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fix: guide agents to quote the fixlab exec separator and avoid cmd /c - #61

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MonaDevAI merged 1 commit into
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users/mobiswal/exec-separator-guidance
Oct 12, 2026
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MonaDevAI merged 1 commit into
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users/mobiswal/exec-separator-guidance

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Agents on Windows PowerShell lost the unquoted -- separator, saw fixlab exec usage text, and fell back to cmd /c, which non-interactive sessions deny (blocked Bug 17296117 at reproduce). Updates all agent guidance copies, the dashboard prompt and docs\troubleshooting.md, adds a hint to the usage error, and extends tests. 131 tests, lint, tsc and docs check pass; format:check flags only mcp\server.js (pre-existing).

In Windows PowerShell an unquoted -- is dropped, so fixlab exec printed usage
and agents fell back to a cmd /c wrapper that non-interactive sessions deny.
Update agent guidance, the dashboard prompt and troubleshooting docs, and add
a hint to the usage error.

Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Copilot-Session: aa2b2938-9ca6-4b67-a11a-f131b554d603
Copilot AI balanced review requested due to automatic review settings October 12, 2026 22:40
@MonaDevAI
MonaDevAI merged commit 8f4e3b2 into main Oct 12, 2026
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🟡 Changes recommended

The direct CLI guidance remains unsynchronized, and the troubleshooting page still presents the broken invocation first.

2 open findings
What changed in this PR

Adds Windows PowerShell guidance for reliably invoking fixlab exec.

Changes:

  • Documents quoting the -- separator and avoiding cmd /c.
  • Adds these instructions to agent and dashboard prompts.
  • Extends usage-error and dashboard prompt tests.
File Description
bin/​structured-command.js Adds PowerShell troubleshooting hints.
dashboard/​server.js Adds guidance to dashboard prompts.
agents/​fixlab.md Updates the Agency agent instructions.
com.github.copilot/​agents/​fixlab.agent.md Mirrors packaged agent guidance.
templates/​fixlab-autofix.agent.md Updates initialized agent guidance.
.github/​agents/​fixlab-autofix.agent.md Updates the versioned autofix agent.
docs/​troubleshooting.md Documents the PowerShell invocation workaround.
test/​structured-command.test.js Verifies usage-error hints.
test/​dashboard-server.test.js Verifies dashboard prompt guidance.

🧠 Review effort: Balanced


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Comment thread dashboard/server.js
- ${playwrightOnly ? "Skip source diagnosis, separate reproduction, implementation, diff review, and non-browser validation. Mark diagnosis, reproduce, fix, and review skipped with the reason Playwright-only mode was selected." : "Inspect the affected surface, implement the smallest required code when edits are allowed, and self-review the effective diff for correctness, scope, and unrelated changes."}
- ${playwrightOnly ? "Run only setup commands strictly required to launch the profile-defined applications and focused Playwright journey. Do not reinstall dependencies that are already available." : "Run the focused repository-owned tests, type-checks, and builds needed for the affected surface and risk. Preserve exact results."}
- Run verbose repository-owned tests, builds, linters, type checks, and package validation through \`fixlab exec --stage <stage> -- <command> [args...]\`. Keep its compact result in context and inspect the private evidence path only when an exact diagnostic is needed.
- Run verbose repository-owned tests, builds, linters, type checks, and package validation through \`fixlab exec --stage <stage> -- <command> [args...]\`. In Windows PowerShell quote the separator (\`'--'\`) because an unquoted \`--\` is dropped, and never wrap \`fixlab exec\` in \`cmd /c\`; that wrapper is denied in non-interactive sessions. Keep its compact result in context and inspect the private evidence path only when an exact diagnostic is needed.
Comment thread docs/troubleshooting.md
Comment on lines +15 to +18
In Windows PowerShell an unquoted `--` is dropped, so `fixlab exec` prints its
usage text instead of running. Quote the separator (`'--'`). Do not wrap the
command in `cmd /c`: the wrapper is denied when no interactive user can approve
it, which blocks the job.
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2 participants