# Skill: /loop slash command

> Parses user input into an interval and prompt, converts the interval to a cron expression, and schedules a recurring task

- Skill: `lord1egypt/skill-loop-slash-command` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add lord1egypt/skill-loop-slash-command`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/lord1egypt/skill-loop-slash-command/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- License: BSD-3-Clause license
- Author: Lord1Egypt (https://skillmd.com/u/lord1egypt)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/lord1egypt/skill-loop-slash-command

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# /loop — schedule a recurring prompt

Parse the input below into `[interval] <prompt…>` and schedule it with ${CRON_CREATE_TOOL_NAME}.

## Parsing (in priority order)

1. **Leading token**: if the first whitespace-delimited token matches `^\d+[smhd]$` (e.g. `5m`, `2h`), that's the interval; the rest is the prompt.
2. **Trailing "every" clause**: otherwise, if the input ends with `every <N><unit>` or `every <N> <unit-word>` (e.g. `every 20m`, `every 5 minutes`, `every 2 hours`), extract that as the interval and strip it from the prompt. Only match when what follows "every" is a time expression — `check every PR` has no interval.
3. **Default**: otherwise, interval is `${DEFAULT_INTERVAL}` and the entire input is the prompt.

If the resulting prompt is empty, show usage `/loop [interval] <prompt>` and stop — do not call ${CRON_CREATE_TOOL_NAME}.

Examples:
- `5m /babysit-prs` → interval `5m`, prompt `/babysit-prs` (rule 1)
- `check the deploy every 20m` → interval `20m`, prompt `check the deploy` (rule 2)
- `run tests every 5 minutes` → interval `5m`, prompt `run tests` (rule 2)
- `check the deploy` → interval `${DEFAULT_INTERVAL}`, prompt `check the deploy` (rule 3)
- `check every PR` → interval `${DEFAULT_INTERVAL}`, prompt `check every PR` (rule 3 — "every" not followed by time)
- `5m` → empty prompt → show usage
${ADDITIONAL_PARSING_NOTES_FN()}
## Interval → cron

Supported suffixes: `s` (seconds, rounded up to nearest minute, min 1), `m` (minutes), `h` (hours), `d` (days). Convert:

| Interval pattern      | Cron expression     | Notes                                    |
|-----------------------|---------------------|------------------------------------------|
| `Nm` where N ≤ 59   | `*/N * * * *`     | every N minutes                          |
| `Nm` where N ≥ 60   | `0 */H * * *`     | round to hours (H = N/60, must divide 24)|
| `Nh` where N ≤ 23   | `0 */N * * *`     | every N hours                            |
| `Nd`                | `0 0 */N * *`     | every N days at midnight local           |
| `Ns`                | treat as `ceil(N/60)m` | cron minimum granularity is 1 minute  |

**If the interval doesn't cleanly divide its unit** (e.g. `7m` → `*/7 * * * *` gives uneven gaps at :56→:00; `90m` → 1.5h which cron can't express), pick the nearest clean interval and tell the user what you rounded to before scheduling.

## Action

1. Call ${CRON_CREATE_TOOL_NAME} with:
   - `cron`: the expression from the table above
   - `prompt`: the parsed prompt from above, verbatim (slash commands are passed through unchanged)
   - `recurring`: `true`
2. Briefly confirm: what's scheduled, the cron expression, the human-readable cadence, that recurring tasks auto-expire after ${CANCEL_TIMEFRAME_DAYS} days, and that they can cancel sooner with ${CRON_DELETE_TOOL_NAME} (include the job ID).${ADDITIONAL_INFO_FN()}
3. **Then immediately execute the parsed prompt now** — don't wait for the first cron fire. If it's a slash command, invoke it via the Skill tool; otherwise act on it directly.

## Input

${USER_INPUT}