Fixed: Surface grep/glob partial errors end-to-end

Capture per-file traversal and search failures in core grep/glob as structured partial metadata (partial, errors) instead of silently dropping them.

Propagate partial state through serdesAI absolute/allowed wrappers using explicit JSON payloads while preserving existing non-partial text behavior.

Deduplicate wrapper conversion logic by extracting shared helpers in common::glob and common::grep so absolute and allowed variants stay consistent.

Author: Sewer56

src/llm-coding-tools-core/src/tools/glob.rs

@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ pub struct GlobOutput {
     /// Whether results were truncated due to limit.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "std::ops::Not::not")]
     pub truncated: bool,
+    /// Whether one or more paths could not be traversed or processed.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "std::ops::Not::not")]
+    pub partial: bool,
+    /// Per-path traversal errors encountered while collecting matches.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
+    pub errors: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 /// Finds files matching a glob pattern in the given directory.
@@ -39,6 +45,7 @@ pub fn glob_files<R: PathResolver>(
     let matcher = Glob::new(pattern)?.compile_matcher();
 
     let mut files_with_mtime: Vec<(String, SystemTime)> = Vec::new();
+    let mut errors: Vec<String> = Vec::with_capacity(8);
 
     let walker = WalkBuilder::new(&path)
         .hidden(false)
@@ -50,7 +57,10 @@ pub fn glob_files<R: PathResolver>(
     for entry_result in walker {
         let entry = match entry_result {
             Ok(e) => e,
-            Err(_) => continue,
+            Err(err) => {
+                errors.push(format!("walk error: {err}"));
+                continue;
+            }
         };
 
         if let Some(ft) = entry.file_type() {
@@ -63,7 +73,14 @@ pub fn glob_files<R: PathResolver>(
 
         let rel_path = match entry.path().strip_prefix(&path) {
             Ok(p) => p.to_string_lossy().into_owned(),
-            Err(_) => continue,
+            Err(err) => {
+                errors.push(format!(
+                    "failed to make '{}' relative to '{}': {err}",
+                    entry.path().display(),
+                    path.display()
+                ));
+                continue;
+            }
         };
 
         // Normalize Windows backslashes to forward slashes for glob pattern matching
@@ -97,7 +114,12 @@ pub fn glob_files<R: PathResolver>(
         .map(|(path, _)| path)
         .collect();
 
-    Ok(GlobOutput { files, truncated })
+    Ok(GlobOutput {
+        files,
+        truncated,
+        partial: !errors.is_empty(),
+        errors,
+    })
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -196,4 +218,34 @@ mod tests {
         }
         assert!(result.files.iter().any(|f| f.contains('/')));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn glob_output_serializes_partial_metadata() {
+        let output = GlobOutput {
+            files: vec!["src/lib.rs".to_string()],
+            truncated: false,
+            partial: true,
+            errors: vec!["walk error: denied".to_string()],
+        };
+
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(&output).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(json["partial"], true);
+        assert_eq!(json["errors"][0], "walk error: denied");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn glob_output_omits_partial_metadata_when_not_partial() {
+        let output = GlobOutput {
+            files: vec!["src/lib.rs".to_string()],
+            truncated: false,
+            partial: false,
+            errors: Vec::new(),
+        };
+
+        let json = serde_json::to_value(&output).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(json.get("partial").is_none());
+        assert!(json.get("errors").is_none());
+    }
 }

src/llm-coding-tools-core/src/tools/grep.rs

@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ pub struct GrepOutput {
     pub match_count: usize,
     /// Whether results were truncated due to limit.
     pub truncated: bool,
+    /// Whether one or more files could not be searched.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "std::ops::Not::not")]
+    pub partial: bool,
+    /// Per-file traversal/search errors encountered while collecting matches.
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
+    pub errors: Vec<String>,
 }
 
 impl GrepOutput {
@@ -86,6 +92,14 @@ impl GrepOutput {
             let _ = write!(&mut output, "\n(Results truncated at {} matches)", limit);
         }
 
+        if self.partial {
+            let _ = write!(
+                &mut output,
+                "\n(Partial results: {} file error(s) encountered)",
+                self.errors.len()
+            );
+        }
+
         output
     }
 }
@@ -116,6 +130,7 @@ pub fn grep_search<R: PathResolver>(
         .build();
 
     let mut files: Vec<GrepFileMatches> = Vec::with_capacity(64);
+    let mut errors: Vec<String> = Vec::with_capacity(8);
 
     let walker = WalkBuilder::new(&path)
         .hidden(false)
@@ -127,7 +142,10 @@ pub fn grep_search<R: PathResolver>(
     for entry_result in walker {
         let entry = match entry_result {
             Ok(e) => e,
-            Err(_) => continue,
+            Err(err) => {
+                errors.push(format!("walk error: {err}"));
+                continue;
+            }
         };
 
         // Skip directories and non-regular files.
@@ -149,8 +167,13 @@ pub fn grep_search<R: PathResolver>(
             }
         }
 
-        let matches = collect_file_matches(&matcher, &mut searcher, entry_path);
-        if matches.is_empty() {
+        let search_result = collect_file_matches(&matcher, &mut searcher, entry_path);
+
+        if let Some(error) = search_result.error {
+            errors.push(error);
+        }
+
+        if search_result.matches.is_empty() {
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -162,7 +185,7 @@ pub fn grep_search<R: PathResolver>(
 
         files.push(GrepFileMatches {
             path: entry_path.to_string_lossy().into_owned(),
-            matches,
+            matches: search_result.matches,
             mtime,
         });
     }
@@ -193,30 +216,40 @@ pub fn grep_search<R: PathResolver>(
         files,
         match_count,
         truncated,
+        partial: !errors.is_empty(),
+        errors,
     })
 }
 
+struct FileSearchResult {
+    matches: Vec<GrepLineMatch>,
+    error: Option<String>,
+}
+
 #[inline]
 fn collect_file_matches(
     matcher: &RegexMatcher,
     searcher: &mut Searcher,
     path: &Path,
-) -> Vec<GrepLineMatch> {
+) -> FileSearchResult {
     let mut matches = Vec::new();
 
-    let _ = searcher.search_path(
-        matcher,
-        path,
-        UTF8(|line_num, line| {
-            matches.push(GrepLineMatch {
-                line_num,
-                line_text: line.trim_end().to_string(),
-            });
-            Ok(true)
-        }),
-    );
-
-    matches
+    let error = searcher
+        .search_path(
+            matcher,
+            path,
+            UTF8(|line_num, line| {
+                matches.push(GrepLineMatch {
+                    line_num,
+                    line_text: line.trim_end().to_string(),
+                });
+                Ok(true)
+            }),
+        )
+        .err()
+        .map(|err| format!("failed to search '{}': {err}", path.display()));
+
+    FileSearchResult { matches, error }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -257,4 +290,49 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(result.files.len(), 1);
         assert!(result.files[0].path.ends_with(".rs"));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn grep_format_includes_partial_marker() {
+        let output = GrepOutput {
+            files: Vec::new(),
+            match_count: 0,
+            truncated: false,
+            partial: true,
+            errors: vec!["walk error: denied".to_string()],
+        };
+
+        let formatted = output.format::<true>(10, DEFAULT_MAX_LINE_LENGTH);
+
+        assert!(formatted.contains("Partial results"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn collect_file_matches_reports_error_for_missing_file() {
+        let temp = tempdir().unwrap();
+        let missing = temp.path().join("missing.txt");
+        let matcher = RegexMatcher::new("hello").unwrap();
+        let mut searcher = SearcherBuilder::new()
+            .binary_detection(BinaryDetection::quit(0))
+            .build();
+
+        let result = collect_file_matches(&matcher, &mut searcher, &missing);
+
+        assert!(result.matches.is_empty());
+        assert!(result.error.is_some());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn grep_marks_results_partial_when_walker_reports_error() {
+        let temp = tempdir().unwrap();
+        let missing_root = temp.path().join("missing-root");
+        let resolver = AbsolutePathResolver;
+
+        let result =
+            grep_search(&resolver, "hello", None, missing_root.to_str().unwrap(), 10).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(result.partial);
+        assert_eq!(result.match_count, 0);
+        assert!(!result.truncated);
+        assert!(!result.errors.is_empty());
+    }
 }

src/llm-coding-tools-serdesai/src/absolute/glob.rs

@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 //! Glob pattern file finding tool using [`AbsolutePathResolver`].
 
 use async_trait::async_trait;
+use llm_coding_tools_core::ToolContext;
 use llm_coding_tools_core::path::AbsolutePathResolver;
 use llm_coding_tools_core::tool_names;
 use llm_coding_tools_core::tools::glob_files;
-use llm_coding_tools_core::{ToolContext, ToolOutput};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use serdes_ai::tools::{RunContext, SchemaBuilder, Tool, ToolDefinition, ToolError, ToolResult};
 
+use crate::common::glob::output_to_return as glob_output_to_return;
 use crate::convert::to_serdes_result;
 
 /// Internal args for JSON deserialization.
@@ -60,22 +61,10 @@ impl<Deps: Send + Sync> Tool<Deps> for GlobTool {
         let resolver = AbsolutePathResolver;
         let result = glob_files(&resolver, &args.pattern, &args.path);
 
-        // Convert GlobOutput to ToolOutput for consistent error handling
-        to_serdes_result(
-            tool_names::GLOB,
-            result.map(|output| {
-                let content = if output.files.is_empty() {
-                    "No files found matching the pattern.".to_string()
-                } else {
-                    output.files.join("\n")
-                };
-                if output.truncated {
-                    ToolOutput::truncated(content)
-                } else {
-                    ToolOutput::new(content)
-                }
-            }),
-        )
+        match result {
+            Err(e) => to_serdes_result(tool_names::GLOB, Err(e)),
+            Ok(output) => Ok(glob_output_to_return(output)),
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -90,6 +79,7 @@ impl ToolContext for GlobTool {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use llm_coding_tools_core::tools::GlobOutput;
     use serde_json::json;
     use serdes_ai::tools::RunContext;
     use std::fs::{self, File};
@@ -122,4 +112,18 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(text.contains("lib.rs"));
         assert!(text.contains("main.rs"));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn partial_glob_output_returns_json_payload() {
+        let payload = glob_output_to_return(GlobOutput {
+            files: vec!["src/lib.rs".to_string()],
+            truncated: false,
+            partial: true,
+            errors: vec!["walk error: denied".to_string()],
+        });
+
+        let json = payload.as_json().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(json["partial"], true);
+        assert_eq!(json["errors"][0], "walk error: denied");
+    }
 }