steelmorgan/search-before-write

Search Before Write

Any code-writing task is first and foremost a search task. First we search, then we write.

For 1C/BSL projects with RLM available, broad reconnaissance starts with rlm_start / rlm_execute, not with LSP or raw grep. Use LSP after RLM, when a concrete file, symbol, or cursor position is already known.

Search Cascade

Each next step is used only if the previous one did not produce a result:

| Step | Tool | What we search for | |-----|------------|----------| | 1 | rlm_start → rlm_execute | Broad search for analogs, business mechanisms, queries, XML/MDO/forms/rights, and project relationships | | 2 | navigate_symbol / BSL LS | Exact verification of a found symbol, definition/references/call graph by known position | | 3 | list_metadata_objects, get_metadata_structure | Configuration objects (catalogs, registers, documents), if RLM is unavailable or a structured MCP response is needed | | 4 | search_syntax_reference, get_type_info | Built-in platform types/methods | | 5 | search_ssl_functions | BСП functions (if the configuration includes BСП) | | 6a | ask_ai_assistant (SEARCH_DOCS template) | Platform documentation - if the question is about API, methods, or types | | 6b | ask_ai_assistant (SEARCH_ITS → FETCH_ITS template) | Standards, methodology, ITS examples - if the question is about development rules | | 6c | ask_ai_assistant (generic) | Other questions - only if 6a/6b do not fit |

Prompt templates for steps 6a-6c are in the buddy-prompting skill.

Triggers

| Task | Initial cascade step | |--------|-----------------------| | New function/procedure | 1 - RLM search for analogs by meaning, name, and neighboring terms | | Business logic | 1 - RLM reconnaissance of the mechanism and related objects/modules | | Using the platform API | 4 - syntax help; fallback 6a (documentation) | | Print form | 1 → 5 (RLM over forms/templates/commands + BСП API) | | Development standards and rules | 6b - search in ITS | | Migration between versions | 6a (DIFF_VERSIONS template) | | Query | 1 - RLM search for existing queries and related registers/objects |

Capabilities

| Capability | Purpose | |------------|------------| | rlm_start / rlm_execute | Broad project reconnaissance over 1C/BSL before writing code | | navigate_symbol | Search symbols, definitions, usages | | list_metadata_objects | Metadata objects by type and mask | | get_metadata_structure | Object structure (attributes, dimensions, resources) | | search_syntax_reference | Platform syntax reference | | get_type_info | Platform type details | | search_ssl_functions | BСП functions | | ask_ai_assistant | Best practices, templates |

Typical Mistakes

| Mistake | Workaround | |--------|---------------| | Skipping the search | Hard rule: BSL code creation → first step = RLM reconnaissance, if available | | Started with navigate_symbol, but there is no exact name/position | Return to rlm_start: the task is broad, LSP is premature here | | list_metadata_objects is empty | Is the configuration loaded? v8-runner build (or v8-runner dump --mode incremental if the information base is the source of truth); check metaType/nameMask | | navigate_symbol is empty | If this is broad reconnaissance, switch to RLM. If this is a positional LSP task, clarify the name (Russian/Latin, case) | | ask_ai_assistant returns an empty result | Rephrase the query; see the rules in buddy-prompting | | search_ssl_functions is unavailable | Without BСП - search_syntax_reference + navigate_symbol across common modules |

depends_on:

• framework/skills/tool-usage/code-analysis/rlm-bsl-search/SKILL.md
• framework/skills/tool-usage/code-analysis/code-navigation/SKILL.md