Delete Memory Entry
vault_delete_memoryDelete a specific dated entry from a memory file by matching its exact date and text. Use it to remove mistaken, misattributed, or never-true entries without touching others.
Instructions
Delete a single dated entry from a About Me/ memory file. Both date and entry text are required for exact matching — ensures only the intended entry is removed.
Example: vault_delete_memory({ file: "Opinions", section: "AI tooling & memory (newest first)", date: "2026-05-01", entry: "Prefer X over Y" })
When to use: Removing an entry that was wrong when it was written — a mistake, a misattribution, or something never true. Memory files are append-only by default, so do NOT delete to reflect a change: when a preference or fact has since evolved, append the new state via vault_update_memory (newest-first naturally supersedes). The exception is a file whose frontmatter declares entry-policy: living (check via vault_list_memory_files) — a current-state file where deleting an expired entry is the intended maintenance. Call vault_get_memory(file, section) first to see exact entry text for matching.
Prefer vault_update_memory to supersede a changed entry; prefer vault_delete_note for deleting entire non-protected notes.
Parameters:
date + entry together uniquely identify the bullet line within the given section. If multiple entries share the same date and text, deletion fails as ambiguous.
section scopes the match — an identical entry under a different heading is not found. Section matching is case-insensitive, with or without the "(newest first)" suffix.
Errors:
"memory file must not start with a dot" — a dot-prefixed name would target a hidden file; memory files are always visible notes.
"date must be a real ISO calendar date" — date only accepts an existing calendar date in bare YYYY-MM-DD form. A hand-edited bullet carrying an impossible date cannot be targeted by this tool — remove it with vault_delete_span or a manual edit.
"section not found: …" — no H2 heading matches; the error lists the file's available sections
"no entry matching …" — no bullet matched the given date and entry text; verify exact text via vault_get_memory(file, section).
"ambiguous: N entries match …" — more than one identical bullet exists in the section (e.g. from hand edits, sync conflicts, or entries predating duplicate protection; vault_update_memory refuses to write exact duplicates). Remove the extra copy with vault_delete_span (pass first_match: true — identical lines make every anchor ambiguous) or a manual edit, then retry.
"refusing memory write: … would shrink content" — safety guard blocked a write that would remove more than half the file. Re-read with vault_get_memory to confirm current content before retrying.
Returns: Confirmation message.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| date | Yes | ISO YYYY-MM-DD date of the entry (e.g. "2026-05-01"). Must match the date shown by vault_get_memory. | |
| file | Yes | Memory file name without .md (e.g. "Principles") | |
| entry | Yes | Exact entry text as shown by vault_get_memory — without the "- **YYYY-MM-DD**: " prefix or bullet. Both date and entry must match for deletion. | |
| section | Yes | H2 section heading containing the entry. Matched case-insensitively, with or without the "(newest first)" suffix. |