feat(filesystem): say when list_directory finds an empty directory - #3912
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The change is correct and clean. When list_directory produces zero visible entries, the new if count == 0 block now emits an explicit human-readable message instead of returning an empty string that the runtime replaces with a generic (no output) placeholder. The two-branch logic correctly distinguishes a truly empty directory (zero entries) from one that had entries but all were filtered by ignore patterns (non-zero entries, zero count), and both messages include the resolved path as a resolution hint — consistent with the pattern established in #3908. No correctness issues found.
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Reflects changes from docker#3912. Source PR: docker#3912 Added documentation for the new empty directory detection behavior: - list_directory now explicitly reports when a directory is empty - Distinguishes between truly empty directories and directories with all entries hidden by ignore patterns - Helps models avoid unnecessary shell command retries
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Why
list_directoryreturns an emptyOutputfor an empty directory, and the runtime substitutes a generic(no output)placeholder (pkg/runtime/toolexec/dispatcher.go). The model cannot tell "the listing succeeded and the directory is empty" from "the tool broke".In a real session the working directory was an empty scratch dir: the model called
list_directory, got(no output), distrusted it, and re-listed the same directory through the shell — a wasted turn, and it still concluded "your directory is empty or I don't have access to it".What
When the listing produces no entries, say so explicitly instead of returning nothing:
Directory is empty: <resolved path>— nothing there at allDirectory has no visible entries (N hidden by ignore patterns): <resolved path>— entries exist but are all VCS/agents-ignore filtered, so the model doesn't go looking for files that are deliberately hiddenIncluding the resolved path doubles as a resolution hint, same as #3908 did for not-found errors.