fix(subflow-validation): validate subflow fields correctly + surface serialization errors in the logs correctly (#1299)

* fix(subflow-validation): validate subflow fields correctly + surface serialiazation errors in the logs correctly

* remove comments

apps/sim/app/api/workflows/[id]/log/route.ts

@@ -24,42 +24,48 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest, { params }: { params: Promise<{
     const body = await request.json()
     const { logs, executionId, result } = body
 
-    // If result is provided, use logging system for full tool call extraction
     if (result) {
       logger.info(`[${requestId}] Persisting execution result for workflow: ${id}`, {
         executionId,
         success: result.success,
       })
 
-      // Check if this execution is from chat using only the explicit source flag
       const isChatExecution = result.metadata?.source === 'chat'
 
-      // Also log to logging system
       const triggerType = isChatExecution ? 'chat' : 'manual'
       const loggingSession = new LoggingSession(id, executionId, triggerType, requestId)
 
+      const userId = validation.workflow.userId
+      const workspaceId = validation.workflow.workspaceId || ''
+
       await loggingSession.safeStart({
-        userId: '', // TODO: Get from session
-        workspaceId: '', // TODO: Get from workflow
+        userId,
+        workspaceId,
         variables: {},
       })
 
-      // Build trace spans from execution logs
-      const { traceSpans } = buildTraceSpans(result)
-
-      await loggingSession.safeComplete({
-        endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-        totalDurationMs: result.metadata?.duration || 0,
-        finalOutput: result.output || {},
-        traceSpans,
-      })
+      if (result.success === false) {
+        const message = result.error || 'Workflow execution failed'
+        await loggingSession.safeCompleteWithError({
+          endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+          totalDurationMs: result.metadata?.duration || 0,
+          error: { message },
+        })
+      } else {
+        const { traceSpans } = buildTraceSpans(result)
+        await loggingSession.safeComplete({
+          endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+          totalDurationMs: result.metadata?.duration || 0,
+          finalOutput: result.output || {},
+          traceSpans,
+        })
+      }
 
       return createSuccessResponse({
         message: 'Execution logs persisted successfully',
       })
     }
 
-    // Fall back to the original log format if 'result' isn't provided
     if (!logs || !Array.isArray(logs) || logs.length === 0) {
       logger.warn(`[${requestId}] No logs provided for workflow: ${id}`)
       return createErrorResponse('No logs provided', 400)

apps/sim/app/workspace/[workspaceId]/w/[workflowId]/hooks/use-workflow-execution.ts

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { getBlock } from '@/blocks'
 import type { BlockOutput } from '@/blocks/types'
 import { Executor } from '@/executor'
 import type { BlockLog, ExecutionResult, StreamingExecution } from '@/executor/types'
-import { Serializer } from '@/serializer'
+import { Serializer, WorkflowValidationError } from '@/serializer'
 import type { SerializedWorkflow } from '@/serializer/types'
 import { useExecutionStore } from '@/stores/execution/store'
 import { useConsoleStore } from '@/stores/panel/console/store'
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { useEnvironmentStore } from '@/stores/settings/environment/store'
 import { useGeneralStore } from '@/stores/settings/general/store'
 import { useWorkflowRegistry } from '@/stores/workflows/registry/store'
 import { mergeSubblockState } from '@/stores/workflows/utils'
+import { generateLoopBlocks, generateParallelBlocks } from '@/stores/workflows/workflow/utils'
 import { useCurrentWorkflow } from './use-current-workflow'
 
 const logger = createLogger('useWorkflowExecution')
@@ -488,7 +489,7 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
         }
         return result
       } catch (error: any) {
-        const errorResult = handleExecutionError(error)
+        const errorResult = handleExecutionError(error, { executionId })
         persistLogs(executionId, errorResult).catch((err) => {
           logger.error('Error persisting logs:', { error: err })
         })
@@ -518,12 +519,7 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
     executionId?: string
   ): Promise<ExecutionResult | StreamingExecution> => {
     // Use currentWorkflow but check if we're in diff mode
-    const {
-      blocks: workflowBlocks,
-      edges: workflowEdges,
-      loops: workflowLoops,
-      parallels: workflowParallels,
-    } = currentWorkflow
+    const { blocks: workflowBlocks, edges: workflowEdges } = currentWorkflow
 
     // Filter out blocks without type (these are layout-only blocks)
     const validBlocks = Object.entries(workflowBlocks).reduce(
@@ -646,12 +642,17 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
       (edge) => !triggerBlockIds.includes(edge.source) && !triggerBlockIds.includes(edge.target)
     )
 
-    // Create serialized workflow with filtered blocks and edges
+    // Derive subflows from the current filtered graph to avoid stale state
+    const runtimeLoops = generateLoopBlocks(filteredStates)
+    const runtimeParallels = generateParallelBlocks(filteredStates)
+
+    // Create serialized workflow with validation enabled
     const workflow = new Serializer().serializeWorkflow(
       filteredStates,
       filteredEdges,
-      workflowLoops,
-      workflowParallels
+      runtimeLoops,
+      runtimeParallels,
+      true
     )
 
     // If this is a chat execution, get the selected outputs
@@ -690,7 +691,7 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
     return newExecutor.execute(activeWorkflowId || '')
   }
 
-  const handleExecutionError = (error: any) => {
+  const handleExecutionError = (error: any, options?: { executionId?: string }) => {
     let errorMessage = 'Unknown error'
     if (error instanceof Error) {
       errorMessage = error.message || `Error: ${String(error)}`
@@ -723,6 +724,36 @@ export function useWorkflowExecution() {
       errorMessage = 'API request failed - no specific error details available'
     }
 
+    // If we failed before creating an executor (e.g., serializer validation), add a console entry
+    if (!executor) {
+      try {
+        // Prefer attributing to specific subflow if we have a structured error
+        let blockId = 'serialization'
+        let blockName = 'Serialization'
+        let blockType = 'serializer'
+        if (error instanceof WorkflowValidationError) {
+          blockId = error.blockId || blockId
+          blockName = error.blockName || blockName
+          blockType = error.blockType || blockType
+        }
+
+        useConsoleStore.getState().addConsole({
+          input: {},
+          output: {},
+          success: false,
+          error: errorMessage,
+          durationMs: 0,
+          startedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+          endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+          workflowId: activeWorkflowId || '',
+          blockId,
+          executionId: options?.executionId,
+          blockName,
+          blockType,
+        })
+      } catch {}
+    }
+
     const errorResult: ExecutionResult = {
       success: false,
       output: {},

apps/sim/lib/logs/execution/logging-session.ts

@@ -190,9 +190,51 @@ export class LoggingSession {
       return true
     } catch (error) {
       if (this.requestId) {
-        logger.error(`[${this.requestId}] Logging start failed:`, error)
+        logger.warn(
+          `[${this.requestId}] Logging start failed - falling back to minimal session:`,
+          error
+        )
+      }
+
+      // Fallback: create a minimal logging session without full workflow state
+      try {
+        const { userId, workspaceId, variables, triggerData } = params
+        this.trigger = createTriggerObject(this.triggerType, triggerData)
+        this.environment = createEnvironmentObject(
+          this.workflowId,
+          this.executionId,
+          userId,
+          workspaceId,
+          variables
+        )
+        // Minimal workflow state when normalized data is unavailable
+        this.workflowState = {
+          blocks: {},
+          edges: [],
+          loops: {},
+          parallels: {},
+        } as unknown as WorkflowState
+
+        await executionLogger.startWorkflowExecution({
+          workflowId: this.workflowId,
+          executionId: this.executionId,
+          trigger: this.trigger,
+          environment: this.environment,
+          workflowState: this.workflowState,
+        })
+
+        if (this.requestId) {
+          logger.debug(
+            `[${this.requestId}] Started minimal logging for execution ${this.executionId}`
+          )
+        }
+        return true
+      } catch (fallbackError) {
+        if (this.requestId) {
+          logger.error(`[${this.requestId}] Minimal logging start also failed:`, fallbackError)
+        }
+        return false
       }
-      return false
     }
   }
 

apps/sim/serializer/index.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,21 @@ import { getTool } from '@/tools/utils'
 
 const logger = createLogger('Serializer')
 
+/**
+ * Structured validation error for pre-execution workflow validation
+ */
+export class WorkflowValidationError extends Error {
+  constructor(
+    message: string,
+    public blockId?: string,
+    public blockType?: string,
+    public blockName?: string
+  ) {
+    super(message)
+    this.name = 'WorkflowValidationError'
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Helper function to check if a subblock should be included in serialization based on current mode
  */
@@ -29,6 +44,11 @@ export class Serializer {
     parallels?: Record<string, Parallel>,
     validateRequired = false
   ): SerializedWorkflow {
+    // Validate subflow requirements (loops/parallels) before serialization if requested
+    if (validateRequired) {
+      this.validateSubflowsBeforeExecution(blocks, loops || {}, parallels || {})
+    }
+
     return {
       version: '1.0',
       blocks: Object.values(blocks).map((block) => this.serializeBlock(block, validateRequired)),
@@ -43,6 +63,99 @@ export class Serializer {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Validate loop and parallel subflows for required inputs when running in "each/collection" modes
+   */
+  private validateSubflowsBeforeExecution(
+    blocks: Record<string, BlockState>,
+    loops: Record<string, Loop>,
+    parallels: Record<string, Parallel>
+  ): void {
+    // Validate loops in forEach mode
+    Object.values(loops || {}).forEach((loop) => {
+      if (!loop) return
+      if (loop.loopType === 'forEach') {
+        const items = (loop as any).forEachItems
+
+        const hasNonEmptyCollection = (() => {
+          if (items === undefined || items === null) return false
+          if (Array.isArray(items)) return items.length > 0
+          if (typeof items === 'object') return Object.keys(items).length > 0
+          if (typeof items === 'string') {
+            const trimmed = items.trim()
+            if (trimmed.length === 0) return false
+            // If it looks like JSON, parse to confirm non-empty [] / {}
+            if (trimmed.startsWith('[') || trimmed.startsWith('{')) {
+              try {
+                const parsed = JSON.parse(trimmed)
+                if (Array.isArray(parsed)) return parsed.length > 0
+                if (parsed && typeof parsed === 'object') return Object.keys(parsed).length > 0
+              } catch {
+                // Non-JSON or invalid JSON string – allow non-empty string (could be a reference like <start.items>)
+                return true
+              }
+            }
+            // Non-JSON string – allow (may be a variable reference/expression)
+            return true
+          }
+          return false
+        })()
+
+        if (!hasNonEmptyCollection) {
+          const blockName = blocks[loop.id]?.name || 'Loop'
+          const error = new WorkflowValidationError(
+            `${blockName} requires a collection for forEach mode. Provide a non-empty array/object or a variable reference.`,
+            loop.id,
+            'loop',
+            blockName
+          )
+          throw error
+        }
+      }
+    })
+
+    // Validate parallels in collection mode
+    Object.values(parallels || {}).forEach((parallel) => {
+      if (!parallel) return
+      if ((parallel as any).parallelType === 'collection') {
+        const distribution = (parallel as any).distribution
+
+        const hasNonEmptyDistribution = (() => {
+          if (distribution === undefined || distribution === null) return false
+          if (Array.isArray(distribution)) return distribution.length > 0
+          if (typeof distribution === 'object') return Object.keys(distribution).length > 0
+          if (typeof distribution === 'string') {
+            const trimmed = distribution.trim()
+            if (trimmed.length === 0) return false
+            // If it looks like JSON, parse to confirm non-empty [] / {}
+            if (trimmed.startsWith('[') || trimmed.startsWith('{')) {
+              try {
+                const parsed = JSON.parse(trimmed)
+                if (Array.isArray(parsed)) return parsed.length > 0
+                if (parsed && typeof parsed === 'object') return Object.keys(parsed).length > 0
+              } catch {
+                return true
+              }
+            }
+            return true
+          }
+          return false
+        })()
+
+        if (!hasNonEmptyDistribution) {
+          const blockName = blocks[parallel.id]?.name || 'Parallel'
+          const error = new WorkflowValidationError(
+            `${blockName} requires a collection for collection mode. Provide a non-empty array/object or a variable reference.`,
+            parallel.id,
+            'parallel',
+            blockName
+          )
+          throw error
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  }
+
   private serializeBlock(block: BlockState, validateRequired = false): SerializedBlock {
     // Special handling for subflow blocks (loops, parallels, etc.)
     if (block.type === 'loop' || block.type === 'parallel') {