Improve delete, pause & activate workflow UX

.changeset/folderless-pause-delete.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"cre-cli": minor
+---
+
+`cre workflow pause`, `cre workflow delete` and `cre workflow activate` no longer require the project folder. The positional argument now accepts a workflow folder path (unchanged legacy flow), a workflow name, or an on-chain workflow ID, and can be omitted entirely for an interactive picker of your deployed workflows (resolved from the CRE platform, like `cre workflow list`). Folder-less on-chain workflows require `--rpc-url` and `CRE_ETH_PRIVATE_KEY`; new flags `--owner` and `--registry` scope name resolution. MSIG flows (`--unsigned`/`--changeset`) still require the project folder.

cmd/client/client_factory.go

@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ import (
 
 type Factory interface {
 	NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(ctx context.Context) (*WorkflowRegistryV2Client, error)
+	// NewWorkflowRegistryV2ClientWithRPC builds a registry client against an explicit
+	// RPC URL and registry contract address, for flows that run without project settings.
+	NewWorkflowRegistryV2ClientWithRPC(ctx context.Context, rpcURL, registryAddress string) (*WorkflowRegistryV2Client, error)
 	GetTxType() TxType
 	GetSkipConfirmation() bool
 }
@@ -48,6 +51,19 @@ func (f *factoryImpl) NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(ctx context.Context) (*Workflo
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create client for chain %q: %w", environmentSet.WorkflowRegistryChainName, err)
 	}
 
+	return f.newRegistryClient(ctx, ethClient, environmentSet.WorkflowRegistryAddress)
+}
+
+func (f *factoryImpl) NewWorkflowRegistryV2ClientWithRPC(ctx context.Context, rpcURL, registryAddress string) (*WorkflowRegistryV2Client, error) {
+	ethClient, err := NewEthClientFromEnv(f.viper, f.logger, rpcURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create client for registry chain via --%s: %w", settings.Flags.RPCURL.Name, err)
+	}
+
+	return f.newRegistryClient(ctx, ethClient, registryAddress)
+}
+
+func (f *factoryImpl) newRegistryClient(ctx context.Context, ethClient *seth.Client, registryAddress string) (*WorkflowRegistryV2Client, error) {
 	txcConfig := TxClientConfig{
 		TxType:       f.GetTxType(),
 		LedgerConfig: f.getLedgerConfig(),
@@ -57,13 +73,13 @@ func (f *factoryImpl) NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(ctx context.Context) (*Workflo
 	workflowRegistryV2Client := NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(
 		f.logger,
 		ethClient,
-		environmentSet.WorkflowRegistryAddress,
+		registryAddress,
 		txcConfig,
 	)
 
 	typeAndVersion, err := workflowRegistryV2Client.TypeAndVersion(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return workflowRegistryV2Client, fmt.Errorf("failed to get type and version of workflow registry contract at %s: %w", environmentSet.WorkflowRegistryAddress, err)
+		return workflowRegistryV2Client, fmt.Errorf("failed to get type and version of workflow registry contract at %s: %w", registryAddress, err)
 	}
 
 	if !strings.Contains(typeAndVersion, constants.WorkflowRegistryV2TypeAndVersion) {

cmd/root.go

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/cmd/version"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/cmd/whoami"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/cmd/workflow"
+	workflowcommon "github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/cmd/workflow/common"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/context"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/creconfig"
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ func newRootCommand() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			// load settings from yaml files
-			if isLoadSettings(cmd) {
+			if isLoadSettings(cmd) && !isFolderlessLifecycleInvocation(cmd, args, v.GetString(settings.Flags.ProjectRoot.Name)) {
 				if showSpinner {
 					spinner.Update("Loading settings...")
 				}
@@ -551,6 +552,20 @@ func newRootCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	return rootCmd
 }
 
+// isFolderlessLifecycleInvocation reports whether a workflow pause/delete/activate
+// invocation resolves its workflow remotely (by name, on-chain ID, or
+// interactive picker) instead of reading project and workflow settings from
+// disk. Folder-less invocations skip the settings load entirely, like
+// `cre workflow list` does.
+func isFolderlessLifecycleInvocation(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, projectRootFlag string) bool {
+	switch cmd.CommandPath() {
+	case "cre workflow pause", "cre workflow delete", "cre workflow activate":
+		return workflowcommon.IsFolderlessInvocation(args, projectRootFlag)
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 func isLoadSettings(cmd *cobra.Command) bool {
 	// It is not expected to have the settings file when running the following commands
 	var excludedCommands = map[string]struct{}{

cmd/secrets/common/test_helpers.go

@@ -54,6 +54,15 @@ func (m *MockClientFactory) NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(ctx context.Context) (*c
 	return c, args.Error(1)
 }
 
+func (m *MockClientFactory) NewWorkflowRegistryV2ClientWithRPC(ctx context.Context, rpcURL, registryAddress string) (*client.WorkflowRegistryV2Client, error) {
+	args := m.Called(ctx, rpcURL, registryAddress)
+	var c *client.WorkflowRegistryV2Client
+	if v := args.Get(0); v != nil {
+		c = v.(*client.WorkflowRegistryV2Client)
+	}
+	return c, args.Error(1)
+}
+
 func (m *MockClientFactory) GetTxType() client.TxType {
 	panic("not used in these tests")
 }

cmd/workflow/activate/activate.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package activate
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/settings"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/ui"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/validation"
+	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/workflowresolve"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -25,21 +27,39 @@ type Inputs struct {
 	WorkflowName     string `validate:"workflow_name"`
 	WorkflowOwner    string `validate:"workflow_owner"`
 	DonFamily        string `validate:"required"`
+	WorkflowID       string
+	RPCURL           string
 	SkipConfirmation bool
 	NonInteractive   bool
 }
 
 func New(runtimeContext *runtime.Context) *cobra.Command {
 	activateCmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:     "activate <workflow-folder-path>",
-		Short:   "Activates workflow on the Workflow Registry contract",
-		Long:    `Changes workflow status to active on the Workflow Registry contract`,
-		Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-		Example: `cre workflow activate ./my-workflow`,
+		Use:   "activate [workflow-name-or-id | workflow-folder-path]",
+		Short: "Activates workflow on the Workflow Registry contract",
+		Long: `Changes workflow status to active on the Workflow Registry contract.
+
+The argument can be a workflow folder path (project-based flow), a workflow
+name, or an on-chain workflow ID. When the argument is a name or ID — or is
+omitted for an interactive picker — no project folder is needed; the workflow
+is resolved from the CRE platform. On-chain workflows additionally require
+--rpc-url and CRE_ETH_PRIVATE_KEY in that mode. --target and --project-root
+are ignored in this mode.`,
+		Args: cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
+		Example: `cre workflow activate ./my-workflow
+  cre workflow activate my-workflow
+  cre workflow activate 00da21b8b3e117e31f3a3e8a0795225cbde6c00283a84395117669691f2b7856
+  cre workflow activate my-workflow --rpc-url https://... --yes
+  cre workflow activate   # interactive picker`,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			handler := newHandler(runtimeContext)
 
-			inputs, err := handler.ResolveInputs(runtimeContext.Viper)
+			arg := ""
+			if len(args) == 1 {
+				arg = args[0]
+			}
+
+			inputs, err := handler.ResolveInputs(cmd.Context(), runtimeContext.Viper, arg)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -54,6 +74,7 @@ func New(runtimeContext *runtime.Context) *cobra.Command {
 
 	settings.AddTxnTypeFlags(activateCmd)
 	settings.AddSkipConfirmation(activateCmd)
+	settings.AddFolderlessLifecycleFlags(activateCmd)
 
 	return activateCmd
 }
@@ -66,6 +87,10 @@ type handler struct {
 	inputs         Inputs
 	runtimeContext *runtime.Context
 
+	// folderlessRow is the platform workflow row when running without a project
+	// folder; nil in the legacy project-based flow.
+	folderlessRow *workflowresolve.Workflow
+
 	validated bool
 	execCtx   context.Context
 }
@@ -83,19 +108,73 @@ func newHandler(ctx *runtime.Context) *handler {
 	return &h
 }
 
-func (h *handler) ResolveInputs(v *viper.Viper) (Inputs, error) {
+func (h *handler) ResolveInputs(ctx context.Context, v *viper.Viper, arg string) (Inputs, error) {
+	inputs := Inputs{
+		SkipConfirmation: v.GetBool(settings.Flags.SkipConfirmation.Name),
+		NonInteractive:   v.GetBool(settings.Flags.NonInteractive.Name),
+		RPCURL:           strings.TrimSpace(v.GetString(settings.Flags.RPCURL.Name)),
+	}
+
+	// Folder-less mode: settings were not loaded; resolve everything from the platform.
+	if h.runtimeContext.Settings == nil {
+		return h.resolveFolderlessInputs(ctx, v, arg, inputs)
+	}
+
 	resolvedWorkflowOwner, err := h.resolveWorkflowOwner(h.runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry.Type())
 	if err != nil {
 		return Inputs{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to resolve workflow owner: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return Inputs{
-		WorkflowName:     h.settings.Workflow.UserWorkflowSettings.WorkflowName,
-		WorkflowOwner:    resolvedWorkflowOwner,
-		DonFamily:        h.runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry.DonFamily(),
-		SkipConfirmation: v.GetBool(settings.Flags.SkipConfirmation.Name),
-		NonInteractive:   v.GetBool(settings.Flags.NonInteractive.Name),
-	}, nil
+	inputs.WorkflowName = h.settings.Workflow.UserWorkflowSettings.WorkflowName
+	inputs.WorkflowOwner = resolvedWorkflowOwner
+	inputs.DonFamily = h.runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry.DonFamily()
+	return inputs, nil
+}
+
+func (h *handler) resolveFolderlessInputs(ctx context.Context, v *viper.Viper, arg string, inputs Inputs) (Inputs, error) {
+	if err := workflowcommon.GuardFolderlessTxnType(v); err != nil {
+		return Inputs{}, err
+	}
+
+	target, err := workflowcommon.ResolveFolderlessTarget(ctx, h.runtimeContext, arg, workflowresolve.RowResolveOptions{
+		OwnerFilter:    strings.TrimSpace(v.GetString(settings.Flags.Owner.Name)),
+		RegistryFilter: strings.TrimSpace(v.GetString(settings.Flags.Registry.Name)),
+		NonInteractive: inputs.NonInteractive,
+		CandidateFilter: func(w workflowresolve.Workflow) bool {
+			return strings.EqualFold(w.Status, "PAUSED")
+		},
+		PickerTitle: "Select a workflow to activate",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return Inputs{}, err
+	}
+
+	h.runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry = target.Registry
+	h.folderlessRow = &target.Workflow
+	inputs.WorkflowName = target.Workflow.Name
+	inputs.WorkflowOwner = target.Workflow.OwnerAddress
+	inputs.WorkflowID = target.Workflow.WorkflowID
+	inputs.DonFamily = target.Registry.DonFamily()
+	if inputs.DonFamily == "" {
+		return Inputs{}, fmt.Errorf(
+			"cannot determine the DON family for workflow %q; set %s or run from your project folder",
+			target.Workflow.Name, environments.EnvVarDonFamily,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if onChain, ok := target.Registry.(*settings.OnChainRegistry); ok {
+		if err := workflowcommon.VerifyEOAOwner(v, target.Workflow.OwnerAddress); err != nil {
+			return Inputs{}, err
+		}
+		if inputs.RPCURL == "" {
+			return Inputs{}, fmt.Errorf(
+				"missing RPC URL for chain %q: pass --%s to activate an on-chain workflow without a project folder",
+				onChain.ChainName(), settings.Flags.RPCURL.Name,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return inputs, nil
 }
 
 func (h *handler) ValidateInputs() error {

cmd/workflow/activate/activate_test.go

@@ -5,15 +5,49 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/constants"
+	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/runtime"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/settings"
+	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/testutil"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/testutil/chainsim"
 	"github.com/smartcontractkit/cre-cli/internal/validation"
 )
 
+// folderlessRuntimeContext builds a runtime context with no settings attached,
+// which is how activate runs when the workflow is resolved by name/ID without a
+// project folder.
+func folderlessRuntimeContext(v *viper.Viper) *runtime.Context {
+	return &runtime.Context{
+		Logger: testutil.NewTestLogger(),
+		Viper:  v,
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFolderless_UnsignedFlag_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	v := viper.New()
+	v.Set(settings.Flags.RawTxFlag.Name, true)
+
+	h := newHandler(folderlessRuntimeContext(v))
+	_, err := h.ResolveInputs(context.Background(), v, "my-workflow")
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "require a project folder")
+}
+
+func TestFolderless_WithoutCredentials_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	v := viper.New()
+
+	h := newHandler(folderlessRuntimeContext(v))
+	_, err := h.ResolveInputs(context.Background(), v, "my-workflow")
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "credentials not available")
+}
+
 func TestNonInteractive_WithoutYes_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	simulatedEnvironment := chainsim.NewSimulatedEnvironment(t)

cmd/workflow/activate/registry_activate_strategy_onchain.go

@@ -35,7 +35,15 @@ func newOnchainRegistryActivateStrategy(h *handler) (*onchainRegistryActivateStr
 	a.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
 		defer a.wg.Done()
-		wrc, err := h.clientFactory.NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(h.execCtx)
+		var wrc *client.WorkflowRegistryV2Client
+		var err error
+		// Folder-less mode passes an explicit --rpc-url; the project-based flow
+		// resolves the RPC URL from settings.
+		if h.inputs.RPCURL != "" {
+			wrc, err = h.clientFactory.NewWorkflowRegistryV2ClientWithRPC(h.execCtx, h.inputs.RPCURL, onChain.Address())
+		} else {
+			wrc, err = h.clientFactory.NewWorkflowRegistryV2Client(h.execCtx)
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			a.initErr = fmt.Errorf("failed to create workflow registry client: %w", err)
 			return

cmd/workflow/activate/registry_activate_strategy_private.go

@@ -28,24 +28,31 @@ func (a *privateRegistryActivateStrategy) Activate() error {
 	a.ensureClient()
 
 	h := a.h
-	workflowName := h.inputs.WorkflowName
+	workflowID := h.inputs.WorkflowID
 
-	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Fetching workflow to activate... Name=%s", workflowName))
+	if workflowID == "" {
+		// Project-based flow: resolve the registry workflow ID by name.
+		workflowName := h.inputs.WorkflowName
 
-	workflow, err := a.prc.GetWorkflowByName(a.h.execCtx, workflowName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get workflow: %w", err)
-	}
+		ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Fetching workflow to activate... Name=%s", workflowName))
+
+		workflow, err := a.prc.GetWorkflowByName(a.h.execCtx, workflowName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get workflow: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		if workflow.Status == privateregistryclient.WorkflowStatusActive {
+			return fmt.Errorf("workflow is already active, cancelling transaction")
+		}
 
-	if workflow.Status == privateregistryclient.WorkflowStatusActive {
-		return fmt.Errorf("workflow is already active, cancelling transaction")
+		workflowID = workflow.WorkflowID
 	}
 
-	h.runtimeContext.Workflow.ID = workflow.WorkflowID
+	h.runtimeContext.Workflow.ID = workflowID
 
-	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Processing activation for workflow ID %s...", workflow.WorkflowID))
+	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Processing activation for workflow ID %s...", workflowID))
 
-	result, err := a.prc.ActivateWorkflowInRegistry(a.h.execCtx, workflow.WorkflowID)
+	result, err := a.prc.ActivateWorkflowInRegistry(a.h.execCtx, workflowID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to activate workflow in private registry: %w", err)
 	}

cmd/workflow/common/display_workflow_details.go

@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@ func DisplayWorkflowDetails(
 	ui.Title(fmt.Sprintf("%s Workflow: %s", action, workflowName))
 	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Registry:      %s", runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry.ID()))
 	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("DON Family:    %s", runtimeContext.ResolvedRegistry.DonFamily()))
-	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Target:        %s", cfg.User.TargetName))
+	// cfg is nil when running folder-less (workflow resolved by name/ID without
+	// project settings); there is no target in that mode.
+	if cfg != nil && cfg.User.TargetName != "" {
+		ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Target:        %s", cfg.User.TargetName))
+	}
 	ui.Dim(fmt.Sprintf("Owner Address: %s", displayOwnerAddress))
 	ui.Line()
 }