automations: feat: add starter templates and clarify target selection

src/vs/sessions/AUTOMATIONS.md

@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ Legacy `modelId`, `mode`, and `permissionLevel` fields remain decode and input a
 
 At most one non-terminal run may occupy an Automation's active-run slot within one authority.
 
+### Catalogue availability
+
+Every Automation store exposes whether its complete catalogue is `loading`, `ready`, `unavailable`, or in `error`. An empty catalogue is authoritative only in the `ready` state. `loading` is reserved for initial provider discovery and authoritative snapshots that are still in flight. `unavailable` means a known provider catalogue cannot currently be reached without treating that condition as storage or migration failure.
+
+Provider stores map their connection and persistence lifecycle into this provider-neutral state. Agent Host stores become ready when an authoritative catalogue snapshot and every source still participating in the projection are readable, independently of migration authority. Known disconnect, disabled capability, and unsupported capability are unavailable rather than perpetually loading.
+
+`ProviderAutomationService` keeps the initial aggregate loading until all AfterRestored workbench contributions have completed provider registration. A provider-less window then settles to its legacy-store state, so a legacy-only empty catalogue can be authoritative. After provider settlement, the aggregate reports `error` when any current store fails, otherwise `loading` while any store is loading, `unavailable` while any store is unavailable, and `ready` only when all current stores are ready.
+
 ## Multi-host routing
 
 VS Code may register one local Agent Host provider and multiple remote Agent Host providers at the same time. A remote connection has its own provider identity, Automation store, AHP catalogue, and migration state.
@@ -326,6 +334,7 @@ Updates that do not change the target remain allowed while an active run delays
 11. Same-target edits preserve unknown template values unless the user explicitly changes them.
 12. Retargeting does not carry a previous provider's template into the new authority.
 13. Runtime policy and provider schema are revalidated for every run without treating saved configuration as a grant.
+14. Consumers distinguish a confirmed empty catalogue from loading, unavailability, and failure through the provider-neutral catalogue state.
 
 ## Concrete behavior
 

src/vs/sessions/browser/parts/customViewNode.ts

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 import './media/customViewGridPart.css';
-import { $, isAncestorOfActiveElement } from '../../../base/browser/dom.js';
+import { $, addDisposableListener, EventType, getWindow, isAncestorOfActiveElement, scheduleAtNextAnimationFrame } from '../../../base/browser/dom.js';
 import { DomScrollableElement } from '../../../base/browser/ui/scrollbar/scrollableElement.js';
-import { Disposable, toDisposable } from '../../../base/common/lifecycle.js';
+import { Disposable, MutableDisposable, toDisposable } from '../../../base/common/lifecycle.js';
 import { autorun } from '../../../base/common/observable.js';
 import { ScrollbarVisibility } from '../../../base/common/scrollable.js';
 import { HiddenItemStrategy, MenuWorkbenchToolBar } from '../../../platform/actions/browser/toolbar.js';
@@ -98,6 +98,15 @@ export class CustomViewNode extends Disposable {
 			vertical: ScrollbarVisibility.Auto,
 			useShadows: false,
 		}));
+		this._register(addDisposableListener(scrollContent, EventType.SCROLL, () => {
+			this._scrollable.setScrollPosition({ scrollTop: scrollContent.scrollTop });
+		}));
+		const focusScrollSync = this._register(new MutableDisposable());
+		this._register(addDisposableListener(scrollContent, EventType.FOCUS_IN, () => {
+			focusScrollSync.value = scheduleAtNextAnimationFrame(getWindow(scrollContent), () => {
+				this._scrollable.setScrollPosition({ scrollTop: scrollContent.scrollTop });
+			});
+		}));
 		this._scrollable.getDomNode().classList.add('custom-view-body');
 		this.element.appendChild(this._scrollable.getDomNode());
 

src/vs/sessions/contrib/automations/browser/automationDialog.ts

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import { ServiceCollection } from '../../../../platform/instantiation/common/ser
 import { KeybindingsRegistry, KeybindingWeight } from '../../../../platform/keybinding/common/keybindingsRegistry.js';
 import { ILogService } from '../../../../platform/log/common/log.js';
 import { MenuWorkbenchToolBar } from '../../../../platform/actions/browser/toolbar.js';
+import { Link } from '../../../../platform/opener/browser/link.js';
 import { IWorkspaceTrustRequestService } from '../../../../platform/workspace/common/workspaceTrust.js';
 import { defaultCheckboxStyles, defaultInputBoxStyles, defaultSelectBoxStyles } from '../../../../platform/theme/browser/defaultStyles.js';
 import { hasNativeContextMenu } from '../../../../platform/window/common/window.js';
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ import { ChatInputPart, IChatInputPartOptions, IChatInputStyles } from '../../..
 import { ChatInputPickerResponsiveLayout, IChatInputPickerResponsiveLayoutItem } from '../../../../workbench/contrib/chat/browser/widget/input/chatInputPickerResponsiveLayout.js';
 import { IWorkbenchLayoutService } from '../../../../workbench/services/layout/browser/layoutService.js';
 import { AutomationIsolationModel, normalizeAutomationBranchNames } from '../common/isolationGroupModel.js';
-import { ISessionsManagementService } from '../../../services/sessions/common/sessionsManagement.js';
+import { IProviderSessionType, ISessionsManagementService } from '../../../services/sessions/common/sessionsManagement.js';
 import { IAutomationSessionConfiguration } from '../../../services/sessions/common/sessionsProvider.js';
 import { showMobileWorkspacePickerSheet, shouldUseMobileWorkspacePickerSheet } from '../../chat/browser/mobile/mobileWorkspacePickerSheet.js';
 import { AutomationInputCompletions } from './automationInputCompletions.js';
@@ -500,6 +501,23 @@ const AUTOMATIONS_HARNESS_CHIP_ACTION_ID = 'workbench.action.chat.renderAutomati
 const AUTOMATIONS_WORKSPACE_PICKER_ACTION_ID = 'workbench.action.chat.renderAutomationsWorkspacePicker';
 const AUTOMATIONS_ISOLATION_GROUP_ACTION_ID = 'workbench.action.chat.renderAutomationsIsolationGroup';
 
+export function getAutomationTargetHint(target: Pick<IFormState, 'isQuickChat' | 'folderUri' | 'providerId' | 'sessionTypeId'>, sessionTypes: readonly IProviderSessionType[]): string | undefined {
+	if (!target.isQuickChat && !target.folderUri) {
+		return localize('automation.form.targetHint.choose', "Choose a workspace or No workspace to see which agents can run this automation.");
+	}
+	if (sessionTypes.length === 0) {
+		return localize('automation.form.targetHint.unavailable', "No agents are currently available for this target.");
+	}
+	if (sessionTypes.length === 1
+		&& sessionTypes[0].sessionType.id === target.sessionTypeId
+		&& (!target.providerId || sessionTypes[0].providerId === target.providerId)) {
+		return target.isQuickChat
+			? localize('automation.form.targetHint.singleQuickChat', "Only {0} is available without a workspace. Choose a workspace to use a different agent.", sessionTypes[0].sessionType.label)
+			: localize('automation.form.targetHint.singleWorkspace', "Only {0} is available for this workspace. Change the workspace to use a different agent.", sessionTypes[0].sessionType.label);
+	}
+	return undefined;
+}
+
 type BranchLoadState = 'noFolder' | 'loadingRepository' | 'noRepository' | 'loadingBranches' | 'ready' | 'empty' | 'error';
 
 function setAutomationControlVisible(container: HTMLElement, visible: boolean): void {
@@ -950,7 +968,7 @@ registerAction2(class OpenAutomationsWorkspacePickerAction extends Action2 {
 			menu: [{
 				id: MenuId.ChatInputSecondary,
 				group: 'navigation',
-				order: 0,
+				order: -2,
 				when: ChatContextKeys.inAutomationsDialog,
 			}],
 		});
@@ -1079,8 +1097,8 @@ export function renderForm(
 
 	// The picker is authoritative for the session type
 	const isolationModel = new AutomationIsolationModel(state);
-	const workspaceControlsVisible = derived(reader => !isolationModel.isQuickChatObs.read(reader));
-	const sessionTypePicker = disposables.add(instantiationService.createInstance(MobileSessionTypePicker, constObservable<ISession | undefined>(undefined), { persistSelection: false, telemetrySource: 'AutomationSessionTypePicker', showChevron: false }));
+	const workspaceControlsVisible = derived(reader => !isolationModel.isQuickChatObs.read(reader) && isolationModel.folderUriObs.read(reader) !== undefined);
+	const sessionTypePicker = disposables.add(instantiationService.createInstance(MobileSessionTypePicker, constObservable<ISession | undefined>(undefined), { persistSelection: false, telemetrySource: 'AutomationSessionTypePicker' }));
 	sessionTypePicker.setQuickChatSource(isolationModel.isQuickChatObs);
 	sessionTypePicker.setFolderSource(isolationModel.folderUriObs, {
 		initialPick: state.sessionTypeId
@@ -1115,6 +1133,7 @@ export function renderForm(
 
 	const workspacePicker = disposables.add(instantiationService.createInstance(MobileAutomationsWorkspacePicker, {
 		restoreFromSessions: false,
+		canRestoreWorkspace: () => false,
 		canSelectWorkspace: (folderUri, preferredProviderId) =>
 			canSelectAutomationWorkspace(folderUri, preferredProviderId, sessionsManagementService, workspaceTrustRequestService),
 	}));
@@ -1188,10 +1207,6 @@ export function renderForm(
 		}
 	}));
 
-	if (!state.isQuickChat && !state.folderUri && workspacePicker.selectedFolderUri) {
-		isolationModel.setWorkspace(workspacePicker.selectedFolderUri);
-	}
-
 	disposables.add(autorun(reader => {
 		isolationModel.isQuickChatObs.read(reader);
 		updateAutomationSessionTarget();
@@ -1339,6 +1354,33 @@ export function renderForm(
 	chatInput.render(promptHost, initialPrompt, stubWidget as IChatWidget);
 	chatInput.inputEditor.updateOptions({ placeholder: localize('automation.form.prompt.placeholder', "Describe what you want to automate") });
 	disposables.add(scopedInstantiationService.createInstance(AutomationInputCompletions, chatInput.inputEditor));
+	const targetHint = DOM.append(promptSection, $('.automation-target-hint'));
+	const targetHintMessage = DOM.append(targetHint, $('span.automation-target-hint-message', {
+		role: 'status',
+		'aria-atomic': 'true',
+	}));
+	const chooseWorkspaceContainer = DOM.append(targetHint, $('span.automation-target-hint-action'));
+	disposables.add(instantiationService.createInstance(Link, chooseWorkspaceContainer, {
+		label: localize('automation.form.chooseWorkspace', "Choose Workspace"),
+		href: '#',
+	}, {
+		opener: () => workspacePicker.showPicker(),
+	}));
+	const selectedSessionTypeChanged = observableSignalFromEvent(targetHint, sessionTypePicker.onDidChangeSelectedPick);
+	disposables.add(autorun(reader => {
+		sessionTypesChanged.read(reader);
+		selectedSessionTypeChanged.read(reader);
+		const isQuickChat = isolationModel.isQuickChatObs.read(reader);
+		const folderUri = isolationModel.folderUriObs.read(reader);
+		const sessionTypes = isQuickChat
+			? sessionsManagementService.getQuickChatSessionTypes()
+			: folderUri ? sessionsManagementService.getSessionTypesForFolder(folderUri) : [];
+		const message = getAutomationTargetHint(state, sessionTypes);
+		setAutomationControlVisible(targetHint, message !== undefined);
+		if (targetHintMessage.textContent !== (message ?? '')) {
+			targetHintMessage.textContent = message ?? '';
+		}
+	}));
 	const sessionConfigurationRow = DOM.append(promptSection, $('.automation-form-row'));
 	const sessionConfigurationLabel = DOM.append(sessionConfigurationRow, $('span.automation-form-label', {
 		id: 'automation-session-configuration-label',
@@ -1383,6 +1425,8 @@ export function renderForm(
 	}));
 	DOM.hide(sessionConfigurationError);
 	disposables.add(autorun(reader => {
+		const hasTarget = isolationModel.isQuickChatObs.read(reader) || isolationModel.folderUriObs.read(reader) !== undefined;
+		setAutomationControlVisible(sessionConfigurationRow, hasTarget);
 		const availability = automationSessionDraftSynchronizer.availability.read(reader);
 		const pending = availability === 'pending';
 		const controlsUnavailable = availability !== 'available';
@@ -1614,7 +1658,7 @@ export class AutomationsWorkspacePicker extends WorkspacePicker {
 		const noWorkspace = this.targetModel?.isQuickChat === true;
 		const label = noWorkspace
 			? localize('automation.form.noWorkspace', "No workspace")
-			: workspace?.label ?? localize('pickWorkspace', "workspace");
+			: workspace?.label ?? localize('automation.form.selectWorkspace', "Select workspace");
 		const icon = noWorkspace ? Codicon.commentDiscussion : workspace?.icon ?? Codicon.project;
 
 		trigger.setAttribute('aria-label', workspace || noWorkspace

src/vs/sessions/contrib/automations/browser/automationService.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 	isAutomationModelConfiguration,
 } from '../../../../workbench/contrib/chat/common/automations/automation.js';
 import {
+	AutomationCatalogueState,
 	type AutomationMutationGuard,
 	assertAutomationSessionTemplateAuthority,
 	IAutomationRunClaim,
@@ -122,14 +123,15 @@ export class AutomationStore extends Disposable implements IAutomationStore {
 
 	private readonly _automations: ISettableObservable<readonly IAutomationDescriptor[]>;
 	private readonly _runs: ISettableObservable<readonly IAutomationRun[]>;
+	private readonly _catalogueState: ISettableObservable<AutomationCatalogueState>;
 	private _now: () => Date;
 	private readonly _runsForCache = new Map<string, IObservable<readonly IAutomationRun[]>>();
 
 	private _lastSeenRevision = 0;
-	private _canCompleteMigration = true;
 
 	readonly automations: IObservable<readonly IAutomationDescriptor[]>;
 	readonly runs: IObservable<readonly IAutomationRun[]>;
+	readonly catalogueState: IObservable<AutomationCatalogueState>;
 
 	constructor(
 		private readonly storageKey: string,
@@ -144,14 +146,15 @@ export class AutomationStore extends Disposable implements IAutomationStore {
 
 		const result = this.readLedger(this.storageService.get(this.storageKey, StorageScope.APPLICATION));
 		const initial = result.kind === 'unsupportedSchema' ? EMPTY_LEDGER : result.ledger;
-		this._canCompleteMigration = result.kind === 'ledger';
 		if (result.kind !== 'unsupportedSchema') {
 			this._lastSeenRevision = result.revision;
 		}
 		this._automations = observableValue<readonly IAutomationDescriptor[]>(this, initial.automations);
 		this._runs = observableValue<readonly IAutomationRun[]>(this, initial.runs);
+		this._catalogueState = observableValue(this, result.kind === 'ledger' ? 'ready' : 'error');
 		this.automations = this._automations;
 		this.runs = this._runs;
+		this.catalogueState = this._catalogueState;
 
 		this._register(this.storageService.onDidChangeValue(StorageScope.APPLICATION, this.storageKey, this._store)(() => {
 			this.refreshFromStorage();
@@ -168,7 +171,7 @@ export class AutomationStore extends Disposable implements IAutomationStore {
 	}
 
 	canCompleteMigration(): boolean {
-		return this._canCompleteMigration;
+		return this._catalogueState.get() === 'ready';
 	}
 
 	runsFor(automationId: string): IObservable<readonly IAutomationRun[]> {
@@ -475,9 +478,11 @@ export class AutomationStore extends Disposable implements IAutomationStore {
 		while (true) {
 			const readResult = this.readLedger(raw);
 			if (readResult.kind === 'unsupportedSchema') {
+				this._catalogueState.set('error', undefined);
 				throw new Error('Cannot modify automations: storage was written by a newer version');
 			}
 			if (readResult.kind === 'invalid') {
+				this._catalogueState.set('error', undefined);
 				throw new Error('Cannot modify automations: persisted storage contains data this version cannot safely interpret');
 			}
 
@@ -512,30 +517,33 @@ export class AutomationStore extends Disposable implements IAutomationStore {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private acceptLedger(ledger: ILedger, revision: number): void {
+	private acceptLedger(ledger: ILedger, revision: number, catalogueState: AutomationCatalogueState = 'ready'): void {
 		if (revision < this._lastSeenRevision) {
+			if (catalogueState === 'error') {
+				this._catalogueState.set(catalogueState, undefined);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
-		this.setLedger(ledger, revision);
+		this.setLedger(ledger, revision, catalogueState);
 	}
 
-	private setLedger(ledger: ILedger, revision: number): void {
+	private setLedger(ledger: ILedger, revision: number, catalogueState: AutomationCatalogueState = 'ready'): void {
 		this._lastSeenRevision = revision;
 		transaction(tx => {
 			this._automations.set(ledger.automations, tx);
 			this._runs.set(ledger.runs, tx);
+			this._catalogueState.set(catalogueState, tx);
 		});
 	}
 
 	private refreshFromStorage(): void {
 		const result = this.readLedger(this.storageService.get(this.storageKey, StorageScope.APPLICATION));
 		if (result.kind === 'unsupportedSchema') {
-			this._canCompleteMigration = false;
+			this._catalogueState.set('error', undefined);
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this._canCompleteMigration = result.kind === 'ledger';
-		this.acceptLedger(result.ledger, result.revision);
+		this.acceptLedger(result.ledger, result.revision, result.kind === 'ledger' ? 'ready' : 'error');
 	}
 
 	private readLedger(raw: string | undefined): ReadLedgerResult {

src/vs/sessions/contrib/automations/browser/automationTools.ts

@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export class ListAutomationsTool implements IToolImpl {
 			icon: Codicon.calendar,
 			displayName: localize('automation.tool.list.displayName', "List Automations"),
 			userDescription: localize('automation.tool.list.userDescription', "List scheduled agent automations"),
-			modelDescription: 'List all configured scheduled automations and their stable IDs, editable fields, targets, and timing metadata. Use this before configureAutomation, runAutomation, or deleteAutomation when acting on an existing automation. This tool never changes automation state.',
+			modelDescription: 'List all currently available scheduled automations and their stable IDs, editable fields, targets, and timing metadata. The result includes catalogueState; only "ready" means the list is complete, so never interpret an empty non-ready result as no configured automations. Use this before configureAutomation, runAutomation, or deleteAutomation when acting on an existing automation. This tool never changes automation state.',
 			source: ToolDataSource.Internal,
 			when: automationToolWhen,
 			runsInWorkspace: false,
@@ -130,11 +130,14 @@ export class ListAutomationsTool implements IToolImpl {
 			return automationToolError('Automations are disabled.');
 		}
 
+		const catalogueState = this.automationService.catalogueState.get();
 		const automations = this.automationService.automations.get().map(toAutomationToolOutput);
-		const result = automationToolResult(JSON.stringify({ automations }, undefined, 2));
-		result.toolResultMessage = automations.length === 1
-			? localize('automation.tool.list.result.singular', "Listed 1 automation")
-			: localize('automation.tool.list.result.plural', "Listed {0} automations", automations.length);
+		const result = automationToolResult(JSON.stringify({ catalogueState, automations }, undefined, 2));
+		result.toolResultMessage = catalogueState !== 'ready'
+			? localize('automation.tool.list.result.incomplete', "Listed {0} available automations; catalogue is incomplete", automations.length)
+			: automations.length === 1
+				? localize('automation.tool.list.result.singular', "Listed 1 automation")
+				: localize('automation.tool.list.result.plural', "Listed {0} automations", automations.length);
 		return result;
 	}
 }