skills: carry when_to_use trigger text into Cursor, which ignores the key #12482

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1. kyle-sexton

   added a parent issue on Nov 2, 2026

   • marketplace: research Cursor plugin import with no fork and no Cursor specifics #7556
2. github-actions

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   needs-triageNot yet classified. Floor until a type and one priority tier are set.Not yet classified. Floor until a type and one priority tier are set.

   on Nov 2, 2026
3. github-actions commented on Nov 2, 2026

   

   github-actionsBot

   on Nov 2, 2026 – with GitHub Actions

   Last edited by melodic-automation-lanes

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   Proposed work class: work-class: scoped
   Basis: automated intake triage; the lanes App applied this class.

   Size: Small
   Complexity: Low
   Uncertainty: Known
   Flags: none
   Blocked by: none

   Understood: Cursor ignores the when_to_use frontmatter key, so trigger text in three skills (computer-use diagnose, playwright demo-video and playwright) never reaches Cursor. The issue asks to move that text into description, record the rule in the skill-authoring guidance, keep the listing-budget and skill checks passing by shortening text, and file a follow-up for the other four skills that use when_to_use.

   The done-when items are exact and the decision comment answers the open design question. Nothing is missing. I found no likely duplicates among the open issues.

   _{Automated triage, applied by the lanes App.}
4. github-actions

   added

   priority: mediumReal value, no hard deadline; normal backlog flow.Real value, no hard deadline; normal backlog flow.

   status: needs-decisionAwaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.Awaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.

   on Nov 2, 2026
5. github-actions

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   issue type on Nov 2, 2026
6. melodic-automation-lanes commented on Nov 2, 2026

   

   melodic-automation-lanesBot

   on Nov 2, 2026

   Last edited by melodic-automation-lanes

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   The triage verdict left this issue at status: needs-decision:

   • held by needs-human
   • no lanes App verdict comment shows whether an earlier verdict was flagged
7. melodic-automation-lanes

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   work-class: scopedA briefed fix or small feature; blast radius bounded by the brief, tests exist.A briefed fix or small feature; blast radius bounded by the brief, tests exist.

   and removed

   needs-triageNot yet classified. Floor until a type and one priority tier are set.Not yet classified. Floor until a type and one priority tier are set.

   on Nov 2, 2026
8. melodic-automation-lanes

   set

   Work status

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   needs-owner-decision

   on Nov 2, 2026
9. melodic-automation-lanes commented on Nov 2, 2026

   

   melodic-automation-lanesBot

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   Refinement. A read-only run explored this repository, searched its issues and pull requests, and read the allowed docs to draft what follows. On an issue a listed human filed, it counts as the issue's spec once posted, while unedited; it is still model text, so check it.

   Intended outcome: Fold the trigger text of the three skills' when_to_use into description (keeping the listing budget), and record in the skill-authoring guidance that Cursor ignores when_to_use.

   Related work

   • Concise skills: one skill-creation standard, evals, and a fleet-wide rollout #6476 (related): Concise-skills standard and fleet rollout; any description rewrite should follow its skill-creation standard.
   • perf: cut the bodies of the most-invoked skills through progressive disclosure #12240 (related): Skill-body progressive disclosure work that touches the same skills and may conflict on edits.

   Open questions

   1. Should the trigger text move into description (merging when_to_use into it for the 3 skills), or should when_to_use stay and the Cursor loss be accepted?
      RECOMMENDED: Move it into description for the three affected skills, and drop when_to_use there. Basis: Cursor documents description as supported and the probe showed it reaches the listing; the three keys are at plugins/computer-use/skills/diagnose/SKILL.md:3, plugins/playwright/skills/demo-video/SKILL.md:3, plugins/playwright/skills/playwright/SKILL.md:3
   2. Should the rule apply to all skills (guidance says put trigger text in description going forward), including the four other skills that use when_to_use (skill-quality check, harness-ops audit-native-overlap and inventory, session-flow recommend-skills)?
      RECOMMENDED: Make it a general rule in the guidance, but only change the three named skills in this issue; leave the other four to a follow-up. Basis: judgment
   3. Does merging into description risk exceeding the listing budget or the description length limits enforced by the repo's checks?
      RECOMMENDED: Apply the merge and require that the listing-budget and skill checks still pass; if a skill goes over, shorten the text rather than exempting it. Basis: plugins/skill-quality/scripts/check-listing-budget.sh

   Sources read

   • plugins/computer-use/skills/diagnose/SKILL.md:3: when_to_use holds the trigger text for diagnose
   • plugins/playwright/skills/demo-video/SKILL.md:3: when_to_use holds the trigger phrases for demo-video
   • plugins/playwright/skills/playwright/SKILL.md:3: when_to_use holds the trigger phrases for playwright
   • plugins/playbooks/CHANGELOG.md:1316: the only mention of when_to_use in playbooks markdown; skill-authoring guidance does not currently document the key
   • plugins/skill-quality/scripts/check-listing-budget.sh: tooling that counts when_to_use toward the listing budget

   To answer, post a comment that starts with this line:

   **Decision recorded.** <answer>
   

   _{Automated refinement by the lanes App. Answer with a comment whose first line is **Decision recorded.**.}
10. kyle-sexton commented on Nov 2, 2026

    

    kyle-sexton

    on Nov 2, 2026

    Last edited by kyle-sexton

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    Agent choice, not an owner answer. The owner did not answer this question. Lane 2 chose on the #7556 evidence, and Issue Triage owns the question. Accept the triage recommendations. (1) Move the trigger text into description for the three skills (computer-use diagnose, playwright demo-video and playwright) and drop when_to_use there. Basis: the #7556 probe showed Cursor reads description and ignores when_to_use. (2) The skill-authoring guidance says trigger text goes in description. The other four skills that use when_to_use move in a follow-up issue this PR files. (3) The listing-budget and skill checks must still pass; shorten text rather than exempt a skill. Basis: plugins/skill-quality/scripts/check-listing-budget.sh. Decided under the owner's standing direction (decide from evidence; no intent, security or cost question here).
11. kyle-sexton

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    agent-readyFully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.Fully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.

    and removed

    status: needs-decisionAwaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.Awaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.

    on Nov 2, 2026
12. melodic-automation-lanes commented on Nov 2, 2026

    

    melodic-automation-lanesBot

    on Nov 2, 2026

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    This records a re-fire of an earlier refusal, not a new refusal. The lanes kill switch stopped run 41522463663, the work-resolve-issue run that agent-ready started, before it did any work; that run ended at 2026-11-02T20:53:57Z. work-unblock has now removed and added agent-ready back to start a fresh run. A kill-switch refusal is no fault in this issue or the lanes, so it never counts against later re-fires; after limits.limit-stops-per-issue of them since a person last added agent-ready or a run last reported, work-unblock waits longer before each one, up to 24 hours.
13. melodic-automation-lanes

    added

    agent-readyFully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.Fully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.

    and removed

    agent-readyFully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.Fully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.

    on Nov 2, 2026
14. github-actions commented on Nov 2, 2026

    

    github-actionsBot

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    No description provided.
15. melodic-automation-lanes

    added

    needs-humanHuman-in-the-loop required; autonomous sessions must not resolve items carrying this.Human-in-the-loop required; autonomous sessions must not resolve items carrying this.

    and removed

    agent-readyFully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.Fully specified and briefed; eligible for autonomous pickup from the frontier.

    on Nov 2, 2026
16. melodic-automation-lanes commented on Nov 2, 2026

    

    melodic-automation-lanesBot

    on Nov 2, 2026

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    The work-resolve-issue lane stopped partway through this issue and needs a person.

    Reason: security

    Why, in the run's own words:

    The run did not start: the issue's title or body changed after agent-ready was added, so the runner wrote no issue file for the skill and no model ran.

    Run: https://github.com/melodic-software/claude-code-plugins/actions/runs/41532046031

    To retry, remove needs-human and add agent-ready again.
17. melodic-automation-lanes

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    status: needs-decisionAwaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.Awaiting a human or maintainer judgment call.

    on Nov 2, 2026
18. melodic-automation-lanes

    changed

    Work status

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    needs-human

    on Nov 2, 2026