@rse/ase 0.9.56 → 0.9.57

package/dst/ase-config.js

@@ -124,27 +124,33 @@ const gitToplevel = () => {
     gitToplevelCache.set(cwd, top);
     return top === "" ? null : top;
 };
-/*  detect whether a project context exists, i.e. either we are inside
-    a Git working tree or a ".ase" directory is present at or above cwd  */
-const hasProjectContext = () => {
-    if (gitToplevel() !== null)
-        return true;
+/*  determine the project root directory, i.e. either the top-level
+    directory of the Git working tree or the nearest directory at or
+    above cwd which carries a ".ase" directory  */
+const projectRoot = () => {
+    const top = gitToplevel();
+    if (top !== null)
+        return top;
     let dir = fs.realpathSync(process.cwd());
     for (;;) {
         if (fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, ".ase")))
-            return true;
+            return dir;
         const parent = path.dirname(dir);
         if (parent === dir)
-            return false;
+            return null;
         dir = parent;
     }
 };
+/*  detect whether a project context exists, i.e. either we are inside
+    a Git working tree or a ".ase" directory is present at or above cwd  */
+const hasProjectContext = () => projectRoot() !== null;
 /*  parse a raw "--scope" option value into a canonical Scope chain;
     accepts a comma-separated list of terms in any order. The "user"
     term is always implicitly added at the bottom of the chain; the
     "project" term is implicitly added only when a project context
-    exists (Git repository or ".ase" directory at or above cwd), and
-    an explicit "project" term requires that same context  */
+    exists (Git repository or ".ase" directory at or above cwd) and it
+    stays weaker than the strongest explicitly requested term, and an
+    explicit "project" term requires that same context  */
 export const parseScope = (value) => {
     const projectActive = hasProjectContext();
     const input = (value === undefined || value === "") ?
@@ -162,7 +168,11 @@ export const parseScope = (value) => {
     if (seen.has("project") && !projectActive)
         throw new Error("invalid --scope: \"project\" requires a project context " +
             "(a Git repository or a \".ase\" directory at or above the current directory)");
-    if (!seen.has("project") && projectActive)
+    /*  the strongest term of the chain is the write target, so an implicitly
+        added "project" term must never outrank the strongest explicitly
+        requested term, as this would silently retarget the caller's request  */
+    const rankMax = Math.max(...terms.map((t) => scopeRank(t.kind)));
+    if (!seen.has("project") && projectActive && rankMax > scopeRank("project"))
         terms.unshift({ kind: "project" });
     if (!seen.has("user"))
         terms.unshift({ kind: "user" });
@@ -210,6 +220,7 @@ export class Config {
     log;
     docs;
     target;
+    pruned;
     /*  creation  */
     constructor(name, schema, log, scope = [{ kind: "user" }, { kind: "project" }]) {
         if (scope.length === 0)
@@ -222,6 +233,7 @@ export class Config {
         this.filename = this.resolveFilename(name, tgt);
         this.docs = [{ scope: tgt, filename: this.filename, doc: new Document() }];
         this.target = 0;
+        this.pruned = [];
     }
     /*  render a scope term as a short textual label  */
     static scopeLabel(term) {
@@ -252,16 +264,13 @@ export class Config {
             return path.join(this.userConfigDir(), `${name}.yaml`);
         else if (term.kind === "project") {
             const rel = path.join(".ase", `${name}.yaml`);
-            const cwd = process.cwd();
-            const top = gitToplevel();
-            const found = top !== null ?
-                this.findUpward(cwd, top, rel) :
-                (fs.existsSync(path.join(cwd, rel)) ? path.join(cwd, rel) : null);
-            return found ?? path.join(top ?? cwd, rel);
+            const root = projectRoot() ?? process.cwd();
+            const found = this.findUpward(process.cwd(), root, rel);
+            return found ?? path.join(root, rel);
         }
         else if (term.kind === "task") {
-            const top = gitToplevel() ?? process.cwd();
-            return path.join(top, ".ase", "task", term.id, `${name}.yaml`);
+            const root = projectRoot() ?? process.cwd();
+            return path.join(root, ".ase", "task", term.id, `${name}.yaml`);
         }
         else
             return path.join(os.homedir(), ".ase", "session", term.id, `${name}.yaml`);
@@ -290,6 +299,7 @@ export class Config {
     read(mode = "lenient") {
         const chain = this.scope;
         const docs = [];
+        this.pruned = [];
         for (let i = 0; i < chain.length; i++) {
             const sc = chain[i];
             if (sc.kind === "default") {
@@ -321,6 +331,8 @@ export class Config {
                 if (perDocMode === "strict")
                     throw new Error(msg);
                 this.log.write("warning", msg);
+                if (isTarget)
+                    this.pruned.push(`unparsable YAML (${doc.errors[0].message.split("\n")[0]})`);
                 doc = new Document();
             }
             docs.push({ scope: sc, filename, doc });
@@ -330,7 +342,9 @@ export class Config {
         for (let i = 0; i < docs.length; i++) {
             const isTarget = (i === this.target);
             const perDocMode = isTarget ? mode : "lenient";
-            this.validateDoc(docs[i].doc, docs[i].filename, perDocMode);
+            const removed = this.validateDoc(docs[i].doc, docs[i].filename, perDocMode);
+            if (isTarget)
+                this.pruned.push(...removed);
         }
     }
     /*  acquire a cross-process advisory lock on the target scope's file,
@@ -355,18 +369,28 @@ export class Config {
         const td = this.docs[this.target];
         if (td.scope.kind === "default")
             throw new Error("internal error: \"default\" scope is not writable");
+        /*  a lenient read physically removes the invalid content from the in-memory
+            target document, so writing that document back would silently erase the
+            very same content from the file on disk  */
+        if (this.pruned.length > 0)
+            throw new Error(`refusing to overwrite ${td.filename}: it carries invalid content ` +
+                `(${this.pruned.join(", ")}) which was skipped on reading and hence would be ` +
+                "lost on writing -- repair the file first");
         this.validateDoc(td.doc, td.filename, "strict");
         fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(td.filename), { recursive: true });
         writeFileAtomic.sync(td.filename, td.doc.toString({ indent: 4 }), { encoding: "utf8" });
     }
-    /*  validate a single YAML document against the optional schema  */
+    /*  validate a single YAML document against the optional schema; in "strict"
+        mode all invalid entries are reported as a thrown error, in "lenient" mode
+        they are removed from the document and their dotted paths are returned  */
     validateDoc(doc, filename, mode = "strict") {
         if (this.schema === null)
-            return;
+            return [];
+        const removed = [];
         for (;;) {
             const result = v.safeParse(this.schema, doc.toJS());
             if (result.success)
-                return;
+                return removed;
             if (mode === "strict") {
                 const issues = result.issues.map((i) => {
                     const dotPath = (i.path ?? []).map((p) => String(p.key)).join(".");
@@ -374,19 +398,20 @@ export class Config {
                 }).join("; ");
                 throw new Error(`invalid configuration in ${filename}: ${issues}`);
             }
-            let progressed = false;
+            const before = removed.length;
             for (const i of result.issues) {
                 const segs = (i.path ?? []).map((p) => String(p.key));
                 const dotPath = segs.join(".");
                 this.log.write("warning", `invalid entry in ${filename}: ${dotPath ? `${dotPath}: ` : ""}${i.message}`);
-                if (segs.length > 0) {
-                    doc.deleteIn(segs);
-                    progressed = true;
-                }
-                /*  root-level issues cannot be deleted; processing continues with the remaining issues  */
+                if (segs.length > 0 && doc.deleteIn(segs))
+                    removed.push(dotPath);
+                /*  issues at the document root and issues whose stringified path does not
+                    address a deletable node (e.g. a non-string YAML key like "404:", which
+                    "toJS" stringifies) cannot be removed; processing continues with the
+                    remaining issues  */
             }
-            if (!progressed)
-                return;
+            if (removed.length === before)
+                return removed;
         }
     }
     /*  enumerate all full dotted leaf paths from the attached valibot schema  */
@@ -444,6 +469,21 @@ export class Config {
         }
         return undefined;
     }
+    /*  retrieve the explicitly configured value at a dotted key, i.e. the same
+        cascade as "get", but skipping the built-in "default" scope layer, so
+        callers can distinguish a deliberately configured value from a merely
+        preset one  */
+    getExplicit(key) {
+        const segs = this.resolveKey(key).split(".");
+        for (let i = this.docs.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+            if (this.docs[i].scope.kind === "default")
+                continue;
+            const node = this.docs[i].doc.getIn(segs);
+            if (node !== undefined)
+                return node;
+        }
+        return undefined;
+    }
     /*  enumerate the effective leaf entries across the full scope chain;
         each returned entry identifies the originating scope  */
     entries() {
@@ -551,7 +591,8 @@ export default class ConfigCommand {
             .option("--scope <scope>", "configuration scope chain: comma-separated list of \"user\", \"project\", " +
             "\"task:<id>\", and/or \"session:<id>\" terms (e.g. \"task:N,session:M\"); " +
             "\"user\" is always implicitly included and \"project\" is implicitly " +
-            "included whenever a project context (Git repo or upward \".ase\" directory) exists")
+            "included whenever a project context (Git repo or upward \".ase\" directory) exists, " +
+            "but never above the strongest explicitly requested term")
             .description("manage ASE configuration")
             .action(() => {
             configCmd.outputHelp();

package/dst/ase-getopt.js

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { z } from "zod";
 import { Command, Option } from "commander";
 import { parse as shParse, quote as shQuote } from "shell-quote";
 /*  tokenize a raw input string into [start,end) token ranges, preserving
-    the quoting so the original text can later be sliced verbatim  */
+    the quoting and escaping so the original text can later be sliced verbatim  */
 const tokenizeRanges = (input) => {
     const ranges = [];
     let i = 0;
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ const tokenizeRanges = (input) => {
                 if (i < input.length)
                     i++;
             }
+            else if (ch === "\\" && i + 1 < input.length)
+                i += 2;
             else
                 i++;
         }

package/dst/ase-hook.js

@@ -240,10 +240,12 @@ export default class HookCommand {
         const projectId = path.basename(projectDir);
         /*  determine user id  */
         const userId = process.env.USER ?? process.env.LOGNAME ?? "unknown";
-        /*  helper function: determine a setting from the configuration,
-            falling back to an environment variable and a default  */
+        /*  helper function: determine a setting from the explicitly configured
+            scopes, falling back to an environment variable and a default; the
+            built-in "default" scope layer is deliberately skipped, as its preset
+            value is always present and would hence shadow the environment variable  */
         const setting = (key, envVar, dflt) => {
-            const val = cfg.get(key);
+            const val = cfg.getExplicit(key);
             return typeof val === "string" ? val : (process.env[envVar] ?? dflt);
         };
         /*  determine agent persona style, agent guidance level, and project boxing transparency  */

package/dst/ase-markdown.js

@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ export class Markdown {
         /*  segment the input line-wise into alternating non-fenced and
             fenced regions: a fenced code block opens with a line whose first
             non-whitespace content is a run of 3+ backticks or tildes and
-            closes with a matching-or-longer run of the same marker; fenced
-            regions are emitted verbatim while only non-fenced regions are
-            handed to the rewriting passes below  */
+            closes with a matching-or-longer run of the same marker; for a
+            backtick fence the info string trailing the run must not carry any
+            further backtick, so an inline code span delimited by a run of 3+
+            backticks never opens a fence; fenced regions are emitted verbatim
+            while only non-fenced regions are handed to the rewriting passes
+            below  */
         const lines = text.split("\n");
         let result = "";
         let buf = "";
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ export class Markdown {
         for (let li = 0; li < lines.length; li++) {
             const line = lines[li];
             const nl = li < lines.length - 1 ? "\n" : "";
-            const m = line.match(/^\s*(`{3,}|~{3,})/);
+            const m = line.match(/^\s*(`{3,}(?![^`]*`)|~{3,})/);
             if (!inFence && m) {
                 /*  a fence-opening line: flush the pending non-fenced buffer,
                     enter fenced mode, and emit the opener verbatim  */

package/dst/ase-service.js

@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ export default class ServiceCommand {
             return await new Promise(() => { });
         }
         if (port !== null) {
-            const match = await probe(port, ctx.projectId);
+            const match = await probe(port, ctx.projectId).catch(() => null);
             if (match === true) {
                 this.log.write("info", `service: already running on port ${port}`);
                 return 0;

package/dst/ase-task.js

@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ export class Task {
     /*  set the active task id for a given session  */
     static setId(log, session, id) {
         Task.validateSession(session);
+        Task.validateId(id);
         const scope = parseScope(`session:${session}`);
         const cfg = new Config("config", configSchema, log, scope);
         cfg.lock(() => {

package/package.json

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "homepage":                             "https://ase.tools",
     "repository":                           { "url": "git+https://github.com/rse/ase.git", "type": "git" },
     "bugs":                                 { "url": "https://github.com/rse/ase/issues" },
-    "version":                              "0.9.56",
+    "version":                              "0.9.57",
     "license":                              "Apache-2.0",
     "author": {
         "name":                             "Dr. Ralf S. Engelschall",

package/plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name":        "ase",
-    "version":     "0.9.56",
+    "version":     "0.9.57",
     "description": "Agentic Software Engineering (ASE)",
     "keywords":    [ "agentic", "software", "engineering" ],
     "homepage":    "https://ase.tools",

package/plugin/.codex-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name":        "ase",
-    "version":     "0.9.56",
+    "version":     "0.9.57",
     "description": "Agentic Software Engineering (ASE)",
     "keywords":    [ "agentic", "software", "engineering" ],
     "homepage":    "https://ase.tools",

package/plugin/.github/plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name":        "ase",
-    "version":     "0.9.56",
+    "version":     "0.9.57",
     "description": "Agentic Software Engineering (ASE)",
     "keywords":    [ "agentic", "software", "engineering" ],
     "homepage":    "https://ase.tools",

package/plugin/meta/ase-common-code.md

@@ -194,4 +194,8 @@ Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
     Then call the tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-edit", args: "<args/>")`.
     </else>
 
+6.  In every branch above which invoked the `Skill` tool, you *MUST*
+    immediately stop processing the current skill once the `Skill`
+    tool was used.
+
 </define>

package/plugin/meta/ase-common-task.md

@@ -156,3 +156,20 @@ related to this MCP call except the following <template/>:
     </expand>
 
 </define>
+
+<define name="task-next-handoff">
+
+Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
+<if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
+    Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
+</if>
+Only output the following <template/> and then call the tool
+`Skill(skill: "ase:<arg1/>", args: "<args/>")` to invoke the
+`ase:<arg1/>` skill to continue with the updated plan. Immediately
+stop processing the current skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
+
+<template>
+⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **<arg2/>**
+</template>
+
+</define>

package/plugin/meta/ase-format-arch.md

@@ -18,20 +18,6 @@ at `01`) according to the order of the **Artifact** list below, and with
 Pascal-casing each word (upper-casing its first letter) and using `-`
 characters instead of spaces (e.g. `Context-View`).
 
-Each **Artifact** file *MUST* begin with a single blank line before its
-`#` heading and end with a single blank line after its last content line
-(followed by the trailing newline), mirroring the blank lines shown
-inside the `<format>` blocks below.
-
-Each **Artifact** contains two timestamps: the <timestamp-created/>
-is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was created. The
-<timestamp-modified/> is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was last
-modified. Both use an ISO-style format value. The value of both can be
-determined by a call to the `ase_timestamp(format: "yyyy-LL-dd HH:mm")`
-tool of the `ase` MCP server, using the `text` field of its response.
-Whenever an **Artifact** is updated, the <timestamp-modified/> *MUST* be
-updated, too.
-
 The **Artifact Set** **Architecture (ARCH)** consists of the following
 distinct **Artifact**s (listed under their <artifact-name/> and their
 <artifact-id/>):

package/plugin/meta/ase-format-meta.md

@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ Artifact Meta Information
     name (for stable ordering) and is *not* part of the **Artifact**'s
     or its **Aspect**s' identifiers.
 
-    Each **Artifact** *MUST* have an initial blank line and a trailing
-    blank line. All its lines should be kept below 140 characters,
+    All lines of an **Artifact** should be kept below 140 characters,
     whenever possible by line-breaking with newlines after about 120
     characters per line.
 
@@ -64,6 +63,20 @@ Artifact Meta Information
     characters and in total not longer than 30 characters). An example
     is `user-login`.
 
+Each **Artifact** file *MUST* begin with a single blank line before its
+`#` heading and end with a single blank line after its last content line
+(followed by the trailing newline), mirroring the blank lines shown
+inside the `<format>` blocks below.
+
+Each **Artifact** contains two timestamps: the <timestamp-created/>
+is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was created. The
+<timestamp-modified/> is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was last
+modified. Both use an ISO-style format value. The value of both can be
+determined by a call to the `ase_timestamp(format: "yyyy-LL-dd HH:mm")`
+tool of the `ase` MCP server, using the `text` field of its response.
+Whenever an **Artifact** is updated, the <timestamp-modified/> *MUST* be
+updated, too.
+
 An **Artifact** *MAY* additionally declare an **Export** -- a derived,
 ready-to-consume rendering of (part of) its content, materialized as a
 *side-by-side* file next to the **Artifact** itself. An **Artifact**

package/plugin/meta/ase-format-spec.md

@@ -18,20 +18,6 @@ at `01`) according to the order of the **Artifact** list below, and with
 Pascal-casing each word (upper-casing its first letter) and using `-`
 characters instead of spaces (e.g. `Customer-Journey`).
 
-Each **Artifact** file *MUST* begin with a single blank line before its
-`#` heading and end with a single blank line after its last content line
-(followed by the trailing newline), mirroring the blank lines shown
-inside the `<format>` blocks below.
-
-Each **Artifact** contains two timestamps: the <timestamp-created/>
-is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was created. The
-<timestamp-modified/> is the timestamp when this **Artifact** was last
-modified. Both use an ISO-style format value. The value of both can be
-determined by a call to the `ase_timestamp(format: "yyyy-LL-dd HH:mm")`
-tool of the `ase` MCP server, using the `text` field of its response.
-Whenever an **Artifact** is updated, the <timestamp-modified/> *MUST* be
-updated, too.
-
 The **Artifact Set** **Specification (SPEC)** consists of the following
 distinct **Artifact**s (listed under their <artifact-name/> and their
 <artifact-id/>):

package/plugin/package.json

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "homepage":                             "https://ase.tools",
     "repository":                           { "url": "git+https://github.com/rse/ase.git", "type": "git" },
     "bugs":                                 { "url": "https://github.com/rse/ase/issues" },
-    "version":                              "0.9.56",
+    "version":                              "0.9.57",
     "license":                              "Apache-2.0",
     "author": {
         "name":                             "Dr. Ralf S. Engelschall",

package/plugin/skills/ase-arch-analyze/SKILL.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 name: ase-arch-analyze
-argument-hint: "[--help|-h] <source-reference>"
+argument-hint: "[--help|-h] [--prefix|-P=<prefix>] <source-reference>"
 description: Review software architecture, including package cohesion and inter-package coupling
 user-invocable: true
 disable-model-invocation: false

package/plugin/skills/ase-arch-discover/SKILL.md

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: false
 effort: high
 allowed-tools:
     - "Bash(npm search --json *)"
-    - "Bash(curl -s https://search.maven.org/*)"
+    - "Bash(curl -s *)"
     - "Skill"
     - "Agent"
 ---

package/plugin/skills/ase-code-resolve/SKILL.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 name: ase-code-resolve
-argument-hint: "[--help|-h] [--auto|-a] [--dry|-d] [--quick|-Q] [--next|-n <option>[,...]] [<task-id>:] <problem>"
+argument-hint: "[--help|-h] [--auto|-a] [--dry|-d] [--direct|-D] [--quick|-Q] [--next|-n <option>[,...]] [<task-id>:] <problem>"
 description: >
     Resolve Problem:
     Use when user wants to "bugfix" or "fix" code or "resolve" a problem.
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ effort: xhigh
 allowed-tools:
     - "Skill"
     - "Agent"
+    - "Read"
 ---
 
 @${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../meta/ase-control.md
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ Resolve Problem
 
 <expand name="getopt"
     arg1="ase-code-resolve"
-    arg2="--auto|-a --dry|-d --quick|-Q --next|-n=(none|DONE|EDIT|GRILL|PREFLIGHT|IMPLEMENT)...">
+    arg2="--auto|-a --dry|-d --direct|-D --quick|-Q --next|-n=(none|DONE|EDIT|GRILL|PREFLIGHT|IMPLEMENT)...">
     $ARGUMENTS
 </expand>
 
@@ -45,9 +46,18 @@ to `true`, <getopt-option-dry/> to `true`, and <getopt-option-next/> to
 Procedure
 ---------
 
+<if condition="<getopt-option-direct/> is not equal to 'true'">
 You *MUST* *NOT* call `Edit`, `Write`, `NotebookEdit`, or any
 filesystem-modifying tool during this entire skill. The *only*
 permitted way to persist artifacts is via `ase_task_save(...)`.
+</if>
+<else>
+The `--direct`/`-D` mode applies the resolution *in place*, so STEP 4
+below *requires* `Edit` and `Write` to modify the affected artifacts.
+Every modification *MUST* still stay restricted to the artifacts the
+resolution actually demands, and you *MUST* *NOT* call
+`ase_task_save(...)`, as no task plan is composed at all.
+</else>
 
 <flow>
 
@@ -120,14 +130,19 @@ permitted way to persist artifacts is via `ase_task_save(...)`.
         ⧉ **ASE**: ⇌ problem: **<problem/>**
         </template>
 
-    7.  Figure out what the requested <problem/> is about.
+    </step>
 
-    8.  Ask the user for clarification if the goal of this resolution is
-        too unclear.
+2.  <step id="STEP 2: Investigate Code Base">
 
-    9.  Do not output anything else in this step, unless you asked the user.
+    1.  Check the existing source files for all code which is related to the
+        requested <problem/> resolution.
 
-    10. Investigate and *figure out details* related to this problem.
+    2.  Check the architecture of the existing code base to understand the
+        overall structures and dynamics.
+
+    3.  Investigate and *figure out details* related to this problem.
+
+        <if condition="<getopt-option-direct/> is not equal to 'true'">
         Report those details with the following <template/>:
 
         <template>
@@ -165,38 +180,47 @@ permitted way to persist artifacts is via `ase_task_save(...)`.
           run_in_background: false)`, reproducing its
           returned fenced code block verbatim. Omit <optional-diagram/>
           entirely for simple or purely local situations.
+        </if>
+
+    4.  Do not output anything else in this STEP 2.
 
     </step>
 
-2.  <step id="STEP 2: Investigate Code Base">
+3.  <step id="STEP 3: Internalize Problem Resolution Tenets">
 
-    1.  Check the existing source files for all code which is related to the
-        requested <problem/> resolution.
+    1.  <task-kind>RESOLVING</task-kind>
 
-    2.  Check the architecture of the existing code base to understand the
-        overall structures and dynamics.
+    2.  <expand name="code-tenets" arg1="<task-kind/>"></expand>
 
-    3.  Do not output anything in this STEP 2.
+    3.  Do not output anything in this STEP 3.
 
     </step>
 
-3.  <step id="STEP 3: Internalize Problem Resolution Tenets">
+4.  <if condition="<getopt-option-direct/> is equal to 'true'">
 
-    1.  <task-kind>RESOLVING</task-kind>
+    <step id="STEP 4: Direct Problem Resolution">
 
-    2.  <expand name="code-tenets" arg1="<task-kind/>"></expand>
+    1.  Directly resolve the <problem/> by modifying the affected
+        *artifacts* with a corresponding, complete *change set*,
+        based on your gathered knowledge about the code base and your
+        internalized problem resolution tenets. Also, if a CHANGELOG.md
+        file exists, make an appropriate entry there, too.
 
-    3.  Do not output anything in this STEP 3.
+    2.  Do not output anything else in this STEP 4. Especially, do not
+        output a change summary or a unified diff of the changes.
 
     </step>
 
-4.  <step id="STEP 4: Choose Problem Resolution Approaches">
+    </if>
+    <else>
+
+    <step id="STEP 4: Choose Problem Resolution Approaches">
 
     <expand name="code-approaches" arg1="resolution" arg2="resolution"></expand>
 
     </step>
 
-5.  <step id="STEP 5: Compose Problem Resolution Plan">
+    <step id="STEP 5: Compose Problem Resolution Plan">
 
     1.  *Compose a plan* with code references, a precise description of the
         problem, the chosen resolution approach, a preview of the *unified
@@ -248,5 +272,7 @@ permitted way to persist artifacts is via `ase_task_save(...)`.
 
     </step>
 
+    </else>
+
 </flow>
 

package/plugin/skills/ase-code-resolve/help.md

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     [`--help`|`-h`]
     [`--auto`|`-a`]
     [`--dry`|`-d`]
+    [`--direct`|`-D`]
     [`--quick`|`-Q`]
     [`--next`|`-n` *option*[,...]]
     [*task-id*:] *problem*
@@ -27,10 +28,11 @@ or `T1`) previously produced by `ase-code-analyze` or
 `ase-arch-analyze` and persisted in the `ase` MCP key/value store
 under `ase-issue-<id>`.
 
-The skill does *not* directly modify source files. It persists the
-plan via `ase_task_save` and then hands off to `ase-task-edit`,
-`ase-task-preflight`, or `ase-task-implement`, as selected by
-`--next`.
+By default the skill does *not* directly modify source files. It
+persists the plan via `ase_task_save` and then hands off to
+`ase-task-edit`, `ase-task-preflight`, or `ase-task-implement`, as
+selected by `--next`. Only under `--direct` it skips the plan
+entirely and applies the change set to the affected artifacts itself.
 
 ##  OPTIONS
 
@@ -45,6 +47,15 @@ plan via `ase_task_save` and then hands off to `ase-task-edit`,
     type-checker, or program execution) once the source files have
     been modified.
 
+`--direct`|`-D`:
+    Resolve the problem *immediately* and *in place*: skip the
+    resolution approaches, the interactive dialog, and the entire task
+    plan ceremony, and directly apply the complete change set to the
+    affected artifacts, including a corresponding entry in an existing
+    `CHANGELOG.md` file. In this mode `--auto`, `--dry`, `--quick`, and
+    `--next` have no effect, as neither approaches are proposed nor a
+    plan is composed.
+
 `--quick`|`-Q`:
     Shorthand alias for `-a -d -n IMPLEMENT,DELETE`: automatically pick
     the recommended resolution approach, compose the plan *without* the

package/plugin/skills/ase-meta-changelog/SKILL.md

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ allowed-tools:
     - "Bash(git diff *)"
     - "Bash(git show *)"
     - "Bash(git tag --list *)"
+    - "Read"
     - "Write"
     - "Edit"
 ---

package/plugin/skills/ase-meta-chat/SKILL.md

@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ Query Foreign LLM for Chat
 Query foreign LLM for: <query><getopt-arguments/></query>
 </objective>
 
+<if condition="<query/> is empty">
+Only output the following <template/> and then immediately *STOP*
+processing the entire current skill:
+
+<template>
+⧉ **ASE**: ✪ skill: **ase-meta-chat**, ▶ ERROR: expected a `<query>` argument
+</template>
+</if>
+
 1.  You *MUST* *NOT* output anything in this step.
     Just call the underlying agent with the following tool:
 

package/plugin/skills/ase-meta-config/help.md

@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ preset-bootstrapping operation that stays a shell concern next to
     `user`, `project`, `task:`*id*, and/or `session:`*id* terms, in any
     order and at most one term per kind. The `user` term is always
     implicitly added at the bottom of the chain, and `project` is
-    implicitly added whenever a project context exists. If the option is
+    implicitly added whenever a project context exists, but never above
+    the strongest explicitly requested term. If the option is
     omitted, the chain of the *current session* (`session:`*id*) is used,
     so that reads see the full `user` -> `project` -> `session` cascade
     and writes -- including those to the session-only keys `agent.task`

package/plugin/skills/ase-task-preflight/SKILL.md

@@ -143,32 +143,10 @@ Procedure
             </template>
 
         -   If <result/> is `EDIT`:
-            Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
-            <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
-                Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
-            </if>
-            Only output the following <template/> and then call the
-            tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-edit", args: "<args/>")`
-            to invoke the `ase:ase-task-edit` skill in order to *edit*
-            the updated plan. Immediately stop processing the current
-            skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
-
-            <template>
-            ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **plan updated -- hand-off to edit**
-            </template>
+            <expand name="task-next-handoff" arg1="ase-task-edit"
+                arg2="plan updated -- hand-off to edit"></expand>
 
         -   If <result/> is `IMPLEMENT`:
-            Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
-            <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
-                Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
-            </if>
-            Only output the following <template/> and then call the
-            tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-implement", args: "<args/>")`
-            to invoke the `ase:ase-task-implement` skill in order to
-            *implement* the updated plan. Immediately stop processing
-            the current skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
-
-            <template>
-            ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **plan updated -- hand-off to implementation**
-            </template>
+            <expand name="task-next-handoff" arg1="ase-task-implement"
+                arg2="plan updated -- hand-off to implementation"></expand>
 

package/plugin/skills/ase-task-reboot/SKILL.md

@@ -143,47 +143,14 @@ Procedure
             </template>
 
         -   If <result/> is `EDIT`:
-            Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
-            <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
-                Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
-            </if>
-            Only output the following <template/> and then call the
-            tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-edit", args: "<args/>")`
-            to invoke the `ase:ase-task-edit` skill in order to *edit*
-            the updated plan. Immediately stop processing the current
-            skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
-
-            <template>
-            ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **plan rebooted -- hand-off to edit**
-            </template>
+            <expand name="task-next-handoff" arg1="ase-task-edit"
+                arg2="plan rebooted -- hand-off to edit"></expand>
 
         -   If <result/> is `IMPLEMENT`:
-            Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
-            <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
-                Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
-            </if>
-            Only output the following <template/> and then call the
-            tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-implement", args: "<args/>")`
-            to invoke the `ase:ase-task-implement` skill in order to
-            *implement* the updated plan. Immediately stop processing
-            the current skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
-
-            <template>
-            ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **plan rebooted -- hand-off to implementation**
-            </template>
+            <expand name="task-next-handoff" arg1="ase-task-implement"
+                arg2="plan rebooted -- hand-off to implementation"></expand>
 
         -   If <result/> is `PREFLIGHT`:
-            Set <args>--int-reuse-task</args>.
-            <if condition="<getopt-option-next/> is not equal `none`">
-                Set <args><args/> --next <getopt-option-next/></args>
-            </if>
-            Only output the following <template/> and then call the
-            tool `Skill(skill: "ase:ase-task-preflight", args: "<args/>")`
-            to invoke the `ase:ase-task-preflight` skill in order to
-            *preflight* the updated plan. Immediately stop processing
-            the current skill once the `Skill` tool was used.
-
-            <template>
-            ⧉ **ASE**: ◉ task: **<ase-task-id/>**, ✪ plan: **<words/>** words, ▶ status: **plan rebooted -- hand-off to pre-flight**
-            </template>
+            <expand name="task-next-handoff" arg1="ase-task-preflight"
+                arg2="plan rebooted -- hand-off to pre-flight"></expand>