fix(tasks): use OmniJS for task status changes to support inbox tasks

AppleScript's `set completed/dropped` fails on inbox tasks with error
-10006. Delegate all task status changes to OmniJS (markComplete,
markIncomplete, drop) which works uniformly across all task types.

Affects edit_item (complete/drop/incomplete) and remove_item (drop).
Project status changes remain in AppleScript (unaffected).

Author: igrybkov

src/omnifocus_mcp/mcp_tools/tasks/edit_item.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 )
 from ...utils import escape_applescript_string
 from ..reorder.move_helper import move_task_to_parent, move_task_to_position
+from .status_helper import change_task_status
 
 
 async def edit_item(
@@ -123,21 +124,15 @@ async def edit_item(
             changes.append("planned date")
 
         # Handle task-specific properties
+        effective_status = None  # Will be set if task status change is needed
         if item_type == "task":
-            # Handle status (new_status takes precedence over mark_complete)
+            # Determine effective status change (new_status takes precedence over mark_complete)
+            # Status is handled via OmniJS post-edit (works for all task types including inbox)
             if new_status is not None:
-                if new_status == "completed":
-                    modifications.append(f"set completed of {item_var} to true")
-                    changes.append("status (completed)")
-                elif new_status == "dropped":
-                    modifications.append(f"set dropped of {item_var} to true")
-                    changes.append("status (dropped)")
-                elif new_status == "incomplete":
-                    modifications.append(f"set completed of {item_var} to false")
-                    modifications.append(f"set dropped of {item_var} to false")
-                    changes.append("status (incomplete)")
+                effective_status = new_status
+                changes.append(f"status ({new_status})")
             elif mark_complete:
-                modifications.append(f"set completed of {item_var} to true")
+                effective_status = "completed"
                 changes.append("completed")
 
             # Handle tags
@@ -194,8 +189,10 @@ async def edit_item(
         # Build result message
         changes_str = ", ".join(changes) if changes else "no changes"
 
-        # Check if we need post-edit operations (parent change or position change)
-        needs_task_id = item_type == "task" and (new_parent_id is not None or new_position)
+        # Check if we need post-edit operations (status, parent, or position change)
+        needs_task_id = item_type == "task" and (
+            effective_status is not None or new_parent_id is not None or new_position
+        )
 
         # For tasks with parent/position change, we need the task ID
         if needs_task_id:
@@ -241,7 +238,13 @@ async def edit_item(
             task_id = output  # The script returned the task ID
             result_msg = f"Task updated successfully. Changed: {changes_str}"
 
-            # Handle parent change first (if specified)
+            # Handle status change via OmniJS (works for all task types including inbox)
+            if effective_status is not None:
+                success, status_msg = await change_task_status(task_id, effective_status)
+                if not success:
+                    result_msg += f" (status change failed: {status_msg})"
+
+            # Handle parent change (if specified)
             if new_parent_id is not None:
                 success, parent_msg = await move_task_to_parent(task_id, new_parent_id)
                 if success:

src/omnifocus_mcp/mcp_tools/tasks/remove_item.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import asyncio
 
 from ...applescript_builder import generate_find_clause
+from .status_helper import change_task_status
 
 
 async def remove_item(
@@ -33,43 +34,70 @@ async def remove_item(
         if not id and not name:
             return "Error: Either 'id' or 'name' must be provided"
 
-        # Build the find clause
-        find_clause = generate_find_clause(item_type, "theItem", id, name)
-
         # Build result message
         if id:
             result_msg = f"{item_type.capitalize()} dropped successfully (by ID)"
         else:
             result_msg = f"{item_type.capitalize()} dropped successfully: {name}"
 
-        # Drop items instead of deleting - different syntax for tasks vs projects
+        # Projects: use AppleScript (no inbox issue for projects)
         if item_type == "project":
-            drop_statement = "set status of theItem to dropped status"
-        else:
-            drop_statement = "set dropped of theItem to true"
-
-        script = f'''
+            find_clause = generate_find_clause(item_type, "theItem", id, name)
+            script = f'''
 tell application "OmniFocus"
     tell default document
         {find_clause}
-        {drop_statement}
+        set status of theItem to dropped status
     end tell
 end tell
 return "{result_msg}"
 '''
+            proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
+                "osascript",
+                "-e",
+                script,
+                stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+                stderr=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+            )
+            stdout, stderr = await proc.communicate()
+
+            if proc.returncode != 0:
+                return f"Error: {stderr.decode()}"
+
+            return stdout.decode().strip()
+
+        # Tasks: use OmniJS (handles inbox tasks correctly)
+        task_id = id
+        if not task_id:
+            # Resolve name to ID via AppleScript
+            find_clause = generate_find_clause(item_type, "theItem", id, name)
+            script = f"""
+tell application "OmniFocus"
+    tell default document
+        {find_clause}
+        return id of theItem
+    end tell
+end tell
+"""
+            proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
+                "osascript",
+                "-e",
+                script,
+                stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+                stderr=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
+            )
+            stdout, stderr = await proc.communicate()
+
+            if proc.returncode != 0:
+                return f"Error: {stderr.decode()}"
 
-        proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
-            "osascript",
-            "-e",
-            script,
-            stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
-            stderr=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
-        )
-        stdout, stderr = await proc.communicate()
+            task_id = stdout.decode().strip()
 
-        if proc.returncode != 0:
-            return f"Error: {stderr.decode()}"
+        success, msg = await change_task_status(task_id, "dropped")
+        if success:
+            return result_msg
+        else:
+            return f"Error: {msg}"
 
-        return stdout.decode().strip()
     except Exception as e:
         return f"Error removing {item_type}: {str(e)}"

src/omnifocus_mcp/mcp_tools/tasks/status_helper.py

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"""Helper for changing task status via OmniJS.
+
+Uses OmniJS instead of AppleScript to handle all task types
+including inbox tasks, which don't support AppleScript property setters.
+"""
+
+import json
+
+from ..response import omnijs_json_response
+
+
+async def change_task_status(
+    task_id: str,
+    status: str,
+) -> tuple[bool, str]:
+    """
+    Change a task's status via OmniJS.
+
+    Works for all task types including inbox tasks.
+
+    Args:
+        task_id: ID of the task to modify
+        status: Target status - 'completed', 'dropped', or 'incomplete'
+
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (success: bool, message: str)
+    """
+    params = {
+        "task_id": task_id,
+        "status": status,
+    }
+
+    result_json = await omnijs_json_response("change_task_status", params)
+    result = json.loads(result_json)
+
+    if result.get("error"):
+        return False, result["error"]
+
+    return result.get("success", False), result.get("message", "Unknown result")

src/omnifocus_mcp/scripts/change_task_status.js

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// Change a task's status (completed, dropped, incomplete)
+// Works for all task types including inbox tasks.
+// Params:
+//   task_id: ID of the task to change (required)
+//   status: Target status - "completed", "dropped", or "incomplete" (required)
+
+try {
+    var taskId = params.task_id;
+    var status = params.status;
+
+    if (!taskId) {
+        return JSON.stringify({ error: "task_id is required" });
+    }
+    if (!status) {
+        return JSON.stringify({ error: "status is required" });
+    }
+
+    // Find the task
+    var task = null;
+    flattenedTasks.forEach(function(t) {
+        if (t.id && t.id.primaryKey === taskId) {
+            task = t;
+        }
+    });
+
+    if (!task) {
+        return JSON.stringify({ error: "Task not found: " + taskId });
+    }
+
+    // Apply status change
+    if (status === "completed") {
+        task.markComplete();
+    } else if (status === "dropped") {
+        task.drop(true);
+    } else if (status === "incomplete") {
+        task.markIncomplete();
+        task.drop(false);
+    } else {
+        return JSON.stringify({ error: "Invalid status: " + status + ". Must be completed, dropped, or incomplete" });
+    }
+
+    return JSON.stringify({
+        success: true,
+        message: "Task status changed to " + status,
+        taskId: taskId
+    });
+
+} catch (error) {
+    return JSON.stringify({
+        error: "Error changing task status: " + error.toString()
+    });
+}

tests/test_status_helper.py

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Tests for task status change helper."""
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from omnifocus_mcp.mcp_tools.tasks.status_helper import change_task_status
+
+
+class TestChangeTaskStatus:
+    """Tests for change_task_status helper."""
+
+    @pytest.fixture
+    def mock_execute(self):
+        """Create a mock for execute_omnijs_with_params."""
+        with patch("omnifocus_mcp.mcp_tools.response.execute_omnijs_with_params") as mock:
+            yield mock
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_complete_task(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test marking a task as completed."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {
+            "success": True,
+            "message": "Task status changed to completed",
+            "taskId": "task-123",
+        }
+
+        success, message = await change_task_status("task-123", "completed")
+
+        assert success is True
+        assert "completed" in message
+        mock_execute.assert_called_once()
+        params = mock_execute.call_args[0][1]
+        assert params["task_id"] == "task-123"
+        assert params["status"] == "completed"
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_drop_task(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test dropping a task."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {
+            "success": True,
+            "message": "Task status changed to dropped",
+            "taskId": "task-123",
+        }
+
+        success, message = await change_task_status("task-123", "dropped")
+
+        assert success is True
+        assert "dropped" in message
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_mark_incomplete(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test marking a task as incomplete."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {
+            "success": True,
+            "message": "Task status changed to incomplete",
+            "taskId": "task-123",
+        }
+
+        success, message = await change_task_status("task-123", "incomplete")
+
+        assert success is True
+        assert "incomplete" in message
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_task_not_found(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test error when task is not found."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {"error": "Task not found: bad-id"}
+
+        success, message = await change_task_status("bad-id", "completed")
+
+        assert success is False
+        assert "not found" in message
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_invalid_status(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test error for invalid status value."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {"error": "Invalid status: bogus"}
+
+        success, message = await change_task_status("task-123", "bogus")
+
+        assert success is False
+        assert "Invalid status" in message
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_script_name(self, mock_execute):
+        """Test that the correct script name is used."""
+        mock_execute.return_value = {
+            "success": True,
+            "message": "Task status changed to completed",
+            "taskId": "task-123",
+        }
+
+        await change_task_status("task-123", "completed")
+
+        script_name = mock_execute.call_args[0][0]
+        assert script_name == "change_task_status"