@henryqw/pi-herdr-btw

Ask a focused side question in Herdr, then return its transcript and next instruction to Main. This avoids changing Main's conversation path or copying the result by hand.

Inspired by Claude Code and its /btw side-question mode. This package adds transcript merge back into Main.

Install

pi install npm:@henryqw/pi-task-models
pi install npm:@henryqw/pi-herdr-btw

Requires Herdr 0.7.4+ and a Herdr-managed pane. Run /task-models and configure the fast profile before opening a side thread. Open /task-models again and verify that fast no longer says not configured.

Works with

Package	Relationship	Purpose
@henryqw/pi-memory	Improves	Marks side-thread children, suppressing parent-only memory injection and dream advice.
@henryqw/pi-task-models	Required	Provides shared model profiles for side-thread routes.

Use

Run /btw Why is this test failing? and submit the draft in the side pane. After the answer, run /btw merge Apply the smallest safe fix there.

Main receives the side transcript, regains focus, and continues with the merge prompt.

/btw                              open an empty side pane
/btw <question...>                open side pane with draft question
/btw ask <question...>            escape reserved first words
/btw config [...]                 show or change launch defaults
/btw merge <prompt...>            merge side thread into Main and continue
/btw help                         show grammar

Use /btw to open a side thread, set its defaults, or recover a pending merge.

Flow

Launch

• ask, config, merge, and help route only when they are exact first words. Other input is a question.
• A provided question is an editable draft by default.
• /btw gives the side pane a static snapshot of Main's compaction-aware context and shares Main's working directory.
• The consumer-owned pi-herdr-btw/btw task defaults to fast.
• Before pane launch, it selects the first authenticated viable effective profile route.

~/.pi/agent/config/pi-task-models/config.json is shared and owned by @henryqw/pi-task-models. A task entry is an explicit user override, and routes resolve before pane launch. BTW warns once per session if this file is missing.

Merge delivery

• In the side pane, /btw merge <prompt> stores the user/assistant transcript and next prompt as pending delivery.
• Herdr then refocuses Main and closes the side pane.
• Pending delivery survives side-pane shutdown. It waits for Main to settle and for current model authentication.
• Main appends the transcript without starting a turn, then submits the prompt.
• Bare /btw merge opens the prompt editor.
• Pending delivery remains available until consumed or 24-hour stale cleanup.

Config

Package-owned: ~/.pi/agent/config/pi-herdr-btw/config.json

Name	Description	Values	Default
autoSubmit	Submits the draft question instead of leaving it editable in the side pane.	Boolean.	false
tools	Selects the tools available in the side pane.	inherit (parent's active tools), all, read-only (built-in read-only tools), or none.	inherit
split	Sets the side-pane placement.	right or down.	right

• All fields are optional.
• Unknown keys and non-object files are rejected.
• /btw config show prints effective values.
• /btw config reset saves the defaults.
• The config file is optional. Missing config uses defaults.
• Malformed config fails visibly and remains unchanged.

Limits and recovery

Enabled tools can change parent-visible files.

Large parent contexts can exceed child context limits.