rdmsm4x-changelog-20260828-2023-compact-idle-codex-tasks
Compact idle Codex tasks
Created a guarded Codex heartbeat so visible idle tasks are compacted through the product's native compaction operation when their owning writer permits it; active tasks and writer locks remain untouched.
Scope
- Host:
rdmsm4x - Surfaces: local ChatGPT/Codex task registry, HyperFile project tasks, and Codex automations
- Repository source: read-only inspection only; no HyperFile source, branch, worktree, commit, or Git metadata was changed
Changes
- Created
/Users/richh/.codex/automations/compact-idle-codex-tasks/automation.toml. - Automation ID:
compact-idle-codex-tasks. - Status: active heartbeat, every 15 minutes, notifications only for failed runs.
- Guardrails require the first-class native context-compaction operation, an actual compaction-history event as verification, idle tasks only, preservation of writer locks, and automatic pause after all currently visible eligible tasks are verified.
- One diagnostic
/compactmessage was sent to HyperFile task01a03194-0ba1-7641-8fa7-ae8d581b0c9f. It was correctly identified as an ordinary task message rather than a native compaction event; the automation explicitly prohibits repeating that approach.
HyperFile evidence
- HyperFile is not being actively edited.
- Last implementation task:
01a04a80-6178-78b0-aa97-2edaa1008dc7, titledResume halted work safely. - Isolated worktree:
/Users/richh/dev/_worktrees/hyperfile-p1-xpc-peer-validation-20260828. - Feature branch and HEAD:
codex/hyperfile-p1-xpc-peer-validation-20260828at8ee1e035883c11e79e3d940d0c4cda01056004be. - Canonical root and HEAD:
/Users/richh/dev/apps/hyperFile,mainat9a6490008de329427f6a335840a7e0d44ae59b96. - Both working trees were clean when inspected.
- Coordination check-ins report the HyperFile work completed and ownership released.
- Empty writer-lock files for HyperFile tasks remain actively held by ChatGPT's embedded Codex app-server process, PID 1747, whose parent ChatGPT process is PID 1119. No Git lock or active HyperFile worker process was found.
Commands and supported operations used
- Resolved host identity with
scutil --get ComputerName. - Read the live Codex task/project registry and HyperFile task histories with supported Codex app operations.
- Inspected Git status, branches, worktrees, coordination check-ins, process ownership, and lock-file holders read-only.
- Generated temporary app-server JSON schema and confirmed the
supported
thread/compact/startrequest. - Tested a standalone app-server and CLI attachment; both correctly refused to take over tasks owned by the ChatGPT app-server.
- Created and re-read the heartbeat through the supported Codex automation operation.
- Shut down every temporary Codex CLI/app-server diagnostic process started by this task.
Verification
/Users/richh/.codex/automations/compact-idle-codex-tasks/automation.tomlexists withstatus = "ACTIVE", a 15-minute heartbeat, target task01a04ad8-c74f-7b40-9f05-eabcf1d73698, and the stated native-compaction guardrails.- HyperFile's task locks were not deleted, overwritten, or bypassed.
- ChatGPT/Codex PID 1747 was not interrupted or killed.
- No actual HyperFile compaction has yet been claimed; success requires a native compaction event after the latest substantive turn.
Backup and undo
- No backup was needed because the automation is reversible and no source or user data was overwritten.
- To stop retries without deleting history, pause automation
compact-idle-codex-tasksthrough the Codex automation control. - To remove the configuration, delete that automation through the supported Codex automation control; do not manually edit task databases or delete writer locks.
Outstanding owner action
- None now. If the supported retry remains blocked, use the native Compact action from the ChatGPT/Codex app instance that owns the task, or close that owning instance only after all active work is safely complete.