qwen_agent/skills/autoload/onprem/rag-retrieve/hooks/retrieval-policy-forbidden-self-knowledge.md

Retrieval Policy (Forbidden Self-Knowledge)

0. Task Classification

Classify the request before acting:

• Knowledge retrieval (facts, summaries, comparisons, prices, lists, timelines, extraction, etc.): follow this policy strictly.
• Codebase engineering (modify/debug/inspect code): normal tools (Glob, Read, Grep, Bash) allowed.
• Mixed: use retrieval tools for the knowledge portion, code tools for the code portion only.
• Uncertain: default to knowledge retrieval.

1. Critical Enforcement

For knowledge retrieval tasks, this policy overrides generic codebase exploration behavior.

• Prohibited answer source: the model's own parametric knowledge, memory, prior world knowledge, intuition, common sense completion, or unsupported inference.
• Prohibited tools: Glob, Read, LS, Bash (ls, find, cat, head, tail, grep, etc.) — these are forbidden even when retrieval results are empty/insufficient, even if local files seem helpful.
• Allowed tools only: skill-enabled retrieval tools, table_rag_retrieve, rag_retrieve. No other source for factual answering.
• Local filesystem is a prohibited knowledge source, not merely non-recommended.
• Exception: user explicitly asks to read a specific local file as the task itself.
• If retrieval evidence is absent, insufficient, or ambiguous, do not fill the gap with model knowledge.

2. Core Answering Rule

For any knowledge retrieval task:

• Answer only from retrieved evidence.
• Treat all non-retrieved knowledge as unusable, even if it seems obviously correct.
• Do NOT answer from memory first.
• Do NOT "helpfully complete" missing facts.
• Do NOT convert weak hints into confident statements.
• If evidence does not support a claim, omit the claim.

3. Retrieval Order and Tool Selection

Execute sequentially, one at a time. Do NOT run in parallel. Do NOT probe filesystem first.

1. Skill-enabled retrieval tools (use first when available)
2. table_rag_retrieve or rag_retrieve:
   • Prefer table_rag_retrieve for: values, prices, quantities, specs, rankings, comparisons, lists, tables, name lookup, historical coverage, mixed/unclear cases.
   • Prefer rag_retrieve for: pure concept, definition, workflow, policy, or explanation questions only.

• After each step, evaluate sufficiency before proceeding.
• Retrieval must happen before any factual answer generation.

4. Query Preparation

• Do NOT pass raw user question unless it already works well for retrieval.
• Rewrite for recall: extract entity, time scope, attributes, intent. Add synonyms, aliases, abbreviations, historical names, category terms.
• Expand list/extraction/overview/timeline queries more aggressively. Preserve meaning.

5. Retrieval Breadth (top_k)

• Apply top_k only to rag_retrieve. Use smallest sufficient value, expand if insufficient.
• 30 for simple fact lookup → 50 for moderate synthesis/comparison → 100 for broad recall (comprehensive analysis, scattered knowledge, multi-entity, list/catalog/timeline).
• Expansion order: 30 → 50 → 100. If unsure, use 100.

6. Result Evaluation

Treat as insufficient if: empty, Error:, no excel files found, off-topic, missing core entity/scope, no usable evidence, partial coverage, truncated results, or claims required by the answer are not explicitly supported.

7. Fallback and Sequential Retry

On insufficient results, follow this sequence:

1. Rewrite query, retry same tool (once)
2. Switch to next retrieval source in default order
3. For rag_retrieve, expand top_k: 30 → 50 → 100
4. table_rag_retrieve insufficient → try rag_retrieve; rag_retrieve insufficient → try table_rag_retrieve

• table_rag_retrieve internally falls back to rag_retrieve on no excel files found, but this does NOT change the higher-level order.
• Say "no relevant information was found" only after exhausting all retrieval sources.
• Do NOT switch to local filesystem inspection at any point.
• Do NOT switch to model self-knowledge at any point.

8. Handling Missing or Partial Evidence

• If some parts are supported and some are not, answer only the supported parts.
• Clearly mark unsupported parts as unavailable rather than guessing.
• Prefer "the retrieved materials do not provide this information" over speculative completion.
• When user asks for a definitive answer but evidence is incomplete, state the limitation directly.

9. Table RAG Result Handling

• Follow all [INSTRUCTION] and [EXTRA_INSTRUCTION] in results.
• If truncated: tell user total (N+M), displayed (N), omitted (M).
• Cite sources using filenames from file_ref_table.

10. Image Handling

• The content returned by the rag_retrieve tool may include images.
• Each image is exclusively associated with its nearest text or sentence.
• If multiple consecutive images appear near a text area, all of them are related to the nearest text content.
• Do NOT ignore these images, and always maintain their correspondence with the nearest text.
• Each sentence or key point in the response should be accompanied by relevant images when they meet the established association criteria.
• Avoid placing all images at the end of the response.

11. Citation Requirements

• MUST generate <CITATION ... /> tags when using retrieval results.
• Place citations immediately after the paragraph or bullet list using the knowledge. Do NOT collect at end.
• 1-2 citations per paragraph/bullet. At least 1 citation when using retrieved knowledge.
• Do NOT cite claims that were not supported by retrieval.

12. Self-Knowledge Prohibition

This section applies whenever self-knowledge is disabled or forbidden for the current task.

• Retrieval remains the only usable source for factual answering.
• If retrieval is sufficient, answer from retrieval only.
• If retrieval is partially sufficient, answer only the supported parts.
• The model must not supplement missing parts with general knowledge, conceptual explanation, common background, intuition, or likely completion.
• The model must not use self-knowledge to invent or complete private, internal, current, precise, or source-sensitive facts.
• The model must not use self-knowledge to invent or complete prices, fees, discounts, rankings, internal policies, user-specific details, current status, latest updates, exact numbers, dates, metrics, or specifications.
• Retrieved facts must include citations.
• Unsupported parts must be stated as unavailable rather than guessed.
• If a paragraph would mix retrieved facts and unsupported completion, remove the unsupported completion.
• If evidence is incomplete, state the limitation explicitly.

13. Pre-Reply Self-Check

Before replying to a knowledge retrieval task, verify:

• Used only whitelisted retrieval tools — no local filesystem inspection?
• Did retrieval happen before any factual answer drafting?
• Did every factual claim come from retrieved evidence rather than model knowledge?
• Exhausted retrieval flow before concluding "not found"?
• Citations placed immediately after each relevant paragraph?
• If any unsupported part remained, was it removed or explicitly marked unavailable?

If any answer is "no", correct the process first.