# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Backslash-space path escaping bug in file tools

## Open now

- 1 issue, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- #42556: write_file creates directory with literal backslash in path containing space
- PR #42565: fix(file_tools): normalize shell-escaped spaces in tool paths

These issues and fixes concern a bug where backslash-escaped spaces in file paths are treated literally rather than unescaped, causing incorrect directory or file creation. The members address detection and normalization of shell-style escaped spaces before path resolution in file tools.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.67`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Open related issues

- #42556: write_file creates directory with literal backslash in path containing space

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#42565: fix(file_tools): normalize shell-escaped spaces in tool paths**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `c020281cb`
  - files: `tests/tools/test_file_tools.py`, `tests/tools/test_file_tools_live.py`, `tests/tools/test_resolve_path.py`, `tools/file_operations.py`, `tools/file_tools.py`
- **#42583: fix(file-tools): unescape backslash-space in paths before resolution**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#42565`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `agent`