feat: sideload additional tools to be always on

README.md

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Python-based Telnet helper for connecting to MUD servers, handling login flows,
 - Optional always-on tool mode plus an on-demand `#execute <tool>` escape hatch for ad-hoc automations.
 - Higher-level agents (`fixed`, `loop`, `intelligent`) that can string multiple tools together via `#agent <spec>`.
 - Built-in tools (`LookTool`, `ExploreTool`, `CommunicationTool`, `MovementTool`, `IntelligentCommunicationTool`) with a pluggable interface for custom behaviours.
+- Background "sideload" channel so helper tools (e.g. intelligent replies) can keep watching chat while other work continues.
 
 ## Requirements
 
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ All variables can be placed in the `.env` file (one `KEY=value` per line) or pro
 | `MISTLE_EXIT_COMMAND` | ❌ | Command issued during graceful shutdown (after pressing `Ctrl-C`). Useful for `quit`/`save` macros. |
 | `MISTLE_TOOL_MODE` | ❌ | Enable full-time tool thread when set to truthy values (`1`, `true`, `yes`, `on`). Defaults to interactive-only mode. |
 | `MISTLE_TOOL` | ❌ | Select which tool class to instantiate when tool mode is active. Accepted values: `look` (default, alias `simple`), `explore`, `communication`, `movement`, `intelligent`/`intelligentcommunication` (LLM-backed), or custom spec `module:ClassName`. |
+| `MISTLE_SIDELOAD_TOOL` | ❌ | Comma-separated list of tool specs that should always run in the background (same syntax as `MISTLE_TOOL`). Useful for running `intelligent` alongside another primary tool. |
 | `MISTLE_LLM_MODEL` | ❌ | Override the `litellm` model used by the intelligent tool (defaults to `mistral/mistral-small-2407`). |
 | `MISTRAL_API_KEY` | ❌ | API key used by `IntelligentCommunicationTool` (via `litellm`) when calling the `mistral/mistral-small-2407` model. |
 
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ All variables can be placed in the `.env` file (one `KEY=value` per line) or pro
 - `ExploreTool` showcases a richer workflow: it sends `schau`, identifies German nouns, inspects each with `untersuche`, and prints `[Tool]` progress updates like `Explored 3/7 — untersuche Tisch`.
 - `MovementTool` parses room descriptions/exits and issues a single direction command, preferring unvisited exits and randomising choices to avoid oscillation. Trigger it via `#execute move` (or set `MISTLE_TOOL=movement` for continuous roaming).
 - `CommunicationTool` auto-replies to every direct tell with a canned greeting, while `IntelligentCommunicationTool` routes each tell through `litellm` (default model `mistral/mistral-small-2407`) to craft a contextual answer via the configured LLM.
+- To keep specific helpers always-on (for example, the intelligent communication tool), set `MISTLE_SIDELOAD_TOOL=intelligent`. Multiple specs can be separated with commas; each runs in its own listener thread in parallel with the primary tool or interactive session.
 
 ## On-Demand Tools
 

app.py

@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ import os
 import select
 import sys
 import time
+from collections import deque
 from importlib import import_module
 from pathlib import Path
 from threading import Event, Lock, Thread
-from typing import Callable, Optional, Type
+from typing import Callable, Deque, List, Optional, Type
 
 from tools import Tool
 from agents import Agent, build_agent
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ TOOL_REGISTRY = {
         "module": "intelligent_tool",
         "class": "IntelligentCommunicationTool",
         "kwargs": {
-            "model": os.environ.get("MISTLE_LLM_MODEL", "mistral/mistral-small-2407")
+            "model": os.environ.get("MISTLE_LLM_MODEL", "mistral/mistral-small")
         },
         "description": "Uses an LLM to craft a polite reply to private tells.",
     },
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ TOOL_REGISTRY = {
         "module": "intelligent_tool",
         "class": "IntelligentCommunicationTool",
         "kwargs": {
-            "model": os.environ.get("MISTLE_LLM_MODEL", "mistral/mistral-small-2407")
+            "model": os.environ.get("MISTLE_LLM_MODEL", "mistral/mistral-small")
         },
         "description": "Alias of 'intelligent'. Uses an LLM to craft a polite reply to private tells.",
     },
@@ -76,12 +77,40 @@ from telnetclient import TelnetClient
 class SessionState:
     """Share Telnet session state safely across threads."""
 
+    class _OutputListener:
+        def __init__(self) -> None:
+            self._queue: Deque[str] = deque()
+            self._lock = Lock()
+            self._event = Event()
+
+        def publish(self, text: str) -> None:
+            with self._lock:
+                self._queue.append(text)
+                self._event.set()
+
+        def wait(self, timeout: float) -> bool:
+            return self._event.wait(timeout)
+
+        def drain(self) -> List[str]:
+            with self._lock:
+                items = list(self._queue)
+                self._queue.clear()
+                self._event.clear()
+            return items
+
+        def close(self) -> None:
+            with self._lock:
+                self._queue.clear()
+                self._event.set()
+
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         self._send_lock = Lock()
         self._output_lock = Lock()
         self._output_event = Event()
         self._last_output = ""
         self._last_tool_send = 0.0
+        self._listeners: set[SessionState._OutputListener] = set()
+        self._listeners_lock = Lock()
 
     def send(self, client: TelnetClient, message: str) -> None:
         with self._send_lock:
@@ -116,12 +145,34 @@ class SessionState:
             return
         with self._output_lock:
             self._last_output = text
+        with self._listeners_lock:
+            listeners = list(self._listeners)
+        for listener in listeners:
+            listener.publish(text)
         self._output_event.set()
 
     def snapshot_output(self) -> str:
         with self._output_lock:
             return self._last_output
 
+    def register_listener(self) -> "SessionState._OutputListener":
+        listener = SessionState._OutputListener()
+        with self._listeners_lock:
+            self._listeners.add(listener)
+        with self._output_lock:
+            last_output = self._last_output
+        if last_output:
+            listener.publish(last_output)
+        return listener
+
+    def remove_listener(self, listener: "SessionState._OutputListener") -> None:
+        with self._listeners_lock:
+            existed = listener in self._listeners
+            if existed:
+                self._listeners.remove(listener)
+        if existed:
+            listener.close()
+
     def wait_for_output(self, timeout: float) -> bool:
         return self._output_event.wait(timeout)
 
@@ -142,6 +193,7 @@ def run_tool_loop(
 ) -> None:
     """Invoke *tool* whenever new output arrives and send its response."""
     idle_started: Optional[float] = None
+    listener = state.register_listener()
 
     def maybe_send() -> None:
         nonlocal idle_started
@@ -162,11 +214,16 @@ def run_tool_loop(
             return
         idle_started = None
 
+    try:
         while not stop_event.is_set():
             maybe_send()
-        triggered = state.wait_for_output(timeout=idle_delay)
             if stop_event.is_set():
                 break
+
+            triggered = listener.wait(timeout=idle_delay)
+            if stop_event.is_set():
+                break
+
             if not triggered:
                 if auto_stop:
                     now = time.time()
@@ -176,17 +233,22 @@ def run_tool_loop(
                         break
                 continue
 
+            outputs = listener.drain()
+            if not outputs:
+                continue
+
             idle_started = None
-        state.clear_output_event()
+            for chunk in outputs:
-        last_output = state.snapshot_output()
+                if not chunk:
-        if not last_output:
                     continue
                 try:
-            tool.observe(last_output)
+                    tool.observe(chunk)
                 except Exception as exc:  # pragma: no cover - defensive logging
                     print(f"[Tool] Failed during observe: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
-            continue
+
             maybe_send()
+    finally:
+        state.remove_listener(listener)
 
 def load_env_file(path: str = ".env") -> None:
     """Populate ``os.environ`` with key/value pairs from a dotenv file."""
@@ -381,12 +443,28 @@ def main() -> int:
     tool_mode = tool_mode_env.lower() in {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
 
     tool_spec = os.environ.get("MISTLE_TOOL", "")
+    sideload_env = os.environ.get("MISTLE_SIDELOAD_TOOL", "")
+    sideload_specs = [spec.strip() for spec in sideload_env.split(",") if spec.strip()]
+    sideload_tools: list[tuple[str, Tool]] = []
+    seen_sideloads: set[str] = set()
+    for spec in sideload_specs:
+        lowered = spec.lower()
+        if lowered in seen_sideloads:
+            continue
+        seen_sideloads.add(lowered)
+        try:
+            tool_instance = build_tool(spec)
+        except RuntimeError as exc:
+            print(f"[Tool] Failed to load sideload '{spec}': {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+            continue
+        sideload_tools.append((spec, tool_instance))
 
     state = SessionState()
     stop_event = Event()
     tool_thread: Optional[Thread] = None
     tool: Optional[Tool] = None
     ephemeral_tools: list[Thread] = []
+    sidecar_threads: list[Thread] = []
     agent_threads: list[Thread] = []
 
     with TelnetClient(host=host, port=port, timeout=10.0) as client:
@@ -408,6 +486,20 @@ def main() -> int:
             )
             tool_thread.start()
 
+        if sideload_tools:
+            for sidecar_spec, sidecar_tool in sideload_tools:
+                thread = Thread(
+                    target=run_tool_loop,
+                    args=(client, state, sidecar_tool, stop_event),
+                    kwargs={"min_send_interval": 1.0},
+                    daemon=True,
+                )
+                sidecar_threads.append(thread)
+                print(
+                    f"[Tool] Sideloading '{sidecar_spec}' ({sidecar_tool.__class__.__name__})"
+                )
+                thread.start()
+
         def run_ephemeral_tool(spec: str) -> None:
             spec = spec.strip()
             if not spec:
@@ -504,6 +596,8 @@ def main() -> int:
             stop_event.set()
             if tool_thread:
                 tool_thread.join(timeout=1.0)
+            for thread in sidecar_threads:
+                thread.join(timeout=1.0)
             for thread in ephemeral_tools:
                 thread.join(timeout=1.0)
             for thread in agent_threads: