EditMemory

Edit an existing memory FILE to add, modify, or replace content while maintaining [[concept]] connections to the knowledge graph. This tool provides safe editing operations with checksum validation to prevent conflicting changes and ensures all edits contribute to the maenifold graph structure.

When to Use This Tool

• Updating existing knowledge: Add new information to existing memory files
• Correcting or refining content: Fix errors or improve existing documentation
• Replacing outdated sections: Update specific sections with current information
• Appending related insights: Add new thoughts or discoveries to existing topics
• Prepending context: Add introductory or prerequisite information
• Find and replace operations: Systematically update terminology or references
• Section-specific updates: Replace entire sections while preserving structure

Key Features

• [[Concept]] requirement: All new content must contain at least one [[concept]] to maintain graph connectivity
• Checksum validation: Prevents conflicting edits through file integrity checking
• Multiple operation types: append, prepend, find_replace, replace_section for different editing needs
• Safe transformations: Validates that edits don't orphan files from the knowledge graph
• Automatic timestamps: Updates modification timestamps for change tracking
• Expected match validation: find_replace operations can validate match counts for safety
• Section-aware editing: Can replace specific markdown sections by header name

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description	Example
identifier	string	Yes	Memory FILE identifier (URI or title)	"memory://documents/machine-learning.md"
operation	string	Yes	Edit operation type	"append", "prepend", "find_replace", "replace_section"
content	string	Yes	Content to add/replace - MUST contain [[concepts]]	"New insights about [[Neural Networks]]"
checksum	string	No	File checksum from ReadMemory (prevents stale edits)	"a1b2c3d4e5f6"
findText	string	No	Text to find (required for find_replace)	"old terminology"
sectionName	string	No	Section header name (required for replace_section)	"Implementation Details"
expectedCount	int	No	Expected match count for find_replace validation	3

Operation Types

append

Adds new content to the end of the existing file.

{
  "identifier": "memory://documents/machine-learning.md",
  "operation": "append",
  "content": "## Recent Discoveries\n\nNew research in [[Deep Learning]] shows promising results with [[Transformer Architecture]]."
}

prepend

Adds new content to the beginning of the existing file.

{
  "identifier": "memory://documents/machine-learning.md", 
  "operation": "prepend",
  "content": "# Prerequisites\n\nThis document assumes familiarity with [[Statistics]] and [[Linear Algebra]].\n\n"
}

find_replace

Replaces all occurrences of specific text with new content.

{
  "identifier": "memory://documents/machine-learning.md",
  "operation": "find_replace", 
  "content": "[[Machine Learning]] algorithms",
  "findText": "ML algorithms",
  "expectedCount": 5
}

replace_section

Replaces content under a specific markdown section header.

{
  "identifier": "memory://documents/machine-learning.md",
  "operation": "replace_section",
  "content": "Current [[TensorFlow]] and [[PyTorch]] implementations provide excellent performance.",
  "sectionName": "Implementation Tools"
}

Usage Examples

Basic Append Example

{
  "identifier": "research-notes",
  "operation": "append", 
  "content": "## Latest Findings\n\nDiscovered important connection between [[Attention Mechanisms]] and [[Memory Networks]]."
}

Adds new section to the end of the research-notes file.

Safe Find-Replace with Validation

{
  "identifier": "memory://documents/ai-overview.md",
  "operation": "find_replace",
  "content": "[[Artificial Intelligence]] systems",
  "findText": "AI systems", 
  "checksum": "a1b2c3d4e5f6",
  "expectedCount": 12
}

Replaces "AI systems" with properly linked concept, validating exactly 12 replacements occur.

Section Replacement Example

{
  "identifier": "project-status", 
  "operation": "replace_section",
  "content": "Project completed successfully. Key insights include [[Agile Methodology]] benefits and [[Continuous Integration]] improvements.",
  "sectionName": "Current Status"
}

Replaces the entire "Current Status" section with updated information.

Common Patterns

Safe Editing Workflow

1. Read first: Use ReadMemory with includeChecksum=true to get current state
2. Plan changes: Identify what needs updating and ensure [[concepts]] are included
3. Edit with checksum: Use the checksum from ReadMemory to prevent conflicts
4. Verify results: Check that operation succeeded and file maintains graph connectivity

Collaborative Editing

• Always use checksums when multiple editors might modify the same file
• Use expectedCount for find_replace to catch unexpected changes
• Coordinate section-based edits to avoid conflicts

Graph Maintenance

• Every edit must include at least one [[concept]] to maintain knowledge graph connections
• Use existing concepts where possible, create new ones [[Like This]] when needed
• Avoid edits that would remove all [[concepts]] from a file

Related Tools

• ReadMemory: Get current file content and checksum before editing
• WriteMemory: Create new memory files when editing isn't appropriate
• SearchMemories: Find files that need updating across the knowledge base
• Sync: Update the knowledge graph after significant edits
• BuildContext: Explore [[concept]] relationships after editing

Troubleshooting

"ERROR: Checksum mismatch"

Cause: File was modified between ReadMemory and EditMemory calls Solution: Re-read the file with ReadMemory to get current checksum, then retry edit

"ERROR: New content must contain at least one [[concept]]"

Cause: Edit content doesn't include any [[WikiLink]] concepts Solution: Add relevant [[Concept Names]] to connect content to knowledge graph

"ERROR: This edit would remove all [[concepts]] from the file"

Cause: find_replace or replace_section would eliminate all graph connections Solution: Ensure replacement content includes appropriate [[concepts]]

"Expected X matches but found Y"

Cause: expectedCount validation failed in find_replace operation Solution: Check if file was modified or adjust expectedCount parameter

"ERROR: Memory file not found"

Cause: Invalid identifier or file doesn't exist Solution: Use SearchMemories to find correct identifier or verify file exists

Section replacement not working

Cause: sectionName doesn't match exact markdown header text Solution: Check exact section header text including capitalization and punctuation

Implementation Notes

• Checksum validation: Based on entire file content, detects any external changes
• [[Concept]] validation: Ensures both new content and final result maintain graph connectivity
• Timestamp updates: Automatically updates 'modified' frontmatter field
• Section matching: Uses regex pattern matching for flexible section identification
• File integrity: Validates file structure and frontmatter after edits

Ma Protocol Compliance

• Simple operations: Four clear operation types without complex parameter combinations
• Safe by default: Checksum validation prevents accidental overwrites
• Graph-first design: [[Concept]] requirements ensure knowledge graph integrity
• Minimal complexity: Each operation does exactly one thing well