💄 Todo list tool messages (microsoft#259245)

Author: digitarald

src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/tools/manageTodoListTool.ts

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export const ManageTodoListToolData: IToolData = {
 	canBeReferencedInPrompt: true,
 	icon: ThemeIcon.fromId(Codicon.checklist.id),
 	displayName: 'Update Todo List',
+	userDescription: 'Manage and track todo items for task planning',
 	modelDescription: 'Manage a structured todo list to track progress and plan tasks throughout your coding session. Use this tool VERY frequently to ensure task visibility and proper planning.\n\nWhen to use this tool:\n- Complex multi-step work requiring planning and tracking\n- When user provides multiple tasks or requests (numbered/comma-separated)\n- After receiving new instructions that require multiple steps\n- BEFORE starting work on any todo (mark as in-progress)\n- IMMEDIATELY after completing each todo (mark completed individually)\n- When breaking down larger tasks into smaller actionable steps\n- To give users visibility into your progress and planning\n\nWhen NOT to use:\n- Single, trivial tasks that can be completed in one step\n- Purely conversational/informational requests\n- When just reading files or performing simple searches\n\nCRITICAL workflow:\n1. Plan tasks by writing todo list with specific, actionable items\n2. Mark ONE todo as in-progress before starting work\n3. Complete the work for that specific todo\n4. Mark that todo as completed IMMEDIATELY\n5. Move to next todo and repeat\n\nTodo states:\n- not-started: Todo not yet begun\n- in-progress: Currently working (limit ONE at a time)\n- completed: Finished successfully\n\nIMPORTANT: Mark todos completed as soon as they are done. Do not batch completions.',
 	source: ToolDataSource.Internal,
 	inputSchema: {
@@ -164,20 +165,16 @@ export class ManageTodoListTool extends Disposable implements IToolImpl {
 
 		const args = context.parameters as IManageTodoListToolInputParams;
 		let message: string | undefined;
+
 		switch (args.operation) {
 			case 'write': {
 				if (args.todoList) {
-					if (!currentTodoItems.length) {
-						message = 'Creating todo list';
-					}
-					else {
-						message = 'Updating todo list';
-					}
+					message = this.generatePastTenseMessage(currentTodoItems, args.todoList);
 				}
 				break;
 			}
 			case 'read': {
-				message = 'Reading all items in todo list';
+				message = 'Read todo list';
 				break;
 			}
 			default:
@@ -193,7 +190,7 @@ export class ManageTodoListTool extends Disposable implements IToolImpl {
 		}));
 
 		return {
-			invocationMessage: new MarkdownString(message ?? 'Unknown todo list operation'),
+			pastTenseMessage: new MarkdownString(message ?? 'Updated todo list'),
 			toolSpecificData: {
 				kind: 'todoList',
 				sessionId: context.chatSessionId,
@@ -202,6 +199,51 @@ export class ManageTodoListTool extends Disposable implements IToolImpl {
 		};
 	}
 
+	private generatePastTenseMessage(currentTodos: IChatTodo[], newTodos: IManageTodoListToolInputParams['todoList']): string {
+		// If no current todos, this is creating new ones
+		if (currentTodos.length === 0) {
+			return `Created ${newTodos.length} todo${newTodos.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
+		}
+
+		// Create map for easier comparison
+		const currentTodoMap = new Map(currentTodos.map(todo => [todo.id, todo]));
+
+		// Check for newly started todos (marked as in-progress) - highest priority
+		const startedTodos = newTodos.filter(newTodo => {
+			const currentTodo = currentTodoMap.get(newTodo.id);
+			return currentTodo && currentTodo.status !== 'in-progress' && newTodo.status === 'in-progress';
+		});
+
+		if (startedTodos.length > 0) {
+			const startedTodo = startedTodos[0]; // Should only be one in-progress at a time
+			const totalTodos = newTodos.length;
+			const currentPosition = newTodos.findIndex(todo => todo.id === startedTodo.id) + 1;
+			return `Starting (${currentPosition}/${totalTodos}) *${startedTodo.title}*`;
+		}
+
+		// Check for newly completed todos
+		const completedTodos = newTodos.filter(newTodo => {
+			const currentTodo = currentTodoMap.get(newTodo.id);
+			return currentTodo && currentTodo.status !== 'completed' && newTodo.status === 'completed';
+		});
+
+		if (completedTodos.length > 0) {
+			const completedTodo = completedTodos[0]; // Get the first completed todo for the message
+			const totalTodos = newTodos.length;
+			const currentPosition = newTodos.findIndex(todo => todo.id === completedTodo.id) + 1;
+			return `Completed (${currentPosition}/${totalTodos}) *${completedTodo.title}*`;
+		}
+
+		// Check for new todos added
+		const addedTodos = newTodos.filter(newTodo => !currentTodoMap.has(newTodo.id));
+		if (addedTodos.length > 0) {
+			return `Added ${addedTodos.length} todo${addedTodos.length === 1 ? '' : 's'}`;
+		}
+
+		// Default message for other updates
+		return 'Updated todo list';
+	}
+
 	private handleRead(storage: IChatTodoListStorage, sessionId: string): string {
 		const todoItems = storage.getTodoList(sessionId);