[PratikDhanave (PratikDhanave)]

Summary

scope run crashed with an opaque TypeError when the scenario, persona, or traits YAML file was empty or comment-only, instead of the clear validation error each loader is written to raise.

In apps/cli/src/config-loader.ts, loadScenario/loadPersona/loadTraits dereference the parsed YAML immediately (data.task, data.personality, …). The yaml parser returns null for an empty or comment-only file, so the dereference threw TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'task') and the user never saw the intended message. This adds a null/non-object guard in all three loaders that raises each loader's own validation error.

Demos

N/A — the change is a text-only CLI error message (a thrown Error), not a visual Portal/CLI change, so a recording isn't meaningful. Before/after error text:

Before

$ scope run --scenario empty.yaml
TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'task')

After

$ scope run --scenario empty.yaml
Error: Scenario file empty.yaml must have a "task" string field

Testing

Added apps/cli/src/config-loader.test.ts (empty scenario, comment-only scenario, comment-only persona, valid-scenario sanity check).

• pnpm exec vitest run apps/cli/src/config-loader.test.ts → 4 passed. The empty/comment cases fail before the fix (TypeError: Cannot read properties of null) and pass after.
• pnpm exec vitest run apps/cli → 16 files, 164 tests passed (no regressions).

Documentation and compatibility

None. The change only replaces an uncaught TypeError with the already-documented validation error; no API/CLI flag, schema, or behavior change for valid inputs. Backward compatible.

Checklist

• If Portal features changed, keep CLI capabilities in sync. — N/A (no Portal change)
• If Portal components changed, update their Storybook stories. — N/A (no Portal change)
• If database changes require a migration, include up() / down() and keep it CosmosDB-compatible. — N/A (no DB change)
• If dependencies changed, update the lockfile and regenerate NOTICE / NOTICE-REVIEW.txt with pnpm notice as needed. — N/A (no dependency change)
• Video showing the behavior before the suggested change — N/A (text-only error; before/after shown above)
• Video showing the behavior after the suggested change — N/A (text-only error; before/after shown above)

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Developed with AI assistance (Claude Code): the crash was located, the guards added, and the tests written and run locally (vitest). I reviewed and verified the change and take responsibility for it.