| name | datadog-auto-ack |
| description | Set up, inspect, debug, or uninstall a local macOS iMessage/SMS auto-ack monitor for Datadog alert texts. Use when the user wants Codex to auto-reply to Datadog SMS alerts by sending the number before "ack" or "ack all", configure a cron-based monitor, check Full Disk Access issues for Messages, or troubleshoot the local auto-ack state/logs. |
Datadog Auto Ack
Overview
Install a local macOS cron monitor that reads the Messages SQLite database read-only, watches one alert sender, and replies through the Messages app with the number immediately before ack or ack all.
The monitor is intentionally narrow:
- It watches one sender or short code, default
43152.
- It only acts on incoming messages that contain a
Reply ... <number> ack or Reply ... <number> ack all option list.
- It records processed message row IDs in a state file so it does not reply twice.
- It never uses Datadog API keys and does not require write access to Datadog.
Install
Use scripts/install_cron.sh from this skill. It copies scripts/imessage_auto_ack.py into ~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack, writes a cron wrapper, and installs one crontab line tagged codex-datadog-auto-ack.
Typical install:
scripts/install_cron.sh
Install for a different sender:
AUTO_ACK_TARGET=12345 scripts/install_cron.sh
After install, macOS may require Full Disk Access for:
/usr/sbin/cron- The Python executable used by the wrapper, usually
python3 or a resolved version such as /opt/homebrew/anaconda3/bin/python3.12
Full Disk Access is needed because the monitor reads ~/Library/Messages/chat.db. The user must grant this manually in System Settings.
Verify
Check the installed crontab:
crontab -l | grep codex-datadog-auto-ack
Check heartbeat and logs:
cat ~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack/heartbeat.txt
tail -n 50 ~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack/auto_ack.log
tail -n 50 ~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack/cron.err
If cron logs sqlite3.OperationalError: unable to open database file, Full Disk Access is still missing for the cron-launched process.
Debug Safely
Run one poll manually:
~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack/run.sh
Use dry-run mode before trusting a new sender or pattern:
AUTO_ACK_DRY_RUN=1 AUTO_ACK_TARGET=43152 python3 scripts/imessage_auto_ack.py --once
The log intentionally records message IDs and chosen replies, not alert bodies.
Uninstall
Use:
scripts/uninstall_cron.sh
This removes only crontab lines tagged codex-datadog-auto-ack; it leaves runtime logs and state in ~/.codex/datadog-auto-ack for audit unless the user deletes them.
