Add another Dial number

One NanoClaw install can serve multiple Dial numbers at once. Each number is its own public, threaded line — its own messaging group (platform_id = the Dial number), each remote correspondent a thread inside it — and the agent replies from whichever number a person texted.

This skill is for adding a number to an already-installed Dial channel. Its mechanical steps use nc: directives so an agent and the deterministic skill engine perform the same validated, idempotent workflow.

Pre-flight

Confirm Dial is installed and registered. If this fails, run /add-dial first, then retry:

test -f src/channels/dial.ts && grep -q "import './dial.js';" src/channels/index.ts

Adding another number requires the multi-number adapter, which routes on the line each event arrived on (data.to). If this fails, run /update-skills to refresh the installed adapter, rebuild, and retry:

grep -q "eventLine" src/channels/dial.ts

Resolve the Dial CLI and the install's user-agent token once for every account request below:

command -v dial

node -p "'nanoclaw/'+(require('./package.json').version||'unknown')" 2>/dev/null || echo nanoclaw/unknown

Choose the number

List the account's current numbers:

DIAL_USER_AGENT={{dial_ua}} "{{dial_path}}" number list --json | jq -r 'if (.numbers|length)==0 then "none" else [.numbers[].number] | join(", ") end'

Tell the operator what is available. Buying a number spends account funds, so leave that explicit: if they need a new one, they should purchase it with dial number purchase --inbound-instruction "…" --explicit-programmatic-consent "<account-holder consent attestation>", then enter the returned number below.

Dial numbers on this account: {{dial_numbers}}. Choose one that is not already wired to NanoClaw. If you need a new number, purchase it first; this may charge the Dial account.

Which Dial number should be added? Enter its E.164 value, for example +14155550123.

Verify that the chosen number belongs to the signed-in account:

DIAL_USER_AGENT={{dial_ua}} "{{dial_path}}" number list --json | jq -e --arg number '{{platform_id}}' '.numbers[] | select(.number==$number)' >/dev/null

Choose the agent

List the agent groups:

ncl groups list --json | jq -r 'if (.data|length)==0 then "no agent groups yet" else [.data[] | "\(.id) (\(.name))"] | join(", ") end'

Agent groups on this install: {{agent_groups}}.

Which agent group should answer this number? Enter its ag-… id.

Reject a typo before creating anything:

ncl groups list --json | jq -e --arg id '{{agent_group_id}}' '.data[] | select(.id==$id)' >/dev/null

Choose a safe display name and who may start conversations on this line. strict admits only known users; public lets anyone who knows the number reach the agent. The choice belongs to this number and does not change existing lines:

What should this line be called? Use letters, numbers, spaces, dots, dashes, or underscores.

Who may text this line: strict or public?

Wire the line

Create the threaded Dial messaging group. This is idempotent on the number, so a re-run returns an existing row without resetting later policy changes:

ncl messaging-groups create --channel-type dial --platform-id {{platform_id}} --is-group 1 --name "{{line_name}}" --unknown-sender-policy {{inbound_access}}

Wire it to the selected agent group. The adapter's declaration supplies the thread and engagement defaults:

ncl wirings create --channel-type dial --platform-id {{platform_id}} --agent-group-id {{agent_group_id}}

Restart and verify

Restart the service so the new line is picked up consistently:

bash setup/lib/restart.sh

Verify the exact messaging-group and wiring pair exists:

mg=$(ncl messaging-groups list --json | jq -er --arg number '{{platform_id}}' '.data[] | select(.channel_type=="dial" and .platform_id==$number) | .id') && ncl wirings list --json | jq -e --arg mg "$mg" --arg ag '{{agent_group_id}}' '.data[] | select(.messaging_group_id==$mg and .agent_group_id==$ag)' >/dev/null

The new number now reaches the selected agent as a separate threaded line, and replies leave from the number that received the message. Existing lines are unchanged.

Troubleshooting

• The multi-number check fails → run /update-skills, rebuild, and retry.
• The selected number is rejected → sign in to the correct Dial account or purchase the number first, then copy its exact E.164 value.
• New texts land in an old line or replies use the wrong number → the running service still has the old adapter; refresh it and restart again.
• New inbound events never arrive → one dial listen daemon covers the whole account; confirm dial doctor --json reports listen.running: true and dial local-target list --json contains NanoClaw's command target.
• ncl errors → the host service must be running; ncl connects over a Unix socket.