bob-tools

name	bob-tools
description	Use when working in a BobProtocol project and you need to understand or run the project tool scripts in agents/tools, especially chat.py, mkf.py, setup_agent_links.py, and teardown_agent_links.py. This skill explains which commands to run, when to prefer Makefile wrappers, what each tool writes, and how to avoid flooding Codex context.
triggers	["agents/tools","chat.py","mkf.py","setup_agent_links.py","teardown_agent_links.py","bob tools","BobProtocol tools"]

One-line summary: Use BobProtocol project tools through their stable command surfaces, usually make, and only call scripts directly for setup or debugging.

TLDR: Use make chat MSG="..." PERSONA="..." CMD="..." TO="..." for team log messages. Use make <target> for project automation; mkf.py wraps most targets automatically and writes full output to build/build.out. Use python agents/tools/setup_agent_links.py after installing/updating BobProtocol so Claude, Codex, root instruction links, via MCP, and Codex MCP are configured. Use python agents/tools/teardown_agent_links.py --dry-run to inspect generated links before removing them.

BobProtocol Tools

Tool Map

Tool	Preferred command	Use for	Writes
agents/tools/chat.py	make chat MSG="..." PERSONA="..." CMD="..." TO="..."	Append short structured messages to agents/CHAT.md	agents/CHAT.md
agents/tools/mkf.py	make <target> [V=-v/-vv/-vvv]	Capture build/test output and post build status	build/build.out, agents/CHAT.md
agents/tools/setup_agent_links.py	python agents/tools/setup_agent_links.py	Create discovery links for Claude, Codex, root instruction files, delegate MCP setup to via, ensure the via index exists, register via with Codex MCP, and create missing project capabilities	.claude/skills, $CODEX_HOME/skills, root symlinks; .mcp.json via via; .via/index.db; Codex config via codex mcp add; agents/PROJECT.md when absent
agents/tools/teardown_agent_links.py	python agents/tools/teardown_agent_links.py --dry-run	Remove discovery links created by setup and delegate MCP teardown to via/Codex	.claude/skills, $CODEX_HOME/skills, root symlinks; via may remove its own MCP config; Codex config via codex mcp remove

General Rules

• Prefer the Makefile wrapper when one exists. make chat and make <target> are the public interface.
• Do not pipe or redirect make output into the conversation. mkf.py exists to keep full logs in build/build.out.
• Inspect build/build.out only when the tail or exit code is not enough.
• Keep chat messages under 256 characters. For longer status, write a Markdown summary file and chat the path plus a short summary.
• Consecutive make build-status messages replace the previous make build entry instead of appending, so routine build/test runs do not fill agents/CHAT.md.
• Run setup links after changing agents/skills/*/SKILL.md, adding a new persona docs folder, or installing BobProtocol into another project.
• Run teardown with --dry-run first. It removes only symlinks that point back into the current project and leaves Codex .system skills untouched.

chat.py

Use through Make:

make chat MSG="Fixed parser bug" PERSONA="Neo" CMD="swe fix" TO="Trin"

Direct form, mainly for debugging:

python agents/tools/chat.py "Fixed parser bug" --persona Neo --cmd "swe fix" --to Trin

Notes:

• CMD is auto-prefixed with * when missing.
• TO defaults to all.
• Multiple --to flags are supported by the Python tool.
• When PERSONA=make and CMD=build, chat.py overwrites the final chat entry if that entry is also a make build message.

mkf.py

Do not call mkf.py directly during normal work. The Makefile routes normal targets through it.

make test
make test V=-vv
make tldr V=-vvv

Verbosity:

• no V: quiet, full log in build/build.out
• V=-v: stderr
• V=-vv: stderr plus filtered failure lines
• V=-vvv: full stdout and stderr

After a run, use:

tail -20 build/build.out

setup_agent_links.py

Run this from the project root after setup or skill changes:

python agents/tools/setup_agent_links.py

It discovers:

• personas from agents/*.docs/SKILL.md
• shared skills from agents/skills/*/SKILL.md

It creates:

• .claude/skills/<name> links for Claude-style skill discovery
• $CODEX_HOME/skills/<name> links so Codex loads BobProtocol skills on startup
• root instruction links: AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, CHATGPT.md, .cursorrules, .github/copilot-instructions.md
• via MCP integration by running via install mcp when via is installed, then hardening .mcp.json with HOME=<project-root> and --no-web
• via index creation with via index <project-root> when .via/index.db is missing
• Codex MCP integration by running codex mcp add via --env HOME=<project-root> -- <via> mcp serve --no-web <project-root> when codex and via are installed
• agents/PROJECT.md when it is missing, with via: enabled only if via MCP setup succeeded

If writing to $CODEX_HOME/skills fails under sandboxing, rerun with approval. Restart Codex after creating or changing Codex skill links.

teardown_agent_links.py

Run this from the project root to undo setup:

python agents/tools/teardown_agent_links.py --dry-run
python agents/tools/teardown_agent_links.py

It removes only generated links/config owned by this project:

• .claude/skills/* symlinks that point into this repo
• $CODEX_HOME/skills/* symlinks that point into this repo
• root instruction symlinks: AGENTS.md, GEMINI.md, CHATGPT.md, .cursorrules, .github/copilot-instructions.md
• via MCP integration by running via uninstall mcp
• Codex MCP integration by running codex mcp remove via

It does not remove real files, unrelated symlinks, or $CODEX_HOME/skills/.system.

Use --keep-mcp to skip via uninstall mcp.