source-backed-intake-append-hygiene

name	source-backed-intake-append-hygiene
description	Append grouped source-backed intake batches into existing Inbox notes without duplicating topics, source URIs, or checkpoint state.

Source-backed intake append hygiene

Use this skill when a source-backed intake batch clearly belongs to an existing Inbox note or when multiple records in the same thread keep resurfacing the same topic.

Goal

Keep one durable note per topic/thread when possible, and append new batch sections cleanly instead of creating near-duplicate notes.

When to use

• A batch repeats an already-tracked topic.
• The Inbox already has a note for the same thread or subject.
• You need to add a new batch section with Q1–Q4 answers.
• You are finishing a writeback before running the exact checkpoint commit snippet.

Procedure

1. Find the existing note first.

   • Search the Inbox for the topic, thread title, or representative vadimgest://... URI.
   • Prefer appending to the most specific existing note rather than creating a sibling note.

2. Compact the batch before writing.

   • Dedupe repeated facts inside the batch.
   • Treat repeated records in the same thread as one conversation window.
   • Keep Q1–Q4 concise and source-backed.

3. Append a new batch section.

   • Use a stable header like ## YYYY-MM-DD source batch <line>.
   • Keep the answers short and in the same structure as the surrounding note.
   • Preserve source provenance with line ranges or representative URIs.

4. Avoid duplicate provenance.

   • Each appended batch should carry the source URI(s) once.
   • If a source URI is already listed in the note, do not repeat it in the same section.
   • When patching, inspect the target section before editing so you do not accidentally duplicate the URI string.

5. Verify the writeback.

   • Re-read the appended section after editing.
   • Confirm the new batch header, Q1–Q4, and source line(s) are present once.
   • Confirm the note still reads as one conversation chain, not multiple fragments.

6. Commit only after writeback is correct.

   • Run the exact checkpoint commit snippet only after the note writeback is complete.
   • Commit only the source lines included in the batch.
   • Do not advance a source past lines you did not process.

Pitfalls

• Duplicate source URI in a patch. Re-check the exact line you are replacing before applying the patch.
• Near-duplicate Inbox notes. Prefer appending to the existing note when the content is clearly the same thread/topic.
• Checkpoint drift. Never run the exact checkpoint commit until the durable writeback is verified.
• Over-fragmenting one thread. If the same topic keeps resurfacing, keep one note and add new batch sections rather than spawning more notes.

Verification

A good writeback ends with:

• one appended batch section,
• one copy of each source URI,
• no accidental duplication of the topic in a second Inbox note,
• checkpoint commit performed only after the note is correct.

Support files

• references/batch-append-hygiene.md — session notes and the duplicate-URI pitfall from the silent speech batch.