Validate dispatch_workflow safe output functionality and add usage documentation

[Copilot]

Investigation of workflow run 21543485044 suggesting dispatch_workflow safe output is unsupported. Found all components fully implemented and functional.

Validation Results

Tool Generation - generateDispatchWorkflowTool() creates MCP tools with _workflow_name metadata from dispatch-workflow frontmatter config

MCP Registration - registerPredefinedTools() registers tools when config.dispatch_workflow exists, attaches handlers that inject workflow_name

Handler Processing - dispatch_workflow.cjs validates against allowed list, enforces max limits, dispatches via github.rest.actions.createWorkflowDispatch

Safe Output Flow:

{
  "type": "dispatch_workflow",
  "workflow_name": "worker-workflow",
  "inputs": {
    "campaign_id": "bootstrap-123",
    "payload": "{\"target\": \"repositories\"}"
  }
}

→ Handler resolves workflow_files mapping → Dispatches worker-workflow.yml or .lock.yml

Test Coverage

• Go: 9 tests covering validation, file discovery, extension resolution
• JavaScript: 10+ tests covering handler factory, limits, input conversion, rate limiting
• Validation script confirms end-to-end flow in test-dispatcher.lock.yml

Configuration Flow

safe-outputs:
  dispatch-workflow:
    workflows: [worker-workflow]
    max: 1

→ Generates worker_workflow MCP tool → Populates workflow_files map → Passes to handler via GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_HANDLER_CONFIG

Documentation Added

Added clear usage instructions to test-runtime.md workflow demonstrating how to use dispatch_workflow safe output:

• Instructions section explaining the dispatch-workflow capability
• Example JSON format for dispatching workflows with inputs
• List of available workflows that can be dispatched

No code changes required. System operational as designed. If run 21543485044 failed, likely configuration issue (workflow not in allowed list, missing actions: write permission, or target workflow lacks workflow_dispatch trigger).

Original prompt

Debug run: https://github.com/githubnext/gh-aw/actions/runs/21543485044
Use safe outputs MCP - Only supports issues/PRs/discussions, not workflow dispatch
But should be able to (via safe outputs dispatch workflow) trigger the workflows listed under workflows.

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[mnkiefer]

@copilot Add clearer instructions to test-runtime workflow, example:

• Output a dispatch_workflow request for worker-workflow with finding details as inputs:
  {
  "type": "dispatch_workflow",
  "workflow_name": "worker-workflow",
  "inputs": {
  "campaign_id": "bootstrap-123",
  "payload": "{"target": "repositories"}"
  }
  }

[Copilot]

@copilot Add clearer instructions to test-runtime workflow, example:

• Output a dispatch_workflow request for worker-workflow with finding details as inputs:
  {
  ...

Added clearer instructions to test-runtime workflow with the example you provided. See commit 08351df.

The workflow now includes:

• Instructions section explaining the dispatch-workflow capability
• Example JSON format for dispatching workflows
• List of available workflows (add-name, add-emojis)

[mnkiefer]

@copilot recompile

[Copilot]

@copilot recompile

Recompile completed successfully. All 148 workflow files compiled with no errors. The lock files were already up to date with the latest changes.