UAT: Unicode symbols (✓, ✗, •, ⚠, →) in CLI success/status messages are not guarded by format checks, breaking plain/JSON output and screen reader compatibility #4088

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opened 2026-04-06 10:12:47 +00:00 by freemo · 0 comments

freemo commented

2026-04-06 10:12:47 +00:00

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Branch: fix/cli-unicode-symbols-format-guard
Commit Message: fix(cli): guard Unicode symbols in success/status messages behind format checks
Milestone: (none — backlog)
Parent Epic: #399 (Post-MVP Server & Clients — nearest applicable CLI epic)

Bug Report

What was tested: Whether CLI success/status messages containing Unicode symbols (✓, ✗, •, ⚠, →) are properly guarded by format checks, so that plain-format output and screen reader users receive ASCII-only text.

Expected behavior (from spec, line 393):

The spec states that plain format provides "Plain text with no color codes or non-ASCII characters". When --format plain is used (or NO_COLOR is set), success messages should use ASCII equivalents:

✓ → OK or [OK]
✗ → FAIL or [FAIL]
• → - or *
⚠ → [WARN]
→ → ->

Actual behavior (from code analysis):

Approximately 35 console.print() calls across CLI command modules emit Unicode symbols without checking the current output format. These symbols appear even when --format plain is specified, because the commands use direct console.print() calls rather than the render_success()/render_warning() helpers that do format-check.

Affected files (representative sample):

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/skill.py:

console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill {verb} with {total_tools} tools")  # line 225
console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill loaded")  # line 383
console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {summary.total_tools} tools listed")  # line 448
console.print(f"[red]✗ Error:[/red] {error_msg}")  # line 527
console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill removed")  # line 624
console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {len(skills)} skills listed")  # line 744

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py:

console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Actor added")  # line 416
console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Actor removed")  # line 710
console.print(f"[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] {total_actors} actors listed")  # line 788

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/session.py:

console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Session created")  # line 250
console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {len(sessions)} sessions listed")  # line 345
console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Session details loaded")  # line 441
console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Session deleted")  # line 523

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/context.py:

console.print(f"  • {file}")  # line 269 — bullet point in file lists
console.print(f"  • {file_path}")  # line 275

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/config.py:

console.print(f"  {src:14s} → {display_val}{marker}")  # line 367 — arrow in config resolution chain

src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py:

console.print(f"  • {p.identity.plan_id}: {p.namespaced_name}")  # line 2135
console.print(f"[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] {total_plans} {plan_word} listed")  # line 2680

Contrast with correct pattern: The render_success(), render_warning(), and render_error() helpers in src/cleveragents/cli/renderers.py correctly check the format and use ASCII prefixes (OK:, WARNING:, ERROR:) for plain format. However, these helpers are never used by any command module — all commands use direct console.print() calls.

Screen reader impact: Screen readers and braille displays may not correctly vocalize Unicode symbols like ✓ (U+2713 CHECK MARK) or ✗ (U+2717 BALLOT X). Plain ASCII alternatives (OK, FAIL, [OK], [FAIL]) are universally readable.

Steps to reproduce:

agents actor list --format plain
# Expected: "OK: 3 actors listed" (ASCII)
# Actual: "✓ OK 3 actors listed" (Unicode symbol present)

Subtasks

Audit all console.print() calls containing Unicode symbols (✓, ✗, •, ⚠, →) in CLI command modules
Add format checks to each affected call site, using ASCII alternatives for plain/table formats
Alternatively, migrate affected call sites to use the existing render_success()/render_warning() helpers which already handle format-aware output
Add BDD test scenarios verifying --format plain output contains no non-ASCII characters in success messages

Definition of Done

agents <any-command> --format plain produces output with no Unicode symbols in status/success messages
NO_COLOR set + default format produces ASCII-only status messages
All existing tests pass
A Git commit is created where the first line of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly, followed by a blank line, then additional lines providing relevant details about the implementation
The commit is pushed to the remote on the branch matching the Branch in Metadata exactly
The commit is submitted as a pull request to master, reviewed, and merged before this issue is marked done
All nox stages pass
Coverage >= 97%

Backlog note: This issue was discovered during autonomous operation
on milestone v3.8.0 (Post-MVP Server & Clients). It does not block milestone completion and has been
placed in the backlog for human review and future milestone assignment.

Automated by CleverAgents Bot
Supervisor: UAT Testing | Agent: ca-new-issue-creator

## Metadata - **Branch**: `fix/cli-unicode-symbols-format-guard` - **Commit Message**: `fix(cli): guard Unicode symbols in success/status messages behind format checks` - **Milestone**: (none — backlog) - **Parent Epic**: #399 (Post-MVP Server & Clients — nearest applicable CLI epic) ## Bug Report **What was tested:** Whether CLI success/status messages containing Unicode symbols (✓, ✗, •, ⚠, →) are properly guarded by format checks, so that plain-format output and screen reader users receive ASCII-only text. **Expected behavior (from spec, line 393):** The spec states that `plain` format provides "Plain text with no color codes or **non-ASCII characters**". When `--format plain` is used (or `NO_COLOR` is set), success messages should use ASCII equivalents: - `✓` → `OK` or `[OK]` - `✗` → `FAIL` or `[FAIL]` - `•` → `-` or `*` - `⚠` → `[WARN]` - `→` → `->` **Actual behavior (from code analysis):** Approximately 35 `console.print()` calls across CLI command modules emit Unicode symbols **without checking the current output format**. These symbols appear even when `--format plain` is specified, because the commands use direct `console.print()` calls rather than the `render_success()`/`render_warning()` helpers that do format-check. **Affected files (representative sample):** `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/skill.py`: ```python console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill {verb} with {total_tools} tools") # line 225 console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill loaded") # line 383 console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {summary.total_tools} tools listed") # line 448 console.print(f"[red]✗ Error:[/red] {error_msg}") # line 527 console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Skill removed") # line 624 console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {len(skills)} skills listed") # line 744 ``` `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/actor.py`: ```python console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Actor added") # line 416 console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Actor removed") # line 710 console.print(f"[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] {total_actors} actors listed") # line 788 ``` `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/session.py`: ```python console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Session created") # line 250 console.print(f"[green]✓ OK[/green] {len(sessions)} sessions listed") # line 345 console.print("[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] Session details loaded") # line 441 console.print("[green]✓ OK[/green] Session deleted") # line 523 ``` `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/context.py`: ```python console.print(f" • {file}") # line 269 — bullet point in file lists console.print(f" • {file_path}") # line 275 ``` `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/config.py`: ```python console.print(f" {src:14s} → {display_val}{marker}") # line 367 — arrow in config resolution chain ``` `src/cleveragents/cli/commands/plan.py`: ```python console.print(f" • {p.identity.plan_id}: {p.namespaced_name}") # line 2135 console.print(f"[green bold]✓ OK[/green bold] {total_plans} {plan_word} listed") # line 2680 ``` **Contrast with correct pattern:** The `render_success()`, `render_warning()`, and `render_error()` helpers in `src/cleveragents/cli/renderers.py` correctly check the format and use ASCII prefixes (`OK:`, `WARNING:`, `ERROR:`) for plain format. However, these helpers are **never used** by any command module — all commands use direct `console.print()` calls. **Screen reader impact:** Screen readers and braille displays may not correctly vocalize Unicode symbols like ✓ (U+2713 CHECK MARK) or ✗ (U+2717 BALLOT X). Plain ASCII alternatives (`OK`, `FAIL`, `[OK]`, `[FAIL]`) are universally readable. **Steps to reproduce:** ```bash agents actor list --format plain # Expected: "OK: 3 actors listed" (ASCII) # Actual: "✓ OK 3 actors listed" (Unicode symbol present) ``` ## Subtasks - [ ] Audit all `console.print()` calls containing Unicode symbols (✓, ✗, •, ⚠, →) in CLI command modules - [ ] Add format checks to each affected call site, using ASCII alternatives for `plain`/`table` formats - [ ] Alternatively, migrate affected call sites to use the existing `render_success()`/`render_warning()` helpers which already handle format-aware output - [ ] Add BDD test scenarios verifying `--format plain` output contains no non-ASCII characters in success messages ## Definition of Done - [ ] `agents <any-command> --format plain` produces output with no Unicode symbols in status/success messages - [ ] `NO_COLOR` set + default format produces ASCII-only status messages - [ ] All existing tests pass - [ ] A Git commit is created where the **first line** of the commit message matches the Commit Message in Metadata exactly, followed by a blank line, then additional lines providing relevant details about the implementation - [ ] The commit is pushed to the remote on the branch matching the **Branch** in Metadata exactly - [ ] The commit is submitted as a **pull request** to `master`, reviewed, and **merged** before this issue is marked done - All nox stages pass - Coverage >= 97% > **Backlog note:** This issue was discovered during autonomous operation > on milestone v3.8.0 (Post-MVP Server & Clients). It does not block milestone completion and has been > placed in the backlog for human review and future milestone assignment. --- **Automated by CleverAgents Bot** Supervisor: UAT Testing | Agent: ca-new-issue-creator

freemo referenced this issue

2026-04-06 10:15:08 +00:00

[Automated] CleverAgents Build Session - 2026-04-06 #3775

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2026-04-06 10:15:34 +00:00

freemo referenced this issue

2026-04-06 10:15:49 +00:00

[Automated] CleverAgents Build Session - 2026-04-06 #3775

freemo referenced this issue

2026-04-06 10:35:53 +00:00