Say a failed check first in the merge ask's headline, since a merge is not gated on the check and the headline is the phone's only warning (issue 1166)

Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01NcbgfJ9Gum47zkFKWRaovL

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/approval.go

@@ -169,6 +169,16 @@ func approveCaveat(c checkSaid) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+// mergeHeadline opens the ask's headline: "Merge into main: ", and "Check failed - merge into main: " once the check failed,
+// since a merge is not gated on the check and the headline is the phone's only warning (issue 1166). A passed or still
+// running check keeps the plain headline. The prefix leads, so phone's cut of a long headline never drops it.
+func mergeHeadline(c checkSaid) string {
+	if c.Key == checkSaidFail {
+		return "Check failed \u2014 merge into main: "
+	}
+	return "Merge into main: "
+}
+
 // composeMergeAsk is the ask for a delivery, or for a group's members together.
 // check is the state of the check at the heads it covers (checkAt): the ask says "passed its check" only when it did, and
 // otherwise that Approve merges before the check ends, or although it failed (issue 1733).
@@ -193,7 +203,7 @@ func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery,
 			pullSaid(m), m.Title, shortOf(m.Commit, 12), issuesSaid([]*Delivery{m}), words, touches))
 	}
 	if group == "" {
-		a.Headline = phone("Merge into main: "+pullSaid(d)+" "+d.Title, asks.HeadlineLength)
+		a.Headline = phone(mergeHeadline(check)+pullSaid(d)+" "+d.Title, asks.HeadlineLength)
 		summary := fmt.Sprintf("%s %s%s. Approve merges it into main at %s%s; Decline leaves it unmerged.",
 			pullSaid(d), d.Title, checkClause(check, " "), shortOf(d.Commit, 12), approveCaveat(check))
 		if unreviewed != "" {
@@ -210,7 +220,7 @@ func composeMergeAsk(id string, d *Delivery, group string, members []*Delivery,
 		for _, m := range members {
 			names = append(names, pullSaid(m))
 		}
-		a.Headline = phone("Merge into main: group "+group+" ("+strings.Join(names, ", ")+")", asks.HeadlineLength)
+		a.Headline = phone(mergeHeadline(check)+"group "+group+" ("+strings.Join(names, ", ")+")", asks.HeadlineLength)
 		caveat := approveCaveat(check)
 		if caveat != "" {
 			caveat = "," + caveat

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/issue1348_test.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/asks"
 	sdk "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-sdk/go/delivery"
@@ -42,6 +43,17 @@ func TestAReadyGroupWritesOneAskKeyWithTodaysWordsAndCallsNoRouter(t *testing.T)
 		!strings.Contains(ask.Ask.Details, "mesh-catalog#2") || len(ask.Ask.Options) != 2 || ask.Ask.Who != asks.Operator {
 		t.Fatalf("the ask is not today's merge ask: %+v", ask.Ask)
 	}
+	// A group's headline says a failed check first (issue 1166); a passed or a running one keeps the plain words.
+	members := []*Delivery{{Repository: "novox/mesh-controller", Number: 1}, {Repository: "novox/mesh-catalog", Number: 2}}
+	for _, c := range []struct{ key, head string }{
+		{checkSaidFail, "Check failed \u2014 merge into main: group feat"},
+		{checkSaidPass, "Merge into main: group feat"},
+		{"running", "Merge into main: group feat"},
+	} {
+		if h := composeMergeAsk("id", members[0], "feat/g", members, nil, checkSaid{Key: c.key, Words: "w"}, time.Time{}).Headline; !strings.HasPrefix(h, c.head) {
+			t.Fatalf("a %s check gives the headline %q, wanted it to start %q", c.key, h, c.head)
+		}
+	}
 	// The act the Approve binds is the one the teller checks and the controller verifies: this ask's router id, the option, and
 	// the heads as `owner/repo@<first 12 characters>` to the whole commit.
 	approve, _ := ask.Ask.Option(OptionApprove)

modules/mesh-delivery-gate/cmd/mesh-delivery-gate/ready_test.go

@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 		after                     time.Duration
 		asks, open                int
 		want, not                 []string
+		head                      string // the ask's headline starts with it
 	}{
-		{name: "gated, passed", gated: true, state: "pass", asks: 1,
+		{name: "gated, passed", gated: true, state: "pass", asks: 1, head: "Merge into main: app#7 Fix it",
 			want: []string{"app#7 Fix it passed its check. Approve merges it into main at " + readyHead[:12] + ";"},
 			not:  []string{"before its check ends", "no verdict yet"}},
 		{name: "ungated, no verdict", asks: 0, want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "ungated, passed, its verdict gone", state: "pass", then: "gone", asks: 1, open: -1,
 			want: []string{waitsCheckBeforeAsking + "its check has no verdict yet"}, not: []string{"anyway"}},
 		{name: "ungated, failed", state: "fail", failed: "TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", asks: 1,
+			head: "Check failed \u2014 merge into main: app#7 Fix it",
 			want: []string{"its check failed: TestThing: wanted 1, got 2", "although its check failed"}, not: []string{"passed", "anyway"}},
 	} {
 		t.Run(row.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -143,6 +145,9 @@ func TestAnApprovedPullRequestIsMergedThroughTheMergeTool(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 				return
 			}
+			if h := v.op.ask(open[0]).Headline; row.head != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(h, row.head) {
+				t.Fatalf("the headline is %q; wanted it to start %q", h, row.head)
+			}
 			e := v.op.ask(open[0]).Explanation
 			for _, w := range row.want {
 				if !strings.Contains(e, w) {