Test: Shareable Automations

[ulugbekna]

Refs: #329075, #329635, #329990, #335549

• macOS Vritant Bhardwaj (@vritant24)
• windows Benjamin Christopher Simmonds (@benibenj)
• linux Raymond Zhao (@rzhao271)

Complexity: 4

Authors: Ulugbek Abdullaev (@ulugbekna)

Create Issue

---

Automations can now be shared as .automation.md files and contributed as templates by Agent Plugins.

This test is intentionally exploratory. Please focus on whether sharing feels understandable, safe, and polished rather than checking every possible file-format edge case. Share anything that feels confusing, surprising, noisy, or especially useful.

Imported Automations always open in the New Automation dialog for review and start disabled. Files and plugin templates contain the name, prompt, and schedule, but do not carry a workspace, provider, model, permissions, enabled state, or run history.

Setup

1. Use the latest desktop VS Code Insiders with the Agents Window and Automations enabled.
2. Create one Automation that runs on schedule (recurring automation) and one Automation that's run only manually (manual automation). You will export these to make the valid test files.
3. Enable an Agent Plugin that contributes at least one Automation template. If you do not have one, use the minimal local plugin below.

Minimal local plugin setup

Create this structure and add the absolute path of automation-test-plugin to chat.pluginLocations:

automation-test-plugin/
├── plugin.json
└── automations/
    └── plugin-review.automation.md

plugin.json:

{
  "$schema": "https://agent-plugins.org/schemas/1.0.0/plugin.schema.json",
  "name": "automation-test-plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Test plugin for Automation templates."
}

automations/plugin-review.automation.md:

---
version: 1
id: plugin-review
name: Plugin review
description: Review the workspace using a plugin template.
schedule:
  kind: manual
---
Review the workspace and summarize important changes.

Test

Share an Automation as a file

1. Hover or focus a recurring Automation, open its vertical More Actions button, and select Export.
2. Save the proposed .automation.md file and open it in an editor.
   • It should be readable Markdown with YAML frontmatter.
   • The prompt and schedule should match the Automation.
   • It should not contain the workspace, provider/model choices, permissions, enabled state, or run history.
3. Export the Manual Automation and confirm its schedule says kind: manual rather than containing a cron expression.
4. Use Import Automation to import the Manual or recurring test file.
   • The New Automation dialog should contain the expected name, prompt, and schedule.
   • Enabled should be unchecked.
5. Choose a local target, create the Automation, and try Run now.

As you go, consider whether the filename, file contents, schedule representation, and review flow feel understandable and trustworthy.

Explore Automation card actions

1. Hover or focus a saved Automation.
   • The card should reveal Run now and a vertical More Actions button.
   • Delete should not appear as a separate inline button.
2. Right-click the card.
   • The Automation actions menu should not open.
3. Activate More Actions with the pointer, Enter, and Space.
   • The existing Automation menu should open from the button without opening the Edit Automation dialog.
   • Disable should be the first item for an enabled Automation.
   • After disabling it, Enable should replace Disable as the first item.
   • Duplicate, Export, and Delete should remain below the enablement action.
4. Navigate between Run now and More Actions with the keyboard.
   • Focus should remain visible, and the action buttons should stay revealed while the menu is open.

Please note whether the explicit menu is easier to discover than card right-click and whether the Enable/Disable placement feels predictable.

Try drag-and-drop

1. Drag one valid .automation.md file anywhere over the Automations view.
   • A full-view drop affordance should appear.
   • Dropping should open the same review dialog as Import Automation, with Enabled unchecked.
2. Try dropping a non-Automation file or multiple files.
   • Nothing should be imported.
   • The error should explain what the user needs to do.

Please note whether drag-and-drop feels discoverable and whether the feedback is clear.

Explore built-in and plugin templates

1. Look at Built-in Templates and Templates from Plugins.
   • With saved Automations, both sections should start folded.
   • With no saved Automations, available sections should start expanded.
2. Expand both sections and inspect a few cards.
   • Plugin templates should show a Plugin badge and identify their source plugin.
   • Content should align under the section title, not under the chevron.
3. Select a plugin template.
   • The New Automation dialog should open with its content and Enabled unchecked.
4. Create one Automation from a plugin template, then disable the plugin.
   • The plugin's templates should disappear.
   • The created Automation and any run history should remain.

Please share whether the distinction between built-in and plugin templates is clear and whether either section feels too prominent or too hidden.

Notice newly added plugin templates

1. Keep at least one saved Automation and leave Templates from Plugins folded.
2. Enable a plugin or add a new Automation template to an enabled plugin.
   • A small blue marker should appear beside Templates from Plugins.
3. Expand the section.
   • The marker should clear.
4. Reload or reopen the view.
   • Already-seen templates should not be marked new again.

Please comment on whether the marker is noticeable without being distracting.

Quick accessibility and visual pass

1. Tab to both template section headers.
   • Enter and Space should expand or collapse them.
   • Keyboard focus should remain visible.
2. Open Show Accessibility Help and Open Accessible View from the Automations view.
   • They should explain or summarize file sharing and both template sections without reading full template prompts.
3. If convenient, briefly try another color theme or a narrow window.
   • Cards, chevrons, the blue marker, and the drop affordance should remain clear.

Experience feedback

Along with bugs, please share any impressions about:

• where you expected Import and Export to live
• whether disabled-by-default imports felt reassuring or confusing
• whether cron in the exported file was understandable
• whether plugin source attribution inspired enough trust
• anything that made you hesitate or required explanation
• anything that felt especially smooth or valuable