1 files changed, 39 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/.ai/scripts/inbox-send.py b/.ai/scripts/inbox-send.py
index 5373bd4..1ebb636 100755
--- a/.ai/scripts/inbox-send.py
+++ b/.ai/scripts/inbox-send.py
@@ -136,8 +136,21 @@ def slugify_filename(stem: str, max_length: int = MAX_SLUG_LENGTH) -> str:
     return truncated.strip("-._")
 
 
+def display_name(path: Path) -> str:
+    """The name a project is referred to by — its basename with dots stripped.
+
+    Dotted directories (`.emacs.d`, `.dotfiles`) are awkward to name in
+    conversation, so they're addressed dot-stripped: `emacsd`, `dotfiles`.
+    """
+    return path.name.replace(".", "")
+
+
 def find_target(target_name: str, projects: list[Path]) -> Path | None:
-    """Resolve `target_name` against the project list (basename or numeric index)."""
+    """Resolve `target_name` against the project list (basename or numeric index).
+
+    An exact basename match wins. Failing that, a dot-stripped alias matches —
+    so `emacsd` resolves `.emacs.d` and `dotfiles` resolves `.dotfiles`.
+    """
     if target_name.isdigit():
         idx = int(target_name) - 1
         if 0 <= idx < len(projects):
@@ -146,6 +159,10 @@ def find_target(target_name: str, projects: list[Path]) -> Path | None:
     for p in projects:
         if p.name == target_name:
             return p
+    norm = target_name.replace(".", "")
+    for p in projects:
+        if display_name(p) == norm:
+            return p
     return None
 
 
@@ -160,6 +177,23 @@ def build_text_org(message: str, source_name: str, timestamp: str) -> str:
     )
 
 
+def uniquify(dest: Path) -> Path:
+    """Return dest, or dest with a -2/-3/... stem suffix when it already exists.
+
+    Two sends in the same minute whose text starts with the same phrase
+    derive identical filenames, and the second silently overwrote the
+    first (a message was lost this way, 2026-07-02). Never overwrite.
+    """
+    if not dest.exists():
+        return dest
+    n = 2
+    while True:
+        candidate = dest.with_name(f"{dest.stem}-{n}{dest.suffix}")
+        if not candidate.exists():
+            return candidate
+        n += 1
+
+
 def send_text(
     target_inbox: Path,
     message: str,
@@ -174,7 +208,7 @@ def send_text(
     if not slug:
         raise ValueError(f"could not derive a slug from text: {message!r}")
     filename = f"{now.strftime(TS_FILENAME_FMT)}-from-{source_name}-{slug}.org"
-    dest = target_inbox / filename
+    dest = uniquify(target_inbox / filename)
     dest.write_text(build_text_org(message, source_name, now.strftime(TS_DOC_FMT)))
     return dest
 
@@ -194,7 +228,7 @@ def send_file(
         raise ValueError(f"could not derive a slug from file: {src_path}")
     ext = src_path.suffix
     filename = f"{now.strftime(TS_FILENAME_FMT)}-from-{source_name}-{slug}{ext}"
-    dest = target_inbox / filename
+    dest = uniquify(target_inbox / filename)
     shutil.copy2(src_path, dest)
     return dest
 
@@ -206,9 +240,9 @@ def print_project_list(projects: list[Path], current: Path | None) -> None:
         print("No projects (.ai/ + inbox/) found under the configured roots.")
         return
     print(f"Available .ai projects ({len(others)}):")
-    width = max(len(p.name) for p in others)
+    width = max(len(display_name(p)) for p in others)
     for i, p in enumerate(others, 1):
-        print(f"  {i}. {p.name:<{width}}  {p}")
+        print(f"  {i}. {display_name(p):<{width}}  {p}")
 
 
 def main() -> int: