# PR#44: a writing-rule violation is a line comment and holds the merge

> **WARNING:** This document describes only the change applied in this PR.
> It may already be outdated once the next PR is merged.
> Historic PR documentation is not maintained along with new PRs; treat it as a snapshot.

## The Problem

Since PR#32, a GREEN review with open hints approves, but holds the automerge
until each line comment of werkrevisor has a reply and is resolved.
A violation of the writing rules, e.g. a line longer than 128 characters, is only a line of the result comment.
It gets no line comment, so it does not hold the merge:
on 2026-10-07 a GREEN PR merged with such a violation, and its PR document is now a fixed state with the long line.

## Non-Goals

- No change of the writing rules themselves.
- No change for the other reasons in the result comment, e.g. "model recommends merge with caution".

## The Scenarios

### Feature: writing-rule violations hold the merge like the hints of the model

A hint is a line comment of werkrevisor that leaves the verdict GREEN, but holds the merge until it is resolved.

#### Scenario#44.01: a writing-rule violation is a line comment that holds the merge

So that the author fixes the violation or answers it before the PR merges.

- **Given** automerge with `[gate] hints_hold_merge = true`
- **When** a PR adds a line longer than `[writing] max_line_length`, and the review is GREEN
- **Then** the violation is a line comment at that line
  - **and** werkrevisor approves, but schedules no merge

##### Verified by

- [test_hints_hold_merge: test_a_writing_rule_violation_is_a_line_comment_that_holds_the_merge](../../tests/test_hints_hold_merge.py)

#### Scenario#44.02: a resolved hint releases the merge

So that a reply is enough when the author keeps a line on purpose.

- **Given** automerge is on
  - **and** werkrevisor rated the PR GREEN
  - **and** werkrevisor wrote a hint as a line comment, e.g. on a line longer than 128 characters
  - **and** the merge waits for this hint
  - **and** the author resolved the hint
- **When** the review runs again for the same commit
- **Then** werkrevisor schedules the merge

##### Verified by

- [test_hints_hold_merge: test_a_resolved_writing_rule_comment_releases_the_merge](../../tests/test_hints_hold_merge.py)
- [test_hints_hold_merge: test_a_restarted_review_schedules_the_merge_once_all_hints_are_resolved](../../tests/test_hints_hold_merge.py)

## The Solution

- Each writing-rule violation of the changed lines becomes a line comment of the bot review, at most 10 per review;
  further violations stay in the result comment and hold the merge as well.
- An open writing-rule comment at the same line is reused instead of repeated;
  the comments of the model's findings never reuse a writing-rule comment, and the other way round.
- If Gitea refuses the line comments, the violations stay in the result comment and hold the merge.
- werkrevisor 0.21.4.

## Prerequisite PRs

- PR#43: werkrevisor 0.21.3, merged.