fix: resolve MCP prompt rendering errors (#524)

Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: groksrc

src/basic_memory/mcp/prompts/continue_conversation.py

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 from basic_memory.mcp.async_client import get_client
 from basic_memory.mcp.server import mcp
 from basic_memory.mcp.tools.utils import call_post
-from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
 from basic_memory.schemas.prompt import ContinueConversationRequest
 
 
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@
 async def continue_conversation(
     topic: Annotated[Optional[str], Field(description="Topic or keyword to search for")] = None,
     timeframe: Annotated[
-        Optional[TimeFrame],
+        Optional[str],
         Field(description="How far back to look for activity (e.g. '1d', '1 week')"),
     ] = None,
 ) -> str:

src/basic_memory/mcp/prompts/recent_activity.py

@@ -3,17 +3,14 @@
 These prompts help users see what has changed in their knowledge base recently.
 """
 
+from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import Annotated, Optional
 
 from loguru import logger
 from pydantic import Field
 
-from basic_memory.mcp.prompts.utils import format_prompt_context, PromptContext, PromptContextItem
 from basic_memory.mcp.server import mcp
 from basic_memory.mcp.tools.recent_activity import recent_activity
-from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
-from basic_memory.schemas.memory import GraphContext, ProjectActivitySummary
-from basic_memory.schemas.search import SearchItemType
 
 
 @mcp.prompt(
@@ -22,7 +19,7 @@
 )
 async def recent_activity_prompt(
     timeframe: Annotated[
-        TimeFrame,
+        str,
         Field(description="How far back to look for activity (e.g. '1d', '1 week')"),
     ] = "7d",
     project: Annotated[
@@ -47,142 +44,57 @@ async def recent_activity_prompt(
     """
     logger.info(f"Getting recent activity, timeframe: {timeframe}, project: {project}")
 
-    recent = await recent_activity.fn(
-        project=project, timeframe=timeframe, type=[SearchItemType.ENTITY]
+    # Call the tool function - it returns a well-formatted string
+    # Pass type as string values (not enum) to match the tool's expected input
+    activity_summary = await recent_activity.fn(
+        project=project, timeframe=timeframe, type="entity"
     )
 
-    # Extract primary results from the hierarchical structure
-    primary_results = []
-    related_results = []
-
-    if isinstance(recent, ProjectActivitySummary):
-        # Discovery mode - extract results from all projects
-        for _, project_activity in recent.projects.items():
-            if project_activity.activity.results:
-                # Take up to 2 primary results per project
-                for item in project_activity.activity.results[:2]:
-                    primary_results.append(item.primary_result)
-                    # Add up to 1 related result per primary item
-                    if item.related_results:
-                        related_results.extend(item.related_results[:1])  # pragma: no cover
-
-        # Limit total results for readability
-        primary_results = primary_results[:8]
-        related_results = related_results[:6]
-
-    elif isinstance(recent, GraphContext):
-        # Project-specific mode - use existing logic
-        if recent.results:
-            # Take up to 5 primary results
-            for item in recent.results[:5]:
-                primary_results.append(item.primary_result)
-                # Add up to 2 related results per primary item
-                if item.related_results:
-                    related_results.extend(item.related_results[:2])  # pragma: no cover
-
-    # Set topic based on mode
-    if project:
-        topic = f"Recent Activity in {project} ({timeframe})"
-    else:
-        topic = f"Recent Activity Across All Projects ({timeframe})"
-
-    prompt_context = format_prompt_context(
-        PromptContext(
-            topic=topic,
-            timeframe=timeframe,
-            results=[
-                PromptContextItem(
-                    primary_results=primary_results,
-                    related_results=related_results[:10],  # Limit total related results
-                )
-            ],
-        )
-    )
-
-    # Add mode-specific suggestions
-    first_title = "Recent Topic"
-    if primary_results and len(primary_results) > 0:
-        first_title = primary_results[0].title
-
-    if project:
-        # Project-specific suggestions
-        capture_suggestions = f"""
-    ## Opportunity to Capture Activity Summary
-
-    Consider creating a summary note of recent activity in {project}:
-
-    ```python
-    await write_note(
-        "{project}",
-        title="Activity Summary {timeframe}",
-        content='''
-        # Activity Summary for {project} ({timeframe})
-
-        ## Overview
-        [Summary of key changes and developments in this project over this period]
+    # Build the prompt response
+    # The tool already returns formatted markdown, so we use it directly
+    # and add prompt-specific guidance
+    target = project if project else "all projects"
 
-        ## Key Updates
-        [List main updates and their significance within this project]
+    prompt_guidance = dedent(f"""
+        # Recent Activity Context
 
-        ## Observations
-        - [trend] [Observation about patterns in recent activity]
-        - [insight] [Connection between different activities]
+        This is a memory retrieval session showing recent activity from {target}.
 
-        ## Relations
-        - summarizes [[{first_title}]]
-        - relates_to [[{project} Overview]]
-        ''',
-        folder="summaries"
-    )
-    ```
+        {activity_summary}
 
-    Summarizing periodic activity helps create high-level insights and connections within the project.
-    """
-    else:
-        # Discovery mode suggestions
-        project_count = len(recent.projects) if isinstance(recent, ProjectActivitySummary) else 0
-        most_active = (
-            getattr(recent.summary, "most_active_project", "Unknown")
-            if isinstance(recent, ProjectActivitySummary)
-            else "Unknown"
-        )
+        ---
 
-        capture_suggestions = f"""
-    ## Cross-Project Activity Discovery
+        ## Next Steps
 
-    Found activity across {project_count} projects. Most active: **{most_active}**
+        Based on this activity, you can:
 
-    Consider creating a cross-project summary:
+        1. **Explore specific items** - Use `read_note("permalink")` to dive deeper into any item
+        2. **Search for related content** - Use `search_notes("topic")` to find connected knowledge
+        3. **Build context** - Use `build_context("memory://path")` to see relationships
 
-    ```python
-    await write_note(
-        "{most_active if most_active != "Unknown" else "main"}",
-        title="Cross-Project Activity Summary {timeframe}",
-        content='''
-        # Cross-Project Activity Summary ({timeframe})
+        ## Capture Opportunity
 
-        ## Overview
-        Activity found across {project_count} projects, with {most_active} showing the most activity.
+        If you notice patterns or insights from this activity, consider documenting them:
 
-        ## Key Developments
-        [Summarize important changes across all projects]
+        ```python
+        write_note(
+            title="Activity Insights - {timeframe}",
+            content='''
+            # Activity Insights
 
-        ## Project Insights
-        [Note patterns or connections between projects]
+            ## Patterns Observed
+            - [trend] [Pattern you noticed in the activity]
 
-        ## Observations
-        - [trend] [Cross-project patterns observed]
-        - [insight] [Connections between different project activities]
+            ## Key Developments
+            - [insight] [Important development worth tracking]
 
-        ## Relations
-        - summarizes [[{first_title}]]
-        - relates_to [[Project Portfolio Overview]]
-        ''',
-        folder="summaries"
-    )
-    ```
-
-    Cross-project summaries help identify broader trends and project interconnections.
-    """
+            ## Relations
+            - summarizes [[Recent Work]]
+            ''',
+            folder="insights",
+            project="{project or 'default'}"
+        )
+        ```
+    """)
 
-    return prompt_context + capture_suggestions
+    return prompt_guidance

src/basic_memory/mcp/prompts/search.py

@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 from basic_memory.mcp.async_client import get_client
 from basic_memory.mcp.server import mcp
 from basic_memory.mcp.tools.utils import call_post
-from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
 from basic_memory.schemas.prompt import SearchPromptRequest
 
 
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@
 async def search_prompt(
     query: str,
     timeframe: Annotated[
-        Optional[TimeFrame],
+        Optional[str],
         Field(description="How far back to search (e.g. '1d', '1 week')"),
     ] = None,
 ) -> str:

src/basic_memory/mcp/prompts/utils.py

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import List
 
-from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
 from basic_memory.schemas.memory import (
     normalize_memory_url,
     EntitySummary,
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ class PromptContextItem:
 
 @dataclass
 class PromptContext:
-    timeframe: TimeFrame
+    timeframe: str
     topic: str
     results: List[PromptContextItem]
 

tests/mcp/test_prompts.py

@@ -153,8 +153,9 @@ async def test_recent_activity_prompt_discovery_mode(client, test_project, test_
     result = await recent_activity_prompt.fn(timeframe="1w")  # pyright: ignore [reportGeneralTypeIssues]
 
     # Check the response contains expected discovery mode content
-    assert "Recent Activity Across All Projects" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
-    assert "Cross-Project Activity Discovery" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "Recent Activity Context" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "all projects" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "Next Steps" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
     assert "write_note" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
 
 
@@ -165,9 +166,9 @@ async def test_recent_activity_prompt_project_specific(client, test_project, tes
     result = await recent_activity_prompt.fn(timeframe="1w", project=test_project.name)  # pyright: ignore [reportGeneralTypeIssues]
 
     # Check the response contains expected project-specific content
-    assert f"Recent Activity in {test_project.name}" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
-    assert "Opportunity to Capture Activity Summary" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
-    assert f"recent activity in {test_project.name}" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "Recent Activity Context" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert test_project.name in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "Next Steps" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
     assert "write_note" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
 
 
@@ -178,4 +179,5 @@ async def test_recent_activity_prompt_with_custom_timeframe(client, test_project
     result = await recent_activity_prompt.fn(timeframe="1d")  # pyright: ignore [reportGeneralTypeIssues]
 
     # Check the response includes the custom timeframe
-    assert "Recent Activity Across All Projects (1d)" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "1d" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]
+    assert "Recent Activity Context" in result  # pyright: ignore [reportOperatorIssue]