[DO NOT MERGE] fix(loop): replace obsolete --message flag with -p in gh copilot invocations (wait)

[diberry]

Summary

Replaces the obsolete --message\ flag with -p\ in all \gh copilot\ invocations. The current GitHub CLI Copilot extension uses -p\ (for prompt), not --message, causing loop/watch/capabilities to fail immediately.

Changes

• New: \packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/copilot-args.ts\ — centralized \�uildCopilotArgs(prompt, options)\ helper. Single source of truth for the Copilot CLI prompt flag.
• Updated: 8 files that each had their own copy of the command builder:
  • \loop.ts\ — \�uildLoopAgentCommand\ now delegates to \�uildCopilotArgs\
  • \watch/index.ts\ — \�uildAgentCommand\ now delegates to \�uildCopilotArgs\
  • 6 watch capabilities (execute, decision-hygiene, monitor-email, monitor-teams, retro, wave-dispatch) — replaced inline \�uildAgentCommand\ with import
• Tests: New \ est/cli/copilot-args.test.ts\ with 12 test cases. Updated \watch-execute.test.ts\ to expect -p.

Why centralize?

When the CLI surface changes again (it's happened before), we fix one file instead of eight. The helper also handles edge cases (whitespace-only agentCmd/copilotFlags) that the duplicated code didn't.

Working as GNC (Node.js Runtime)

Closes #874

[github-actions]

🟡 Impact Analysis — PR #894

Risk tier: 🟡 MEDIUM

📊 Summary

Metric	Count
Files changed	13
Files added	3
Files modified	10
Files deleted	0
Modules touched	3
Critical files	1

🎯 Risk Factors

• 13 files changed (6-20 → MEDIUM)
• 3 modules touched (2-4 → MEDIUM)
• Critical files touched: packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/index.ts

📦 Modules Affected

root (1 file)

• .changeset/fix-copilot-message-flag.md

squad-cli (9 files)

• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/copilot-args.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/loop.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/decision-hygiene.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/execute.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/monitor-email.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/monitor-teams.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/retro.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/wave-dispatch.ts
• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/index.ts

tests (3 files)

• test/cli/copilot-args.test.ts
• test/cli/watch-capabilities.test.ts
• test/cli/watch-execute.test.ts

⚠️ Critical Files

• packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/index.ts

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This report is generated automatically for every PR. See #733 for details.

[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Updates Squad CLI’s Copilot spawning to match the current GitHub CLI Copilot extension by replacing the obsolete --message flag with -p, and centralizes command/arg construction to avoid future drift across loop/watch/capabilities.

Changes:

• Added buildCopilotArgs() helper to generate { cmd, args } for execFile and enforce -p consistently.
• Replaced per-file inline Copilot arg builders in loop, watch, and multiple watch capabilities with the centralized helper.
• Added unit tests for the helper and updated watch execute tests to expect -p; included a changeset for @bradygaster/squad-cli.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 13 out of 13 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/copilot-args.ts	New centralized helper for gh copilot spawn args (uses -p).
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/loop.ts	Loop now delegates agent command construction to buildCopilotArgs().
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/index.ts	Watch command builder now delegates to buildCopilotArgs().
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/execute.ts	Execute capability now uses centralized Copilot arg builder.
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/decision-hygiene.ts	Delegates Copilot spawn args to centralized helper.
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/monitor-email.ts	Delegates Copilot spawn args to centralized helper.
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/monitor-teams.ts	Delegates Copilot spawn args to centralized helper.
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/retro.ts	Delegates Copilot spawn args to centralized helper.
packages/squad-cli/src/cli/commands/watch/capabilities/wave-dispatch.ts	Delegates Copilot spawn args to centralized helper.
test/cli/copilot-args.test.ts	New unit tests validating buildCopilotArgs() behavior and edge cases.
test/cli/watch-execute.test.ts	Updated expectations to require -p instead of --message.
.changeset/fix-copilot-message-flag.md	Patch changeset documenting the CLI behavior change.

[diberry]

Is this introducing issues that 916 is meant to fix?

[diberry]

🔍 Squad Review — Kaylee (Engineering)

#	Check	Status	Notes
1	Changelog entry	✅	.changeset/fix-copilot-message-flag.md (CLI patch)
2	Squashed to 1 commit	✅	1 commit
3	CI green	❌	est job failed — investigate and fix before merge
4	Copilot comments resolved	✅	3/3 threads resolved with fixes
5	No .squad/ files	✅	Clean
6	No unrelated files	✅	13 files — all scoped to copilot args centralization
7	Tests for changes	✅	est/cli/copilot-args.test.ts (12 tests), watch-execute.test.ts + watch-capabilities.test.ts updated
8	Not a duplicate/reversal	✅	Unique scope (closes #874)

Verdict: ❌ 1 blocker to fix — CI est job is failing. Mergeable state is �locked.

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Review by Squad AI team (Kaylee — Engineering) · requested by Dina Berry

[diberry]

required: Branch is behind dev — needs rebase before merge.

suggestion: No minimum gh copilot version documented. Users on older versions will hit a cryptic failure with -p. A note in CHANGELOG or README would protect them.

suggestion: loop.test.ts has zero assertions that buildLoopAgentCommand produces -p. The centralized copilot-args.test.ts covers the helper well, but an integration-level check in loop.test.ts would be good.

nit: buildLoopAgentCommand is now a 1-line wrapper — call site could import buildCopilotArgs directly.