@cpzombie/pi-tool-limit-bumper

pi coding agent extension that raises pi's hardcoded tool output limits and keeps them raised.

pi hardcodes a 50KB / 2000-line output limit in its read/bash/ grep/find/ls tools. This extension patches the installed pi package (constants only — no tool logic) to larger limits, and re-checks on every session start, so a pi update never silently regresses the limits.

Defaults: 100KB / 4000 lines.

Install

pi install npm:@cpzombie/pi-tool-limit-bumper
# or pinned to a version:
pi install npm:@cpzombie/[email protected]

Uninstall:

pi remove npm:@cpzombie/pi-tool-limit-bumper

Configuration

Limits are chosen with the following precedence (highest first):

1. Env vars — PI_TOOL_LIMIT_KB=150 PI_TOOL_MAX_LINES=6000 pi (non-interactive runs, per-session overrides, CI)
2. Saved choice — the value you picked via the first-boot prompt or the /tool-limit command, stored in ~/.pi/agent/pi-tool-limit-bumper.json
3. First-boot prompt — on the first TUI/RPC session where nothing is configured yet, pi asks once: Tool output limit (KB) and Max output lines (Esc keeps the default). The answer is saved for future sessions.
4. Default — 100KB / 4000 lines

Change the limits at any time with the /tool-limit command: Set new limits, Show current, or Reset to defaults.

Note: the patch is applied from pi's stock limits (50KB / 2000 lines). If pi is currently patched to a different value than your setting, the extension leaves the package alone and tells you to update or reinstall pi (e.g. pi update) — once the files are back to stock, your saved limits are applied automatically on the next start.

Also available:

PI_TOOL_LIMIT_PKG_DIR=/path/to/pi-package pi   # pin a specific install

Behavior

On every session start:

• already patched → silent no-op
• unpatched + writable → patches, notifies "restart pi to activate" (the running process already has the old code in memory)
• unpatched + not writable (typical after a root npm i -g) → notifies with the exact chmod -R a+w <pi package dir> command needed
• constants unrecognized (upstream refactor) → notifies an error and never touches files it doesn't understand

If a future pi release refactors the constants, the extension surfaces a clear error instead of half-patching.

Notes

• Why patch files instead of overriding the tools? The public tool factories (createReadTool, createBashTool, …) have no truncation options, and the tool_result hook fires after truncation — the built-in limits are only reachable by patching the installed package.
• Extension is TypeScript, loaded by pi via jiti — no build step.
• @earendil-works/pi-coding-agent is a peer dependency provided by your pi installation; it is not bundled here.