From f512c1663d6b026e2d518b92b764de6afe949fa5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: M <m@t.se>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2026 14:56:55 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Hold a path's draw at every level it passes through

---
 render.go   | 27 +++++++++++++++++++++++----
 template.go | 11 ++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/render.go b/render.go
index 8e89665..5a493d1 100644
--- a/render.go
+++ b/render.go
@@ -189,17 +189,36 @@ func resolve(s *session, arms []arm, t *template, bound *draws) string {
 		n = drawn(s, t.fields[a.key])
 		bound.variant[a.key] = n
 	}
-	if len(a.tail) > 0 {
-		var err error
-		if n, err = descend(s, n, a.tail); err != nil {
-			panic(fmt.Sprintf("fakes: %s: %v", a.name, err))
+	// Walk the tail, holding the draw at every level the path passes through, so
+	// two paths sharing a prefix share every choice along it, not just the head.
+	for i, seg := range a.tail {
+		if i < len(a.steps) {
+			held, drew := bound.variant[a.steps[i]]
+			if !drew {
+				held = drawn(s, child(n, seg))
+				bound.variant[a.steps[i]] = held
+			}
+			n = held
+			continue
 		}
+		n = child(n, seg)
 	}
 	v := render(s, n)
 	bound.value[a.name] = v
 	return v
 }
 
+// child is the node one path segment names below an already-drawn node. checkPath
+// proved the segment exists and that drawn leaves a template here, so this cannot
+// fail.
+func child(n node, seg string) node {
+	t, ok := n.(*template)
+	if !ok {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("fakes: %q under %T, which carries no fields", seg, n))
+	}
+	return t.fields[seg]
+}
+
 // drawn resolves a choice to one variant, so a bound head is a concrete node the
 // rest of the expansion shares. Nested choices unwrap too: a draw is one value, not
 // another set to pick from.
diff --git a/template.go b/template.go
index 2a8d749..74f1bb9 100644
--- a/template.go
+++ b/template.go
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ type arm struct {
 	name string // as written, and the key a bound draw's value is held under
 	key  string
 	tail []string
+	// steps holds the key for each segment the walk passes *through* — the path
+	// prefixes below the head and above the leaf. The head is bound under key and
+	// the leaf's value under name, so a one-segment tail needs none of these.
+	steps []string
 }
 
 // splitArm splits one token alternative into key and tail. A reference keeps its
@@ -192,7 +196,12 @@ func splitArm(name string) arm {
 	if !dotted {
 		return arm{name: name, key: name}
 	}
-	return arm{name: name, key: head, tail: strings.Split(tail, ".")}
+	segs := strings.Split(tail, ".")
+	var steps []string
+	for i := 0; i < len(segs)-1; i++ { // every prefix except the leaf's own
+		steps = append(steps, head+"."+strings.Join(segs[:i+1], "."))
+	}
+	return arm{name: name, key: head, tail: segs, steps: steps}
 }
 
 // splitArms splits a token body's '|' alternatives.