| name | powershell-cross-platform-display-paths |
| description | Repair PowerShell relative-path display helpers so Windows and Linux/macOS keep project-relative bootstrap paths truthful |
| domain | powershell |
| confidence | high |
| source | earned |
| tools | [{"name":"view","description":"Inspect helper functions that trim or render project-relative paths","when":"When auditing PowerShell scripts for cross-platform path display bugs"},{"name":"powershell","description":"Run focused integration scripts after helper changes","when":"When validating Windows regressions while repairing Linux/macOS path handling"}] |
Context
Use this when a PowerShell CLI renders project-relative file references for humans or downstream tools and the code was originally written with Windows-only separator assumptions.
Patterns
- Trim both \ and / when removing trailing root separators or leading relative separators.
- For URI-based relative-path helpers, append the current platform directory separator when building the base URI.
- Only translate / back to \ on Windows; keep Linux/macOS outputs in forward-slash form.
- Add regression coverage that checks both slash styles explicitly and blocks absolute-looking /.specrew/... bootstrap references from reappearing.
Examples
- scripts\specrew-start.ps1: Get-DisplayPathFromProjectRoot now delegates to a helper that trims both separator styles before removing the root prefix.
- scripts\specrew-review.ps1: Get-RelativePath now keeps / on Linux/macOS instead of forcing .
- tests\integration\start-command.ps1: load the helper definitions and assert that /repo/project/.specrew/... renders as .specrew/..., not /.specrew/....
Anti-Patterns
- Calling .TrimEnd('') or .TrimStart('') in code that must also run on Linux/macOS.
- Replacing / with \ unconditionally after MakeRelativeUri.
- Relying only on Windows end-to-end output when the bug class is separator-sensitive.
