posthaste-file-management

PostHaste File Management Skill

PostHaste (by Digital Rebellion) is a local desktop app that creates project folder structures from customizable templates. It has no API — this skill works directly with PostHaste's files on disk.

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Key Locations

Mac

• Templates dir: ~/Library/Application Support/Digital Rebellion/Post Haste/Templates/
• Prefs/config: ~/Library/Preferences/com.digitalrebellion.PostHaste.plist

Windows

• Templates dir: %APPDATA%\Digital Rebellion\Post Haste\Templates\

First step: Always detect the OS and check whether the templates directory exists before proceeding.

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Template File Format

PostHaste templates are stored as XML .phtemplate files.

Variables use [square_bracket] syntax:

• [project] — project name
• [client] — client name
• [date] — current date
• [user] — logged-in username
• [template] — auto-renamed to full project name

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Built-in Templates

When the PostHaste templates directory is not found (e.g. sandbox, container, or PostHaste not installed), fall back to the bundled reference templates in references/. These can be used directly with create_project.py or the folder structure can be created manually via shell commands.

Video Production (traditional)

Standard film/video workflow: Footage → Audio → Graphics → Edit → Exports → Docs. See references/template-format.md for the full XML example.

AI Film Production

Optimized for AI-generated filmmaking where image/asset creation comes first: Graphics (Characters, Environments, Props, Storyboard) → Audio → Video (Generated, Composited) → Edit → Exports → Docs. Includes a _Prompts.txt file for tracking generation prompts. See references/ai-film-template.phtemplate.

When offering template choices, always include both traditional and AI Film options. If the user mentions AI filmmaking, image generation, or character rendering, default to the AI Film Production template.

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Core Tasks

1. List Templates

Read ~/Library/Application Support/Digital Rebellion/Post Haste/Templates/*.phtemplate Parse XML, display folder tree and variables used. Use scripts/read_template.py for this.

2. Create a Project from a Template

1. Show user their template list
2. Ask for parameters (project name, client, date, etc.)
3. Resolve all [variable] names
4. Create folder tree at chosen destination
5. Open result in Finder/Explorer Use scripts/create_project.py.

3. Design / Edit a Template

1. Collect folder structure from user
2. Identify variables
3. Generate XML
4. Write to templates directory Use scripts/new_template.py.

4. List Recent Projects

Read PostHaste prefs plist and list recently created projects. Use scripts/list_projects.py.

5. Place an Asset

When user asks where a file belongs:

1. Identify the current project folder
2. Match file type to folder using these rules:
   • PNG/JPG/WebP character renders → Graphics/Characters
   • PNG/JPG environment/background images → Graphics/Environments
   • PNG/JPG prop or object images → Graphics/Props
   • Storyboard frames or sequences → Graphics/Storyboard
   • MP4/MOV footage or generated video → Video/Generated or Footage/RAW
   • WAV/MP3/AIFF audio → Audio/ (SFX, Music, VO, or Dialogue as appropriate)
   • Logo/brand assets → Graphics/Assets
   • PDF/TXT docs → Docs/
3. Suggest the specific subfolder
4. Offer to move/copy the file there
5. Offer to create a sub-subfolder if it helps organization (e.g. Characters/Emma)

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Variable Resolution Rules

1. Replace [project] with project name
2. Replace [client] with client name (skip item if entire filename and blank)
3. Replace [date] with today in YYYY-MM-DD format
4. Replace [user] with os.getlogin() (falls back to $USER / $USERNAME env var)
5. Any file/folder named [template] -> rename to full project name
6. Strip leading/trailing separators from blank segments

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Reference Files

• references/template-format.md — XML schema for .phtemplate files
• references/ai-film-template.phtemplate — Built-in AI Film Production template
• scripts/read_template.py — Parse and display a template
• scripts/create_project.py — Create folder structure from template + params
• scripts/list_projects.py — Read recent projects from prefs plist
• scripts/new_template.py — Generate a new .phtemplate XML file

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Error Handling

Situation	Response
Templates dir not found	Ask user to confirm PostHaste install path
Template XML malformed	Show raw file, ask user how to fix
Project folder already exists	Warn, ask if overwrite
Missing required parameter	Prompt before creating
No templates found	Offer to create a starter template