github / github/vscode-github-actions

Workflow dispatch fails for workflows in git submodules

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#596 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
bug
Dominant language
TypeScript
Stars
660
Forks
213
PR merge metrics
No merged PRs in 30d

Description

**Describe the bug**
When attempting to trigger a GitHub Actions workflow located in a git submodule (e.g., `host/.github/workflows/deploy.yml`), the extension fails with a 404 "Not Found" error. The extension incorrectly attempts to dispatch the workflow to the parent repository instead of the submodule's separate GitHub repository.

**To Reproduce**
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
1. Have a git repository with a submodule that has its own separate GitHub repository
2. The submodule contains GitHub Actions workflows in `.github/workflows/`
3. Open the workflow file in VSCode
4. Right-click and select "Trigger Run" or use the GitHub Actions explorer
5. See error: `404 Not Found` or similar repository not found error

**Expected behavior**
The extension should:
1. Detect that the workflow is located in a git submodule
2. Identify the correct GitHub repository for that submodule
3. Dispatch the workflow to the correct repository, not the parent

**Screenshots**
The error appears in the VSCode debug console when attempting to dispatch a workflow in the web submodule:
Image
The extension is attempting to dispatch to the parent repository instead of the submodule's separate GitHub repository.

A user-facing error notification is displayed:
Image

**Note:** Request IDs and repository names in the screenshot have been redacted for privacy.

**Extension Version**
`v0.31.5`

**Additional context**
This occurs in monorepo setups where submodules are separate GitHub repositories with their own workflows.
```
monorepo/ (Parent repo: github.com/owner/monorepo)
└── submodule/ (Submodule: github.com/owner/submodule)
└── .github/workflows/
└── deploy.yml ← Should dispatch to submodule repo
```

The extension's workflow dispatch logic needs to be aware of git submodules and route dispatch requests to the appropriate repository.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Reproduce the failure with a parent repository containing a submodule workflow at .github/workflows/deploy.yml, using Trigger Run or the GitHub Actions explorer. Trace the workflow-dispatch path and how the opened file's repository is identified. Done means dispatching targets the submodule repository and the 404 no longer occurs.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
git, github-actions, typescript, vscode
Domain
ci-cd, devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
55/100

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