Fix(tasks): list_tasks and zn task list leave cancelled tasks out of open

apps/desktop/src/cli/commands/tasks.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { promises as fsp } from 'node:fs'
+import os from 'node:os'
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { createBackend } from '../backend'
+import type { ParsedArgs } from '../args'
+import { cmdTaskList } from './tasks'
+
+function makeArgs(flags: Array<[string, string]> = []): ParsedArgs {
+  const map = new Map<string, string[]>()
+  for (const [k, v] of flags) map.set(k, [...(map.get(k) ?? []), v])
+  return { positionals: [], flags: map }
+}
+
+let tmpDir: string
+let root: string
+let out: string[]
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  tmpDir = await fsp.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'zen-task-cli-'))
+  root = path.join(tmpDir, 'vault')
+  for (const d of ['inbox', 'quick', 'archive', 'trash']) {
+    await fsp.mkdir(path.join(root, d), { recursive: true })
+  }
+  await fsp.writeFile(
+    path.join(root, 'inbox', 'todo.md'),
+    '- [ ] Buy milk\n- [-] Cancelled plan\n- [x] Done thing\n'
+  )
+})
+
+afterAll(async () => {
+  await fsp.rm(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+})
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  out = []
+  vi.spyOn(process.stdout, 'write').mockImplementation((chunk) => {
+    out.push(String(chunk))
+    return true
+  })
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.restoreAllMocks()
+})
+
+const backend = (): ReturnType<typeof createBackend> => createBackend({ kind: 'local', root })
+const listed = (): string[] =>
+  (JSON.parse(out.join('')) as Array<{ content: string }>).map((t) => t.content)
+
+describe('zn task list', () => {
+  it('leaves `[-]` cancelled tasks out of the open list (#450, #476)', async () => {
+    await cmdTaskList(backend(), makeArgs([['json', 'true']]))
+    expect(listed()).toEqual(['Buy milk'])
+  })
+
+  it('leaves cancelled tasks out of --unchecked', async () => {
+    await cmdTaskList(backend(), makeArgs([['unchecked', 'true'], ['json', 'true']]))
+    expect(listed()).toEqual(['Buy milk'])
+  })
+
+  it('still lists cancelled tasks with --all', async () => {
+    await cmdTaskList(backend(), makeArgs([['all', 'true'], ['json', 'true']]))
+    expect(listed()).toContain('Cancelled plan')
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/cli/commands/tasks.ts

@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ export async function cmdTaskList(vault: VaultBackend, args: ParsedArgs): Promis
   if (!showAll) {
     // A `[>]` forwarded record is history of a move; its live copy is in the
     // destination note and lists on its own, so showing both doubled every
-    // carried task (#611 review). `--all` still surfaces the records.
-    if (onlyUnchecked) tasks = tasks.filter((t) => !t.checked && !t.forwarded)
-    else tasks = tasks.filter((t) => !t.checked && !t.waiting && !t.forwarded)
+    // carried task (#611 review). A `[-]` cancelled task is abandoned, so it is
+    // not open either (#450, #476). `--all` still surfaces both.
+    if (onlyUnchecked) tasks = tasks.filter((t) => !t.checked && !t.forwarded && !t.cancelled)
+    else tasks = tasks.filter((t) => !t.checked && !t.waiting && !t.forwarded && !t.cancelled)
   }
   if (tag) tasks = tasks.filter((t) => t.tags.includes(tag))
 

apps/desktop/src/mcp/server.test.ts

@@ -141,6 +141,42 @@ describe('tools run through the backend', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('list_tasks', () => {
+  const task = (content: string, extra: Record<string, unknown> = {}): unknown => ({
+    content,
+    noteFolder: 'inbox',
+    checked: false,
+    waiting: false,
+    forwarded: false,
+    cancelled: false,
+    tags: [],
+    ...extra
+  })
+  const tasksBackend = backend({
+    scanAllTasks: async () =>
+      [
+        task('Buy milk', { due: '2026-10-20' }),
+        task('Cancelled plan', { cancelled: true, due: '2026-10-15' }),
+        task('Done thing', { checked: true })
+      ] as never
+  })
+  const contents = (rows: unknown): string[] =>
+    (rows as Array<{ content: string }>).map((t) => t.content)
+
+  it('leaves `[-]` cancelled tasks out of the default open list (#450, #476)', async () => {
+    expect(contents(await callTool('list_tasks', {}, tasksBackend))).toEqual(['Buy milk'])
+    expect(
+      contents(await callTool('list_tasks', { dueBefore: '2026-10-31' }, tasksBackend))
+    ).toEqual(['Buy milk'])
+  })
+
+  it('still returns cancelled tasks for status "all"', async () => {
+    expect(contents(await callTool('list_tasks', { status: 'all' }, tasksBackend))).toContain(
+      'Cancelled plan'
+    )
+  })
+})
+
 describe('describeToolError', () => {
   it('turns a 401 from the server into the token hint', () => {
     const text = describeToolError(

apps/desktop/src/mcp/server.ts

@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ const TOOLS: ToolDef[] = [
             type: 'string',
             enum: ['open', 'done', 'waiting', 'all'],
             description:
-              'open = unchecked & not waiting (default). done = checked. waiting = has @waiting. all = everything.'
+              'open = not done, cancelled or waiting (default). done = checked. waiting = has @waiting. all = everything.'
           },
           priority: {
             type: 'string',
@@ -721,7 +721,10 @@ const TOOLS: ToolDef[] = [
         if (folder && t.noteFolder !== folder) return false
         // A `[>]` record's live copy sits in the destination note; listing the
         // record as open doubled every carried task for agents (#611 review).
-        if (status === 'open' && (t.checked || t.waiting || t.forwarded)) return false
+        // A `[-]` cancelled task is abandoned, so it is not open either (#450, #476).
+        if (status === 'open' && (t.checked || t.waiting || t.forwarded || t.cancelled)) {
+          return false
+        }
         if (status === 'done' && !t.checked) return false
         if (status === 'waiting' && !t.waiting) return false
         if (priority && t.priority !== priority) return false