Merge pull request #55 from NielsRogge/feature/update_neurips_dates

agents/MODAL_DEBUGGING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# Modal Agent Debugging - SOLVED
+
+## Problem Summary
+
+When running the conference deadline agent on Modal, the `claude-agent-sdk` query only received 1 message (the `SystemMessage` init) and then completed immediately, without any actual Claude response or tool calls.
+
+## Root Causes Found
+
+### 1. ✅ Python Version (Minor Factor)
+Changed from Python 3.12 to 3.11 to match the working `github_issues_reply` example.
+
+### 2. ✅ sys.path Order Bug (MAJOR)
+The `sys.path.insert()` calls were in the wrong order, causing Python to import the agent code from the **cloned repo** (which had old code) instead of the **mounted local code**.
+
+**Bug:**
+```python
+sys.path.insert(0, "/home/agent/app")  # Position 0
+sys.path.insert(0, REPO_DIR)            # This pushes /home/agent/app to position 1!
+```
+
+**Fix:**
+```python
+sys.path.insert(0, REPO_DIR)            # Position 0
+sys.path.insert(0, "/home/agent/app")   # This is now at position 0!
+```
+
+### 3. ✅ Missing USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT
+The `agent.py` uses `PROJECT_ROOT` to find conference YAML files. Without the environment variable, it pointed to `/home/agent/app` instead of the cloned repo where the files actually are.
+
+**Fix in modal_agent.py:**
+```python
+os.environ["USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT"] = "1"
+```
+
+**Fix in agent.py:**
+```python
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(os.getcwd()) if os.environ.get("USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT") else SCRIPT_DIR.parent
+```
+
+### 4. ✅ Overly Complex ClaudeAgentOptions
+Removed unnecessary options that might cause issues:
+- Removed `mcp_servers` (Exa MCP server)
+- Removed `cwd` parameter
+- Removed `stderr` callback
+- Removed `max_turns`
+- Removed `extra_args={"debug-to-stderr": None}`
+
+**Simplified to:**
+```python
+options = ClaudeAgentOptions(
+    system_prompt=system_prompt,
+    permission_mode="bypassPermissions",
+    settings=settings_path,
+)
+```
+
+## Working Configuration
+
+### modal_agent.py Key Points:
+- Python 3.11 (matching working example)
+- Correct sys.path order (mounted code takes priority)
+- Set `USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT=1` before importing agent
+- Minimal secrets: just `anthropic` and `github-token`
+
+### agent.py Key Points:
+- Simple `ClaudeAgentOptions` with just system_prompt, permission_mode, settings
+- Dynamic `PROJECT_ROOT` based on environment variable
+
+## Test Command
+
+```bash
+uv run modal run agents/modal_agent.py --conference-name neurips
+```
+
+Expected: Multiple messages (50+), web searches, file edits, git operations.
+
+## Modal Secrets Required
+
+```bash
+uv run modal secret create anthropic ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=<your-key>
+uv run modal secret create github-token GH_TOKEN=<token-with-repo-scope>
+```

agents/agent.py

@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ from claude_agent_sdk import (
     UserMessage,
     query,
 )
-from claude_agent_sdk.types import McpHttpServerConfig
 
 # Script directory for resolving relative paths
 SCRIPT_DIR = Path(__file__).parent
 
-# Project root directory (parent of agents/)
-PROJECT_ROOT = SCRIPT_DIR.parent
+# Project root directory - use current working directory if set (for Modal),
+# otherwise use parent of agents/ directory (for local development)
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(os.getcwd()) if os.environ.get("USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT") else SCRIPT_DIR.parent
 
 
 async def read_prompt(filename: str) -> str:
@@ -129,24 +129,10 @@ async def find_conference_deadlines(conference_name: str) -> None:
         settings_path = Path.home() / ".claude" / "settings.local.json"
     settings_path = str(settings_path)
     
-    # Configure Exa MCP server for web search capabilities
-    # See: https://docs.exa.ai/reference/exa-mcp
-    exa_api_key = os.environ.get("EXA_API_KEY", "")
-    # ?exaApiKey={exa_api_key}
-    exa_mcp_url = f"https://mcp.exa.ai/mcp"
-    
-    mcp_servers: dict[str, McpHttpServerConfig] = {
-        "exa": McpHttpServerConfig(
-            type="http",
-            url=exa_mcp_url,
-        )
-    }
-    
     options = ClaudeAgentOptions(
         system_prompt=system_prompt,
         permission_mode="bypassPermissions",
         settings=settings_path,
-        mcp_servers=mcp_servers,
     )
 
     # Run the agent query
@@ -160,7 +146,6 @@ async def find_conference_deadlines(conference_name: str) -> None:
     print(f"Settings path exists: {Path(settings_path).exists()}")
     print(f"System prompt length: {len(system_prompt)}")
     print(f"Conference data loaded: {len(conference_data)} characters")
-    print(f"Exa MCP server configured: {'Yes (API key set)' if exa_api_key else 'Yes (no API key)'}")
 
     message_count = 0
     try:

agents/modal_agent.py

@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ Setup:
 1. Install Modal: uv add modal
 2. Authenticate: uv run modal setup
 3. Create secrets:
-   uv run modal secret create anthropic-base-url ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=<your-base-url>
    uv run modal secret create anthropic ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=<your-key>
-   uv run modal secret create github-pat GITHUB_PAT=<token-with-repo-and-pr-scope>
-   uv run modal secret create exa EXA_API_KEY=<your-key>  # optional
+   uv run modal secret create github-token GH_TOKEN=<token-with-repo-and-pr-scope>
 
 Note: The GITHUB_PAT token needs the following scopes:
   - `repo` - for cloning and pushing to the repository
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ def get_conferences(base_dir: str = REPO_DIR) -> list[str]:
 
 # Define the Modal image with all required dependencies
 image = (
-    modal.Image.debian_slim(python_version="3.12")
+    modal.Image.debian_slim(python_version="3.11")
     .apt_install("git", "curl")
     .run_commands(
         # Install GitHub CLI
@@ -105,10 +103,8 @@ app = modal.App(
     name="conference-deadlines-agent",
     image=image,
     secrets=[
-        modal.Secret.from_name("anthropic-base-url"),
         modal.Secret.from_name("anthropic"),
-        modal.Secret.from_name("github-pat"),
-        modal.Secret.from_name("exa", required=False),
+        modal.Secret.from_name("github-token"),
     ],
 )
 
@@ -118,12 +114,9 @@ def setup_git_and_clone():
     import os
     import subprocess
 
-    github_pat = os.environ.get("GITHUB_PAT", "")
-    if not github_pat:
-        raise ValueError("GITHUB_PAT environment variable is required")
-
-    # Set GH_TOKEN for GitHub CLI authentication
-    os.environ["GH_TOKEN"] = github_pat
+    github_token = os.environ.get("GH_TOKEN", "")
+    if not github_token:
+        raise ValueError("GH_TOKEN environment variable is required")
 
     # Configure git user
     subprocess.run(
@@ -144,7 +137,7 @@ def setup_git_and_clone():
     # Store credentials
     credentials_file = os.path.expanduser("~/.git-credentials")
     with open(credentials_file, "w") as f:
-        f.write(f"https://x-access-token:{github_pat}@github.com\n")
+        f.write(f"https://x-access-token:{github_token}@github.com\n")
     os.chmod(credentials_file, 0o600)
 
     # Clone the repository if it doesn't exist
@@ -189,13 +182,18 @@ def process_single_conference(conference_name: str) -> dict:
     setup_git_and_clone()
 
     # Add the app directory to the path for imports
-    sys.path.insert(0, "/home/agent/app")
+    # IMPORTANT: /home/agent/app must be first so the mounted code is used,
+    # not the cloned repo code
     sys.path.insert(0, REPO_DIR)
+    sys.path.insert(0, "/home/agent/app")
 
     # Change to repo directory so relative paths work
     os.chdir(REPO_DIR)
+    
+    # Tell agent.py to use current working directory as PROJECT_ROOT
+    os.environ["USE_CWD_AS_PROJECT_ROOT"] = "1"
 
-    # Import and run the agent
+    # Import and run the agent (uses mounted code from /home/agent/app/agents/)
     from agents.agent import find_conference_deadlines
 
     async def _process():

src/data/conferences/neurips.yml

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
   full_name: Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems
   link: https://neurips.cc/
   date: December 6-12, 2026
+  start: '2026-12-06'
+  end: '2026-12-12'
   city: Sydney
   country: Australia
   era_rating: a