Run every command from anywhere inside the model (closes #7)

packages/cli/src/mdl_cli/main.py

@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ def unmanage(
     days = int(expires.rstrip("d") or "14")
     try:
         apply_command(model_dir, "set_unmanaged", {"id": le.id, "unmanaged": True})
-    except CommandError as e:
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
         typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     entry = add_debt(model_dir, entity, reason, days)
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ def ontology_promote(
         raise typer.Exit(1)
     try:
         apply_command(model_dir, "promote_alignment", {"id": obj.id})
-    except CommandError as e:
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
         typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     typer.secho(f"alignment on {name!r} promoted to accepted", fg=typer.colors.GREEN)
@@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@ def delete_entity(
 
     try:
         apply_command(model_dir, "delete_entity", {"id": le.id, "cascade": cascade})
-    except CommandError as e:
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
         typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     typer.secho(f"deleted entity {name!r}", fg=typer.colors.GREEN)
@@ -1250,7 +1250,9 @@ def new_entity(
             "create_entity",
             {"name": name, "subject_area": subject_area, "definition": definition, "layer": layer},
         )
-    except CommandError as e:
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
+        # FileNotFoundError carries the "no mdl-project.yaml … run from my-model/"
+        # guidance (issue #7); show it plainly, not as a traceback.
         typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     typer.secho(f"created entity {name!r} ({result.created_id})", fg=typer.colors.GREEN)
@@ -1262,11 +1264,15 @@ def new_subject_area(
     model_dir: Path = typer.Option(Path("."), "--model-dir", "-m"),
     definition: str = typer.Option(None, "--definition"),
 ) -> None:
-    from mdl_core.commands import apply_command
+    from mdl_core.commands import CommandError, apply_command
 
-    result = apply_command(
-        model_dir, "create_subject_area", {"name": name, "definition": definition}
-    )
+    try:
+        result = apply_command(
+            model_dir, "create_subject_area", {"name": name, "definition": definition}
+        )
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
+        typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
+        raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     typer.secho(f"created subject area {name!r} ({result.created_id})", fg=typer.colors.GREEN)
 
 
@@ -1296,7 +1302,7 @@ def new_term(
                 "alignment": alignment,
             },
         )
-    except CommandError as e:
+    except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
         typer.secho(str(e), fg=typer.colors.RED, err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(1) from e
     typer.secho(f"created term {name!r} ({result.created_id})", fg=typer.colors.GREEN)
@@ -1980,7 +1986,7 @@ def gov_import(
             apply_command(model_dir, op, payload)
             applied += 1
             typer.echo(f"  {op} {payload.get('id', '')}")
-        except CommandError as e:
+        except (CommandError, FileNotFoundError) as e:
             typer.secho(f"skip {op}: {e}", fg=typer.colors.YELLOW)
 
     note = "" if sot == "collibra" else " (note: source_of_truth is git; this is a one-off import)"

packages/core/src/mdl_core/commands.py

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 from mdl_core.diagnostics import Severity
 from mdl_core.ids import is_ulid, new_ulid
-from mdl_core.repo import PROJECT_FILE, ModelRepo
+from mdl_core.repo import PROJECT_FILE, ModelRepo, find_project_root
 from mdl_core.validate import validate
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -63,7 +63,11 @@ class CommandResult:
 def apply_command(
     model_dir: Path, op: str, payload: dict, base_fingerprint: str | None = None
 ) -> CommandResult:
-    model_dir = Path(model_dir)
+    # Resolve to the model dir first, so a command run from a nested dir or the
+    # project root (not only from the exact folder holding mdl-project.yaml) acts on
+    # the right tree — and so the fingerprint below matches ModelRepo.load's own
+    # walk-up (issue #7).
+    model_dir = find_project_root(Path(model_dir))
     if base_fingerprint and dir_fingerprint(model_dir) != base_fingerprint:
         raise StaleModelError("model changed on disk — refresh before editing")
 

packages/core/src/mdl_core/repo.py

@@ -38,6 +38,45 @@
 PROJECT_FILE = "mdl-project.yaml"
 
 
+def find_project_root(start: Path) -> Path:
+    """The model directory for `start`: `start` itself if it holds an
+    `mdl-project.yaml`, else the nearest ancestor that does, else `start` unchanged.
+
+    This is what lets every command run from ANYWHERE inside a model — a nested
+    working dir, or the project root one level above — instead of forcing the user to
+    `cd` into the exact folder holding the project file (issue #7). Returning `start`
+    unchanged when nothing is found keeps the caller's "no mdl-project.yaml in <dir>"
+    error pointing at the directory the user actually named."""
+    start = Path(start)
+    # A file path is meaningless as a root; resolve to its directory first.
+    base = start if start.is_dir() else start.parent
+    base = base.resolve()
+    for d in (base, *base.parents):
+        if (d / PROJECT_FILE).is_file():
+            return d
+    return start
+
+
+def _no_project_message(where: Path) -> str:
+    """A not-found message that helps rather than confuses (issue #7): when the model
+    is in a subdirectory just below `where` (the classic "I'm at the project root, the
+    model is in my-model/" case), name it so the user knows where to go, instead of a
+    bare 'no mdl-project.yaml in .'."""
+    base = f"no {PROJECT_FILE} in {where}"
+    try:
+        subdirs = [
+            p.parent.name
+            for p in Path(where).glob(f"*/{PROJECT_FILE}")
+            if p.is_file()
+        ]
+    except OSError:
+        subdirs = []
+    if subdirs:
+        which = ", ".join(sorted(subdirs))
+        return f"{base} — the model is in {which}/ (run from there, or pass -m {subdirs[0]})"
+    return base
+
+
 class ModelRepo:
     def __init__(self, root: Path) -> None:
         self.root = Path(root)
@@ -51,14 +90,16 @@ def __init__(self, root: Path) -> None:
 
     @classmethod
     def load(cls, root: Path) -> ModelRepo:
-        repo = cls(root)
+        # Walk up to the model dir so a load works from anywhere inside the project,
+        # not only from the exact folder holding mdl-project.yaml (issue #7).
+        repo = cls(find_project_root(root))
         repo._load()
         return repo
 
     def _load(self) -> None:
         project_path = self.root / PROJECT_FILE
         if not project_path.exists():
-            raise FileNotFoundError(f"no {PROJECT_FILE} in {self.root}")
+            raise FileNotFoundError(_no_project_message(self.root))
         project_raw = load_file(project_path)
         self.raw[PROJECT_FILE] = project_raw
         config = ProjectConfig.model_validate(_to_plain(project_raw))

packages/core/tests/test_project_root.py

@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""Commands must run from anywhere inside a model, not only from the exact folder
+holding mdl-project.yaml (issue #7)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from mdl_core.commands import apply_command
+from mdl_core.repo import ModelRepo, find_project_root
+
+from model_builders import write_model
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def project(tmp_path):
+    """The issue's layout: a project root with the model one level down in my-model/."""
+    model = tmp_path / "my-model"
+    model.mkdir()
+    write_model(model)
+    return tmp_path, model
+
+
+def test_find_root_from_model_dir(project):
+    _, model = project
+    assert find_project_root(model) == model.resolve()
+
+
+def test_find_root_from_nested_dir(project):
+    _, model = project
+    nested = model / "conceptual" / "entities"
+    assert find_project_root(nested) == model.resolve()
+
+
+def test_load_from_the_model_dir(project):
+    _, model = project
+    assert ModelRepo.load(model).model.config.name == "testmodel"
+
+
+def test_load_from_a_nested_dir_walks_up(project):
+    """The core of issue #7: standing in conceptual/entities/ must still load the
+    model, instead of failing because mdl-project.yaml is not in that exact dir."""
+    _, model = project
+    nested = model / "logical" / "entities"
+    assert ModelRepo.load(nested).model.config.name == "testmodel"
+
+
+def test_add_entity_from_a_nested_dir_walks_up(project):
+    """Adding an entity — the command the issue says only worked from a specific dir —
+    now works from anywhere inside the model."""
+    _, model = project
+    nested = model / "conceptual" / "entities"
+    result = apply_command(nested, "create_entity", {"name": "Widget"})
+    assert result.ok and result.created_id
+    # it landed in the real model at the resolved root, not in the nested dir
+    reloaded = ModelRepo.load(model).model
+    assert any(e.name == "Widget" for e in reloaded.conceptual_entities.values())
+    # and nothing was written into the nested working dir
+    assert not (nested / "mdl-project.yaml").exists()
+
+
+def test_helpful_message_when_run_from_the_project_root_above(project):
+    """Running from the root ABOVE the model (where walking up finds nothing) gives a
+    message that points into the model, not a bare 'no mdl-project.yaml in .'."""
+    root, _ = project
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError) as ei:
+        ModelRepo.load(root)
+    msg = str(ei.value)
+    assert "my-model" in msg  # names the subdir to go into
+    assert "-m my-model" in msg  # and how to point at it
+
+
+def test_plain_message_when_no_model_anywhere(tmp_path):
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError) as ei:
+        ModelRepo.load(tmp_path)
+    msg = str(ei.value)
+    assert "no mdl-project.yaml" in msg
+    assert "my-model" not in msg  # nothing to suggest