Troubleshooting
Agent Keeps Using Markdown Tables in Discord?
Stop unreadable replies and force clean bullet-point formatting that actually works in chat apps.
Community pattern: users ask for comparison output, the agent replies with markdown tables, and Discord/WhatsApp formatting looks broken or ugly. This guide gives you a deterministic fix.
Reality check: markdown tables are often fine in docs, but they are fragile in chat surfaces. In Discord and WhatsApp, bullets are usually more readable and less error-prone.
2-minute fix workflow
1) Set a hard formatting rule
Give a direct instruction that tables are not allowed in this thread.
From now on in this chat:
- Do NOT use markdown tables.
- Use bullet lists with short labels instead.
- For comparisons, use this format:
Option A
- Price:
- Pros:
- Cons:
Option B
- Price:
- Pros:
- Cons:
2) Run a canary formatting test
Before your real task, verify the agent follows the rule:
Compare iPhone 15 vs Pixel 9 using bullets only, no table, max 8 lines.
If it still outputs a table, do not continue. Re-send a stricter rule lock (next step).
3) Apply strict output contract
Output contract for this thread:
1) No markdown tables.
2) No pipes (|) used as column separators.
3) Use bullets only.
4) If unsure, ask one clarification question, then continue in bullets.
4) Add a completion check
Require a self-check line at the end:
End with: FORMAT_CHECK: bullet-only ✅
Why this happens
- The model defaults to table format for comparisons unless constrained.
- Old context in the same thread still contains table examples.
- User prompt asks for “comparison table” implicitly (“side-by-side” often triggers it).
- Reusable templates/snippets pasted earlier include table syntax.
Known-good copy/paste prompt
For this response, do not use markdown tables or column separators.
Use bullet lists only with this structure:
- Option name
- Key point 1
- Key point 2
- Key point 3
Keep total length under 140 words.
End with: FORMAT_CHECK: bullet-only ✅
Advanced edge cases
- Still generating table-like output: explicitly ban the
| character unless part of a URL.
- Mixed formatting in long threads: start a fresh thread/session and apply format lock before first task.
- Shared channel inconsistency: pin your formatting contract and re-use it at the start of each new task.
- Agent follows rule once then regresses: prepend every task with one-line reminder: “Bullets only, no tables.”
When to escalate in #help
If format drift keeps happening, share:
- Your exact prompt (copy/paste, no paraphrase)
- The exact output where table syntax appeared
- Whether this happened in DM, server channel, or dashboard chat
- Whether a fresh thread with a format lock fixed it
Bottom line: formatting failures are usually prompt-contract drift, not a broken agent. Lock output shape early and verify with a tiny canary before big tasks.