Ability to re-run/trigger a GitHub Actions Workflow

[notlmn]

Explanation

GitHub Actions API has the ability to re-run a specific workflow, but the GitHub UI doesn't have any option to re-run a workflow unless the workflow has some failed jobs inside it.

(Well, GitHub doesn't exactly let you re-run the entire workflow, only specific failed jobs inside it, which is no exposed in their API).

The feature adds a button that should:

• be available on workflow (example), preferably beside "create status badge" dropdown.
• be enabled if the workflow is is not running.
• be disabled if the workflow is already running.

Sample screenshots

Re-running workflows

Triggering new workflows

How can this be used?

• Testing pull requests.
• Triggering manual builds for publishing extensions, that we used to do on Travis for hotfixes.

People do seem to need this for their own reasons (GH forum).

Existing alternatives

• Something that uses repository dispatch events.
  • https://goobar.io/2019/12/07/manually-trigger-a-github-actions-workflow/
  • https://medium.com/@christinavhastenrath/how-to-run-github-actions-manually-afebbe77d325
• Something that uses in-UI tricks to trigger events.
  • https://dev.to/s_abderemane/manual-trigger-with-github-actions-279e
• Using empty dummy commits.

These "tricks" work, but they do not work on specific run that we want to re-run or require adding new actions to handle them.

Things I'm not sure about

There are basically two "types" or "ways" of running a workflow (if you could call them that)

1. "re-running" an existing workflow (which is previously failed or has passed), from first screenshot above
2. "creating" a new workflow run, that is done on a per-branch basis, this is related to Travis' "Trigger Build", second screenshot above.

Option 1 can be easily done, now sure how we can tackle option 2 (which also may not be possible).

[fregante]

This is impossible, you can’t run random workflows like that, they have to be pre-setup with those specific listeners.

The only thing possible would be if you’re referring to running OUR ci, not as a feature of refined GitHub.

Adding empty commits isn’t great either way.

[notlmn]

This is impossible, you can’t run random workflows like that, they have to be pre-setup with those specific listeners.

I'm assuming by me saying "creating a new workflow run" you are thinking of creating new workflow file, with a custom event, jobs and stuff. Yes, that's impossible.

What I'm referring to is a way to trigger a workflow is already configured by the user in the repo, let's say like "Deployment" which they would want to trigger on a specific branch. Feels like I'm explaining Travis' "Trigger Build" feature, but for a specific workflow that the user already has in their repo.

I understand that this might not be possible, but was just brainstorming that idea as it is similar to my actual feature request being able to re-run an already run workflow (example), using the API GitHub provides.

---

The only thing possible would be if you’re referring to running OUR ci, not as a feature of refined GitHub.

I'm referring to the feature that is actually possible using GH API be added as a feature of RGH.

[fregante]

Indeed that’s not possible.

A workflow only runs after the events specified in the workflow itself.

For most repos, where the events are on: push, the only way to trigger it is to push a commit, unsurprisingly. That can’t be worked around by us and, as I said, pushing a whole new (empty) commit for this is a no-go.

Users of each repos can configure their workflows to run one of the solutions you suggested, but RGH can’t.

[fregante]

... at least officially. Can you try hacking the “Re-run all jobs” to work on any run?

Edit: tried, GitHub responds with "What‽"

[notlmn]

Can you try hacking the “Re-run all jobs” to work on any run?

There is an API for that, as mentioned above.

---

Edit: tried, GitHub responds with "What‽"

How were you trying to do that?

[fregante]

There is an API for that, as mentioned above.

Like GitHub’s own UI, it only works if the run failed, like in your demo. Otherwise you get a 403

This is what happens when I try to rerun the latest (successful) workflow run on this repo.

[fregante]

How were you trying to do that?

I found a failed run’s “Re-run all jobs” form, changed its URL to use a different run id, and submitted it. It failed either because their once is linked to the run or because the backend has the same limitation: only rerun failed runs.

[notlmn]

or because the backend has the same limitation: only rerun failed runs.

That's a bummer!

[notlmn]

https://github.blog/changelog/2020-05-26-github-actions-re-run-successful-jobs/

[notlmn]

https://github.blog/changelog/2020-07-06-github-actions-manual-triggers-with-workflow_dispatch/

[fregante]

Awesome! Can you open an issue on your repo to add manual deployment?

[notlmn]

Awesome! Can you open an issue on your repo to add manual deployment?

fregante/browser-extension-template#32