Homogenise inputs from callable workflows and event inputs from dispatchable workflows

[umarcor]

pyTooling/Actions: Callable vs dispatchable workflows

Reusable Workflows are defined through the workflow_call event kind.
Similarly, any "regular" Workflow can be triggered through a workflow_dispatch event.
Both event kinds support input options, which are usable within the Workflow.
Therefore, one might intuitively try to write a workflow which is both callable and dispatchable.
In other words, which can be either reused from another workflow, or triggered through the API.
Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Although input options can be duplicated for both events, GitHub's backend exposes them through different objects.
In dispatchable Workflows, the object is ${{ github.event.inputs }}, while callable workflows receive ${{ inputs }}.

As a result, in order to make a reusable workflow dispatchable, a wrapper workflow is required.
See, for instance, hdl/containers: .github/workflows/common.yml and hdl/containers: .github/workflows/dispatch.yml.

It would be desirable to expose dispatch inputs as ${{ inputs }} or, the other way round, to make the reusable workflow inputs available as ${{ github.event.inputs }}. That would allow to write reusable workflows which are also callable through the API.

[ethomson]

Thanks for the feedback. We wouldn't want to change the github.event, since there could already be inputs there, but I can imagine exposing the inputs context to cut down on code duplication.

[chrispat]

We are working on a fix for this issue. We will expose inputs from workflow_dispatch events into the inputs context in addition to the github.event.inputs context.

[nschmeller]

Thanks for the info! An ops question that I have, not sure if this is the right place to ask -- will this thread be updated if and when this fix comes out? Cheers!

[ajaykn]

@nschmeller We have rolled out the changes and here is the blog post as well
https://github.blog/changelog/2022-06-10-github-actions-inputs-unified-across-manual-and-reusable-workflows/

Now we should be able to see dispatch input are available in both github.event.inputs and inputs context.
Where as now inputs context is recommended to use, because we respect boolean types.
cc @chrispat , @avocaddo

[nschmeller]

Amazing, thank y'all so much!!!

[MartinLesterSynamedia]

For anyone else confused by empty values on GH Enterprise on 3.4 or lower this feature is in 3.5 (according to the docs).
Till then you need to stick with github.event.inputs