client's output into line with what trace-client-java can send. On that basis it is assessed as not matching the hold.
• Two cleanups were found during review and fixed with mechanical commits: the README now names only types the tests exercise (Decimal, Fraction, not numpy) and is rewrapped to the file's width, and the test imports of decimal/fractions were moved to the top of the module.

Summary: a small fix with regression evidence, CI green on the full matrix, and the docs aligned.

This review comment was drafted during a Gardener session (https://github.com/Stephenson-Software/gardener).

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drafted by Claude on behalf of Daniel Stephenson