How to Customize Export Output with the [export] Section Config in tuicr

The [export] table in tuicr's config.toml lets you control every element of the Markdown export—including headers, scope lines, PR metadata, and legends—by mapping directly to the ExportConfig struct defined in the source code.

When generating review exports, tuicr outputs formatted Markdown to your clipboard or stdout via the :clip or :export commands. You can customize export output with the [export] section config to suppress default preamble lines, rename section headings, or hide PR identifiers without modifying the application code.

Understanding the ExportConfig Structure

The [export] configuration table maps directly onto the ExportConfig struct located in [src/config/mod.rs at lines 50-66](https://github.com/agavra/tuicr/blob/main/src/config/mod.rs#L50-L66). This struct exposes six fields that govern the visual structure of the generated Markdown:

• intro: String printed above the comment list. An empty value disables the line entirely.
• scope_line: Boolean controlling the "Reviewing <scope>" line that identifies the file or pull request under review.
• pr_metadata: Boolean determining whether URL and Head lines appear when reviewing pull requests.
• comments_header: String heading that precedes local comments.
• remote_comments_header: String heading that precedes unresolved remote threads in PR review mode.
• legend: Boolean toggling the "Comment types:" legend that explains [TYPE] markers.

Each field provides a sensible default when omitted, ensuring backward compatibility while allowing surgical customization.

Configuration Resolution and Defaults

During application startup, AppConfig::resolved_export() computes the effective export settings. According to the implementation in [src/config/mod.rs at lines 59-65](https://github.com/agavra/tuicr/blob/main/src/config/mod.rs#L59-L65), this method performs a legacy migration: if you have not explicitly set the legend key in the [export] table, it automatically imports the deprecated top-level export_legend flag.

The ExportConfig implementation provides accessor methods—intro(), scope_line(), pr_metadata(), comments_header(), remote_comments_header(), and legend()—that return the final resolved values, as defined in [src/config/mod.rs at lines 68-94](https://github.com/agavra/tuicr/blob/main/src/config/mod.rs#L68-L94).

Export Generation Pipeline

The actual Markdown assembly occurs in generate_export_content() within [src/output/markdown.rs at lines 28-49](https://github.com/agavra/tuicr/blob/main/src/output/markdown.rs#L28-L49). This function receives an ExportConfig reference and conditionally renders content based on the configuration methods:

• export.intro() gates the output at lines 276-282
• export.scope_line() controls lines 288-293
• export.pr_metadata() controls lines 298-303
• export.comments_header() controls lines 411-416
• export.remote_comments_header() controls lines 473-478
• export.legend() controls lines 317-322

By manipulating the [export] table, you directly influence these conditional branches without touching the Rust source.

Practical Configuration Examples

Minimal Default Configuration

To accept all hardcoded defaults, declare an empty table:

# ~/.config/tuicr/config.toml

[export]

# No keys – all defaults are applied.

This produces output containing the standard "Review" intro, the scope line, PR metadata (when applicable), default section headers, and the comment type legend.

Suppress Intro and Legend

To generate a compact export without the introductory line or explanatory legend:

[export]
intro = ""
legend = false

Custom Headings and Hide PR Metadata

For personalized section titles while suppressing pull request identifiers:

[export]
comments_header = "My Local Comments"
remote_comments_header = "Unresolved Review Threads"
pr_metadata = false

Complete Custom Preamble

To fully restructure the export layout:

[export]
intro = "=== My Review Export ==="
scope_line = false
pr_metadata = true
comments_header = "=== Draft Comments ==="
remote_comments_header = "=== Remote Threads ==="
legend = true

Summary

• The [export] table in config.toml maps to the ExportConfig struct in src/config/mod.rs, providing granular control over Markdown export formatting.
• Six fields—intro, scope_line, pr_metadata, comments_header, remote_comments_header, and legend—determine which preamble elements appear in the final output.
• Legacy export_legend flags automatically migrate to the new legend field only when not explicitly configured, ensuring backward compatibility.
• The export pipeline in src/output/markdown.rs uses these configuration values to conditionally render each section at specific line ranges.
• Empty strings disable text elements entirely, while boolean flags toggle structural components like metadata blocks and legends.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I omit the entire [export] section?

If you omit the [export] table entirely, tuicr initializes ExportConfig with hardcoded defaults defined by constants such as DEFAULT_EXPORT_INTRO and DEFAULT_EXPORT_COMMENTS_HEADER. The export continues to function normally, using these preset values for all formatting decisions.

Does setting intro to an empty string remove the line entirely?

Yes. When intro is set to "", the intro() method returns an empty string, and the export generator in src/output/markdown.rs (lines 276-282) skips printing that line entirely rather than emitting a blank line in the output.

How does tuicr handle the deprecated export_legend flag?

The resolved_export() method in src/config/mod.rs checks whether you have explicitly set the legend key in the [export] table. If the key is absent, it promotes the legacy top-level export_legend boolean into the new structure, preserving existing configurations while encouraging migration to the nested table format.

Can I use the [export] settings when exporting to stdout?

Yes. The [export] configuration applies universally to all export operations, whether you use the :clip TUI command to copy to the clipboard or the --stdout CLI flag for terminal output. Both invocation paths ultimately call generate_export_content() with the resolved ExportConfig.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}