# AI Assistant's edit\_file Functionality Limited

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/ai-assistants-edit-file-functionality-limited/50163>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Created:** [February 12, 2025, 4:02am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/ai-assistants-edit-file-functionality-limited/50163 "2025-02-12T04:02:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ledea-67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/ledea-67/32/26059_2.png) [@ledea-67](https://forum.cursor.com/u/ledea-67)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2025, 4:02am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/ai-assistants-edit-file-functionality-limited/50163/1 "2025-02-12T04:02:51Z")

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Thanks for reporting a bug you have found in Cursor!  
Please add the following info to help us diagnose your issue:

# File Attachment Requirements Limiting AI Assistant’s edit\_file Functionality

## Description

The AI assistant’s `edit_file` tool is currently limited by a requirement for files to be “manually attached” to the conversation. This creates unnecessary friction in the workflow and forces fallback to terminal commands requiring manual approval.

## Current Behavior

1. `edit_file` tool works for creating new files
2. `edit_file` fails silently when trying to modify existing files
3. Error message indicates files need to be “manually attached to the conversation”
4. Forces fallback to terminal commands with `require_user_approval`

## Expected Behavior

Files in the workspace should automatically be available for the AI assistant to edit using the `edit_file` tool, while maintaining appropriate security boundaries.

## Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a new file using `edit_file` - works successfully
2. Try to modify the same file using `edit_file` - fails silently
3. Read file shows message: “File is not in the list of files that have been manually attached to the conversation”

## Impact

- Reduces efficiency of AI assistant interactions
- Creates inconsistent behavior across chat contexts
- Forces use of less secure terminal commands
- Requires more user intervention

## Suggested Solution

Implement automatic file attachment for:

1. Files created in the workspace
2. Files opened in the editor
3. Files modified through any workspace tool

This would maintain security (files still within workspace) while improving workflow efficiency.

## Environment

- OS: macOS 24.3.0
- Shell: /bin/zsh
- 

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danperks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/danperks/32/19087_2.png) [@danperks](https://forum.cursor.com/u/danperks)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/ai-assistants-edit-file-functionality-limited/50163/2 "2025-02-20T00:09:40Z")

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This should work - try starting a fresh Composer session (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P, then “Composer: New Session”) as it might be the AI getting confused with tool calls

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**Author:** ![XLLU](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/xllu/32/42171_2.png) [@XLLU](https://forum.cursor.com/u/XLLU)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2025, 10:00am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/ai-assistants-edit-file-functionality-limited/50163/3 "2025-03-29T10:00:20Z")

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I experience the same issue. Any mitigation solution on this?