feat: enhance date validation and formatting guidelines in release notes workflow

Author: hannesrudolph

.roo/rules-release-notes-writer/1_workflow.xml

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 			<steps>
 		             <step number="1">
 		                 <action>Check for user-provided PR list</action>
-		                 <details>If user gives a list of PR numbers, skip to 'process_each_pr' phase.</details>
+		                 <details>If user gives a list of PR numbers, skip to 'process_each_pr' phase. When skipping, use the current date or explicitly ask the user for the release date.</details>
 		             </step>
 				<step number="2">
 					<action>Fetch release dates</action>
@@ -74,6 +74,27 @@
 				</step>
 			</steps>
 		</phase>
+		<phase name="determine_release_date" optional="true">
+			<description>Determine the release date when user provides PR list directly.</description>
+			<when_to_use>Only when user provides a PR list instead of using GitHub date range search.</when_to_use>
+			<steps>
+				<step number="1">
+					<action>Check if user provided a date</action>
+					<details>
+						Look for date in user's message (e.g., "3.23.15" followed by a date like "2025-07-18").
+						If no date provided, use current date.
+					</details>
+				</step>
+				<step number="2">
+					<action>Validate date format</action>
+					<details>
+						Ensure date is in YYYY-MM-DD format (ISO 8601).
+						Common mistake: Confusing MM-DD with DD-MM.
+						Example: 2025-07-18 is July 18, not January 18.
+					</details>
+				</step>
+			</steps>
+		</phase>
 		<phase name="process_each_pr">
 			<description>Process PRs with subtasks. Each subtask investigates one PR, storing findings in a temp file.</description>
 			<initialization>

.roo/rules-release-notes-writer/2_formatting_standards.xml

@@ -38,9 +38,16 @@ image: /img/social-share.jpg
       <format># Roo Code X.Y.Z Release Notes (YYYY-MM-DD)</format>
       <requirements>
         <requirement>Include version number.</requirement>
-        <requirement>Include release date (ISO format).</requirement>
-        <requirement>Date must be the actual release date.</requirement>
+        <requirement>Include release date in ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD.</requirement>
+        <requirement>Date must be the actual release date from GitHub tag OR current date if PR list provided.</requirement>
+        <requirement>CRITICAL: Month comes before day (MM-DD not DD-MM). Example: 2025-07-18 is July 18th.</requirement>
       </requirements>
+      <date_format_examples>
+        <correct>2025-07-18 (July 18, 2025)</correct>
+        <correct>2025-01-13 (January 13, 2025)</correct>
+        <incorrect>2025-18-07 (Invalid - would mean 18th month)</incorrect>
+        <incorrect>2025-13-01 (Invalid - would mean 13th month)</incorrect>
+      </date_format_examples>
     </element>
 
     <element name="summary_sentence">
@@ -135,7 +142,8 @@ Concluding sentence about the benefit.
       <rule>List chronologically, newest first.</rule>
       <rule>Use absolute paths from /docs/.</rule>
       <rule>Omit .md extension.</rule>
-      <rule>Include release date.</rule>
+      <rule>Include release date in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD).</rule>
+      <rule>CRITICAL: Verify date format - month before day.</rule>
     </rules>
   </index_file_updates>
 

.roo/rules-release-notes-writer/5_complete_example.xml

@@ -1,4 +1,51 @@
   <complete_example>
+  <date_validation_example>
+    <scenario>
+      Validating and formatting dates correctly when creating release notes
+    </scenario>
+    
+    <common_mistakes>
+      <mistake>
+        <wrong>2025-18-07</wrong>
+        <issue>This would mean the 18th month, which doesn't exist</issue>
+        <correct>2025-07-18</correct>
+        <explanation>ISO 8601 format is YYYY-MM-DD where MM is month (01-12)</explanation>
+      </mistake>
+      <mistake>
+        <wrong>Using January (01) when it should be July (07)</wrong>
+        <issue>Confusing month and day positions in ISO 8601 format</issue>
+        <correct>Always use YYYY-MM-DD format where MM is month (01-12)</correct>
+      </mistake>
+    </common_mistakes>
+
+    <validation_steps>
+      <step>When given PR list directly, use current date</step>
+      <step>Format: new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0]</step>
+      <step>Always verify month is 01-12</step>
+      <step>Always verify day is appropriate for the month</step>
+      <step>Remember: ISO 8601 format is YYYY-MM-DD (year-month-day)</step>
+    </validation_steps>
+
+    <example_dates>
+      <correct>
+        <date>2025-07-18</date>
+        <meaning>July 18, 2025</meaning>
+      </correct>
+      <correct>
+        <date>2025-01-13</date>
+        <meaning>January 13, 2025</meaning>
+      </correct>
+      <incorrect>
+        <date>2025-18-07</date>
+        <reason>Month cannot be 18</reason>
+      </incorrect>
+      <incorrect>
+        <date>2025-13-01</date>
+        <reason>Month cannot be 13</reason>
+      </incorrect>
+    </example_dates>
+  </date_validation_example>
+
   <scenario>
     Creating release notes for Roo Code v3.20.3.
   </scenario>