Fix: Create /tmp/gh-aw directory before writing aw_info.json in activation job by Copilot · Pull Request #18876 · github/gh-aw

Copilot · 2026-02-28T17:45:05Z

The activation job fails with ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/tmp/gh-aw/aw_info.json' because /tmp/gh-aw doesn't exist at that point — create_gh_aw_tmp_dir.sh only runs in the main job.

Changes

actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.cjs: New module extracted from the inline script that:
- Reads compile-time values from GH_AW_INFO_* environment variables set by the step
- Reads runtime values from the GitHub Actions context parameter
- Validates required context variables (warns if runId, runNumber, sha, ref, actor, eventName, or repo are missing)
- Creates /tmp/gh-aw with fs.mkdirSync(..., { recursive: true }) before writing aw_info.json
- Sets the model step output
- Calls generateWorkflowOverview to print the agent overview in the step summary
actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.test.cjs: 9 tests covering env var parsing, context validation, firewall config, conditional cli_version, and step summary generation
pkg/workflow/compiler_yaml.go: generateCreateAwInfo now sets GH_AW_INFO_* env vars for all compile-time values and replaces ~60 lines of inline JavaScript with:

const { main } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/generate_aw_info.cjs');
await main(core, context);

pkg/workflow/aw_info_tmp_test.go: Updated assertions to verify the new YAML structure
Golden files + 162 .lock.yml files: Recompiled to reflect the generated code change

[!WARNING]

Original prompt

Fix the failing GitHub Actions workflow activation
Analyze the workflow logs, identify the root cause of the failure, and implement a fix.
Job ID: 65256080988
Job URL: https://github.com/github/gh-aw/actions/runs/22525198885/job/65256080988

💬 We'd love your input! Share your thoughts on Copilot coding agent in our 2 minute survey.

Changeset

Type: patch
Description: Ensure the activation job creates /tmp/gh-aw before writing aw_info.json, preventing the activation job from failing when the temp directory is missing.

Generated by Changeset Generator for issue #18876

Warning

⚠️ Firewall blocked 1 domain

The following domain was blocked by the firewall during workflow execution:

github.com

To allow these domains, add them to the network.allowed list in your workflow frontmatter:

network:
  allowed:
    - defaults
    - "github.com"

See Network Configuration for more information.

pelikhan · 2026-02-28T17:48:25Z

@copilot make sure the /tmp/gh-aw/ folder is created before writing aw_info.json to it.

pelikhan · 2026-02-28T17:54:45Z

@copilot the code that generate aw_info.json into a separate .json that also validate context variable and prints agent overview in step summary.

…ation job Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

…ith context validation Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-02-28T18:14:27Z

@copilot make sure the /tmp/gh-aw/ folder is created before writing aw_info.json to it.

Done in c7824e5 — fs.mkdirSync('/tmp/gh-aw', { recursive: true }) is now called before writing aw_info.json.

@copilot the code that generate aw_info.json into a separate .json that also validate context variable and prints agent overview in step summary.

Done in cfb306e — created actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.cjs that reads compile-time values from GH_AW_INFO_* env vars, validates required context fields, writes aw_info.json (with the mkdir fix included), sets the model output, and calls generateWorkflowOverview for the step summary. The compiled step now just sets the env vars and calls await main(core, context).

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

https://api.github.com/graphql
- Triggering command: /usr/bin/gh /usr/bin/gh api graphql -f query=query($owner: String!, $name: String!) { repository(owner: $owner, name: $name) { hasDiscussionsEnabled } } -f owner=github -f name=gh-aw (http block)
- Triggering command: /usr/bin/gh /usr/bin/gh api graphql -f query=query($owner: String!, $name: String!) { repository(owner: $owner, name: $name) { hasDiscussionsEnabled } } -f owner=github -f name=gh-aw k/gh-aw/gh-aw/ac/home/REDACTED/work/gh-aw/gh-aw/actions/setup/js/node_modules/.bin/pre�� k/gh-aw/gh-aw/ac--write 64/pkg/tool/linu../../../**/*.json k/gh�� w/js/**/*.json' --ignore-path .cfg 64/pkg/tool/linux_amd64/vet k/gh-aw/gh-aw/acdocker k/gh-aw/gh-aw/acimage k/gh-aw/gh-aw/acinspect 64/pkg/tool/linumcp/chroma (http block)
- Triggering command: /usr/bin/gh /usr/bin/gh api graphql -f query=query($owner: String!, $name: String!) { repository(owner: $owner, name: $name) { hasDiscussionsEnabled } } -f owner=github -f name=gh-aw flow (http block)
https://api.github.com/repos/github/gh-aw/git/ref/tags/a70c5eada06553e3510ac27f2c3bda9d3705bccb
- Triggering command: /usr/bin/gh gh api /repos/github/gh-aw/git/ref/tags/a70c5eada06553e3510ac27f2c3bda9d3705bccb --jq .object.sha (http block)
https://api.github.com/repos/githubnext/agentics/git/ref/tags/
- Triggering command: /usr/bin/gh gh api /repos/githubnext/agentics/git/ref/tags/# --jq .object.sha )$/\1/p --local (http block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:21:31Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:21:31Z

🌑 The shadows whisper... Smoke Codex failed. The oracle requires further meditation...

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:21:39Z

📰 BREAKING: Smoke Copilot is now investigating this pull request. Sources say the story is developing...

Copilot

Pull request overview

Fixes activation-job failures when writing /tmp/gh-aw/aw_info.json by ensuring the /tmp/gh-aw directory exists before file creation, and refactors aw_info generation into a reusable JS module invoked from generated workflows.

Changes:

Extracts the “Generate agentic run info” inline github-script into actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.cjs, including /tmp/gh-aw directory creation before writing aw_info.json.
Updates the workflow compiler/tests to pass compile-time values via GH_AW_INFO_* env vars and call the new module.
Regenerates workflow lockfiles and golden outputs to reflect the new structure.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 171 out of 171 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.cjs	New module that builds aw_info from env + context, creates `/tmp/gh-aw`, writes `aw_info.json`, sets outputs, and writes step summary.
actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.test.cjs	Adds unit tests for env parsing, context validation warnings, optional `cli_version`, firewall fields, and step summary generation.
pkg/workflow/aw_info_tmp_test.go	Updates assertions to match the new generated YAML structure (module require + `GH_AW_INFO_*` env vars).
pkg/workflow/testdata/wasm_golden/TestWasmGolden_CompileFixtures/smoke-test-tools.golden	Golden output updated to ensure `/tmp/gh-aw` exists before writing `aw_info.json`.
pkg/workflow/testdata/wasm_golden/TestWasmGolden_CompileFixtures/claude-with-network.golden	Golden output updated to ensure `/tmp/gh-aw` exists before writing `aw_info.json`.
.github/workflows/*.lock.yml	Regenerated lock workflows to set `GH_AW_INFO_*` env vars and call `/opt/gh-aw/actions/generate_aw_info.cjs`.

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Copilot · 2026-02-28T18:27:00Z

actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.cjs

+  // Parse allowed domains from JSON env var
+  let allowedDomains = [];
+  const allowedDomainsEnv = process.env.GH_AW_INFO_ALLOWED_DOMAINS || "[]";
+  try {
+    allowedDomains = JSON.parse(allowedDomainsEnv);
+  } catch {
+    core.warning(`Failed to parse GH_AW_INFO_ALLOWED_DOMAINS: ${allowedDomainsEnv}`);
+  }


GH_AW_INFO_ALLOWED_DOMAINS is JSON-parsed but the result isn’t validated to be an array. If it parses to a non-array (e.g. a string/object), allowed_domains will not be an array and generate_workflow_overview.cjs will later call .slice(...).map(...) on it and throw. After parsing, ensure the value is an array (e.g. Array.isArray(parsed)), otherwise warn and fall back to [].

Copilot · 2026-02-28T18:27:00Z

actions/setup/js/generate_aw_info.test.cjs

+    // Create /tmp/gh-aw directory if it doesn't exist
+    if (!fs.existsSync("/tmp/gh-aw")) {
+      fs.mkdirSync("/tmp/gh-aw", { recursive: true });
+    }
+    awInfoPath = "/tmp/gh-aw/aw_info.json";
+


This test hardcodes /tmp/gh-aw//tmp/gh-aw/aw_info.json instead of using the same constant (TMP_GH_AW_PATH) as the implementation. If the path ever changes, the tests will silently diverge. Consider importing TMP_GH_AW_PATH from ./constants.cjs and deriving awInfoPath from it.

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:27:15Z

Smoke test results for @pelikhan and @Copilot:

Test	Status
GitHub MCP	✅
Safe Inputs GH CLI	✅
Serena MCP	❌ (unavailable)
Playwright	✅
Web Fetch	✅
File Writing	✅
Bash Tool	✅
Discussion Interaction	✅
Build gh-aw	✅
Discussion Creation	✅
Workflow Dispatch	✅
PR Review	✅

Overall: PASS (11/12)

📰 BREAKING: Report filed by Smoke Copilot

github-actions

This PR cleanly extracts the inline generate_aw_info JavaScript into a dedicated CJS module with proper tests. The refactoring reduces lock file noise significantly. One path concern flagged inline — overall a solid improvement.

📰 BREAKING: Report filed by Smoke Copilot

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:27:17Z

.github/workflows/agent-performance-analyzer.lock.yml

-            // Generate workflow overview and write to step summary
-            const { generateWorkflowOverview } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/generate_workflow_overview.cjs');
-            await generateWorkflowOverview(core);
+            const { main } = require('/opt/gh-aw/actions/generate_aw_info.cjs');


The path /opt/gh-aw/actions/generate_aw_info.cjs uses /opt/ which is for system-installed packages. At runtime, files are copied to /tmp/gh-aw/actions. This could fail if the setup action hasn't run or copies to a different location than expected. Consider verifying the runtime path is consistent with the setup action's copy destination.

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:27:17Z

.github/workflows/agent-performance-analyzer.lock.yml

        id: generate_aw_info
        env:
-          GH_AW_MODEL_AGENT_COPILOT: ${{ vars.GH_AW_MODEL_AGENT_COPILOT || '' }}
+          GH_AW_INFO_ENGINE_ID: "copilot"


Good pattern: moving compile-time values to GH_AW_INFO_* env vars makes the step's generated YAML cleaner and easier to audit. This clearly separates static configuration from runtime context.

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:27:30Z

📰 VERDICT: Smoke Copilot has concluded. All systems operational. This is a developing story. 🎤

github-actions · 2026-02-28T18:33:49Z

Smoke Test Results - Run §22526334288

Status: PARTIAL

Test	Result
1. GitHub MCP	✅
2. Safe Inputs GH CLI	✅
3. Serena MCP (find_symbol)	❌ EOF error
4. Make Build	✅
5. Playwright	✅
6. Tavily Search	✅
7. File Writing	✅
8. Bash Tool	✅
9. Discussion Interaction	✅
10. Agentic Workflows MCP	✅
11. Update PR	✅
12. PR Review Comments	✅
13. Submit PR Review	✅
14. Resolve Review Thread	⚠️ skipped
15. Add Reviewer	✅
16. Push to PR Branch	❌ branch deleted
17. Close PR	⚠️ skipped

💥 [THE END] — Illustrated by Smoke Claude

github-actions

💥 Automated smoke test review - all systems nominal! This PR extracts aw_info generation logic into a proper module with validation and tests. The architecture is clean and the test coverage looks solid.

💥 [THE END] — Illustrated by Smoke Claude

…info.cjs (#18876 follow-up) (#18890) * refactor: apply project conventions to generate_aw_info.cjs - Move fs require to module level (consistent with all other .cjs files) - Simplify null check: ctx[field] === undefined || ctx[field] === null → ctx[field] == null - Replace console.log with core.info per project JavaScript conventions (AGENTS.md) Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> * ci: trigger CI checks --------- Co-authored-by: GitHub Copilot <copilot@github.com> Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: github-actions[bot] <github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

Initial plan

9d1d8f2

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan Feb 28, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan February 28, 2026 17:45 View session

Fix: Create /tmp/gh-aw directory before writing aw_info.json in activ…

c7824e5

…ation job Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Fix failing GitHub Actions workflow activation~~ Fix: Create /tmp/gh-aw directory before writing aw_info.json in activation job Feb 28, 2026

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan February 28, 2026 17:59

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan February 28, 2026 17:59 View session

refactor: extract aw_info.json generation into generate_aw_info.cjs w…

cfb306e

…ith context validation Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan February 28, 2026 18:15

pelikhan added the smoke label Feb 28, 2026

pelikhan marked this pull request as ready for review February 28, 2026 18:23

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings February 28, 2026 18:23

pelikhan merged commit e3fa302 into main Feb 28, 2026
62 of 64 checks passed

pelikhan deleted the copilot/fix-github-actions-workflow-3dd66c95-3730-4640-8e26-2b46663d25e8 branch February 28, 2026 18:23

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of pelikhan February 28, 2026 18:24 View session

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Smoke Test: Copilot - 22526334289 #18882

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Smoke Test: Claude - 22526334288 #18885

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Smoke Test: Claude - 22526414043 #18887

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[code-simplifier] refactor: apply project conventions to generate_aw_info.cjs (#18876 follow-up) #18890

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Smoke Test Results - Run §22526334288

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