Distinguish file delivery references from inline contents

Co-authored-by: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>

doc/plans/2026-10-02-pi-production-readiness.md

@@ -431,6 +431,13 @@ prices are estimates. Unpriced usage must stay unpriced in the ledger and UI.
   in chat do not. All 76 completion tests pass; the exact failed agent-files
   objective still needs no download. Wait for clean source review before
   rebuilding public packages again.
+- At `fef9e8456`, review identifies a missing explicit "send it" delivery
+  requirement. Preserve delivery references to the preceding file, including
+  across sentences, while explicit inline/chat content remains inline.
+  Attachment/export directives always retain publication requirements. All 84
+  completion tests pass, including both delivery and inline instructions. The
+  exact failed agent-files objective still needs no download; no paid retry runs
+  on these intermediate candidates.
 - The `0d65753fe` broad local suite is terminal with 736 passed files, four
   skipped files, 14,982 passed tests and three failures: a Git scan load
   single-flight count (497 versus 498) and two HTTP socket resets. One associated

server/src/services/native-runtime/native-deliverable-feedback.test.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ describe("explicit file output requirements", () => {
     "Write report.txt and attach it. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
     "Attach it.",
     "Write report.txt and return it as an attachment. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write report.txt and send it to me. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write report.txt. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable. Send it to me.",
+    "Write report.txt and provide it to me. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write report.txt and give me it. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write report.txt and return it. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
   ])("recognizes an explicit output request: %s", objective => {
     expect(explicitlyRequestsFileOutput(objective)).toBe(true);
   });
@@ -50,6 +55,8 @@ describe("explicit file output requirements", () => {
     "Write internal-proof.txt; do not attach it. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
     "Write a reply and return it in chat.",
     "Write internal-proof.txt and return it in chat. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write internal-proof.txt and send it in chat. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write internal-proof.txt. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable. Return it inline.",
   ])("does not require a file for a text or source-review request: %s", objective => {
     expect(explicitlyRequestsFileOutput(objective)).toBe(false);
   });

server/src/services/native-runtime/native-deliverable-feedback.ts

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ async function hasCurrentPublicationReceipt(db: Db, companyId: string, receipts:
  */
 export function explicitlyRequestsFileOutput(objective: string): boolean {
   const sentences = objective.replaceAll("\\_", "_").split(/(?:[.!?](?:\s|$)|\n)/iu);
+  let precedingFileOutput = false;
   return sentences.some((sentence, index) => {
     const file = /\b(?:files?|attachments?|downloads?|pdf|spreadsheets?|workbooks?|slide decks?|powerpoints?|docx|xlsx|csv)\b|\b[^\s/]+\.(?:md|txt|pdf|docx?|xlsx?|csv|pptx?|png|jpe?g|svg|zip)\b/giu;
     const outputs = sentence.split(/(?:[;,]|\bbut\b)/iu).flatMap(clause => {
@@ -89,15 +90,19 @@ export function explicitlyRequestsFileOutput(objective: string): boolean {
         });
         // An explicit attachment/export request can refer to the file by
         // pronoun. It still requires publication when its name is omitted.
-        const referencedAttachment = /^(?:attach|export)$/iu.test(create[0])
+        const referencesOutput = /^(?:attach|export|send|provide|give|return)$/iu.test(create[0])
           && /^\s+(?:me\s+)?(?:it|them|this|that)\b/iu.test(output);
+        const referencedAttachment = referencesOutput && /^(?:attach|export)$/iu.test(create[0]);
+        const inline = /\b(?:in (?:the )?chat|inline|as (?:a |the )?(?:chat )?(?:reply|message)|(?:its|the) contents)\b/iu.test(output);
         const downloadable = referencedAttachment || (!/\b(?:no|without)\s+(?:downloadable|attached)/iu.test(output)
           && /\b(?:downloadable|attached)\s+(?:file|report|document|checklist|draft)\b/iu.test(output));
         const publication = /\b(?:downloadable|attached|attach|export|send|provide|return|give)\b/iu.test(create[0] + output);
         const deniedAttempt = create[0].toLowerCase() === "write" && objects.length === 1
           && /\b(?:attempt|try)\s+(?:the\s+)?native\s*$/iu.test(before)
           && /\b(?:must be denied|denial is (?:the )?expected|(?:this|the) negative test)\b/iu.test(objective);
-        return [{ objects: objects.length, downloadable, publication, deniedAttempt }];
+        if (objects.length === 0 && !downloadable && /^\s+(?:no|zero|without)\b/iu.test(output)) return [];
+        return [{ objects: objects.length, downloadable, publication, deniedAttempt,
+          referencesOutput, publicationReference: referencesOutput && !inline }];
       });
     });
     // "This ..." qualifies a single requested file in the preceding sentence,
@@ -105,8 +110,12 @@ export function explicitlyRequestsFileOutput(objective: string): boolean {
     // exception and separate report requests still require publication.
     const internal = outputs.reduce((count, output) => count + output.objects + Number(output.downloadable && output.objects === 0), 0) === 1
       && /^\s*This is (?:an? )?(?:personal memory|internal (?:assertion|verification) file)\b[^.!?]*\bnot a (?:task )?deliverable\b/iu.test(sentences[index + 1] ?? "");
-    return outputs.some(output => (output.objects > 0 || output.downloadable)
-      && (output.publication || (!internal && !output.deniedAttempt)));
+    return outputs.some(output => {
+      const publicationReference = output.publicationReference && precedingFileOutput;
+      if (!output.referencesOutput) precedingFileOutput = output.objects > 0;
+      return (output.objects > 0 || output.downloadable || publicationReference)
+        && (output.publication || (!internal && !output.deniedAttempt));
+    });
   });
 }
 

server/src/services/native-runtime/native-runner-file-handoff.test.ts

@@ -354,6 +354,7 @@ describe("native runner file handoff", () => {
     "Write report.pdf; write internal-proof.txt. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
     "Write report.pdf and attempt native write to /outside/probe.txt; this negative test must be denied.",
     "Write report.txt and attach it. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
+    "Write report.txt and send it to me. This is an internal verification file, not a deliverable.",
   ])("still requires publication when the task also asks for internal or denied writes: %s", async objective => {
     await db.update(heartbeatRuns).set({ contextSnapshot: { issueId, executionContinuation: { objective } } })
       .where(eq(heartbeatRuns.id, runId));