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automaton/tasks/complete/fix-stale-task-mtime-proxy/SPEC.md
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Archive completed tasks, add cleanup commands, self-documenting dashboard UI
- Archive 79 completed framework-dev tasks from tasks/ -> tasks/complete/
- status.py: add --cleanup-done and --install-cleanup-schedule commands
- Add scripts/automaton-cleanup.sh for periodic task archiving
- Dashboard: rename 'Background' tab -> 'Agent', 'Cleanup' agent -> 'Completed Task Archiver', remove redundant group headers and pill badges, dim inactive agent placeholders
- .rules.md: add Self-Documenting UI Names rule
- New tests: test_cleanup_done.py, expanded test_app.py and test_task.py
2026-06-24 22:43:33 -04:00

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Spec: fix-stale-task-mtime-proxy

Problem

scripts/status.py:965,1072 uses the .state file's mtime as a proxy for "last edit activity." But every --transition rewrites .state, resetting its mtime. A task that was transitioned 29 minutes ago appears "fresh" even though no editing happened. The --same-session check also gives false positives after any transition.

Fix

Use a separate .state.lastedit timestamp file that is updated only when --can-edit returns ALLOWED (actual edit activity). Check .state.lastedit mtime instead of .state mtime for stale-task detection. If .state.lastedit doesn't exist, fall back to .state mtime (backward compat).

Acceptance Criteria

  • Transitioning a task does NOT reset the stale-task timer
  • Running --can-edit (and getting ALLOWED) DOES reset the timer
  • If .state.lastedit doesn't exist, falls back to .state mtime
  • Existing tests still pass
  • Add test verifying transition doesn't reset timer but can-edit does