Hmbown/CodeWhale · error · anyhow::Error

refusing to update skill outside CodeWhale-owned roots

Error message

refusing to update skill outside CodeWhale-owned roots

What it means

Raised in update_skill when the audited skill's root is not a writable CodeWhale-owned root. Updates are only permitted on directories the tool owns and controls (project or user skill roots under its management); a skill discovered from a foreign or read-only location cannot be updated in place.

Source

Thrown at crates/tui/src/skills/mutation.rs:864

            copy_dir_regular_files(&path, &target)?;
        } else if meta.is_file() {
            if name_str.starts_with('.') {
                continue;
            }
            fs::copy(&path, &target)?;
        }
    }
    Ok(())
}

async fn update_skill(
    skill_id: AuditedSkillId,
    expected_digest: Option<String>,
    ctx: &MutationContext<'_>,
) -> Result<SkillMutationReceipt> {
    let (skill, path) = find_audited_skill(ctx, &skill_id)?;
    if !skill.root.is_writable_owned() {
        bail!("refusing to update skill outside CodeWhale-owned roots");
    }
    if skill.source_kind != SkillSourceKind::CodeWhaleManaged {
        bail!("only CodeWhale managed skills can be updated");
    }
    let skills_dir = validate_owned_skill_path(ctx, &skill, &path)?;
    // Imported skills carry `import:…` provenance and must not hit the registry.
    ensure_remote_updatable(&path)?;
    let before = verify_expected_digest(&path, expected_digest.as_deref())?;
    let scope = match skill.root.kind {
        SkillRootKind::CodeWhaleProject => SkillScope::Project,
        SkillRootKind::CodeWhaleGlobal => SkillScope::Global,
        _ => SkillScope::Logical,
    };

    let package_name = on_disk_package_name(&skill_id)?;
    validate_owned_skill_path(ctx, &skill, &path)?;
    let outcome = install::update_with_registry(
        package_name,

View on GitHub (pinned to 0c42157ee5)

Solutions

1. Only call update on skills whose root kind is a CodeWhale-owned scope
2. Import the skill into an owned scope first, then update the imported copy
3. Edit the external skill at its own source with its own tooling

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at crates/tui/src/skills/mutation.rs:864 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of Hmbown/CodeWhale@0c42157ee5 (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/123ebd76b3b77e10. Report an issue: GitHub.