fix(loop): task text lost when flags precede positional arg

Two bugs made hive run --background loops ignore the task prompt:

1. cmd_loop treated args[0] as the task string unconditionally.
   When flags came first (--background --max-time 12h "task"),
   "--background" became the task and the real prompt was dropped.
   Added _split_task_and_flags() to extract the positional arg
   regardless of flag ordering.

2. Stop hook loop continuation emitted hookSpecificOutput with
   additionalContext, but Stop hooks only support systemMessage.
   Claude Code rejected the JSON, so the agent never received
   task context on iterations 2+. Matched the format already
   used by build_nudge_output() and drain_ui_queue().

Author: joryeugene

src/keephive/commands/loop.py

@@ -47,8 +47,13 @@ def cmd_loop(args: list[str]) -> None:
     if sub == "review":
         return _cmd_run_review()
 
-    # Otherwise: sub is the task string
-    _cmd_run_task(sub, args[1:])
+    # Otherwise: extract task (positional arg) and flags from all args.
+    # Flags can appear before or after the task string.
+    task, flag_args = _split_task_and_flags(args)
+    if not task:
+        _print_run_help()
+        return
+    _cmd_run_task(task, flag_args)
 
 
 def cmd_loop_extract(args: list[str]) -> None:
@@ -112,6 +117,33 @@ def _find_loop_for_session(session_id: str) -> tuple[dict, Path] | tuple[None, N
 # ── Private implementation ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
+def _split_task_and_flags(args: list[str]) -> tuple[str | None, list[str]]:
+    """Separate the positional task string from flags, regardless of ordering.
+
+    Handles: hive run "task" --background --max-time 2h
+             hive run --background --max-time 2h "task"
+             hive run --background "task" --max-time 2h
+    """
+    _FLAGS_WITH_VALUE = {"--max-time", "--max", "--at"}
+    task = None
+    flag_args: list[str] = []
+    i = 0
+    while i < len(args):
+        a = args[i]
+        if a in _FLAGS_WITH_VALUE:
+            flag_args.append(a)
+            if i + 1 < len(args):
+                i += 1
+                flag_args.append(args[i])
+        elif a.startswith("--"):
+            flag_args.append(a)
+        elif task is None:
+            task = a
+        # else: extra positional, ignore
+        i += 1
+    return task, flag_args
+
+
 def _sanitize_loop_id(task: str) -> str:
     """Generate a unique loop ID: first meaningful word + YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS."""
     from keephive.commands.wander import STOPWORDS

src/keephive/hooks/stop.py

@@ -110,9 +110,7 @@ def hook_stop(_args: list[str]) -> None:
                     "║  Next: hive run review" + " " * (W - 22) + "║\n"
                     "╚" + "═" * W + "╝"
                 )
-                sys.stdout.write(
-                    json.dumps({"hookSpecificOutput": {"additionalContext": completion_msg}})
-                )
+                sys.stdout.write(json.dumps({"systemMessage": completion_msg}))
                 sys.exit(0)
 
             else:
@@ -149,9 +147,7 @@ def hook_stop(_args: list[str]) -> None:
                     f"PROGRESS CHECK: In one line — what did iteration {iter_n} accomplish?\n"
                     f"TASK: {req['task']}\n" + time_hint + "─" * 64
                 )
-                sys.stdout.write(
-                    json.dumps({"hookSpecificOutput": {"additionalContext": continuation}})
-                )
+                sys.stdout.write(json.dumps({"systemMessage": continuation}))
                 sys.exit(2)
 
     except SystemExit:

tests/test_loop.py

@@ -159,6 +159,55 @@ def test_parse_flags_no_safe_key(self, hive_env):
         assert "safe" not in opts
 
 
+# ── _split_task_and_flags ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestSplitTaskAndFlags:
+    def test_task_first(self, hive_env):
+        """Task before flags: hive run 'my task' --background --max-time 2h."""
+        from keephive.commands.loop import _split_task_and_flags
+
+        task, flags = _split_task_and_flags(["my task", "--background", "--max-time", "2h"])
+        assert task == "my task"
+        assert "--background" in flags
+        assert "--max-time" in flags
+        assert "2h" in flags
+
+    def test_flags_first(self, hive_env):
+        """Flags before task: hive run --background --max-time 12h 'my task'."""
+        from keephive.commands.loop import _split_task_and_flags
+
+        task, flags = _split_task_and_flags(["--background", "--max-time", "12h", "my task"])
+        assert task == "my task"
+        assert "--background" in flags
+        assert "--max-time" in flags
+        assert "12h" in flags
+
+    def test_flags_mixed(self, hive_env):
+        """Task sandwiched: hive run --background 'my task' --max-time 2h."""
+        from keephive.commands.loop import _split_task_and_flags
+
+        task, flags = _split_task_and_flags(["--background", "my task", "--max-time", "2h"])
+        assert task == "my task"
+        assert "--background" in flags
+
+    def test_no_task(self, hive_env):
+        """Only flags, no positional task string."""
+        from keephive.commands.loop import _split_task_and_flags
+
+        task, flags = _split_task_and_flags(["--background", "--max-time", "2h"])
+        assert task is None
+        assert len(flags) == 3
+
+    def test_task_only(self, hive_env):
+        """Just a task, no flags."""
+        from keephive.commands.loop import _split_task_and_flags
+
+        task, flags = _split_task_and_flags(["my task"])
+        assert task == "my task"
+        assert flags == []
+
+
 # ── TestLoopExtractIncludesTodos ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 

tests/test_nudge.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+from datetime import date
 from pathlib import Path
 
 
@@ -173,11 +174,12 @@ def test_pending_facts_priority_three(self, hive_env):
 
         # Fresh memory (no stale)
         mem = memory_file()
-        mem.write_text("# Memory\n- Fresh fact [verified:2026-02-20]\n")
+        today = date.today().isoformat()
+        mem.write_text(f"# Memory\n- Fresh fact [verified:{today}]\n")
 
         # Pending facts exist
         pending = hive_dir() / ".pending-facts.md"
-        pending.write_text("- Some pending fact [auto:2026-02-20]\n- Another [auto:2026-02-20]\n")
+        pending.write_text(f"- Some pending fact [auto:{today}]\n- Another [auto:{today}]\n")
 
         from keephive.nudge import _lifecycle_nudge
 
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ def test_unreflected_logs_priority_four(self, hive_env):
 
         # Fresh memory, no pending, no TODOs
         mem = memory_file()
-        mem.write_text("# Memory\n- Fresh fact [verified:2026-02-20]\n")
+        mem.write_text(f"# Memory\n- Fresh fact [verified:{date.today().isoformat()}]\n")
 
         # Create 8 daily log files
         dd = daily_dir()
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ def test_fallback_context_prompt(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         (hd / "working" / "notes").mkdir()
         (hd / "archive").mkdir()
         (hd / "working" / "memory.md").write_text(
-            "# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:2026-02-17]\n"
+            f"# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:{date.today().isoformat()}]\n"
         )
         monkeypatch.setenv("HIVE_HOME", str(hd))
 
@@ -235,7 +237,7 @@ def test_fallback_context_tool(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         (hd / "working" / "notes").mkdir()
         (hd / "archive").mkdir()
         (hd / "working" / "memory.md").write_text(
-            "# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:2026-02-17]\n"
+            f"# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:{date.today().isoformat()}]\n"
         )
         monkeypatch.setenv("HIVE_HOME", str(hd))
 
@@ -255,7 +257,7 @@ def test_fallback_context_stop(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         (hd / "working" / "notes").mkdir()
         (hd / "archive").mkdir()
         (hd / "working" / "memory.md").write_text(
-            "# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:2026-02-17]\n"
+            f"# Working Memory\n\n- All facts current [verified:{date.today().isoformat()}]\n"
         )
         monkeypatch.setenv("HIVE_HOME", str(hd))