manual_slop/conductor/edit_workflow.md

# Manual Slop Edit Tool Workflow

## The Problem
The `manual-slop_edit_file` tool requires **exact string matches** (character-for-character). Whitespace differences cause failures. The Python file uses **1-space indentation**.

## The Rules

### 1. ALWAYS Use Small, Incremental Edits
**WRONG:** Replace large blocks (50+ lines)
**RIGHT:** Replace 3-10 lines at a time, verify, repeat

### 2. Verify Before Editing
Before ANY edit to a function you haven't touched recently:
```
1. Run: git checkout -- src/gui_2.py
2. Run: py_check_syntax on src/gui_2.py
3. Get current state with get_file_slice
```

### 3. Reading Before Editing (CRITICAL)
- Use `get_file_slice` to get the EXACT text including all whitespace
- Copy text directly from the tool output - do NOT reformat
- If using get_definition, verify the text matches before editing

### 4. The Edit Tool Parameters (snake_case)
```python
{
  "path": "src/gui_2.py",      # Required: file path
  "old_string": "exact text",    # Required: must match EXACTLY
  "new_string": "replacement",  # Required: replacement text
  "replace_all": false           # Optional: replace all occurrences
}
```

### 5. 1-Space Indentation in Python
- Class methods: ` def` (0 spaces, then 1)
- Method body: `  ` (2 spaces total)
- Nested blocks: `   ` (3 spaces total)
- NO 4-space indentation anywhere in this file

### 6. The Decorator-Orphan Pitfall (Added 2026-06-07)

When inserting new methods **before an existing `@property` def**:
```
@property
def perf_profiling_enabled(self) -> bool:
    ...
```
If you anchor on `def perf_profiling_enabled` and insert before it, the `@property` decorator on the line above is left orphaned on the line right before YOUR new method. Now `@property` decorates your method (which is no longer a property), and the original setter `@perf_profiling_enabled.setter` blows up at import with `'function' object has no attribute 'setter'`.

**Fix:** Anchor on a non-decorated landmark, or include the decorator in the replacement:
- `old_string` = `  self._init_actions()\n\n @property\n def perf_profiling_enabled`
- `new_string` = `  self._init_actions()\n\n def your_new(...)\n ...\n\n @property\n def perf_profiling_enabled`

This keeps the `@property` attached to its original method.

### 7. ast.parse() Is Not Enough (Added 2026-06-07)

`py_check_syntax` only confirms `ast.parse()` succeeds. Semantic errors (wrong decorator targets, wrong base class, wrong attribute, missing `self`) are NOT caught. After any multi-line edit, ALWAYS:
1. Import the module: `python -c "from src.app_controller import AppController"`
2. Instantiate the class
3. Call the new method in the way it's expected to be called (`ctrl.foo_ts` for a property, `ctrl.foo_ts()` for a method)

### 8. Do Not Use `set_file_slice` For Multi-Line Content (Added 2026-06-07)

`set_file_slice` does literal line replacement by design. It does not reindent, does not normalize EOL, does not parse decorators. Use it for surgical line-level edits (3-10 lines). If you need to insert or replace a multi-method block, use `manual-slop_edit_file` with verified exact-text old_string/new_string, or use `py_add_def` / `py_update_definition` for class/method-level work.

## Step-by-Step Workflow for gui_2.py

### Before ANY edit:
```powershell
git checkout -- src/gui_2.py
```

### Check current state:
```powershell
py_check_syntax path=src/gui_2.py
get_file_slice path=src/gui_2.py start_line=X end_line=Y
```

### For each edit:
1. Make the smallest possible change (3-10 lines)
2. Run `py_check_syntax` to verify
3. If syntax error, immediately `git checkout -- src/gui_2.py`
4. Only proceed if syntax is OK

### If edit fails with "old_string not found":
- The text you're trying to replace doesn't EXACTLY match
- Use `get_file_slice` to get the exact text
- Copy it character-for-character including whitespace
- Try again with exact match

### If syntax error after edit:
```powershell
git checkout -- src/gui_2.py
```
Then try again with smaller edit.

## Alternative: Update Definition Approach

For large function rewrites, use `py_update_definition`:
```
name: function_name
path: src/gui_2.py
new_content: complete new function source
```

This replaces the entire function at once using AST detection.

## Context Composition Requirements

### Current Broken State
Files & Media works. Context Composition needs:

1. Add state tracking at start of function:
```python
if not hasattr(self, 'ctx_files_open'):
  self.ctx_files_open = True
if not hasattr(self, 'ctx_shots_open'):
  self.ctx_shots_open = True
```

2. Files section with collapsing header and child window:
```python
if imgui.collapsing_header("Files", self.ctx_files_open):
  imgui.begin_child("ctx_files_child", imgui.ImVec2(-1, 200), True)
  # table code here
  imgui.end_child()
```

3. Screenshots section with collapsing header and child window:
```python
if imgui.collapsing_header("Screenshots", self.ctx_shots_open):
  imgui.begin_child("ctx_shots_child", imgui.ImVec2(-1, 100), True)
  # screenshot list here
  imgui.end_child()
```

4. Fixed presets bar with push_item_width(150) on the combo

5. Remove the batch action bar entirely (Full/Agg/Sig/Def/None/Sel All/Del buttons)

## Key Files
- `src/gui_2.py` - Main GUI (1-space indentation, CRLF)
- `src/models.py` - Data models including FileItem
- Context Composition function: line ~2748

## Test Command
```powershell
uv run sloppy.py
```

## If Everything Goes Wrong
```powershell
git checkout -- src/gui_2.py
git checkout -- src/models.py
```