Session Rename

Rename OpenClaw chat sessions by updating the session history store or calling the built-in `sessions.rename` backend path. Use when the user asks to rename,...

Security Scan

The skill's requirements and instructions are internally consistent: it either calls the backend rename path or performs a targeted SQLite update of OpenClaw's session history and does not request unrelated credentials or installs.

Purpose & Capability

The name/description (rename sessions) matches the instructions: either call the backend sessions.rename or update session_history.displayName in the local history.db. No unrelated env vars, binaries, or external services are requested.

Instruction Scope

Instructions include direct filesystem access (searching for history.db and running a Python SQLite update). This is necessary for the stated goal, but searching arbitrary paths or performing DB writes carries risk if executed incorrectly. The SKILL.md warns to confirm instance and to be surgical, which mitigates but does not eliminate that risk.

Install Mechanism

No install steps or external downloads — instruction-only. Nothing is written to disk by an installer, lowering supply-chain risk.

Credentials

The skill requests no environment variables, credentials, or config paths beyond local OpenClaw DB locations. The scope of access (local session DB) is proportional to the purpose.

Persistence & Privilege

Skill is not always-enabled and does not request persistent elevated privileges. It does instruct writing to a local DB, which is appropriate for renaming sessions but should be run only when the target instance is confirmed.

Assessment

This skill appears to do what it says: rename sessions either via the backend API or by directly updating OpenClaw's SQLite history.db. Before using it: prefer the backend sessions.rename method when available; if you must edit the DB, make a backup of history.db first; confirm the correct agent instance and sessionId to avoid accidentally changing other sessions; avoid broad filesystem searches (limit to likely OpenClaw paths) and do not run these edits on remote machines you do not fully trust. If you need higher assurance, request code that uses the built-in backend method instead of direct DB writes.

Rename sessions by targeting the correct session_history.displayName record.

Quick rules

• Determine which OpenClaw instance owns the session before changing anything.
• Prefer the product path when available:
  • backend method: sessions.rename
  • storage field: session_history.displayName
• If the UI/browser path is unavailable, update the DB directly.
• Update only the intended row. Do not bulk-rename all rows for a sessionKey unless the user explicitly wants that.

How rename works in OpenClaw

The canonical storage is the SQLite table:

• table: session_history
• key: sessionId
• display field: displayName

Backend implementation:

• src/gateway/server-methods/sessions.ts → sessions.rename
• src/config/sessions/history-db.ts → updateSessionName(db, sessionId, name)

The backend ultimately runs SQL equivalent to:

UPDATE session_history
SET displayName = ?, updatedAt = ?
WHERE sessionId = ?;

Workflow

1. Identify which instance owns the session.
2. Find the active row in that instance's history.db.
3. Prefer the row with:
   • matching sessionKey
   • status='active'
   • most recent updatedAt
4. Set displayName to the requested title.
5. Confirm by reading the updated row back.
6. Tell the user to refresh the Sessions view if the UI does not update immediately.

Direct DB rename pattern

Use a surgical SQLite update against the target instance's session history DB.

Typical query flow:

python3 - <<'PY'
import sqlite3, time
p='/path/to/history.db'
conn=sqlite3.connect(p)
cur=conn.cursor()
row=cur.execute("select sessionId from session_history where sessionKey=? and status='active' order by updatedAt desc limit 1", ('agent:main:main',)).fetchone()
if not row:
    row=cur.execute("select sessionId from session_history where sessionKey=? order by updatedAt desc limit 1", ('agent:main:main',)).fetchone()
if not row:
    raise SystemExit('No session row found')
cur.execute(
    "update session_history set displayName=?, updatedAt=? where sessionId=?",
    ('New Session Title', int(time.time()*1000), row[0]),
)
conn.commit()
print(cur.execute("select sessionId, sessionKey, displayName, status from session_history where sessionId=?", (row[0],)).fetchone())
conn.close()
PY

Finding the right DB

Typical path shape:

~/.openclaw/agents/<agent-id>/sessions/history.db

If the location is unknown, search for SQLite DBs containing a session_history table before writing.

Safety notes

• Confirm the correct instance before writing.
• Do not overwrite labels in unrelated archived rows unless explicitly asked.
• Preserve sessionId; only change displayName and updatedAt.
• If multiple active candidates exist, inspect before writing.

UI caveat

A successful DB write may still require a UI refresh to show the new title. If the rename does not appear immediately, refresh the Sessions view or reconnect the UI.