galaxyproject / galaxyproject/loom
Orbit: agent can't read a dataset referenced by its visible HID -- "Invalid id length, must be multiple of 16"
- Dominant language
- TypeScript
- Stars
- 14
- Forks
- 12
- Avg merge
- 6d 5h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 17
Description
**Type:** enhancement (agent ergonomics / Galaxy MCP)
**Reported via:** beta feedback context, Orbit desktop app v0.4.1, provider openai / gpt-5-chat-latest
In a Galaxy RNA-seq session the user asked the agent to read a FastQC report by the HID shown in the history ("read hid 28"). The agent called `galaxy_get_dataset_details` with `dataset_id: "28"` and Galaxy returned:
> error 400: Value error, Invalid id length, must be multiple of 16 in ('path', 'dataset_id')
The agent couldn't recover; the user pushed back ("why can you not read it") and worked around it by downloading the file locally.
The visible HID (e.g. `28`) is what the history UI shows and what users naturally reference, but `get_dataset_details` requires the 16-char encoded dataset id. There's no resolution step and the raw 400 is opaque.
### Ask
Make HID references work end-to-end:
- accept an HID (+ history context) and resolve it to the encoded id (Galaxy MCP), and/or
- brain guidance so the agent resolves HID -> encoded id via `get_history_contents` before calling `get_dataset_details`, and humanizes the "Invalid id length" 400 instead of dead-ending.
Lower priority -- single observed occurrence, self-resolved -- but a recurring HID-vs-encoded-id friction class worth a guardrail.
### Related
- #272 (Galaxy MCP missing update_dataset -- same MCP dataset-op ergonomics area)
- #347 (in-app update affordance) -- surfaced from the same beta feedback row
Contributor guide
No contributing guide indexed for this repository
Research direction
Start at the Galaxy MCP entry points for get_history_contents and galaxy_get_dataset_details, then inspect the agent guidance that chooses dataset identifiers. Done means HID references resolve with history context and invalid-length responses become actionable, with coverage for both paths.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- typescript
- Domain
- ai, api
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 50/100