---
name: iflow-capture
description: >-
  Capture a GitHub issue locally as issue<number>_original.md and archive
  other current issues by done status.
disable-model-invocation: true
issue-flow-version: 0.4.2a4
---

# issue-flow — issue capture (`/iflow-capture`)

Follow this skill to **capture a GitHub issue locally** under `.issueflows/01-current-issues/`.


**Invoke:** type `iflow capture` in chat, or `/iflow-capture` from the slash menu (`iflow-capture` also works).




### MODEL & EXECUTION DIRECTIVE


**Profile: economy** — Prioritize speed and token economy over deep reasoning.

In Cursor: use **Auto** or a fast model before invoking this step.



Keep scope tight to what this step requires.




### Resolve project root (multi-root workspaces)

Before any `git`, `gh`, or `.issueflows/` path operation in this workflow:

**Resolution order** (stop when unambiguous):

1. **Explicit hints** in slash input — `root:<path>`, `repo:<folder-basename>` (directory name, e.g. `cellpy-core`), or `repo:owner/name`.
2. **CLI fast path** — `issue-flow agent resolve [-C <start>] [--from-file <active-file>] [--json]`. Use the returned `project_root` and `repo`; pass `-C <project_root>` to other `issue-flow agent …` subcommands. When the answer came from the workspace registry, the payload sets `resolved_via_workspace_default: true`.
3. **Branch context** — exactly one workspace repo whose branch matches `^\d+-` → that root.
4. **Single scaffold** — exactly one `.issueflows/` tree visible in the workspace → that root.
5. **Workspace default** — an `issueflow-workspace.toml` at the workspace root (created with `issue-flow workspace init`) may name a `default` member repo; use it when no scaffold matched above. Tell the user the default was used.
6. **Ambiguous** → **stop and ask**; never guess between sibling repos.

After resolution, treat the result as `<project_root>` and `<owner/repo>`:

- **Git:** `git -C <project_root> …` (or `issue-flow agent … -C <project_root>` for supported ops).
- **GitHub:** pass an explicit repo on every `gh` call — never rely on `gh`'s implicit cwd default. For most commands use `--repo <owner/repo>`; **exception:** `gh repo view` takes the repo as a **positional** arg (`gh repo view <owner/repo> …`) and rejects `--repo`.
- **Paths:** all `.issueflows/…` paths are under `<project_root>`.

When `.issueflows/04-designs-and-guides/multi-repo-workspaces.md` exists, read it for layout and cross-repo guidance.

## Instructions

> **CLI fast path (optional).** If the `issue-flow` CLI is on `PATH`:
> - **Resolve root + repo (step 0):** `issue-flow agent resolve [--from-file <active-file>] [--json]` — use `project_root` and `repo` for all steps below.
> - **Fetch + write (steps 3 & 5):** `issue-flow agent capture <N> -C <project_root>` (use `--repo owner/repo` to override the resolved remote, `--force` to overwrite). It writes the `## Original issue text` body deterministically and prints the comments payload — you still triage comments (step 3a) and add the curated section yourself.
> - **Archive (step 4):** `issue-flow agent sweep --except <N> -C <project_root>` (add `--dry-run` to preview).
>
> The CLI is optional: if it is missing or errors, fall back to the manual
> instructions below. (`issue-flow` is only present when the user installed it,
> e.g. `uv tool install issue-flow`.)

1. **Folders** — Ensure `.issueflows/00-tools/`, `.issueflows/01-current-issues/`, `.issueflows/02-partly-solved-issues/`, and `.issueflows/03-solved-issues/` exist (create only if the user allows; never delete issue markdown).

2. **Resolve the reference**
   - **URL** — Parse `owner`, `repo`, issue number.
   - **Number only** — After resolving `<project_root>`, run `git -C <project_root> remote get-url origin` (HTTPS or SSH) to derive `owner/repo`. If parsing fails, ask for a full URL or `owner/repo`.
   - **Empty / whitespace** — Run `git -C <project_root> branch --show-current`. If empty or `main`/`master` (case-insensitive), **stop** and ask for a number, URL, or `owner/repo/#n`. If the branch is an **issue-style branch** matching `^\d+-.+`, ask: "You have not provided an issue reference. Should I use issue #NN from the current branch `<branchname>`?" Do not proceed without a clear yes/no.
   - **Archived-issue guard** — Before writing, check `.issueflows/02-partly-solved-issues/` and `.issueflows/03-solved-issues/` for existing `issue<n>_*` files. If the issue is already archived, warn and require a second explicit confirmation before re-opening it in `.issueflows/01-current-issues/`.

3. **Fetch** — `gh issue view <n> --repo owner/repo --json title,body,url,number,comments`. The `comments` field returns an array of `{author.login, body, createdAt, ...}` that step 3a consumes. On failure, report the error and suggest `gh auth login`. After confirming `owner/repo`, change the chat/agent tab title to reflect the issue topic on the form "Issue <issue number> <short description of issue>" (e.g. "Issue 74 cell info").

3a. **Triage comments** (skip if `comments` is empty). Follow the [`iflow-comments`](../iflow-comments/SKILL.md) skill — it owns the triage rules (chronological precedence, three buckets, noise filtering) and the exact shape of the `## Comments (curated summary)` section.

3.5 **Branch status preflight** (report only) — Run `git fetch --prune`. Report current branch, clean/dirty working tree, and ahead/behind counts vs `origin/<default>` (detect default via `gh repo view --json defaultBranchRef -q .defaultBranchRef.name`, else `git symbolic-ref --quiet --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD`, else `main`). If the current branch matches `^(\d+)-.+` and files for that issue already live in `.issueflows/02-partly-solved-issues/` or `.issueflows/03-solved-issues/`, note that the branch looks stale. Never delete or move anything at this step.

4. **Archive** — In `.issueflows/01-current-issues/`, group files by issue number (`issue121_*`). For each group **other than** the issue being created: move the whole group to `.issueflows/03-solved-issues/` only if a status file for that issue contains a checked **Done** line matching `- [x] Done` (case-insensitive on "done"). Otherwise move to `.issueflows/02-partly-solved-issues/`. If no status file or checkbox is unclear, treat as **not done**.

5. **Write** — Create `.issueflows/01-current-issues/issue<number>_original.md` with:

   ```markdown
   # Issue #<number>: <title>

   Source: <url>

   ## Original issue text

   <body exactly as returned by GitHub>

   ## Comments (curated summary)

   - **Additional tasks**: <bullets distilled from comments that add real work>
   - **Clarifications / constraints**: <bullets the agent should honour>
   - **Superseded / retracted**: <earlier points later contradicted or walked back>

   _Note: this section is an interpretive summary of the comment thread, not a verbatim dump. Source comments: <count>, last comment by @<login> on <date>._
   ```

   Preserve the body **text** faithfully as returned by GitHub — don't paraphrase or edit it, but don't waste effort on trailing newlines or CRLF vs LF either (no second-pass byte-diffing). The `## Comments (curated summary)` section is **optional** — include it only when step 3a produced at least one bullet, and drop any of the three bullet groups that have no content.

6. **Conflicts** — If `issue<number>_original.md` already exists, do not overwrite silently; ask the user.

7. **Report** — Summarize number, `owner/repo`, branch inference (if used), path written, comment triage counts (fetched vs surfaced vs superseded, or "section omitted" when skipped), archive moves (source → destination), and success or failure.

## Constraints

- Allowed file operations: create/update the target `*_original.md`, and move pre-existing issue groups per the archive rules. Do not modify unrelated project files.