fix automation run inputs, hitl routing, and detail UI polish

surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/tools/automation/create.py

@@ -22,11 +22,14 @@ from typing import Any
 from uuid import UUID
 
 from fastapi import HTTPException
+from langchain.tools import ToolRuntime
 from langchain_core.messages import HumanMessage
 from langchain_core.tools import tool
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 
-from app.agents.new_chat.tools.hitl import request_approval
+from app.agents.multi_agent_chat.subagents.shared.hitl.approvals.self_gated import (
+    request_approval,
+)
 from app.automations.schemas.api import AutomationCreate
 from app.automations.services.automation import AutomationService
 from app.db import User, async_session_maker
@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ def create_create_automation_tool(
     uid = UUID(user_id) if isinstance(user_id, str) else user_id
 
     @tool
-    async def create_automation(intent: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    async def create_automation(intent: str, runtime: ToolRuntime) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Draft + save an automation from a natural-language intent.
 
         Use this when the user wants SurfSense to do something on its own
@@ -137,6 +140,7 @@ def create_create_automation_tool(
                 tool_name="create_automation",
                 params=card_params,
                 context={"search_space_id": search_space_id},
+                tool_call_id=runtime.tool_call_id,
             )
 
             if result.rejected:
@@ -200,6 +204,5 @@ def _extract_json(text: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
 
 def _format_validation_issues(exc: ValidationError) -> list[str]:
     return [
-        f"{'.'.join(str(p) for p in err['loc'])}: {err['msg']}"
-        for err in exc.errors()
+        f"{'.'.join(str(p) for p in err['loc'])}: {err['msg']}" for err in exc.errors()
     ]

surfsense_backend/app/agents/multi_agent_chat/subagents/shared/hitl/approvals/self_gated/request.py

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ def request_approval(
     params: dict[str, Any],
     context: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
     trusted_tools: list[str] | None = None,
+    tool_call_id: str | None = None,
 ) -> HITLResult:
     """Pause the graph for user approval and return the user's decision.
 
@@ -64,6 +65,10 @@ def request_approval(
             forwarded verbatim to the FE for richer card chrome.
         trusted_tools: Per-session allowlist; when ``tool_name`` is in it the
             interrupt is skipped and the tool runs immediately.
+        tool_call_id: Caller's LangChain tool-call id. Required for tools
+            running directly on the main agent; subagent-mounted tools omit
+            it (the ``task`` chokepoint stamps it on re-raise — see
+            :mod:`...checkpointed_subagent_middleware.propagation`).
 
     Returns:
         :class:`HITLResult` with ``rejected=True`` if the user declined or
@@ -90,6 +95,8 @@ def request_approval(
         interrupt_type=action_type,
         context=context,
     )
+    if tool_call_id:
+        payload["tool_call_id"] = tool_call_id
     approval = interrupt(payload)
 
     parsed = parse_lc_envelope(approval)

surfsense_backend/app/automations/dispatch/run.py

@@ -67,8 +67,15 @@ async def dispatch_run(
 def _validate_inputs(
     definition: AutomationDefinition, inputs: dict[str, Any]
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Validate merged inputs against the optional declared schema.
+
+    No declared schema → pass through (runtime inputs like ``fired_at`` /
+    ``last_fired_at`` and trigger ``static_inputs`` must still reach the
+    template context). Returning ``{}`` here strips them and makes Jinja
+    blow up on any ``{{ inputs.* }}`` reference.
+    """
     if definition.inputs is None or not definition.inputs.schema_:
-        return {}
+        return inputs
     try:
         jsonschema.validate(instance=inputs, schema=definition.inputs.schema_)
     except jsonschema.ValidationError as exc:

surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/automations/[automation_id]/automation-detail-content.tsx

@@ -77,10 +77,8 @@ export function AutomationDetailContent({
 			<AutomationTriggersSection
 				triggers={automation.triggers}
 				automationId={automation.id}
-				searchSpaceId={searchSpaceId}
 				canUpdate={perms.canUpdate}
 				canDelete={perms.canDelete}
-				canCreate={perms.canCreate}
 			/>
 
 			<AutomationRunsSection automationId={automation.id} />

surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/automations/[automation_id]/components/automation-triggers-section.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 "use client";
-import { CalendarClock, MessageSquarePlus } from "lucide-react";
-import Link from "next/link";
-import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { CalendarClock } from "lucide-react";
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import type { Trigger } from "@/contracts/types/automation.types";
 import { TriggerCard } from "./trigger-card";
@@ -9,43 +7,28 @@ import { TriggerCard } from "./trigger-card";
 interface AutomationTriggersSectionProps {
 	triggers: Trigger[];
 	automationId: number;
-	searchSpaceId: number;
 	canUpdate: boolean;
 	canDelete: boolean;
-	canCreate: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
  * The Triggers card. Lists each attached trigger with its own enable
- * toggle and remove button. Adding a new trigger is intent-driven (via
- * chat) for v1 — same philosophy as creating an automation, so the
- * empty/add CTA links to a new chat rather than opening a form.
+ * toggle and remove button. v1 attaches triggers at automation-creation
+ * time only; there is no in-place "add trigger" affordance here.
  */
 export function AutomationTriggersSection({
 	triggers,
 	automationId,
-	searchSpaceId,
 	canUpdate,
 	canDelete,
-	canCreate,
 }: AutomationTriggersSectionProps) {
 	return (
 		<Card>
-			<CardHeader className="flex flex-row items-center justify-between space-y-0 pb-4">
-				<div className="space-y-1">
-					<CardTitle className="text-base font-semibold">Triggers</CardTitle>
-					<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-						When this automation fires. v1 supports scheduled triggers only.
-					</p>
-				</div>
-				{canCreate && (
-					<Button asChild variant="outline" size="sm">
-						<Link href={`/dashboard/${searchSpaceId}/new-chat`}>
-							<MessageSquarePlus className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-							Add via chat
-						</Link>
-					</Button>
-				)}
+			<CardHeader className="pb-4">
+				<CardTitle className="text-base font-semibold">Triggers</CardTitle>
+				<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+					When this automation fires. v1 supports scheduled triggers only.
+				</p>
 			</CardHeader>
 			<CardContent>
 				{triggers.length === 0 ? (

surfsense_web/app/dashboard/[search_space_id]/automations/[automation_id]/components/trigger-card.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Switch } from "@/components/ui/switch";
 import type { Trigger } from "@/contracts/types/automation.types";
 import { describeCron } from "@/lib/automations/describe-cron";
-import { formatRelativeDate } from "@/lib/format-date";
+import { formatRelativeDate, formatRelativeFutureDate } from "@/lib/format-date";
 import { DeleteTriggerDialog } from "./delete-trigger-dialog";
 
 interface TriggerCardProps {
@@ -91,11 +91,18 @@ export function TriggerCard({ trigger, automationId, canUpdate, canDelete }: Tri
 
 				<div className="px-4 py-3 space-y-3 text-xs">
 					{(trigger.last_fired_at || trigger.next_fire_at) && (
-						<dl className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-x-6 gap-y-1.5">
+						<dl className="grid grid-cols-[auto_minmax(0,1fr)] items-baseline gap-x-3 gap-y-1">
 							{trigger.next_fire_at && (
-								<TimeRow label="Next fire" iso={trigger.next_fire_at} highlight={trigger.enabled} />
+								<TimeRow
+									label="Next fire"
+									iso={trigger.next_fire_at}
+									tense="future"
+									highlight={trigger.enabled}
+								/>
+							)}
+							{trigger.last_fired_at && (
+								<TimeRow label="Last fired" iso={trigger.last_fired_at} tense="past" />
 							)}
-							{trigger.last_fired_at && <TimeRow label="Last fired" iso={trigger.last_fired_at} />}
 						</dl>
 					)}
 
@@ -126,17 +133,20 @@ export function TriggerCard({ trigger, automationId, canUpdate, canDelete }: Tri
 function TimeRow({
 	label,
 	iso,
+	tense,
 	highlight = false,
 }: {
 	label: string;
 	iso: string;
+	tense: "past" | "future";
 	highlight?: boolean;
 }) {
+	const formatted = tense === "future" ? formatRelativeFutureDate(iso) : formatRelativeDate(iso);
 	return (
-		<div className="flex items-baseline gap-2 min-w-0">
-			<dt className="text-muted-foreground shrink-0 inline-flex items-center gap-1">
+		<>
+			<dt className="text-muted-foreground inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 whitespace-nowrap">
 				<Clock className="h-3 w-3" aria-hidden />
-				{label}:
+				{label}
 			</dt>
 			<dd
 				className={
@@ -144,9 +154,10 @@ function TimeRow({
 						? "text-foreground font-medium min-w-0 truncate"
 						: "text-muted-foreground min-w-0 truncate"
 				}
+				title={new Date(iso).toLocaleString()}
 			>
-				{formatRelativeDate(iso)}
+				{formatted}
 			</dd>
-		</div>
+		</>
 	);
 }

surfsense_web/components/tool-ui/automation/create-automation.tsx

@@ -2,16 +2,26 @@
 
 import type { ToolCallMessagePartProps } from "@assistant-ui/react";
 import { useAtomValue } from "jotai";
-import { CornerDownLeftIcon, ExternalLink, Workflow } from "lucide-react";
+import {
+	AlertCircle,
+	Code,
+	CornerDownLeftIcon,
+	ExternalLink,
+	Pencil,
+	Workflow,
+} from "lucide-react";
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import { activeSearchSpaceIdAtom } from "@/atoms/search-spaces/search-space-query.atoms";
 import { TextShimmerLoader } from "@/components/prompt-kit/loader";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { automationCreateRequest } from "@/contracts/types/automation.types";
 import type { HitlDecision, InterruptResult } from "@/features/chat-messages/hitl";
 import { isInterruptResult, useHitlDecision, useHitlPhase } from "@/features/chat-messages/hitl";
 import { AutomationDraftPreview } from "./automation-draft-preview";
 
+const editArgsSchema = automationCreateRequest.omit({ search_space_id: true });
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Result discrimination — mirrors the backend return shapes in
 // app/agents/multi_agent_chat/main_agent/tools/automation/create.py.
@@ -62,12 +72,11 @@ function hasStatus(value: unknown, status: string): boolean {
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Approval card — pending → processing → complete / rejected.
 //
-// v1 deliberately supports only approve/reject. The drafted JSON is complex
-// (full plan + triggers) and we already have a multi-turn refinement path via
-// chat ("make it run at 10am instead" → the agent re-calls the tool with a
-// refined intent). An in-card edit form would duplicate that flow and add UX
-// surface area we don't need yet — leave it for the raw-JSON path on the
-// detail page.
+// Edit toggle reuses the same primitives as the Create-via-JSON page: raw
+// textarea, Format, Zod validation against ``AutomationCreate`` (minus the
+// ``search_space_id`` field, which the backend injects). Approve dispatches
+// an ``edit`` decision with the parsed args when edits are pending, otherwise
+// a plain ``approve``. Multi-turn chat refinement still works as a fallback.
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 interface ApprovalCardProps {
@@ -83,28 +92,34 @@ function ApprovalCard({ args, interruptData, onDecision }: ApprovalCardProps) {
 	const allowedDecisions = reviewConfig?.allowed_decisions ?? ["approve", "reject"];
 	const canApprove = allowedDecisions.includes("approve");
 	const canReject = allowedDecisions.includes("reject");
+	const canEdit = allowedDecisions.includes("edit");
 
-	const draft = useMemo(() => extractDraft(args), [args]);
+	const [pendingEdits, setPendingEdits] = useState<Record<string, unknown> | null>(null);
+	const [isEditing, setIsEditing] = useState(false);
+
+	const effectiveArgs = pendingEdits ?? args;
+	const draft = useMemo(() => extractDraft(effectiveArgs), [effectiveArgs]);
 
 	const handleApprove = useCallback(() => {
-		if (phase !== "pending" || !canApprove) return;
+		if (phase !== "pending" || !canApprove || isEditing) return;
 		setProcessing();
 		onDecision({
-			type: "approve",
+			type: pendingEdits ? "edit" : "approve",
 			edited_action: {
 				name: interruptData.action_requests[0]?.name ?? "create_automation",
-				args,
+				args: pendingEdits ?? args,
 			},
 		});
-	}, [phase, canApprove, setProcessing, onDecision, interruptData, args]);
+	}, [phase, canApprove, isEditing, setProcessing, onDecision, interruptData, args, pendingEdits]);
 
 	const handleReject = useCallback(() => {
-		if (phase !== "pending" || !canReject) return;
+		if (phase !== "pending" || !canReject || isEditing) return;
 		setRejected();
 		onDecision({ type: "reject", message: "User rejected the automation draft." });
-	}, [phase, canReject, setRejected, onDecision]);
+	}, [phase, canReject, isEditing, setRejected, onDecision]);
 
 	useEffect(() => {
+		if (isEditing) return;
 		const handler = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
 			if (e.key === "Enter" && !e.shiftKey && !e.ctrlKey && !e.metaKey) {
 				handleApprove();
@@ -112,46 +127,77 @@ function ApprovalCard({ args, interruptData, onDecision }: ApprovalCardProps) {
 		};
 		window.addEventListener("keydown", handler);
 		return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", handler);
-	}, [handleApprove]);
+	}, [handleApprove, isEditing]);
 
 	return (
 		<div className="my-4 max-w-lg overflow-hidden rounded-2xl border bg-muted/30 transition-[box-shadow] duration-300">
-			<div className="flex items-start gap-3 px-5 pt-5 pb-4 select-none">
-				<Workflow className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground mt-0.5 shrink-0" aria-hidden />
-				<div className="min-w-0">
-					<p className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">
-						{phase === "rejected"
-							? "Automation cancelled"
-							: phase === "processing"
-								? "Saving automation"
-								: phase === "complete"
-									? "Automation saved"
-									: "Create automation"}
-					</p>
-					{phase === "processing" ? (
-						<TextShimmerLoader text="Saving automation" size="sm" />
-					) : phase === "complete" ? (
-						<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
-							Automation created from this draft
+			<div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3 px-5 pt-5 pb-4 select-none">
+				<div className="flex items-start gap-3 min-w-0">
+					<Workflow className="h-5 w-5 text-muted-foreground mt-0.5 shrink-0" aria-hidden />
+					<div className="min-w-0">
+						<p className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground">
+							{phase === "rejected"
+								? "Automation cancelled"
+								: phase === "processing"
+									? "Saving automation"
+									: phase === "complete"
+										? "Automation saved"
+										: "Create automation"}
 						</p>
-					) : phase === "rejected" ? (
-						<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
-							No automation was saved — ask in chat to refine and try again.
-						</p>
-					) : (
-						<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
-							Review and approve to save. To change anything, reply in chat — I'll redraft.
-						</p>
-					)}
+						{phase === "processing" ? (
+							<TextShimmerLoader
+								text={pendingEdits ? "Saving with your edits" : "Saving automation"}
+								size="sm"
+							/>
+						) : phase === "complete" ? (
+							<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
+								{pendingEdits
+									? "Automation saved with your edits"
+									: "Automation created from this draft"}
+							</p>
+						) : phase === "rejected" ? (
+							<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
+								No automation was saved — ask in chat to refine and try again.
+							</p>
+						) : (
+							<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
+								{pendingEdits
+									? "Showing your edits. Approve to save, or edit again."
+									: "Review and approve to save. Edit for fine-tuning, or reply in chat for a redraft."}
+							</p>
+						)}
+					</div>
 				</div>
+				{phase === "pending" && canEdit && !isEditing && (
+					<Button
+						size="sm"
+						variant="ghost"
+						className="rounded-lg text-muted-foreground -mt-1 -mr-2 shrink-0"
+						onClick={() => setIsEditing(true)}
+					>
+						<Pencil className="size-3.5" />
+						Edit
+					</Button>
+				)}
 			</div>
 
 			<div className="mx-5 h-px bg-border/50" />
 			<div className="px-5 py-4">
-				<AutomationDraftPreview draft={draft} raw={args} />
+				{isEditing ? (
+					<JsonEditor
+						initialValue={effectiveArgs}
+						onSave={(parsed) => {
+							setPendingEdits(parsed);
+							setIsEditing(false);
+						}}
+						onCancel={() => setIsEditing(false)}
+					/>
+				) : (
+					<AutomationDraftPreview draft={draft} raw={effectiveArgs} />
+				)}
 			</div>
 
-			{phase === "pending" && (
+			{phase === "pending" && !isEditing && (
 				<>
 					<div className="mx-5 h-px bg-border/50" />
 					<div className="px-5 py-4 flex items-center gap-2 select-none">
@@ -178,6 +224,85 @@ function ApprovalCard({ args, interruptData, onDecision }: ApprovalCardProps) {
 	);
 }
 
+interface JsonEditorProps {
+	initialValue: Record<string, unknown>;
+	onSave: (parsed: Record<string, unknown>) => void;
+	onCancel: () => void;
+}
+
+function JsonEditor({ initialValue, onSave, onCancel }: JsonEditorProps) {
+	const [text, setText] = useState(() => JSON.stringify(initialValue, null, 2));
+	const [issues, setIssues] = useState<string[]>([]);
+
+	function handleFormat() {
+		try {
+			setText(JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(text), null, 2));
+			setIssues([]);
+		} catch (err) {
+			setIssues([`Cannot format — not valid JSON: ${(err as Error).message}`]);
+		}
+	}
+
+	function handleSave() {
+		setIssues([]);
+		let parsed: unknown;
+		try {
+			parsed = JSON.parse(text);
+		} catch (err) {
+			setIssues([`Invalid JSON: ${(err as Error).message}`]);
+			return;
+		}
+		const result = editArgsSchema.safeParse(parsed);
+		if (!result.success) {
+			setIssues(
+				result.error.issues.map((issue) => `${issue.path.join(".") || "(root)"}: ${issue.message}`)
+			);
+			return;
+		}
+		onSave(result.data as unknown as Record<string, unknown>);
+	}
+
+	return (
+		<div className="space-y-3">
+			<textarea
+				value={text}
+				onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)}
+				spellCheck={false}
+				rows={16}
+				className="w-full rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-3 py-2 text-xs font-mono text-foreground shadow-sm focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-ring resize-y min-h-[12rem]"
+				aria-label="Automation JSON"
+			/>
+			{issues.length > 0 && (
+				<div className="rounded-md border border-destructive/30 bg-destructive/5 px-3 py-2">
+					<div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs font-medium text-destructive">
+						<AlertCircle className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden />
+						{issues.length} issue{issues.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}
+					</div>
+					<ul className="mt-1.5 space-y-0.5 text-xs text-destructive/90 list-disc list-inside">
+						{issues.map((issue) => (
+							<li key={issue} className="font-mono">
+								{issue}
+							</li>
+						))}
+					</ul>
+				</div>
+			)}
+			<div className="flex items-center justify-end gap-2">
+				<Button type="button" variant="ghost" size="sm" onClick={onCancel}>
+					Cancel
+				</Button>
+				<Button type="button" variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={handleFormat}>
+					<Code className="mr-1.5 h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+					Format
+				</Button>
+				<Button type="button" size="sm" onClick={handleSave}>
+					Save edits
+				</Button>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+	);
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Terminal result cards.
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

surfsense_web/lib/format-date.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-import { differenceInDays, differenceInMinutes, format, isToday, isYesterday } from "date-fns";
+import {
+	differenceInDays,
+	differenceInMinutes,
+	format,
+	isThisYear,
+	isToday,
+	isTomorrow,
+	isYesterday,
+} from "date-fns";
 
 /**
  * Format a date string as a human-readable relative time
@@ -23,6 +31,36 @@ export function formatRelativeDate(dateString: string): string {
 	return format(date, "MMM d, yyyy");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Format a future date string as a human-readable countdown.
+ * - < 1 min: "Any moment"
+ * - < 60 min: "in 15m"
+ * - Today: "Today, 2:30 PM"
+ * - Tomorrow: "Tomorrow, 2:30 PM"
+ * - < 7 days: "in 3d"
+ * - This year: "May 30, 2:30 PM"
+ * - Older: "Jan 15, 2027"
+ *
+ * Mirrors {@link formatRelativeDate} but for moments strictly after now.
+ * Falls back to the past-relative formatter if the timestamp is not in
+ * the future (defensive — guards against stale "next_fire_at" values).
+ */
+export function formatRelativeFutureDate(dateString: string): string {
+	const date = new Date(dateString);
+	const now = new Date();
+	const minutesAhead = differenceInMinutes(date, now);
+	const daysAhead = differenceInDays(date, now);
+
+	if (minutesAhead <= 0) return formatRelativeDate(dateString);
+	if (minutesAhead < 1) return "Any moment";
+	if (minutesAhead < 60) return `in ${minutesAhead}m`;
+	if (isToday(date)) return `Today, ${format(date, "h:mm a")}`;
+	if (isTomorrow(date)) return `Tomorrow, ${format(date, "h:mm a")}`;
+	if (daysAhead < 7) return `in ${daysAhead}d`;
+	if (isThisYear(date)) return format(date, "MMM d, h:mm a");
+	return format(date, "MMM d, yyyy");
+}
+
 /**
  * Format a thread's last-updated timestamp for the chats sidebars.
  * Example: "Mar 23, 2026 at 4:30 PM"