DollhouseMCP

# Improve CI error messages with actionable guidance ## Summary The review of PR #110 suggested enhancing our error messages to include expected values, formats, and links to documentation for fixing common configuration issues. ## Current State Current error messages are basic: ```bash if [ -z "$TEST_PERSONAS_DIR" ]; then echo "❌ TEST_PERSONAS_DIR is not set!" exit 1 fi ``` ## Proposed Improvements ### 1. Enhanced Error Messages ```bash if [ -z "$TEST_PERSONAS_DIR" ]; then echo "❌ ERROR: TEST_PERSONAS_DIR is not set!" echo "" echo "This environment variable is required for running tests." echo "Expected format: /path/to/test-personas" echo "Example: export TEST_PERSONAS_DIR=\${{ github.workspace }}/test-personas" echo "" echo "For more information, see:" echo "https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server/blob/main/docs/ci-configuration.md" exit 1 fi ``` ### 2. Directory Not Found Errors ```bash if [ -d "dir/" ]; then ls dir/ || echo "⚠️ Warning: Could not list directory contents (permissions issue?)" else echo "❌ Directory not found: dir/" echo "Expected location: $(pwd)/dir/" echo "Current directory contents:" ls -la | head -5 fi ``` ### 3. Validation Function with Better Output ```bash validate_environment() { local errors=0 # Check each required variable with specific guidance if [ -z "$TEST_PERSONAS_DIR" ]; then echo "❌ Missing: TEST_PERSONAS_DIR" echo " Set this to the test personas directory path" echo " Example: /home/runner/work/DollhouseMCP/test-personas" ((errors++)) fi if [ -z "$NODE_OPTIONS" ]; then echo "❌ Missing: NODE_OPTIONS" echo " Set this to Node.js runtime options" echo " Example: --max-old-space-size=4096 --experimental-vm-modules" ((errors++)) fi if [ $errors -gt 0 ]; then echo "" echo "📚 Configuration Guide: https://github.com/DollhouseMCP/mcp-server/wiki/CI-Setup" return 1 fi echo "✅ All required environment variables are set" } ``` ## Benefits - Reduces debugging time by providing immediate solutions - Helps new contributors understand CI requirements - Provides context about why variables are needed - Links to comprehensive documentation ## Implementation Plan 1. Create standardized error message templates 2. Update all validation steps in workflows 3. Create CI configuration documentation 4. Add examples for common scenarios ## Priority **Medium** - Improves developer experience and reduces support burden ## Related Work - Builds on PR #110: Environment validation - Part of developer experience improvements - Supports onboarding new contributors ## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] All error messages include context and solutions - [ ] Documentation links are provided for complex issues - [ ] Examples show correct format/values - [ ] Error messages are consistent across workflows