fix(skills): ~ and $HOME in skill config defaults resolve against the tool HOME (#12260, salvage #58227)

agent/skill_utils.py

@@ -9,7 +9,12 @@
 from pathlib import Path, PurePath
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
-from hermes_constants import get_config_path, get_skills_dir, is_termux
+from hermes_constants import (
+    get_config_path,
+    get_skills_dir,
+    get_subprocess_home,
+    is_termux,
+)
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -698,17 +703,37 @@ def _resolve_dotpath(config: Dict[str, Any], dotted_key: str):
     return current
 
 
+_HOME_VAR_RE = re.compile(r"\$(?:\{HOME\}|HOME)(?=$|[/\\])")
+
+
+def _expand_skill_config_path(value: str) -> str:
+    """Expand ``~`` / ``$HOME`` against the HOME Hermes injects into tool subprocesses.
+
+    Skill config defaults describe paths the agent hands to tools, so in a container where the
+    control process HOME (``/opt/data``) differs from the tool HOME (``{HERMES_HOME}/home``) a
+    plain ``expanduser`` pointed the prompt at a path no tool would ever read (#12260).
+    """
+    subprocess_home = get_subprocess_home()
+    if subprocess_home:
+        if value == "~" or value.startswith(("~/", "~\\")):
+            value = subprocess_home + value[1:]
+        # Callable replacement: a literal template would parse backslashes in the home path
+        # as regex escapes.
+        value = _HOME_VAR_RE.sub(lambda _m: subprocess_home, value)
+    return os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(value))
+
+
 def resolve_skill_config_values(config_vars: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Map logical skill config keys to current values (or declared defaults);
-    path-like string values are ``~``/``${VAR}`` expanded."""
+    path-like string values are ``~``/``$HOME``/``${VAR}`` expanded against the tool HOME."""
     config = _load_raw_config()
     resolved: Dict[str, Any] = {}
     for var in config_vars:
         value = _resolve_dotpath(config, f"{SKILL_CONFIG_PREFIX}.{var['key']}")
         if value is None or (isinstance(value, str) and not value.strip()):
             value = var.get("default", "")
-        if isinstance(value, str) and ("~" in value or "${" in value):
-            value = os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(value))
+        if isinstance(value, str) and ("~" in value or "$" in value):
+            value = _expand_skill_config_path(value)
         resolved[var["key"]] = value
     return resolved
 

tests/agent/test_skill_utils.py

@@ -147,8 +147,36 @@ def test_get_disabled_skill_names_scalar_string_still_single_name(
         assert get_disabled_skill_names() == {"hidden-skill"}
 
 
+def test_skill_config_home_vars_use_subprocess_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """``~`` / ``$HOME`` / ``${HOME}`` defaults resolve against the HOME tools receive, not the
+    control process HOME; other variables keep normal expansion (#12260)."""
+    from agent import skill_utils
 
+    # A backslash in the home path must not be read as a regex-replacement escape.
+    hermes_home = tmp_path / "da\\ta"
+    subprocess_home = hermes_home / "home"
+    subprocess_home.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (hermes_home / "config.yaml").write_text("", encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HOME", str(hermes_home))
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TERMINAL_HOME_MODE", "profile")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("PROJECT_ROOT", "/proj")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LEAF", "leaf")
+    getattr(skill_utils, "_raw_config_cache_clear", lambda: None)()
 
+    resolved = resolve_skill_config_values([
+        {"key": "wiki.home_var", "default": "$HOME/wiki"},
+        {"key": "wiki.braced_home", "default": "${HOME}/notes"},
+        {"key": "wiki.tilde", "default": "~/scratch"},
+        {"key": "wiki.other_var", "default": "${PROJECT_ROOT}/cache"},
+        {"key": "wiki.tilde_var", "default": "~/$LEAF"},
+    ])
+
+    assert resolved["wiki.home_var"] == str(subprocess_home / "wiki")
+    assert resolved["wiki.braced_home"] == str(subprocess_home / "notes")
+    assert resolved["wiki.tilde"] == str(subprocess_home / "scratch")
+    assert resolved["wiki.other_var"] == "/proj/cache"
+    assert resolved["wiki.tilde_var"] == str(subprocess_home / "leaf")
 
 
 def test_iter_skill_index_files_prunes_skill_support_dirs(tmp_path):