fix(cli): finish the run surface

- backtest takes --run-id, so an interrupted sweep continues
- an inverted date range or an empty ticker list is an error, not a clean zero-cell run
- a setup failure in a sweep reports one line instead of a traceback
- the remembered endpoint URL is offered back
- a round count set in the environment says it overrode the chosen research depth
- the run directory validates the ticker, and the report saves under results_dir
- the run says whether it resumed a saved run or started fresh

cli/main.py

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ from cli.utils import (
 )
 from tradingagents.agents.utils.rating import is_review
 from tradingagents.backtest import iter_grid, run_backtest, summarize
+from tradingagents.dataflows.utils import safe_ticker_component
 from tradingagents.default_config import DEFAULT_CONFIG
 from tradingagents.graph.analyst_execution import (
     AnalystWallTimeTracker,
@@ -674,7 +675,9 @@ def _prompt_selections(prefs):
         # The generic OpenAI-compatible endpoint has no default; ask for it if
         # neither the menu nor the environment supplied one.
         if selected_llm_provider == "openai_compatible" and not backend_url:
-            backend_url = prompt_openai_compatible_url()
+            remembered_url = (prefs.get("backend_url")
+                              if prefs.get("llm_provider") == selected_llm_provider else None)
+            backend_url = prompt_openai_compatible_url(remembered_url)
 
         # For Ollama, surface the resolved endpoint (OLLAMA_BASE_URL vs default)
         # before model selection so it's obvious where we're connecting.
@@ -983,6 +986,29 @@ def format_tool_args(args, max_length=80) -> str:
         return result[:max_length - 3] + "..."
     return result
 
+def _run_directory(config: dict, ticker: str, trade_date: str) -> Path:
+    """Where this run writes, with the ticker validated as a path component.
+
+    Every other path that interpolates a ticker checks it first; a value of
+    ".." here would place the run outside the results directory.
+    """
+    return Path(config["results_dir"]) / safe_ticker_component(ticker) / trade_date
+
+
+def _announce_checkpoint_state(graph, ticker: str, trade_date: str) -> None:
+    """Say whether this run resumed a saved one, where the user can see it.
+
+    The graph logs this, but nothing in the CLI configures logging and the live
+    view owns the screen, so a resume was invisible.
+    """
+    if getattr(graph, "_resuming", False):
+        message_buffer.add_message(
+            "System", f"Resuming the saved run for {ticker} on {trade_date}"
+        )
+    else:
+        message_buffer.add_message("System", f"Starting fresh for {ticker} on {trade_date}")
+
+
 def _build_run_config(selections: dict, checkpoint: bool | None) -> dict:
     """Assemble the run config from interactive selections, honoring env precedence.
 
@@ -993,10 +1019,17 @@ def _build_run_config(selections: dict, checkpoint: bool | None) -> dict:
     # Research depth sets both round counts, but an explicit env override
     # (TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_DEBATE_ROUNDS / _MAX_RISK_ROUNDS) wins over the
     # interactive selection — leave the env-applied value in place (#977).
-    if not os.environ.get("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_DEBATE_ROUNDS"):
-        config["max_debate_rounds"] = selections["research_depth"]
-    if not os.environ.get("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_RISK_ROUNDS"):
-        config["max_risk_discuss_rounds"] = selections["research_depth"]
+    for env_var, key in (("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_DEBATE_ROUNDS", "max_debate_rounds"),
+                         ("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_RISK_ROUNDS", "max_risk_discuss_rounds")):
+        if os.environ.get(env_var):
+            # The depth prompt still appeared (it is skipped only when both are
+            # set), so say which half of the answer the environment overrode.
+            console.print(
+                f"[green]✓ {key} from environment:[/green] {config[key]} "
+                f"(set by {env_var}, so the research depth you chose does not apply to it)"
+            )
+        else:
+            config[key] = selections["research_depth"]
     config["quick_think_llm"] = selections["quick_think_llm"]
     config["deep_think_llm"] = selections["deep_think_llm"]
     config["backend_url"] = selections["backend_url"]
@@ -1043,7 +1076,7 @@ def run_analysis(checkpoint: bool | None = None, portfolio=None):
     start_time = time.time()
 
     # Create result directory
-    results_dir = Path(config["results_dir"]) / selections["ticker"] / selections["analysis_date"]
+    results_dir = _run_directory(config, selections["ticker"], selections["analysis_date"])
     results_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     report_dir = results_dir / "reports"
     report_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -1299,7 +1332,11 @@ def run_analysis(checkpoint: bool | None = None, portfolio=None):
     save_choice = typer.prompt("Save report?", default="Y").strip().upper()
     if save_choice in ("Y", "YES", ""):
         timestamp = datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
-        default_path = Path.cwd() / "reports" / f"{selections['ticker']}_{timestamp}"
+        # Under results_dir, not the working directory: in Docker the working
+        # directory is inside the container and the report goes with it, while
+        # results_dir is the mounted volume the rest of the run already writes to.
+        default_path = (Path(config["results_dir"]) / "reports"
+                        / f"{safe_ticker_component(selections['ticker'])}_{timestamp}")
         save_path_str = typer.prompt(
             "Save path (press Enter for default)",
             default=str(default_path)
@@ -1383,6 +1420,9 @@ def backtest(
     portfolio: str = typer.Option(
         None, "--portfolio", help="JSON file with holdings and cash, held constant across the grid"
     ),
+    run_id: str = typer.Option(
+        None, "--run-id", help="Continue an earlier sweep: its cells are skipped and its log reused"
+    ),
 ):
     """Score past decisions over a grid of tickers and dates."""
     from tradingagents.agents.utils.memory import TradingMemoryLog
@@ -1395,11 +1435,19 @@ def backtest(
         raise typer.Exit(code=1) from None
 
     names = [t.strip() for t in tickers.split(",") if t.strip()]
-    kwargs = {"asset_type": asset_type, "portfolio": book}
+    if not names:
+        console.print("[red]No ticker to analyze; pass them comma-separated, e.g. NVDA,AAPL[/red]")
+        raise typer.Exit(code=1)
+
+    kwargs = {"asset_type": asset_type, "portfolio": book, "run_id": run_id}
     if analysts:
         kwargs["selected_analysts"] = [a.strip().lower() for a in analysts.split(",") if a.strip()]
 
-    result = run_backtest(names, dates, DEFAULT_CONFIG, **kwargs)
+    try:
+        result = run_backtest(names, dates, DEFAULT_CONFIG, **kwargs)
+    except Exception as exc:  # a missing key or an unknown analyst is a setup error
+        console.print(f"[red]{exc}[/red]")
+        raise typer.Exit(code=1) from None
     console.print(summarize(TradingMemoryLog({"memory_log_path": str(result.log_path)})).render())
     console.print(f"\nRan {result.cells_run} cells, skipped {result.skipped}. Log: {result.log_path}")
     for ticker, date, reason in result.failures:

cli/utils.py

@@ -400,11 +400,12 @@ def resolve_backend_url(
     return env_url or menu_url or provider_default_url(provider)
 
 
-def prompt_openai_compatible_url() -> str:
+def prompt_openai_compatible_url(default=None) -> str:
     """Prompt for a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint base URL."""
     url = questionary.text(
         "Enter the OpenAI-compatible base URL "
         "(e.g. http://localhost:8000/v1 for vLLM, http://localhost:1234/v1 for LM Studio):",
+        default=default or "",
         validate=lambda x: x.strip().startswith(("http://", "https://"))
         or "Enter a URL starting with http:// or https://",
     ).ask()

tests/test_cli_commands.py

@@ -89,3 +89,61 @@ def test_every_command_is_registered_when_run_as_a_module():
                          capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120)
     assert out.returncode == 0, out.stderr[-400:]
     assert "--start" in out.stdout
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_the_cli_says_whether_a_run_resumed(monkeypatch):
+    """The README promises the user can tell a resumed run from a fresh one.
+    The graph logs it, but nothing configures logging, so it was never shown."""
+    import cli.main as m
+
+    messages = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m.message_buffer, "add_message",
+                        lambda kind, text: messages.append(text), raising=False)
+
+    m._announce_checkpoint_state(type("G", (), {"_resuming": True})(), "NVDA", "2026-01-10")
+    m._announce_checkpoint_state(type("G", (), {"_resuming": False})(), "NVDA", "2026-01-10")
+
+    assert any("resum" in text.lower() for text in messages)
+    assert any("fresh" in text.lower() for text in messages)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_backtest_can_continue_an_interrupted_sweep(runner, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """Resuming is what makes a long sweep practical, and the Python API has it."""
+    swept = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "run_backtest", lambda *a, **kw: swept.append(kw) or _Result(tmp_path))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "summarize", lambda log: _Summary())
+
+    result = runner.invoke(m.app, ["backtest", "NVDA", "--start", "2026-06-01",
+                                   "--end", "2026-06-08", "--run-id", "20260617_120000"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert swept[0]["run_id"] == "20260617_120000"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("args, expected", [
+    (["backtest", "NVDA", "--start", "2026-08-01", "--end", "2026-06-08"], "before"),
+    (["backtest", ",,", "--start", "2026-06-01", "--end", "2026-06-08"], "ticker"),
+])
+def test_backtest_rejects_input_that_would_sweep_nothing(runner, args, expected):
+    """An inverted range or an empty ticker list reported a clean zero-cell run,
+    which reads as 'nothing to find' rather than 'you asked for nothing'."""
+    result = runner.invoke(m.app, args)
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    assert expected in result.output.lower()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_backtest_reports_a_setup_failure_in_one_line(runner, monkeypatch):
+    """A missing key or a bad analyst name produced a raw traceback."""
+    def _explode(*a, **kw):
+        raise ValueError("API key for provider 'openai' is not set")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "run_backtest", _explode)
+    result = runner.invoke(m.app, ["backtest", "NVDA", "--start", "2026-06-01", "--end", "2026-06-08"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 1
+    assert "API key" in result.output
+    assert "Traceback" not in result.output

tests/test_cli_config_precedence.py

@@ -83,3 +83,25 @@ def test_glm_resolves_to_the_endpoint_its_key_belongs_to():
     assert get_api_key_env("glm") == "ZHIPU_API_KEY"
     assert "z.ai" in OPENAI_COMPATIBLE_PROVIDERS["glm"].base_url
     assert "bigmodel.cn" in OPENAI_COMPATIBLE_PROVIDERS["glm-cn"].base_url
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_half_set_round_count_says_which_value_won(capsys, monkeypatch):
+    """With only one of the two round-count variables set, the depth prompt is
+    still shown but half the answer is discarded; the user was never told."""
+    import cli.main as m
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_DEBATE_ROUNDS", "1")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_RISK_ROUNDS", raising=False)
+    printed = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m.console, "print", lambda *a, **k: printed.append(str(a[0]) if a else ""))
+
+    config = m._build_run_config({
+        "ticker": "NVDA", "analysis_date": "2026-09-01", "asset_type": "stock",
+        "analysts": [], "research_depth": 5, "llm_provider": "openai",
+        "quick_think_llm": "gpt-5.6-luna", "deep_think_llm": "gpt-5.6",
+        "backend_url": None, "output_language": "English",
+    }, None)
+
+    assert config["max_risk_discuss_rounds"] == 5
+    assert any("TRADINGAGENTS_MAX_DEBATE_ROUNDS" in line for line in printed), printed

tests/test_cli_prefs.py

@@ -141,3 +141,29 @@ def test_a_custom_language_is_remembered_without_breaking_the_next_run():
         select.return_value.ask.return_value = "English"
         ask_output_language(load_last_run()["output_language"])
     assert select.call_args.kwargs["default"] is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_a_remembered_endpoint_is_offered_back(monkeypatch):
+    """Users of a local or custom endpoint retyped the URL every run: it was
+    remembered and validated, then never read."""
+    import cli.main as m
+
+    save_last_run({"llm_provider": "openai_compatible", "backend_url": "http://localhost:1234/v1"})
+    offered = {}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "select_llm_provider", lambda default=None: ("openai_compatible", None))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "prompt_openai_compatible_url",
+                        lambda default=None: offered.setdefault("default", default) or "http://x/v1")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "fetch_announcements", lambda: [])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "display_announcements", lambda *a: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "get_ticker", lambda: "NVDA")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "get_analysis_date", lambda: "2026-09-01")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "ask_output_language", lambda default=None: "English")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "select_analysts", lambda asset_type, default=None: [AnalystType.MARKET])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "select_research_depth", lambda default=None: 1)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "select_shallow_thinking_agent", lambda p, default=None: "local-model")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(m, "select_deep_thinking_agent", lambda p, default=None: "local-model")
+
+    m.get_user_selections()
+
+    assert offered["default"] == "http://localhost:1234/v1"

tests/test_cli_symbol_handling.py

@@ -60,3 +60,16 @@ def test_cli_normalize_delegates_to_data_layer():
     # CLI must produce the same canonical symbol the data path will price.
     for raw in ("XAUUSD", "BTCUSD", "btc-usdt", "AAPL"):
         assert normalize_ticker_symbol(raw) == normalize_symbol(raw)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_the_run_directory_cannot_escape_the_results_directory(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Every other path that interpolates a ticker validates it first; the CLI's
+    own results tree did not, so a ticker of '..' wrote a level up."""
+    import cli.main as m
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        m._run_directory({"results_dir": str(tmp_path)}, "..", "2026-09-01")
+
+    ok = m._run_directory({"results_dir": str(tmp_path)}, "NVDA", "2026-09-01")
+    assert str(ok).startswith(str(tmp_path))

tradingagents/backtest.py

@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ def iter_grid(start_date: str, end_date: str, every_n_days: int = 1) -> list[str
     start, end = _canonical(start_date), _canonical(end_date)
     if every_n_days < 1:
         raise ValueError("every_n_days must be at least 1")
+    if end < start:
+        raise ValueError(f"the grid ends before it starts: {end_date} is before {start_date}")
 
     last = min(end, datetime.strptime(get_current_date(), "%Y-%m-%d"))
     dates, cursor = [], start