Say when a scheduled task is running

A run is detached — cron has no terminal, and the app fires it as a detached
exec — so triggering one and watching the log was indistinguishable from
triggering one that died. Worse, `claude -p` writes its answer in a single
burst at the end, so a healthy run shows nothing but its log header for as
long as it is thinking. The honest reading of the old UI was "it stalled".

triple-c-task-runner now publishes a state file per run (pid, start time, log
path) and removes it from an EXIT trap. flock remains what actually prevents
overlapping runs; this is purely observability, so every reader verifies the
pid rather than trusting the file — a container stopped mid-run cannot fire a
trap, and a task stuck on "running" forever would be a worse lie than no
indicator at all. Stale files are cleared on read.

On top of that:

- `list` grows a status column: "running 4m12s" or "idle".
- `status [--id] [--watch]` answers "is it still going?" directly, with
  elapsed time and the tail of the log when there is any output yet.
- `run` streams the log instead of blocking silently, and refuses to start a
  task that is already running.
- The Automation tab marks a running task, disables its Run now button, and
  polls while anything is in flight — including the second or two between
  firing a run and the runner registering it, which is the exact window that
  used to read as dead.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

app/src-tauri/src/commands/inspect_commands.rs

@@ -164,6 +164,11 @@ pub struct ScheduledTask {
     /// Only known for enabled one-shot tasks (their `at` time). Recurring cron
     /// expressions are not evaluated here.
     pub next_run: Option<String>,
+    /// Whether a run is in flight right now, from the runner's state file in
+    /// `~/.claude/scheduler/running/<id>.json` with its pid verified live.
+    pub running: bool,
+    /// When the in-flight run started, ISO 8601 (UTC). `None` unless `running`.
+    pub running_since: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// A completion notice written by `triple-c-task-runner` after a task ran.
@@ -614,13 +619,25 @@ const SCHEDULER_LIST_SCRIPT: &str = r#"exec 2>/dev/null
 set -u
 TASKS="$HOME/.claude/scheduler/tasks"
 LOGS="$HOME/.claude/scheduler/logs"
+RUNNING="$HOME/.claude/scheduler/running"
 [ -d "$TASKS" ] || { echo '[]'; exit 0; }
 for f in "$TASKS"/*.json; do
   [ -f "$f" ] || continue
   id=$(jq -r '.id // ""' "$f") || continue
   [ -n "$id" ] || id=$(basename "$f" .json)
   last=$(find "$LOGS/$id" -name '*.log' -type f -printf '%T@\n' | sort -rn | head -1)
-  jq -c --arg fallback_id "$id" --arg lr "${last%%.*}" '{
+  # Live-run state. The pid is checked, not trusted: a container stopped
+  # mid-run cannot fire the runner's cleanup trap, and a task stuck on
+  # "running" forever is a worse lie than showing nothing.
+  started=""
+  state="$RUNNING/$id.json"
+  if [ -f "$state" ]; then
+    pid=$(jq -r '.pid // empty' "$state")
+    if [ -n "$pid" ] && kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+      started=$(jq -r '.started_epoch // empty' "$state")
+    fi
+  fi
+  jq -c --arg fallback_id "$id" --arg lr "${last%%.*}" --arg started "$started" '{
       id: (if (.id // "") == "" then $fallback_id else .id end),
       name: (.name // ""),
       prompt: (.prompt // ""),
@@ -630,7 +647,8 @@ for f in "$TASKS"/*.json; do
       enabled: (.enabled == true),
       working_dir: (.working_dir // "/workspace"),
       created_at: (.created_at // null),
-      last_run_epoch: (if $lr == "" then null else ($lr | tonumber) end)
+      last_run_epoch: (if $lr == "" then null else ($lr | tonumber) end),
+      running_since_epoch: (if $started == "" then null else ($started | tonumber) end)
     }' "$f"
 done | jq -s 'sort_by(.name, .id)'
 "#;
@@ -673,6 +691,7 @@ struct RawScheduledTask {
     working_dir: String,
     created_at: Option<String>,
     last_run_epoch: Option<i64>,
+    running_since_epoch: Option<i64>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
@@ -723,6 +742,8 @@ pub async fn list_scheduled_tasks(
                 created_at: t.created_at,
                 last_run: t.last_run_epoch.map(epoch_to_iso),
                 next_run,
+                running: t.running_since_epoch.is_some(),
+                running_since: t.running_since_epoch.map(epoch_to_iso),
             }
         })
         .collect())

app/src-tauri/src/docker/container.rs

@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ This container supports scheduled tasks via `triple-c-scheduler`. You can set up
 ### Commands
 - `triple-c-scheduler add --name "NAME" --schedule "CRON" --prompt "TASK"` — Add a recurring task
 - `triple-c-scheduler add --name "NAME" --at "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM" --prompt "TASK"` — Add a one-time task
-- `triple-c-scheduler list` — List all scheduled tasks
+- `triple-c-scheduler list` — List all scheduled tasks, with a running/idle status column
 - `triple-c-scheduler remove --id ID` — Remove a task
 - `triple-c-scheduler enable --id ID` / `triple-c-scheduler disable --id ID` — Toggle tasks
+- `triple-c-scheduler status [--id ID] [--watch]` — Show what is running right now, and for how long
 - `triple-c-scheduler logs [--id ID] [--tail N]` — View execution logs
-- `triple-c-scheduler run --id ID` — Manually trigger a task immediately
+- `triple-c-scheduler run --id ID` — Manually trigger a task immediately (streams its log)
 - `triple-c-scheduler notifications [--clear]` — View or clear completion notifications
 
 ### Cron format
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ Use `--at "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM"` instead of `--schedule`. The task automatically re
 Use `--working-dir /workspace/project` to set where the task runs (default: /workspace).
 
 ### Checking results
-After tasks run, check notifications with `triple-c-scheduler notifications` and detailed output with `triple-c-scheduler logs`.
+While a task is running, `triple-c-scheduler status` reports it with elapsed time — a log that has stopped growing is normal, because `claude -p` writes its answer only at the end, so use `status` rather than log silence to tell a slow run from a dead one. After tasks run, check notifications with `triple-c-scheduler notifications` and detailed output with `triple-c-scheduler logs`.
 
 ### Timezone
 Scheduled times use the container's configured timezone (check with `date`). If no timezone is configured, UTC is used."#;

app/src/components/projects/home/AutomationTab.test.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { render, screen, fireEvent, act } from "@testing-library/react";
+import AutomationTab from "./AutomationTab";
+import type { Project, ScheduledTask } from "../../../lib/types";
+
+const listScheduledTasks = vi.fn(async () => tasks);
+const getSchedulerNotifications = vi.fn(async () => []);
+const runScheduledTaskNow = vi.fn(async () => "started");
+const pushToast = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock("../../../lib/tauri-commands", () => ({
+  listScheduledTasks: () => listScheduledTasks(),
+  getSchedulerNotifications: () => getSchedulerNotifications(),
+  runScheduledTaskNow: (p: string, t: string) => runScheduledTaskNow(p, t),
+  clearSchedulerNotifications: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  getScheduledTaskLog: vi.fn(async () => ""),
+  removeScheduledTask: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  setScheduledTaskEnabled: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../../store/appState", () => ({
+  useAppState: (selector: (s: unknown) => unknown) => selector({ pushToast }),
+}));
+
+const project = { id: "p1", name: "api", status: "running" } as unknown as Project;
+
+const baseTask: ScheduledTask = {
+  id: "a1b2c3d4",
+  name: "nightly",
+  prompt: "Run the suite",
+  schedule: "0 3 * * *",
+  task_type: "recurring",
+  at: null,
+  enabled: true,
+  working_dir: "/workspace",
+  created_at: null,
+  last_run: null,
+  next_run: null,
+  running: false,
+  running_since: null,
+};
+
+let tasks: ScheduledTask[] = [];
+
+async function renderTab() {
+  render(<AutomationTab project={project} />);
+  await act(async () => {
+    await Promise.resolve();
+  });
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers({ shouldAdvanceTime: true });
+  tasks = [baseTask];
+  listScheduledTasks.mockClear();
+  runScheduledTaskNow.mockClear();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+describe("AutomationTab run state", () => {
+  it("offers Run now for an idle task and says nothing about running", async () => {
+    await renderTab();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Run now" })).toBeEnabled();
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/Running/)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("shows a running task as running, with elapsed time, and blocks a second trigger", async () => {
+    const startedSecondsAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 90_000).toISOString();
+    tasks = [{ ...baseTask, running: true, running_since: startedSecondsAgo }];
+    await renderTab();
+
+    // The whole point: a detached run is visible rather than silent.
+    expect(screen.getByText(/Running for 1m/)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Running…" })).toBeDisabled();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps polling after a trigger, so a run that has not registered yet still appears", async () => {
+    await renderTab();
+    const callsAfterLoad = listScheduledTasks.mock.calls.length;
+
+    // The runner needs a moment to write its state file; until then the task
+    // still reads as idle, which is exactly the window that used to look dead.
+    await act(async () => {
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Run now" }));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(runScheduledTaskNow).toHaveBeenCalledWith("p1", "a1b2c3d4");
+
+    tasks = [{ ...baseTask, running: true, running_since: new Date().toISOString() }];
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(2000);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(listScheduledTasks.mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(callsAfterLoad);
+    expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Running…" })).toBeDisabled();
+  });
+
+  it("stops polling once nothing is running", async () => {
+    await renderTab();
+    // No trigger, nothing running: the interval must not be armed at all.
+    const before = listScheduledTasks.mock.calls.length;
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(30_000);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+    expect(listScheduledTasks.mock.calls.length).toBe(before);
+  });
+});

app/src/components/projects/home/AutomationTab.tsx

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import Toggle from "../../ui/Toggle";
 import Modal from "../../ui/Modal";
 import StatusIndicator from "../../ui/StatusIndicator";
 import TaskEditorModal from "./TaskEditorModal";
-import { formatAge } from "./format";
+import { formatAge, formatRunningFor } from "./format";
 
 interface Props {
   project: Project;
@@ -59,6 +59,22 @@ export default function AutomationTab({ project }: Props) {
 
   useEffect(load, [load]);
 
+  // A task in flight is the one state this view cannot sit still for: runs are
+  // detached, so without polling "Run now" looks like it did nothing until the
+  // user reaches for Refresh. Polling stops as soon as nothing is running.
+  //
+  // `justTriggered` covers the gap between firing a run and the runner writing
+  // its state file — a second or two in which the task still reads as idle, and
+  // where giving up on polling would reproduce the exact silence this fixes.
+  const anyTaskRunning = tasks.some((t) => t.running);
+  const [justTriggered, setJustTriggered] = useState(0);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!running) return;
+    if (!anyTaskRunning && Date.now() - justTriggered > 20_000) return;
+    const timer = setInterval(load, anyTaskRunning ? 5000 : 1500);
+    return () => clearInterval(timer);
+  }, [running, anyTaskRunning, justTriggered, load]);
+
   const withTask = async (taskId: string, label: string, fn: () => Promise<unknown>) => {
     setBusyTaskId(taskId);
     try {
@@ -185,6 +201,12 @@ export default function AutomationTab({ project }: Props) {
                     <span className="text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-[var(--radius-control)] bg-[var(--bg-tertiary)] text-[var(--text-secondary)]">
                       {task.task_type}
                     </span>
+                    {task.running && (
+                      <StatusIndicator
+                        tone="busy"
+                        label={`Running ${formatRunningFor(task.running_since) ?? ""}`.trim()}
+                      />
+                    )}
                   </div>
                   <div className="text-xs text-[var(--text-secondary)] font-mono truncate">
                     {task.at ?? task.schedule}
@@ -202,14 +224,15 @@ export default function AutomationTab({ project }: Props) {
                   }
                 />
                 <Button
-                  disabled={busyTaskId === task.id}
+                  disabled={busyTaskId === task.id || task.running}
                   onClick={() =>
-                    withTask(task.id, "Run now", () =>
-                      runScheduledTaskNow(project.id, task.id),
-                    )
+                    withTask(task.id, "Run now", async () => {
+                      await runScheduledTaskNow(project.id, task.id);
+                      setJustTriggered(Date.now());
+                    })
                   }
                 >
-                  Run now
+                  {task.running ? "Running…" : "Run now"}
                 </Button>
                 <Button disabled={busyTaskId === task.id} onClick={() => setEditing(task)}>
                   Edit

app/src/components/projects/home/TaskEditorModal.test.tsx

@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ const existingTask: ScheduledTask = {
   created_at: null,
   last_run: null,
   next_run: null,
+  running: false,
+  running_since: null,
 };
 
 async function renderEditor(task: ScheduledTask | null = null, project = baseProject) {

app/src/components/projects/home/format.ts

@@ -26,6 +26,21 @@ export function formatElapsed(ms: number): string {
   return `${days}d ago`;
 }
 
+/** "for 42s" / "for 4m" / "for 1h 12m" — elapsed phrasing for a run in flight.
+ *  Seconds are kept below a minute because the first thing anyone wants from a
+ *  freshly triggered run is evidence that it started at all. */
+export function formatRunningFor(iso: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+  if (!iso) return null;
+  const started = Date.parse(iso);
+  if (Number.isNaN(started)) return null;
+  const seconds = Math.max(0, Math.floor((Date.now() - started) / 1000));
+  if (seconds < 60) return `for ${seconds}s`;
+  const minutes = Math.floor(seconds / 60);
+  if (minutes < 60) return `for ${minutes}m`;
+  const hours = Math.floor(minutes / 60);
+  return `for ${hours}h ${minutes % 60}m`;
+}
+
 /** Uptime phrasing for a known start timestamp. */
 export function formatUptime(startedAtMs: number | undefined): string | null {
   if (startedAtMs === undefined) return null;

app/src/lib/types.ts

@@ -388,6 +388,10 @@ export interface ScheduledTask {
   last_run: string | null;
   /** Known only for enabled one-shot tasks; cron is not evaluated. */
   next_run: string | null;
+  /** A run is in flight right now (the runner's pid was verified live). */
+  running: boolean;
+  /** When that run started. Null unless `running`. */
+  running_since: string | null;
 }
 
 /** Mirrors Rust `ScheduleKind` — which of the scheduler's two `add` flags to