computer-use

# Computer Use

Use this skill for desktop UI through `orca computer`. When the requested target is a website or web app, operate the desktop browser app/window that contains the page.

## Preconditions

- Prefer `orca computer ...`; on Linux, use `orca-ide computer ...` if `orca` is unavailable. In this Orca worktree, use `./config/scripts/orca-dev computer ...` only when testing the local dev runtime.
- Prefer `--json`. Screenshot bytes are omitted from JSON and written to `screenshot.path`.
- Do not push, submit forms, send messages, buy items, delete data, change account settings, or expose secrets unless the user explicitly asked for that action.
- If an app contains sensitive content, read only what the user requested.

```bash
orca status --json
orca computer capabilities --json
```

## Core Loop

```bash
orca computer list-apps --json
orca computer get-app-state --app com.spotify.client --json
orca computer click --app com.spotify.client --element-index 42 --json
```

Use the fresh state returned by each action for the next element index. Element indexes are the numeric labels shown in the tree; they may be sparse when noisy sections are omitted, so never infer valid indexes from `elementCount` or "Visible elements." Element indexes are short-lived and go stale after delays, navigation, focus changes, scrolling, window changes, or app re-rendering.

## App Selectors

Prefer bundle IDs from `list-apps`; names are acceptable when unambiguous. Use `pid:<number>` only when bundle ID or name matching is ambiguous.

```bash
orca computer get-app-state --app com.microsoft.edgemac --json
orca computer get-app-state --app Spotify --json
orca computer get-app-state --app pid:12345 --json
```

For apps with multiple windows or ambiguous titles, run `list-windows` first. Prefer `--window-id <id>` when the listed id is not `none`; otherwise use `--window-index <n>`. Once you choose a window, pass the same selector to `get-app-state` and later actions until the target window changes.

## Commands

```bash
orca computer permissions --json
orca computer capabilities --json
orca computer list-apps --json
orca computer list-windows --app <app> --json
orca computer get-app-state --app <app> --json
orca computer get-app-state --app <app> --restore-window --json
orca computer click --app <app> --element-index <index> --json
orca computer click --app <app> --x 100 --y 100 --json
orca computer perform-secondary-action --app <app> --element-index <index> --action <name> --json
orca computer set-value --app <app> --element-index <index> --value "text" --json
orca computer type-text --app <app> --text "text" --json
orca computer press-key --app <app> --key Return --json
orca computer hotkey --app <app> --key CmdOrCtrl+A --json
orca computer paste-text --app <app> --text "text" --json
orca computer scroll --app <app> (--element-index <index> | --x <x> --y <y>) --direction down --json
orca computer drag --app <app> --from-element-index <index> --to-element-index <index> --json
orca computer drag --app <app> --from-x 100 --from-y 100 --to-x 300 --to-y 300 --json
```

Use `--no-screenshot` only when pixels are not needed. Use `--text-stdin` or `--value-stdin` for sensitive text so payloads do not land in shell history. On Linux and Windows, action payloads still pass through a short-lived local operation file, so avoid sending secrets unless the user explicitly asked for them:

```bash
printf '%s' "$TEXT" | orca computer set-value --app <app> --element-index <index> --value-stdin --json
```

## Action Rules

- Prefer semantic actions: `set-value` for editable fields, `click` for controls, `perform-secondary-action` only for listed action names.
- After any UI-changing action, use the returned state or rerun `get-app-state` before choosing the next element index.
- Use `type-text` only after focusing a field and confirming the app has a focused text receiver; synthetic keyboard delivery is reported as unverified, so inspect the returned state before assuming text landed.
- Use `press-key` for single/navigation keys such as Return, Escape, Tab, and arrows. Use `hotkey` only for one modifier chord plus one key, such as `CmdOrCtrl+A` or `CmdOrCtrl+Shift+P`; prefer `CmdOrCtrl+...` for cross-platform combos.
- Some actions work in background apps, but this is app-dependent. If success does not change the UI, refresh state and choose a more semantic action or restore/focus the window.
- Prefer `set-value` for text fields that expose values; it can report verified value writes when the provider can read the refreshed value.
- Coordinates are window-local; use coordinates from the latest screenshot/state for the same target window.

## Screenshots

`get-app-state` returns tree+screenshot. Use the tree for indexes/actions and the screenshot for visual confirmation; failed capture usually means hidden, minimized, off-screen, or permission-blocked.

Coordinates passed to `click`, `scroll`, and `drag` are window-local action coordinates. If the screenshot reports `scale` other than `1`, convert visual screenshot pixels before acting:

```text
action_x = screenshot_pixel_x / screenshot.scale
action_y = screenshot_pixel_y / screenshot.scale
```

Prefer element indexes or element frames from the tree when available. Use raw screenshot-derived coordinates only after checking the latest screenshot scale and window size.

On Linux and Windows, screenshots may come from the visible desktop region for the target window bounds. If visual pixels matter, use `--restore-window` so another window does not cover the target region; if you cannot take focus, trust the tree over potentially occluded pixels.

## App Notes

Browsers: for Edge, Chrome, Safari, and similar browser windows, set the address/search field directly, then press Return. Do not assume raw typing went to the address bar. Use `--restore-window` when the browser is not already frontmost. Large tab strips may show only the active tab plus an "inactive browser tabs omitt