Fix 'my' path resolution: inject operator home into system prompt (#30) #60

2026-06-28T19:04:56Z

will.anderson commented

2026-06-28 19:04:56 +00:00

Closes #30

Root cause

build_system_prompt() in chat.el passes Engram graph context (which contains the imprint author's biographical data) to the LLM with no operator context. On a beta tester's machine, the LLM resolves possessive filesystem references ("my notes", "my downloads") against Will's identity in the graph — producing wrong paths like /Users/will/... and triggering broad home-dir probing that fires macOS permission prompts.

Fix

Inject an OPERATOR IDENTITY section using env("HOME") and env("USER") (runtime builtins) that explicitly states the current OS user and their home directory. The LLM is told:

All possessive filesystem references resolve to paths under this home
The memory graph may carry a different person's identity data — that shapes persona, not filesystem paths

Impact

Stops path mis-resolution on multi-user installs (Tim's machine, any future beta)
Eliminates the broad home-dir probing that fires Desktop/Documents/Music/Downloads TCC prompts on agentic file tasks
Zero change to chat semantics, persona, or memory on Will's machine (HOME stays correct)

Closes #30 ## Root cause `build_system_prompt()` in `chat.el` passes Engram graph context (which contains the imprint author's biographical data) to the LLM with no operator context. On a beta tester's machine, the LLM resolves possessive filesystem references ("my notes", "my downloads") against Will's identity in the graph — producing wrong paths like `/Users/will/...` and triggering broad home-dir probing that fires macOS permission prompts. ## Fix Inject an OPERATOR IDENTITY section using `env("HOME")` and `env("USER")` (runtime builtins) that explicitly states the current OS user and their home directory. The LLM is told: 1. All possessive filesystem references resolve to paths under this home 2. The memory graph may carry a different person's identity data — that shapes persona, not filesystem paths ## Impact - Stops path mis-resolution on multi-user installs (Tim's machine, any future beta) - Eliminates the broad home-dir probing that fires Desktop/Documents/Music/Downloads TCC prompts on agentic file tasks - Zero change to chat semantics, persona, or memory on Will's machine (HOME stays correct)

will.anderson added 1 commit 2026-06-28 19:04:58 +00:00

Inject operator home dir into system prompt to fix 'my' path resolution

Neuron Soul CI / build (pull_request) Has been cancelled

Details

53df211e06

Resolves #30. The LLM was resolving possessive filesystem references ('my
notes', 'my downloads') against the imprint author's identity in the Engram
graph rather than the actual OS user running the daemon. Add an OPERATOR
IDENTITY section to build_system_prompt() that explicitly states the current
user and home directory, blocking the LLM from inferring the wrong home from
biographical context.

will.anderson added 1 commit 2026-06-28 19:13:53 +00:00

chore(dist): update chat.c with operator identity fix

Neuron Soul CI / build (pull_request) Has been cancelled

Details

24789f726a

will.anderson referenced this issue from a commit

2026-06-29 13:18:04 +00:00

chore(dist): compile PRs #60/#61 into soul.c

will.anderson closed this pull request

2026-06-29 13:18:23 +00:00