Refine categorized timing metrics and coverage output

atvm/docs/automation/guide.md

@@ -243,6 +243,8 @@ Status-report expectations:
 - Do not include internal watcher fallback notes in `NOTES:` such as `check-xml-files.ts` validation confirmations or reporter-artifact recovery details.
 - The `HOSTS:` table includes `Host`, `Kernel`, `Status`, and `Detail` columns in that order.
 - In `COVERAGE:`, describe the important `cmc-templates.py` command inputs such as template, categorize mode, datastore/config family, config filename, migration style, plugin/integration path, and other operator-relevant run options, but do not list target hosts there or include verbose prose scope descriptions.
+- If `categorize mode: enabled` is already shown in `COVERAGE:`, do not also repeat `--categorize` under `run options`.
+- When grouped categorized timing is reconstructed from host reporter artifacts, derive per-host quickest/longest/average durations from the sequence of recovered host timestamps and the grouped end time instead of leaving those metrics as `n/a`.
 - In `TEST FLOW:`, show the template-specific numbered run flow once for the whole test, not per host.
 - Resolve the flow from the run template name.
 - `cmc-e2e` currently uses the 22-step migration flow documented in `/home/aw/code/cds/atvm/docs/automation/status-template.md`.

atvm/docs/automation/run-learnings.md

@@ -321,6 +321,14 @@ This file stores run-specific examples only when a run produced a new learning r
   - Store and display the exact `cmc-templates.py` command in `NOTES:`.
   - Omit only the outer remote-execution wrapper.
 
+## Run Learning: 2026-03-27 (Avoid redundant categorize flags and infer grouped timing stats)
+- Observed requirement:
+  - When `categorize mode: enabled` is already shown in `COVERAGE:`, repeating `--categorize` under `run options` is redundant.
+  - Grouped categorized results should still show `quickest`, `longest`, and `average` when those values can be inferred from recovered host timing.
+- Action for future runs:
+  - Do not repeat `--categorize` under `run options` when categorize mode is already shown separately.
+  - When grouped host results are reconstructed from reporter artifacts, infer per-host durations from the recovered host timestamp sequence and grouped end time so grouped timing stats do not default to `n/a` unnecessarily.
+
 ## Run Learning: 2026-03-27 (Do not auto-add blacklist excludes for explicitly specified VMs)
 - Observed requirement:
   - When the operator explicitly specifies the VM or VM list to run, they do not want the maintained `--exclude_partial_match` blacklist added automatically.

atvm/docs/automation/status-template.md

@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ Use this as the default ATVM automation run-status template for:
 - Do not include internal fallback notes in `NOTES:` such as "`check-xml-files.ts` validation passed" or "host details were derived from reporter artifacts."
 - `COVERAGE:` should describe what the run was intended to cover without listing target hosts.
 - `COVERAGE:` should mostly mirror the important `cmc-templates.py` command inputs such as template, categorize mode, config filename, integration/plugin path, and important flags like `--ignore_force_shutdown`.
+- If `categorize mode: enabled` is shown, do not also repeat `--categorize` under `run options`.
+- When grouped categorized timing is reconstructed from host reporter artifacts, still populate `quickest`, `longest`, and `average` from inferred per-host durations when possible.
 - `TEST FLOW:` should describe the template-specific numbered run flow once for the whole test, not per host.
 - The watcher resolves `TEST FLOW:` from the run template name.
 - `cmc-e2e` currently uses this flow:

atvm/watcher-service/atvm_run_watcher.py

@@ -733,6 +733,23 @@ def get_test_flow(template_name: object) -> List[str]:
     return TEMPLATE_TEST_FLOWS.get(template_name, DEFAULT_TEST_FLOW)
 
 
+def infer_missing_host_durations(ordered_hosts: List[HostResult], end_ts: Optional[datetime]) -> None:
+    timed_hosts = [host for host in ordered_hosts if host.timestamp]
+    if not timed_hosts:
+        return
+    timed_hosts.sort(key=lambda host: host.timestamp or datetime.fromtimestamp(0, tz=timezone.utc))
+    for index, host in enumerate(timed_hosts):
+        if host.duration_seconds is not None:
+            continue
+        current_ts = host.timestamp
+        if current_ts is None:
+            continue
+        next_ts = timed_hosts[index + 1].timestamp if index + 1 < len(timed_hosts) else end_ts
+        if next_ts is None or next_ts <= current_ts:
+            continue
+        host.duration_seconds = (next_ts - current_ts).total_seconds()
+
+
 def build_status_markdown(
     build_name: str,
     metadata: Dict[str, object],
@@ -744,6 +761,7 @@ def build_status_markdown(
     notes: List[str],
 ) -> str:
     ordered_hosts = list(host_results.values())
+    infer_missing_host_durations(ordered_hosts, end_ts)
     finished = len([h for h in ordered_hosts if h.status in {"PASS", "FAIL"}])
     passed = len([h for h in ordered_hosts if h.status == "PASS"])
     failed = len([h for h in ordered_hosts if h.status == "FAIL"])
@@ -772,6 +790,9 @@ def build_status_markdown(
 
     notes_block = "\n".join(f"- {note}" for note in notes) if notes else "- none"
     test_flow_lines = [f"- {step}" for step in get_test_flow(metadata.get("template"))]
+    coverage_options = list(metadata.get("extra_options", [])) if isinstance(metadata.get("extra_options"), list) else []
+    if metadata.get("categorized"):
+        coverage_options = [value for value in coverage_options if value != "--categorize"]
 
     lines = [
         "## ATVM Run Status",
@@ -808,7 +829,7 @@ def build_status_markdown(
         f"- config file: `{metadata.get('config_file', 'unknown')}`",
         f"- migration style: {metadata['migration_style']}",
         f"- integration/plugin path: `{metadata['integration_plugin']}`",
-        f"- run options: {', '.join(f'`{value}`' for value in metadata.get('extra_options', [])) or 'none'}",
+        f"- run options: {', '.join(f'`{value}`' for value in coverage_options) or 'none'}",
         "",
         "**TEST FLOW:**",
         *test_flow_lines,