taylorbrook/max-lifecycle

Project Lifecycle Management Agent

The lifecycle agent manages the full project lifecycle: creation with conversational kickoff, status tracking through stages, project switching, and test protocol execution. It uses the Python project and testing modules for all operations.

Context Loading

Before lifecycle operations:

1. Read src/maxpat/project.py for project management functions
2. Read src/maxpat/testing.py for test checklist generation
3. Read patches/.active-project.json for current active project
4. Read active project's status.md for current stage and progress
5. Read active project's config.json via load_project_config() for package configuration

Python Interface

from src.maxpat.project import (
    create_project, get_active_project, set_active_project,
    read_status, update_status, list_projects,
    init_versions, get_version, bump_version, list_versions,
    load_project_config, save_project_config, get_allowed_packages,
)
from src.maxpat.testing import generate_test_checklist, save_test_results

Capabilities

Project Creation

• Create new project with create_project(name, base_dir) which scaffolds the full directory structure
• create_project() also creates an empty .maxpat file at patches/{name}/generated/{name}.maxpat with canvas background color -- user can open in MAX immediately
• Start conversational kickoff: ask clarifying questions about audio/MIDI requirements, signal flow, UI needs
• Write answers to project's context.md
• See references/project-structure.md for standard directory layout

Package Configuration

• After create_project(), prompt the user to select packages for the project
• Present packages in two groups using ObjectDatabase().list_packages() and get_package_info():
  • Bundled packages (tier == "bundled" in package_info.json): ship with MAX, always available
  • Community packages (tier == "community" or "licensed"): require separate install
• User picks individual packages from each group (no preset bundles)
• Write selection with save_project_config(project_dir, {"packages": [selected_names]})
• Package names must exactly match keys in package_info.json (e.g., "BEAP", "Vizzie", "ableton-dsp")
• If user selects no packages, write {"packages": []} (core-only, per D-08)
• Users can change packages later via /max-config (same bundled/community split)

Community Package Extraction Gate

When a user selects a community package (tier == "community" in package_info.json):

• Check extracted field in package_info.json via ObjectDatabase().get_package_info(name)
• If extracted is false, the package has stub data only -- do NOT generate patches with its objects
• Show the user the install + extract path:
  • Package Manager packages (FluCoMa, CNMAT, Bach, Odot, ml-lib, Cage, Dada, EARS, Rhythmic Time Toolkit): "Install via MAX Package Manager (Help -> Package Manager -> search '{name}'), then run: python .claude/scripts/extract_objects.py --package \"{name}\""
  • IRCAM Spat: "Download from https://forum.ircam.fr/projects/detail/spat/ (free account required), copy spat5 folder to ~/Documents/Max 9/Packages/, then run: python .claude/scripts/extract_objects.py --package \"IRCAM Spat\""
• After extraction completes, extracted flips to true and the package is unblocked
• Bach ecosystem note: Cage, Dada, and EARS all require Bach installed first. If user selects any of these, ensure Bach is also selected and extracted.

Template Suggestions on Package Selection

After the user selects packages for a project, suggest relevant workflow templates:

• If BEAP selected: "BEAP modular templates are available in the DSP agent -- see max-dsp-agent/SKILL.md Package Workflow Templates for FM synthesis, sequenced patterns, and canonical signal chains."
• If FluCoMa selected: "FluCoMa workflow templates cover real-time analysis, offline buffer processing, and ML classification pipelines -- see max-dsp-agent/SKILL.md Package Workflow Templates."
• If Bach selected: "Bach workflow templates cover llll construction, notation display, and algorithmic composition -- see max-patch-agent/SKILL.md Package Workflow Templates. IMPORTANT: always use bach.list2llll to convert MAX lists before feeding bach objects."
• If multiple DSP packages selected: mention both DSP agent template sections.
• If no packages selected: skip template suggestions.

This is informational guidance only -- do not auto-scaffold template code into projects.

Status Tracking

• Read current status with read_status(project_dir)
• Update status with update_status(project_dir, stage=..., progress=...)
• Track stages: ideation, discuss, research, build, verify
• See references/status-tracking.md for stage definitions and progress format

Project Switching

• List all projects with list_projects(base_dir)
• Switch active project with set_active_project(name, base_dir)
• Get current active project with get_active_project(base_dir)
• Validate project directory exists on switch (detect desync)

Version Tracking

• Track project versions with init_versions(project_dir), get_version(project_dir), bump_version(project_dir, bump, description), list_versions(project_dir)
• New projects auto-initialize at 0.0.0 via create_project()
• Bump after significant changes: patch for fixes, minor for new features, major for breaking changes
• See references/status-tracking.md for version tracking API details

Test Protocol Execution

• Generate manual test checklist from patch with generate_test_checklist(patch_dict, patch_name, patch_path="")
• Save test results with save_test_results(project_dir, test_name, results_md)
• See references/test-protocol.md for checklist format and result recording

References

• references/project-structure.md -- Standard directory layout for MAX projects
• references/status-tracking.md -- Stage definitions and progress format
• references/test-protocol.md -- Manual test checklist generation and result recording

When to Use

• /max-new -- Create new project
• /max-status -- Show project overview and progress
• /max-switch -- Change active project
• /max-test -- Generate test checklist from generated patches
• /max-version -- Show current version or bump version
• /max-config -- View or change project package configuration
• Any command that needs to read/update project state

When NOT to Use

• For patch/code generation (use specialist agents via router)
• For critic review (use max-critic)