pt edit

Edit existing prompt files in your configured editor. This command provides an easy way to modify prompts with search and selection capabilities.

Synopsis

pt edit [prompt-name] [options]

Purpose

The edit command:

• Opens prompts in your preferred editor
• Supports interactive selection
• Allows direct file path editing
• Validates edits after saving
• Maintains prompt metadata
• Supports batch editing

Options

Option	Short	Description
--editor <editor>	-e	Override default editor
--search <query>	-s	Search for prompt to edit
--all	-a	Open all matching prompts
--validate	-v	Validate after editing
--help	-h	Show help information

Usage Modes

Interactive Selection

# Browse and select prompt
pt edit

• Shows searchable prompt list
• Preview before selection
• Opens selected prompt in editor

Direct Edit

# Edit by name or path
pt edit api-client
pt edit frontend/component.md
pt edit ~/.prompts/review.md

Search and Edit

# Find and edit matching prompt
pt edit --search "api documentation"

# Edit all matching prompts
pt edit --search "review" --all

Examples

Basic Editing

# Interactive selection
pt edit

# Edit specific prompt
pt edit code-review

# Edit with full path
pt edit ./prompts/templates/api.md

Advanced Usage

# Use specific editor
pt edit api-client --editor "code --wait"

# Search and edit
pt edit -s "typescript"

# Edit multiple files
pt edit -s "api" --all

Validation

# Validate after editing
pt edit buggy-prompt.md --validate

# Check syntax without opening
pt edit broken.md --validate --dry-run

Editor Integration

VS Code

# Single file
export EDITOR="code --wait"

# Multiple files
export EDITOR="code --wait --new-window"

Vim/Neovim

# Vim
export EDITOR="vim"

# Neovim with config
export EDITOR="nvim -u ~/.config/nvim/init.lua"

Other Editors

# Sublime Text
export EDITOR="subl --wait"

# Emacs
export EDITOR="emacs"

# Nano
export EDITOR="nano"

Search Features

Fuzzy Search

• Partial word matching
• Case-insensitive
• Searches title, tags, and content

Search Examples

# Find "review" prompts
pt edit -s rev

# Find by tag
pt edit -s "#typescript"

# Complex search
pt edit -s "api client generator"

Batch Editing

Edit Multiple Files

# Open all API-related prompts
pt edit -s api --all

# Edit all prompts in subdirectory
pt edit "frontend/*" --all

Scripted Edits

# Find and replace across prompts
for prompt in $(pt list -s api); do
  pt edit "$prompt"
done

Validation Features

Syntax Checking

• YAML frontmatter validation
• Template helper verification
• Variable definition checks

Validation Output

✓ Valid YAML frontmatter
✓ All variables properly defined
✓ Template helpers correct
⚠ Warning: Unused variable 'apiKey'

Common Workflows

Updating Metadata

# Update tags across prompts
pt edit -s "old-tag" --all
# Then: Update tags in frontmatter

Refactoring Templates

# Find prompts using old helper
pt edit -s "{{oldHelper" --all
# Then: Update to new helper syntax

Version Updates

# Update prompt versions
pt edit important-prompt.md
# Then: Update version in frontmatter

Tips and Tricks

Quick Edits

# Last edited prompt
pt edit $(pt history -l 1 --format json | jq -r '.prompt.path')

# Most used prompt
pt edit $(pt review --format json | jq -r '.[0].name')

Editor Productivity

# Open in split view (VS Code)
export EDITOR="code --wait --diff"

# Open at specific line
export EDITOR="vim +10"  # Line 10

Safety Measures

# Backup before editing
cp prompt.md prompt.md.bak && pt edit prompt.md

# Git tracking
git add prompts/ && pt edit my-prompt.md

Troubleshooting

Editor Not Opening

# Debug editor detection
pt edit --debug

# Check environment
echo $EDITOR
echo $VISUAL

# Force specific editor
pt edit -e nano

File Not Found

# List available prompts
pt list

# Check prompt directories
cat .pt-config.json | jq '.promptDirs'

Permission Issues

# Check file permissions
ls -la prompts/

# Fix permissions
chmod 644 prompts/*.md

Best Practices

1. Version Control: Commit before major edits
2. Validation: Always validate after complex changes
3. Backups: Keep backups of important prompts
4. Comments: Document changes in prompts
5. Testing: Test edited prompts immediately

Related Commands

• pt - Test edited prompts
• pt add - Create new prompts
• pt history - See prompt usage
• pt run - Execute edited prompts

Configuration

Edit behavior can be customized:

{
  "editor": "code --wait",
  "editOptions": {
    "validate": true,
    "backup": true,
    "openInNewWindow": false
  }
}

Next Steps

After editing:

1. Test changes with pt
2. Validate syntax if needed
3. Commit changes to version control
4. Share updates with team