Skip to main content

Interrupt and Resume an Interaction

Use an interruption when a direct instruction must be handled while a previous action sequence has not yet reached its completion answer.

Declare the boundary​

An action stage before the interruption has flag_answer_to_user=False. The following stage carries a direct instruction instead of EmptyInstruction.

from magma_core.simulation.data_structures import EmptyInstruction, StageInput, UserInstruction

inputs = [
    StageInput(UserInstruction("Press sw0, then sw1."), flag_answer_to_user=False),
    StageInput(
        UserInstruction("Before continuing, press sw2."),
        flag_answer_to_user=False,
        linked_to_prev=True,
    ),
    StageInput(EmptyInstruction(), flag_answer_to_user=True),
]

Bind these inputs to stages verifying sw0, the interrupting sw2, and the resumed sw1. The first instruction describes the work to remember; the final empty input continues using the preceding status. Use explicit goals and coherent physical reset settings for each stage.

Expected interaction​

At this stage boundary, the preceding action's final status is delivered before the new instruction. The agent should handle sw2, then resume the original request with sw1. Keeping the first answer flag false leaves that original interaction unfinished; the final answer boundary closes it.

Use the ButtonCheckpoint class from the complete multi-stage example to attach these instructions to physical and log checks. For the interrupting stage, set linked_to_prev=True in its StageInput if it belongs to the same evaluated interaction, and preserve that choice in its constructor arguments when serializing it.

The runtime's continuation and skill bookkeeping is described in the skill reference. Scenario authors declare the input sequence, expected goals, and reset behavior; the agent remains responsible for choosing the actions that resume the work.

Interruption is not cancellation​

Delivering a new instruction does not automatically abort a physical trajectory at any timestep. These authored interruptions occur at the runtime's stage/result boundary. Cancelling a running skill is a separate operation, exposed by consumers using the skill manager's cancellation capability.

linked_to_prev groups stages as part of an interaction; it is not the trigger by itself. The direct input and the preceding false answer flag establish the delayed-input case. Decide whether the new instruction belongs to the same evaluated interaction or a separate one.

Validate the behavior​

If your stages are built by a definition, inspect them with test-requests ... trace. For a preset, use the tool tester to check individual physical actions. Then run the task with GEN to inspect status ordering, pending work, and resumption. Enable any required skills; the manual tool tester does not exercise that complete lifecycle.

See skills and interaction concepts.