Automations

An automation runs a prompt on its own: on a schedule, or when a trigger the host supports fires. Each run is a session, and the host keeps the history.

Screen

The palette (ctrl+p) has Show automations. In the list:

Key
n	New automation
e	Edit
r	Run now
o	Turn on or off
d	Delete
right / left	Show or hide details

Commands

Command		Flags
automation list	Every automation	--json
automation show <uri>	One of them	--json
automation triggers	The triggers this host supports	--json
automation runs <uri>	Its run history, every page	--json
automation new	Make one, turned on	--prompt, --schedule, --time-zone, --on, --title, --agent, --model, --folder
automation edit <uri>	Change the fields given	the flags of new
automation duplicate <uri>	A copy, turned off, titled <title> (copy)
automation export <uri>	Print it as a file, or write it	--out, --vscode
automation import <file>	Make one from a file, turned off	--folder, --vscode
automation run <uri>	Run it now
automation enable <uri>	Turn it on
automation disable <uri>	Turn it off
automation rm <uri>	Delete it

new needs --prompt and a trigger: --schedule with a cron expression, or --on <type>:<event>, such as --on session:turnCompleted. automation triggers lists the types this host has. --time-zone defaults to your own.

Files

export writes ahpd's .automation.md: the definition as YAML front matter, and the message as the body. ahpd automation import reads the same file, so an automation moves between hosts. With --vscode, export writes VS Code's .automation.md, and refuses an automation that file cannot hold, such as one with an event trigger.

import reads ahpd's file, or VS Code's with --vscode. The new automation runs in --folder, or in the folder an ahpd file names. VS Code's file names no folder, so it needs --folder.

MCP tools

list_automations is always served:

Tool	What it does	Arguments
list_automations core, read only	What the host runs on a schedule, whether each is on, and when it next fires.

Running and changing an automation needs --mcp-tools automations:

Tool	What it does	Arguments
run_automation automations	Fire an automation now, without waiting for its schedule. Answers once the host has taken it, not once it has finished.	automationstring, required An automation URI from list_automations.
set_automation_enabled automations	Stop an automation firing, or start it again. The definition stays either way.	automationstring, required enabledboolean, required
remove_automation automations	Delete an automation from the host. Use set_automation_enabled to stop one without losing it.	automationstring, required

Host support

Automations are AHP's automation channel. automation triggers shows what this host can trigger on.