Refactor: Improve file tool context formatting and diff error guidance

[hannesrudolph]

This PR includes two related improvements to tool interactions and context formatting:

1. Refactor read_file Tool Result Formatting (src/core/Cline.ts):

   • Modifies how results from the read_file tool are formatted when added to the AI model's conversation history (user context).
   • Previous Format: [read_file for 'path/to/file'] Result:\n{content}
   • New Format:

     <file>
       <path>path/to/file</path>
       <content>
     {content_or_error}
       </content>
     </file>

   • This change only affects read_file results; other tool formats are unchanged.

2. Improve apply_diff Error Message Clarity (src/core/diff/strategies/multi-search-replace.ts - Commit 73da4d03):

   • Updates the error message returned by the multi-search-replace diff strategy when no sufficiently similar match is found.
   • The "Tip" within the error message now more clearly instructs the user (or AI) to use the read_file tool to get the latest file content before retrying the apply_diff tool, explicitly mentioning both tools.

Reasoning and Benefits:

• Structured File Context: The XML formatting for read_file results provides a clearer, more structured representation of file path and content within the AI's context. This may improve the model's ability to parse and utilize file information reliably.
• Enhanced Error Guidance: The updated error message in the diff strategy provides more explicit guidance when a diff fails due to potential content mismatches. By specifically mentioning both read_file and apply_diff, it helps steer the AI towards the correct recovery action (refreshing its knowledge of the file before trying the diff again).
• Improved Robustness: Together, these changes aim to make interactions involving file reading and modification more robust by improving context clarity and providing better error recovery instructions.

---

Important

Refactor read_file tool to use XML formatting and improve apply_diff error guidance for better tool interaction.

• Behavior:
  • Refactor read_file tool result formatting in Cline.ts to XML format for structured representation.
  • Update apply_diff error message in multi-search-replace.ts to guide using read_file before retrying.
• Tests:
  • Update read-file-maxReadFileLine.test.ts to expect XML formatted results.
• Misc:
  • Modify readFileTool.ts to push XML formatted results.

^{This description was created by for 8cd6c20. It will automatically update as commits are pushed.}

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[mrubens]

I think we could just make this change by adjusting what we pass into pushToolResult in readFileTool.ts

[hannesrudolph]

Ok get it done! :) :P

[KJ7LNW]

IMHO, this was merged prematurely. I have reiterated the most important items (from the review above) that should be addressed before merging:

1. program tail output is incorrect because of unnecessary XML indentation:

Indentation is pretty for humans, but you will confuse the model it will think that \n that precedes </content> is actually part of the file.

I think this is better:

const xmlResult = `<file><path>${filePath}</path><content>\n${fileContent}</content></file>`

2. Errors are shown as file content which could confuse the model

We do not want the model to think that the file contains the error text, but the structured markup does imply that as it is currently implemented.

<content>\n${fileContent}</content> should only contain actual file content. if you look back a few lines there are other messages that should be managed as separate optional XML tags:

  content += `\n\n[Showing only ${maxReadFileLine} of ${totalLines} total lines. Use start_line and end_line if you need to read more]${sourceCodeDef}`

should become

  xmlInfo += `<notice>Showing only ${maxReadFileLine} of ${totalLines} total lines. Use start_line and end_line if you need to read more</notice>
  xmlInfo +=  `<list_code_definition_names>${sourceCodeDef}</list_code_definition_names>`

do the same thing with any errors as

xmlInfo += `<error>foo</error>`

and then final result becomes:

const xmlResult = `<file><path>${filePath}</path><content>\n${fileContent}</content>${xmlInfo}</file>`

this gives us a fully structured response that we can use as a new standard.

[mrubens]

Yeah that's good feedback. I like your suggestions.

[KJ7LNW]

I am going to make a pr for this stay tuned ...