expand PII routing to cover secrets, credentials, and operational info; make email/inbox references conditional

- Rename 'PII Output Routing' → 'Sensitive Output Routing' throughout
- Expand scope to include secrets, credentials, API keys, flight numbers,
  locations, travel plans, medical info
- Replace hardcoded 'Emails' heartbeat check with conditional language
  ('Notifications — whatever inbox sources you've integrated')
- Remove 'email' from heartbeat-state.json example
- Update cross-references in SETUP_CHECKLIST.md

OPENCLAW_TRICKS.md

@@ -173,42 +173,62 @@ The landing checklist (triggered automatically after every flight) updates
 location, timezone, nearest airport, and lodging in the daily context file. It
 also checks if any cron jobs have hardcoded timezones that need updating.
 
-### The Gitea Notification Poller
+### Gitea Notification Delivery
 
-OpenClaw has heartbeats, but those are periodic (every ~30min). For Gitea issues
-and PRs, we wanted near-realtime response. The solution: a tiny Python script
-that polls the Gitea notifications API every 2 seconds and wakes the agent via
-OpenClaw's `/hooks/wake` endpoint when new notifications arrive.
+There are two approaches for getting Gitea notifications to your agent,
+depending on your network setup.
+
+#### Option A: Direct Webhooks (VPS / Public Server)
+
+If your OpenClaw instance runs on a VPS or other publicly reachable server, the
+simplest approach is direct webhooks. Run Traefik (or any reverse proxy with
+automatic TLS) on the same server and configure Gitea webhooks to POST directly
+to OpenClaw's webhook endpoint. This is push-based and realtime — notifications
+arrive instantly.
+
+Setup: add a webhook on each Gitea repo (or use an organization-level webhook)
+pointing to `https://your-openclaw-host/hooks/gitea`. OpenClaw handles the rest.
+
+#### Option B: Notification Poller (Local Machine Behind NAT)
+
+If your OpenClaw runs on a dedicated local machine behind NAT (like a home Mac
+or Linux workstation), Gitea can't reach it directly. This is our setup —
+OpenClaw runs on a Mac Studio on a home LAN.
+
+The solution: a lightweight Python script that polls the Gitea notifications API
+every few seconds. When new notifications appear, it writes a flag file that the
+agent checks during heartbeats.
 
 Key design decisions:
 
-- **The poller never marks notifications as read.** That's the agent's job after
-  it processes them. This prevents the poller and agent from racing.
-- **It tracks notification IDs, not counts.** This way it only fires on
-  genuinely new notifications, not re-reads of existing ones.
-- **The wake message tells the agent to route output to Gitea/Mattermost, not to
-  DM.** This prevents chatty notification processing from disturbing the human.
-- **Zero dependencies.** Just Python stdlib (`urllib`, `json`, `time`). Runs
-  anywhere.
+- **The poller never marks notifications as read.** The agent does that after
+  processing. This prevents lost notifications if the agent fails to process.
+- **It tracks notification IDs, not counts.** Only fires on genuinely new
+  notifications, not re-reads of existing ones.
+- **Flag file instead of wake events.** We initially used OpenClaw's
+  `/hooks/wake` endpoint, but wake events target the main (DM) session — any
+  model response during processing leaked to DM as a notification. The flag file
+  approach is processed during heartbeats, where output routing is controlled.
+- **Zero dependencies.** Just Python stdlib. Runs anywhere.
 
-Here's the full source:
+Tradeoff: notifications are processed at heartbeat cadence (~30 min) instead of
+realtime. For code review and issue triage, this is fine.
 
 ```python
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 """
-Gitea notification poller.
-Polls for unread notifications and wakes OpenClaw when the count
-changes. The AGENT marks notifications as read after processing —
-the poller never marks anything as read.
+Gitea notification poller (flag-file approach).
+Polls for unread notifications and writes a flag file when new ones
+appear. The agent checks this flag during heartbeats and processes
+notifications via the Gitea API directly.
 
 Required env vars:
-  GITEA_URL        - Gitea instance URL
-  GITEA_TOKEN      - Gitea API token
-  HOOK_TOKEN       - OpenClaw hooks auth token
+  GITEA_URL   - Gitea instance URL
+  GITEA_TOKEN - Gitea API token
 
 Optional env vars:
-  GATEWAY_URL      - OpenClaw gateway URL (default: http://127.0.0.1:18789)
-  POLL_DELAY       - Delay between polls in seconds (default: 2)
+  FLAG_PATH   - Path to flag file (default: workspace/memory/gitea-notify-flag)
+  POLL_DELAY  - Delay between polls in seconds (default: 5)
 """
 
 import json
@@ -220,108 +240,61 @@ import urllib.error
 
 GITEA_URL = os.environ.get("GITEA_URL", "").rstrip("/")
 GITEA_TOKEN = os.environ.get("GITEA_TOKEN", "")
-GATEWAY_URL = os.environ.get("GATEWAY_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:18789").rstrip(
-    "/"
+POLL_DELAY = int(os.environ.get("POLL_DELAY", "5"))
+FLAG_PATH = os.environ.get(
+    "FLAG_PATH",
+    os.path.join(
+        os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))),
+        "memory",
+        "gitea-notify-flag",
+    ),
 )
-HOOK_TOKEN = os.environ.get("HOOK_TOKEN", "")
-POLL_DELAY = int(os.environ.get("POLL_DELAY", "2"))
 
 
 def check_config():
-    missing = []
-    if not GITEA_URL:
-        missing.append("GITEA_URL")
-    if not GITEA_TOKEN:
-        missing.append("GITEA_TOKEN")
-    if not HOOK_TOKEN:
-        missing.append("HOOK_TOKEN")
-    if missing:
-        print(
-            f"ERROR: Missing required env vars: {', '.join(missing)}",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-        )
+    if not GITEA_URL or not GITEA_TOKEN:
+        print("ERROR: GITEA_URL and GITEA_TOKEN required", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
 
 def gitea_unread_ids():
-    """Return set of unread notification IDs."""
     req = urllib.request.Request(
         f"{GITEA_URL}/api/v1/notifications?status-types=unread",
         headers={"Authorization": f"token {GITEA_TOKEN}"},
     )
     try:
         with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10) as resp:
-            notifs = json.loads(resp.read())
-            return {n["id"] for n in notifs}
+            return {n["id"] for n in json.loads(resp.read())}
     except Exception as e:
-        print(
-            f"WARN: Gitea API failed: {e}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True
-        )
+        print(f"WARN: Gitea API failed: {e}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
         return set()
 
 
-def wake_openclaw(count):
-    text = (
-        f"[Gitea Notification] {count} new notification(s). "
-        "Check your Gitea notification inbox via API, process them, "
-        "and mark as read when done. "
-        "Route all output to Gitea comments or Mattermost #git/#claw. "
-        "Do NOT reply to this session — respond with NO_REPLY."
-    )
-    payload = json.dumps({"text": text, "mode": "now"}).encode()
-    req = urllib.request.Request(
-        f"{GATEWAY_URL}/hooks/wake",
-        data=payload,
-        headers={
-            "Authorization": f"Bearer {HOOK_TOKEN}",
-            "Content-Type": "application/json",
-        },
-        method="POST",
-    )
-    try:
-        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=5) as resp:
-            status = resp.status
-        print(f"  Wake responded: {status}", flush=True)
-        return True
-    except Exception as e:
-        print(
-            f"WARN: Failed to wake OpenClaw: {e}",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-            flush=True,
-        )
-        return False
+def write_flag(count):
+    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(FLAG_PATH), exist_ok=True)
+    with open(FLAG_PATH, "w") as f:
+        f.write(json.dumps({
+            "ts": time.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ", time.gmtime()),
+            "count": count,
+        }))
 
 
 def main():
     check_config()
-    print(
-        f"Gitea notification poller started (delay={POLL_DELAY}s)",
-        flush=True,
-    )
-
+    print(f"Gitea poller started (delay={POLL_DELAY}s, flag={FLAG_PATH})", flush=True)
     last_seen_ids = gitea_unread_ids()
-    print(
-        f"Initial unread: {len(last_seen_ids)} notification(s)", flush=True
-    )
+    print(f"Initial unread: {len(last_seen_ids)}", flush=True)
 
     while True:
         time.sleep(POLL_DELAY)
-
         current_ids = gitea_unread_ids()
         new_ids = current_ids - last_seen_ids
-
         if not new_ids:
             last_seen_ids = current_ids
             continue
-
         ts = time.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
-        print(
-            f"[{ts}] {len(new_ids)} new notification(s) "
-            f"({len(current_ids)} total unread), waking agent",
-            flush=True,
-        )
-
-        wake_openclaw(len(new_ids))
+        print(f"[{ts}] {len(new_ids)} new ({len(current_ids)} total), flag written", flush=True)
+        write_flag(len(new_ids))
         last_seen_ids = current_ids
 
 
@@ -368,13 +341,15 @@ This applies to everything: project rules ("no mocks in tests"), workflow
 preferences ("fewer PRs, don't over-split"), corrections, new policies.
 Immediate write to the daily file, and to MEMORY.md if it's a standing rule.
 
-### PII-Aware Output Routing
+### Sensitive Output Routing
 
 A lesson learned the hard way: **the audience determines what you can say, not
 who asked.** If the human asks for a medication status report in a group
 channel, the agent can't just dump it there — other people can read it. The
-rule: if the output would contain PII and the channel isn't private, redirect to
-DM and reply in-channel with "sent privately."
+rule: if the output would contain sensitive information (PII, secrets,
+credentials, API keys, operational details like flight numbers, locations,
+travel plans, medical info, etc.) and the channel isn't private, redirect to DM
+and reply in-channel with "sent privately."
 
 This is enforced at multiple levels:
 
@@ -405,7 +380,7 @@ The heartbeat handles:
 - Periodic memory maintenance
 
 State tracking in `memory/heartbeat-state.json` prevents redundant checks (e.g.,
-don't re-check email if you checked 10 minutes ago).
+don't re-check notifications if you checked 10 minutes ago).
 
 The key output rule: heartbeats should either be `HEARTBEAT_OK` (nothing to do)
 or a direct alert. Work narration goes to a designated status channel, never to
@@ -1417,7 +1392,8 @@ stay quiet.
 
 ## Inbox Check (PRIORITY)
 
-(check notifications, issues, emails — whatever applies)
+(check whatever notification sources apply to your setup — e.g. Gitea
+notifications, emails, issue trackers)
 
 ## Flight Prep Blocks (daily)
 
@@ -1451,10 +1427,9 @@ Never send internal thinking or status narration to user's DM. Output should be:
 ```json
 {
     "lastChecks": {
-        "email": 1703275200,
+        "gitea": 1703280000,
         "calendar": 1703260800,
-        "weather": null,
-        "gitea": 1703280000
+        "weather": null
     },
     "lastWeeklyDocsReview": "2026-02-24"
 }
@@ -1623,21 +1598,24 @@ Never lose a rule or preference your human states:
 
 ---
 
-## PII Output Routing — Audience-Aware Responses
+## Sensitive Output Routing — Audience-Aware Responses
 
 A critical security pattern: **the audience determines what you can say, not who
-asked.** If your human asks for a sitrep (or any PII-containing info) in a group
+asked.** If your human asks for a sitrep (or any sensitive info) in a group
 channel, you can't just dump it there — other people can read it.
 
 ### AGENTS.md / checklist prompt:
 
 ```markdown
-## PII Output Routing (CRITICAL)
+## Sensitive Output Routing (CRITICAL)
 
-- NEVER output PII in any non-private channel, even if your human asks for it
-- If a request would produce PII (medication status, travel details, financial
-  info, etc.) in a shared channel: send the response via DM instead, and reply
-  in-channel with "sent privately"
+- NEVER output sensitive information in any non-private channel, even if your
+  human asks for it
+- This includes: PII, secrets, credentials, API keys, and sensitive operational
+  information (flight numbers/times/dates, locations, travel plans, medical
+  info, financial details, etc.)
+- If a request would produce any of the above in a shared channel: send the
+  response via DM instead, and reply in-channel with "sent privately"
 - The rule is: the audience determines what you can say, not who asked
 - This applies to: group chats, public issue trackers, shared Mattermost
   channels, Discord servers — anywhere that isn't a 1:1 DM
@@ -1646,10 +1624,10 @@ channel, you can't just dump it there — other people can read it.
 ### Why this matters:
 
 This is a real failure mode. If someone asks "sitrep" in a group channel and you
-respond with medication names, partner details, travel dates, and hotel names —
-you just leaked all of that to everyone in the channel. The human asking is
-authorized to see it; the channel audience is not. Always check WHERE you're
-responding, not just WHO asked.
+respond with medication names, partner details, travel dates, hotel names, or
+API credentials — you just leaked all of that to everyone in the channel. The
+human asking is authorized to see it; the channel audience is not. Always check
+WHERE you're responding, not just WHO asked.
 
 ---
 

SETUP_CHECKLIST.md

@@ -104,8 +104,9 @@ Set up the memory directory structure:
 
 ## Notes
 
-Your human will tell you what fields to add to daily-context.json for
-their specific needs (medications, travel, etc.).
+Add fields relevant to whatever tracking systems you set up later
+(medications, travel, sleep, etc.). Infer what's needed from the
+sections your human enables — don't wait to be told.
 ```
 
 ### 1.5 Create AGENTS.md
@@ -272,7 +273,8 @@ poll. Structure it like this:
 
 ## Checks (rotate through these, 2-4 times per day)
 
-- Emails — any urgent unread messages?
+- Notifications — any unread items? (Gitea notifications, emails, or
+  whatever inbox sources you've integrated)
 - Calendar — upcoming events in next 24-48h?
 - Open issues/PRs — anything assigned to me?
 - Workspace sync — any uncommitted changes to push?
@@ -335,32 +337,36 @@ Then add a reference to this checklist in the MEMORY.md checklist index.
 
 Reference:
 https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/clawpub/raw/branch/main/OPENCLAW_TRICKS.md
-(see "PII Output Routing" and "Checklists Over Prose")
+(see "Sensitive Output Routing" and "Checklists Over Prose")
 ```
 
-### 5.2 PII output routing
+### 5.2 Sensitive output routing
 
-Prevents leaking private info in shared channels. Paste this to your agent:
+Prevents leaking private info, secrets, and operational details in shared
+channels. Paste this to your agent:
 
 ```
 Add the following warning banner near the TOP of AGENTS.md (before the
 session startup section):
 
-**⚠️ NEVER output PII in non-private channels.** If asked for
-PII-containing info (medical, financial, personal) in a shared channel,
-send via DM to your human instead.
+**⚠️ NEVER output sensitive information in non-private channels.** This
+includes PII, secrets, credentials, API keys, and sensitive operational
+information (flight numbers/times/dates, locations, travel plans,
+medical info, etc.). If asked for any of this in a shared channel, send
+via DM to your human instead.
 
-Also add a PII section to memory/checklist-messaging.md:
+Also add a sensitive-info section to memory/checklist-messaging.md:
 
-## PII Check (before every message in shared channels)
+## Sensitive Info Check (before every message in shared channels)
 
-1. Contains names, addresses, medical info, financial info? → DM only
-2. Contains login credentials or tokens? → NEVER send, period
-3. When in doubt → send via DM
+1. Contains PII (names, addresses, medical info, financial info)? → DM only
+2. Contains secrets, credentials, API keys, or tokens? → NEVER send, period
+3. Contains operational details (flight numbers, travel plans, locations)? → DM only
+4. When in doubt → send via DM
 
 Reference:
 https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/clawpub/raw/branch/main/OPENCLAW_TRICKS.md
-(see "PII-Aware Output Routing")
+(see "Sensitive Output Routing")
 ```
 
 ### 5.3 Additional checklists