From 66bf26c0d721c0b759575d11d7c40c4a8be4c965 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: jochen <jschoubben@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2026 04:10:31 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Let the composer read its request from a file, since a run
 step hands it no standard input (issue 1622)

---
 go/cmd/mesh-compose/main.go      | 15 ++++++++++++---
 go/cmd/mesh-compose/main_test.go | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 30 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main.go b/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main.go
index e871b0a..cc0211d 100644
--- a/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main.go
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@
 // it answers what that commit's composition answers, so a program that links one mesh-sdk can have another's judged.
 //
 //	mesh-compose < request.json > verdict.json
+//	mesh-compose -request request.json > verdict.json
 //	mesh-compose -catalogue <dir> [-node <name>]... [-depth resolve|compose] [-declarations] [< request.json]
 //
 // -catalogue reads <dir>/modules/*/module.json and a module.json at <dir>'s root as the first case's manifests (a
 // checkout or `git archive` of the catalogue repository at a ref: the command fetches nothing). -node adds a machine to
 // compose; -declarations answers each machine's declared paths with their owners and modes.
 //
-// It opens no network connection, bus, store or file beyond its standard input and the -catalogue directory, and reads
+// It opens no network connection, bus, store or file beyond its standard input, the -request file and the -catalogue
+// directory, and reads
 // no environment. Exit codes: 0 the verdict is written (a machine that does not compose is a verdict, not an error);
 // 1 the request cannot be read or run, said on standard error; 2 the flags are wrong.
 package main
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ func run(args []string, stdin io.Reader, stdout, stderr io.Writer) int {
 	fs.Var(&machines, "node", "a machine to compose (repeatable)")
 	depth := fs.String("depth", "", "resolve or compose (default: the request's, else compose)")
 	declarations := fs.Bool("declarations", false, "answer each composed machine's declared paths, owners and modes")
+	requestFile := fs.String("request", "", "read the request from this file instead of standard input (a run step that hands no standard input)")
 	if err := fs.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 2
 	}
@@ -54,9 +57,15 @@ func run(args []string, stdin io.Reader, stdout, stderr io.Writer) int {
 		fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "mesh-compose: unexpected arguments %q\n", fs.Args())
 		return 2
 	}
-	raw, err := io.ReadAll(stdin)
+	var raw []byte
+	var err error
+	if *requestFile != "" {
+		raw, err = os.ReadFile(*requestFile)
+	} else {
+		raw, err = io.ReadAll(stdin)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "mesh-compose: standard input cannot be read:", err)
+		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, "mesh-compose: the request cannot be read:", err)
 		return 1
 	}
 	var req composer.Request
diff --git a/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main_test.go b/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main_test.go
index 358e743..a878b74 100644
--- a/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main_test.go
+++ b/go/cmd/mesh-compose/main_test.go
@@ -184,6 +184,24 @@ func TestACatalogueCheckoutIsComposedForANode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// A run step hands the command no standard input: the request is read from the file -request names, and a file that is
+// not there is a request it cannot read.
+func TestTheRequestIsReadFromAFile(t *testing.T) {
+	file := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "request.json")
+	r := composer.Request{V: composer.Version, Cases: []composer.Case{{Name: "only", Manifests: map[string]composer.Manifest{
+		"demo": {Raw: json.RawMessage(`{"module":"demo","version":"1"}`)}}}}}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(file, encode(t, r), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	code, v, stderr := runJSON(t, []string{"-request", file}, nil)
+	if code != 0 || len(v.Cases) != 1 || !v.Cases[0].Manifests["demo"].Accepted {
+		t.Fatalf("exit %d (%s), verdict %+v", code, stderr, v)
+	}
+	if code, _, stderr := runJSON(t, []string{"-request", file + ".gone"}, nil); code != 1 || !strings.Contains(stderr, "cannot be read") {
+		t.Errorf("a request file that is not there: exit %d, %q", code, stderr)
+	}
+}
+
 // The exit codes: 1 for a request that cannot be read or run, 2 for wrong flags, each said on standard error.
 func TestTheExitCodesSayWhatFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	unfilled := encode(t, composer.Request{V: composer.Version, Cases: []composer.Case{{Name: "c", Manifests: map[string]composer.Manifest{"x": {Digest: "abc"}}}}})