enhanc error handling

rag_pipeline.py

@@ -124,6 +124,26 @@ Answer the doctor's question accurately and concisely using only the provided in
 2. For lists, maintain the original bullet points/numbering and include citations.
 3. Present information concisely but ensure clinical accuracy is never compromised.
 
+### CRITICAL: Efficient Response Strategy
+1. **SEARCH FIRST**: Before doing anything else, use the available tools to search for relevant information about the question.
+2. **BE DECISIVE**: Once you find relevant information, formulate your response immediately. Do not search repeatedly for the same information.
+3. **ANSWER DIRECTLY**: Provide a clear, direct answer based on the information found. Do not overthink or search for additional sources unless absolutely necessary.
+4. **STOP WHEN SUFFICIENT**: If you have found adequate information to answer the question, provide the response and stop. Do not continue searching for more sources.
+5. **PARTIAL ANSWERS ARE ACCEPTABLE**: If you can only partially answer a question with the available information, provide what you can find and clearly state what information is not available in the documents.
+
+### Response Guidelines for Complex Questions
+- For comparative questions: Search once for each topic, then provide the comparison based on found information
+- For multi-part questions: Address each part systematically but efficiently
+- If information is not found after initial search: State clearly that the information is not available in the provided documents
+- Do not repeatedly search for the same terms or rephrase searches excessively
+
+### When Information is Limited
+If you cannot find complete information to fully answer a question:
+1. Provide whatever relevant information you did find with proper citations
+2. Clearly state: "Based on the available documents, I can provide the following information..."
+3. Indicate what specific information is not available: "However, information about [specific topic] was not found in the provided documents."
+4. Do not continue searching or reasoning beyond what is necessary
+
 ---
 
 """
@@ -153,11 +173,12 @@ Answer the doctor's question accurately and concisely using only the provided in
 def create_agent(tools, llm):
     """Create the ReAct agent with custom prompt"""
     
-    # Create agent
+    # Create agent with increased max iterations and better handling
     agent = ReActAgent.from_tools(
         tools,
         llm=llm,
         verbose=True,
+        max_iterations=8,  # Reduced from default to prevent excessive looping
     )
 
     # Create and apply safe custom prompt
@@ -240,10 +261,18 @@ def process_question_with_sequential_citations(agent, question: str, chunks_dire
         # Get the response from the agent
         response = agent.chat(question)
         response_text = response.response
-                # Check if the response indicates max iterations was reached
-        if "max iterations" in response_text.lower() or len(response_text.strip()) == 0:
+        
+        # Enhanced handling for max iterations error
+        if ("max iterations" in response_text.lower() or 
+            "reached max iterations" in response_text.lower() or 
+            len(response_text.strip()) == 0 or
+            "agent stopped due to max iterations" in response_text.lower()):
+            
             # Provide a more helpful fallback response
-            response_text = ("I apologize, but I encountered difficulties processing your comparative question ")
+            response_text = ("I apologize, but I encountered difficulties processing your question within the available search iterations. "
+                           "This may be due to the complexity of your query or limitations in finding specific information in the available documents. "
+                           "Please try rephrasing your question more specifically, or break it down into smaller, more focused questions for better results.")
+        
         # Extract source IDs from the response (preserving order)
         unique_ids = extract_source_ids(response_text)
         
@@ -298,8 +327,10 @@ def process_question_with_sequential_citations(agent, question: str, chunks_dire
         
     except Exception as e:
         print(f"Error processing question: {e}")
+        error_response = "I apologize, but I encountered an error while processing your question. Please try rephrasing your question or asking about a more specific topic."
+        
         return {
-            "response": response_text if 'response_text' in locals() else "Error occurred",
+            "response": error_response,
             "cited_elements_json": "[]",
             "unique_ids": [],
             "citation_mapping": {},