dsh-trans-md
Long replies become Markdown files — for DeepSeek Harness (dsh).
Very long assistant replies can be truncated mid-stream by the transport. dsh-trans-md moves the bulk of long replies into a workspace Markdown file and keeps the chat reply short. It also saves tokens: content written to a file as a tool argument is paid for once, while a long chat reply stays in context and is re-sent on every later request.
Install
dsh plugin --profile web add github:<owner>/dsh-trans-md
Restart dsh (or reload the profile), then the rule is active for new turns.
What it does
The plugin contributes one system-prompt section (order 40) stating a single rule:
- If a user-facing final reply would exceed 15 lines, write the full content to
docs/<prefix>-<topic>.md in the current workspace instead of sending it in chat.
- The chat reply becomes a short digest (at most 10 lines) plus the file path.
- Replies under 15 lines are sent normally in chat.
- Writing the file and also pasting its body into chat is explicitly disallowed.
- Investigation depth is unchanged — only the delivery location changes.
It registers no tools, no UI, and makes no network requests. The docs/ directory is created on first use.
Configuration
All fields are optional; the defaults are shown.
| Key | Default | Meaning |
|---|
enabled | true | Turn the rule off without uninstalling. |
maxLines | 15 | Line threshold above which a reply goes to a file. |
docsDir | "docs" | Workspace-relative directory for the files. |
filePrefix | "notes" | Prefix for generated filenames. |
ruleFile | — | Path to a Markdown file that replaces the built-in rule text entirely. |
workspaceRoot | — | Optional absolute base path; when omitted the process working directory is used. |
Set them through the profile patch:
- id: dsh-trans-md
name: dsh-trans-md
config:
maxLines: 20
docsDir: notes
Custom rule text
Point ruleFile at any Markdown file to replace the built-in instruction. A non-empty file wins entirely; an empty or unreadable file silently falls back to the built-in text, so a bad path never breaks prompt assembly. Content is capped at 4000 characters.
Scope and limits
- This is a prompt-level instruction, not a hard interception. It makes the behaviour the strongly preferred default; it cannot guarantee it in every turn. A hard guarantee would require an output hooks layer, which this plugin deliberately does not add.
- The rule applies to the final user-facing reply. Intermediate narration between tool calls is exempt.
- Styles apply to the main conversation only.
Requirements
- DeepSeek Harness with a
systemPrompt service available. If that service is absent the plugin mounts and contributes nothing rather than failing profile load.
- No runtime dependencies.
License
MIT
