ase-task-edit

@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-control.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-skill.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-dialog.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-getopt.md

<purpose name="ase-task-edit"> Iteratively Edit a Task Plan </purpose>

<expand name="getopt" arg1="ase-task-edit" arg2="--plan|-p=(none|OVERWRITE|REFINE|PRESERVE) --dry|-d --next|-n=(none|DONE|GRILL|DRAFT|IMPLEMENT)... --int-reuse-task --int-source-dir="> $ARGUMENTS </expand>

<objective> Establish and refine the *task plan* purely through a *chat-driven loop*. The user steers each round via an interactive dialog that offers continued refinement, finalization, or hand-off to implementation or draft. </objective>

@${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-format-task.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-format-meta.md @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-common-task.md

Procedure

<define name="apply-refinement"> Treat the <instruction/> as a *refinement instruction* for the plan, and update <task-content/> in-place by *applying* the requested <instruction/> to the *plan*.

When refining the plan this way, preserve the overall structure of the plan and only modify what the user actually requested. Do not rewrite unrelated sections of the plan.

<if condition="<getopt-option-int-source-dir/> is not empty"> The *code basis* of the task is the separate working copy <getopt-option-int-source-dir/> (e.g. a checkout of the branch of its `Source` key): read every project file the <instruction/> requires *exclusively* from there, instead of from the current working copy. </if>

Attachment blocks of the "backmatter" are never dropped by a refinement, unless the <instruction/> explicitly asks for it. Their Data payloads are elided to [elided: <n/> lines] markers, which you MUST keep verbatim, as ase_task_save restores them. Only if the <instruction/> requires reading or changing the payload of an attachment, fetch it via the ase_task_attachment(id: "<ase-task-id/>", type: "<type/>") tool of the ase MCP server (with <type/> being the value of its Type key), and replace its marker with the complete changed payload as a |4+ (or |4-) literal block scalar according to the plan <format/>. Remember every attachment block whose content the applied <instruction/> changed as touched, so its Modified key is refreshed together with the frontmatter in step 3.1. An attachment the <instruction/> did not change stays verbatim -- an implementation draft attachment (Type key value text/x-diff; charset=utf-8; kind="draft", from ase-task-implement --draft) hence turns stale through a "body" change by its Modified key falling behind the frontmatter, which step 3.3 reports.

Set <task-content-dirty>true</task-content-dirty>. </define>

<define name="generate-plan"> <expand name="task-ground-plan" arg1="<getopt-option-int-source-dir/>"/>

Create a new plan from scratch and store the result as <task-content/> by closely following the defined plan format <format/> and injecting into it all the information from the <instruction/>, all decisions you derived from the <instruction/>, and the grounding in the project.

<if condition="<getopt-option-dry/> is equal `true`"> You *MUST* completely omit the `## VERIFICATION (WHEN)` section (including its heading and all of its bullet points) from <task-content/>. </if>

Call the ase_timestamp(format: "yyyy-LL-dd HH:mm") tool of the ase MCP server and use the text field of its response for fresh <timestamp-created/> and <timestamp-modified/> information. Then insert the current <ase-task-id/>, <timestamp-created/>, and <timestamp-modified/> information. Set <task-content-dirty>true</task-content-dirty>. </define>

<define name="handoff-args"> Set <args></args> (set args to empty). <if condition="the plan was saved via `ase_task_save` in step 3.2"> Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>. </if> <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`"> Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args> </if> </define>

1. Determine Task and Instruction:

   1. Set <instruction><getopt-arguments/></instruction> initially. Inherit the always existing <ase-task-id/> from the current context. Inherit the always existing <ase-session-id/> from the current context. Do not output anything.

   2. React on task and/or instruction:

      1. <if condition=" <instruction/> matches the regexp `^[a-zA-Z0-9#][a-zA-Z0-9#_-]*$` "> Set <ase-task-id><instruction/></ase-task-id> (set task id to instruction) and <instruction></instruction> (set instruction empty), call the ase_task_id(id: "<ase-task-id/>", session: "<ase-session-id/>") tool from the ase MCP server to switch the task, and then only output the following <template/>:

         <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **task given** </template> </if>

      2. <elseif condition=" <instruction/> has the format `<id/>: <text/>` where <id/> matches the regexp `^[a-zA-Z0-9#][a-zA-Z0-9#_-]*$` and <text/> is *empty* "> Set <instruction></instruction> (set instruction to empty) and <ase-task-id><id/></ase-task-id> (set task id to id) and call the ase_task_id(id: "<ase-task-id/>", session: "<ase-session-id/>") tool from the ase MCP server to switch the task, and then only output the following <template/>:

         <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **task given** </template> </elseif>

      3. <elseif condition=" <instruction/> has the format `<id/>: <text/>` where <id/> matches the regexp `^[a-zA-Z0-9#][a-zA-Z0-9#_-]*$` and <text/> is *not empty* "> Set <instruction><text/></instruction> (set instruction to text) and <ase-task-id><id/></ase-task-id> (set task id to id) and call the ase_task_id(id: "<ase-task-id/>", session: "<ase-session-id/>") tool from the ase MCP server to switch the task, and then only output the following <template/>:

         <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **task given** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template> </elseif>

      4. <elseif condition=" <instruction/> is not empty "> Only output the following <template/>:

         <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **task inherited** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template> </elseif>

      5. <elseif condition=" <instruction/> is empty "> Only output the following <template/>:

         <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **task inherited** </template> </elseif>

2. Determine Plan:

   1. Determine any existing plan content:

      <if condition=" <getopt-option-int-reuse-task/> is equal `true` *and* an `ase_task_save(id: '<ase-task-id/>', ...)` tool call exists earlier in the current session *and* the `text` *output* field of the most recent such `ase_task_save` tool call carries a `<task-plan-tag>` delimiter line "> Set <text/> to the text argument of the most recent ase_task_save(id: '<ase-task-id/>', ...) tool call -- this is the authoring form of the plan and MUST NOT be confused with the text output field of that call -- without calling ase_task_load again. Set <task-render></task-render> (set the rendering-prepared plan to empty, as it is re-derived in step 3.2 or 3.3). Set <task-tag/> to the content enclosed in the <task-plan-tag> delimiter line of the text output field of that ase_task_save tool call (the entity tag of the plan as saved by it). Set <status>plan reused</status>. Do not output anything. </if> <else> Call the ase_task_load(id: "<ase-task-id/>", variant: "both", tag: true) tool of the ase MCP server to load any existing plan content in both of its forms, with the payloads of all attachments elided to [elided: <n/> lines] markers (the default of its attachments argument). From the text output field of this ase_task_load tool call, set <text/> to the content enclosed in the <task-plan-source> delimiter lines (the authoring form, the only form which is ever edited and persisted), set <task-render/> to the content enclosed in the <task-plan-render> delimiter lines (the rendering-prepared form, used for display only), and set <task-tag/> to the content enclosed in the <task-plan-tag> delimiter line (the entity tag of the loaded plan, or empty if absent, as no plan exists yet). The delimiter lines themselves are never part of any form. Do not output anything related to this MCP tool call. Set <status>plan loaded</status>. </else>

      Set <task-content-dirty>false</task-content-dirty>.

      • If <text/> starts with ERROR: or WARNING:: Silently ignore the MCP error. Set <task-content/> to empty. Set <task-render/> to empty. Do not output anything.

      • If <text/> starts NOT with ERROR: and NOT with WARNING:: Set <task-content><text/></task-content> (set task content to text). Only output the following <template/>:

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **<status/>** </template>
   2. <if condition="<task-content/> is empty AND <instruction/> is empty"> Ask the user interactively, without a special tool, for the initial plan content with a single question:

      **No plan content yet. What is the task you want to plan?**

      Then set <instruction/> to the response of the user and only output the following <template/>:

      <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template> </if>

   3. <if condition="<task-content/> is not empty AND <instruction/> is not empty AND <instruction/> is not equal <task-content/>"> Determine previous-plan handling:

      • If <getopt-option-plan/> matches the regex ^(OVERWRITE|REFINE|PRESERVE)$: Honor the pre-selection of what to do with the previous plan. Set <result><getopt-option-plan/></result>.

      • If <getopt-option-plan/> is equal to none:

        In the following, you MUST NOT use your built-in <user-dialog-tool/> tool! Instead, you MUST just show a custom dialog according to the expanded custom-dialog definition. You MUST closely follow this definition:

        <expand name="custom-dialog" arg1="--other"> Previous Plan: Should the previous plan content be overwritten, refined, or preserved? OVERWRITE: Continue operation, overwrite previous plan. REFINE: Continue operation, refine previous plan. PRESERVE: Cancel operation, preserve previous plan. </expand>

      Check the tool <result/> and dispatch accordingly:

      • If <result/> is CANCEL or PRESERVE:

        Only output the following <template/> and then immediately STOP processing this skill:

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan preserved** </template>

      • If <result/> is OVERWRITE:

        <expand name="generate-plan"/>

        Only output the following <template/> and continue processing:

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan overwritten** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template>

      • If <result/> is REFINE:

        <expand name="apply-refinement"/>

        Only output the following <template/> and continue processing:

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan refined** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template>

      • If <result/> matches OTHER: <text/>:

        Set <instruction><instruction/> <text/></instruction> (append the user's free-text hint to the existing instruction).

        <expand name="apply-refinement"/>

        Only output the following <template/> and continue processing:

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan refined** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** </template>
      </if>
   4. <if condition="no line of <task-content/> matches the case-insensitive regex `^\s*#+\s*TASK\b` AND <instruction/> is empty"> Set <instruction><task-content/></instruction> (set instruction to task content). Set <task-content></task-content> (set task content to empty). Set <task-content-dirty>true</task-content-dirty>. Do not output anything. </if>
   5. <if condition="<task-content/> is empty AND <instruction/> is not empty"> <expand name="generate-plan"/>

      Only output the following <template/> and continue processing:

      <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **instruction given** ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan generated** </template> </if>

3. Iterative Plan Refinement Loop:

   REPEAT the following steps from 3.1 up to and including 3.4 in a LOOP until the user selects DONE, GRILL, IMPLEMENT, or DRAFT, or declines/cancels in the dialog of step 3.4:

   1. Update timestamp: <if condition="<task-content-dirty/> is 'true'"> Update <timestamp-modified/> with the current time in ISO-style format, which has to be determined by calling the ase_timestamp(format: "yyyy-LL-dd HH:mm") tool of the ase MCP server and using the text field of its response. If the frontmatter of <task-content/> carries a Modified: key and the refinement changed the "body" (not only frontmatter keys or attachments), update it with the new <timestamp-modified/> value, as the key tracks "body" changes only. Then set the Modified: key of every attachment block touched by the refinement (see apply-refinement) to the very same <timestamp-modified/> value -- creating the key at its position in the key order of the plan <format/> if the block does not carry it yet -- and forget the touched marks again, so a changed attachment never falls behind the frontmatter. Do not output anything. </if>

   2. Persist plan: <if condition="<task-content-dirty/> is 'true'"> Call the ase_task_save(id: "<ase-task-id/>", text: "<task-content/>", render: true, tag: true) tool of the ase MCP server -- if <task-tag/> is not empty, additionally with the argument base: "<task-tag/>", so the save is refused if the plan was changed meanwhile by anybody else (instead of silently overwriting that change), and if <task-tag/> is empty (no plan existed yet), additionally with the argument create: true, so the save is refused if the plan was created meanwhile by anybody else -- to persist the current plan -- <task-content/> always is the authoring form of the plan and hence is persisted as is -- and then set <task-content-dirty>false</task-content-dirty> again. This ase_task_save MCP tool call is the only permitted way to persist the plan -- NEVER write the plan file via Write/Edit or by executing a shell command. Finally, always set <task-tag/> to the content enclosed in the <task-plan-tag> delimiter line of the text output field of this ase_task_save tool call (the entity tag of the just-saved plan, to be passed as base on the next save of every subsequent loop round), and set <task-render/> to the remaining text output field of this ase_task_save tool call (without this delimiter line) -- the rendering-prepared form of the just-persisted plan, which is for display only and MUST NOT be confused with the text argument passed into that call -- so the rendering in step 3.3 stays consistent across all loop rounds. Do not output anything related to this MCP tool call except the following <template/>:

      <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan saved** </template> </if>

   3. Render plan: If <ase-headless/> is true, nobody reads the rendering, so silently skip this entire step 3.3 (no MCP tool call and no output at all) and continue with step 3.4.

      <if condition="<task-render/> is empty"> Call the `ase_markdown_prepare(text: "<task-content/>")` tool of the `ase` MCP server and set <task-render/> to the `text` output field of this tool call. Do not output anything related to this MCP tool call. </if>

      Treat <task-render/> as verbatim Markdown.

      For the rendering only, drop the leading frontmatter block -- both --- delimiters and all of their keys -- and instead place the following column-aligned glyph lines before the # TASK: <title/> heading, separated from it by an empty line, omitting the line of every key absent from the frontmatter and always omitting the Type key. The glyph lines MUST stay above the heading, exactly where the frontmatter block sits in the plan file, and MUST NOT be moved below it. This keeps the --- delimiters from rendering as a horizontal rule plus a setext heading. This rewrite is display-only and MUST NOT change <task-render/> or <task-content/> itself:

      <format> ◉ **Id:** <task-id/> ⎈ **Created:** <timestamp-created/> ⚙ **Modified:** <timestamp-modified/> ⊞ **Group:** <task-group/> ◷ **Phase:** <task-phase/> ⇢ **After:** <task-after/> ◐ **Status:** <task-status/> ☯ **Kind:** <task-kind/> ⚑ **Tags:** <task-tags/> ⇤ **Source:** <task-source/> ⇢ **Changeset:** <task-changeset/> ⇥ **Target:** <task-target/> </format>

      Only output the following <template/>, so the user can read the plan and react to it. Do not truncate, summarize, or partially show the plan. Use the following <template/>:

      <template> <ase-tpl-head title="TASK" subtitle="<task-id/>"/> <task-render/> <ase-tpl-foot title="TASK" subtitle="<task-id/>"/> </template>

      <if condition="the backmatter of <task-content/> contains an attachment block with the Type key value text/x-diff; charset=utf-8; kind="draft" which is stale according to the plan <format/> (its Modified key is absent or older than the Modified key of the frontmatter)"> Directly after this <template/>, only output the following <template/> and then give the corrective hint by expanding the subsequent construct (which, depending on the configured <ase-guidance-level/>, may expand into nothing and hence emit no output at all):

      <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ WARNING: implementation draft attachment is **stale** (older than the plan) </template> <ase-tpl-hint level="minimal"> Run `/ase-task-implement --draft` again to re-create the implementation draft for the changed plan, as `/ase-task-integrate --draft` refuses a stale draft. </ase-tpl-hint> </if>

   4. Determine next step:

      • If <getopt-option-next/> is not equal to none: Treat <getopt-option-next/> as a comma-separated chronological list of pre-selected next-step tokens. Split it on ,, take the first token as <head/>, and store the remaining tokens (joined back with ,, or none if empty) into <getopt-option-next/> so subsequent loop iterations or downstream skills can consume the tail.

        • If <head/> matches the regex ^(DONE|GRILL|IMPLEMENT|DRAFT)$: Honor the pre-selected token. Set <result><head/></result>.

          Set <instruction></instruction> (clear the instruction, as any instruction carried in via the arguments was already applied to the plan in step 2 before this loop), so that a later OTHER: <text/> refinement correctly starts from a fresh refinement instruction below.

        • else: Only output the following <template/> and then immediately STOP processing the entire current skill:

          <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ☻ skill: **ase-task-edit**, ▶ ERROR: invalid `--next` token: **<head/>** </template>

      • If <getopt-option-next/> is equal to none:

        In the following, you MUST NOT use your built-in <user-dialog-tool/> tool! Instead, you MUST just show a custom dialog according to the expanded custom-dialog definition. You MUST closely follow this definition:

        <expand name="custom-dialog" arg1="--other"> Next Step: How would you like to proceed with the plan? DONE: Mark plan finalized, exit planning loop. GRILL: Hand off plan to grilling. DRAFT: Hand off plan to implementation drafting. IMPLEMENT: Hand off plan to implementation. </expand>

      Check the tool <result/> and dispatch accordingly:

      • If <result/> is DONE:

        Break out of the loop, only output the following <template/> and then STOP. Do not implement the plan.

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan finalized -- done** </template>

      • If <result/> is GRILL:

        Break out of the loop. <expand name="handoff-args"/> Only output the following <template/> and then call the Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-grill", args: "<args/>") tool to grill the finalized plan.

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan finalized -- hand-off to grilling** </template>

      • If <result/> is DRAFT:

        Break out of the loop. <expand name="handoff-args"/> Set <args><args/> --draft</args>. Only output the following <template/> and then call the Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-implement", args: "<args/>") tool to draft the implementation of the finalized plan.

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan finalized -- hand-off to implementation draft** </template>

      • If <result/> is IMPLEMENT:

        Break out of the loop. <expand name="handoff-args"/> Only output the following <template/> and then call the Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-implement", args: "<args/>") tool to apply the finalized plan.

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan finalized -- hand-off to implementation** </template>

      • If <result/> matches OTHER: <text/>:

        Set <instruction><text/></instruction> (replace existing instruction).

        <expand name="apply-refinement"/>

        Finally, only output the following <template/> and then continue the loop at step 3.1!

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ⇌ instruction: **<instruction/>**, ▶ status: **plan refined** </template>

      • If <result/> is CANCEL:

        Break out of the loop, only output the following <template/> and then STOP. Do not implement the plan.

        <template> ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ▶ status: **plan refinement cancelled** </template>